Paydirt Pictures has added young Danish director Emil Kahr to its roster. Kahr won the Silver at the Cannes Lions Young Director Awards in 2012 for his graceful and poignant Nikon spot “Until Now,” a progression from an earlier piece shortlisted for the same award in 2010. Kahr has directed projects for top brands like Nike, Cartier and Opel, and worked with agencies such as Mazarine Paris, Saatchi & Saatchi, and Grey. Recent work includes spots for Knob Creek and Thai Airways….Director Jody Dwyer has joined the commercial roster of MRB Productions, a Hollywood shop specializing in television, features, new media and commercial content. Dwyer, trained as a film editor in London, has worked in Europe, Asia and Australia, and has over 20 years of directorial experience. Dwyer has quite an extensive roster of successful projects under his belt, such as Coca-Cola’s “Bungee,” Hungry Jack’s “Jailbreak,” and Acuvue’s “Comfort.” His feature film Dying Breed premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2008. Dwyer joins a roster of directors at MRB that includes Stephen Gyllenhaal, Mark Teitelman, Jamie Babbit, Branson Veal, Chuchie Hill and Jeremy Haft….Director/DP Nicol�s Puenzo has joined Venice, Calif.-based Carbo Films for U.S. commercial representation. Growing up in a household with an Oscar-nominated director as a father and feature film and commercial directors for siblings, Puenzo has been involved with filmmaking since birth. He began directing commercials at 24 and has helmed spots for the likes of Coca-Cola, Budweiser, Unilever, MasterCard, Honda and Chevrolet. Alongside his brother, director Pepe Puenzo, he co-founded Puenzo Hnos (Puenzo Brothers), a commercial production company with offices in Buenos Aires and Santiago. Nicol�s Puenzo also started 3DN, a Buenos Aires-based visual effects studio….Schuyler Vanden Bergh joins R&R Partners to take over as creative director on the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority account. Previously, he worked at TBWA/Chiat/Day, where he handled Nissan/Infiniti, Energizer and XM Satellite Radio; Team One, where he handled Lexus and FlexJet; and Vitro, where he handled ASICS sportswear….Envision Media Arts (EMA), headed by president/CEO Lee Nelson, has just wrapped principal photography on its newest feature film, FREEZER. EMA is currently in postproduction on the film. Mikael Salomon directed from a script by Tom Doganoglu and Shane Weisfeld. Nelson and David Buelow are producers for EMA….
Gene Hackman Died Of Heart Disease; Hantavirus Claimed His Wife’s Life About One Week Prior
Actor Gene Hackman died of heart disease a full week after his wife died from hantavirus in their New Mexico hillside home, likely unaware that she was dead because he was in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease, authorities revealed Friday. Both deaths were ruled to be from natural causes, chief medical examiner Dr. Heather Jarrell said alongside state fire and health officials at a news conference. "Mr. Hackman showed evidence of advanced Alzheimer's disease," Jarrell said. "He was in a very poor state of health. He had significant heart disease, and I think ultimately that's what resulted in his death." Authorities didn't suspect foul play after the bodies of Hackman, 95, and Betsy Arakawa, 65, were discovered Feb 26. Immediate tests for carbon monoxide poisoning were negative. Investigators found that the last known communication and activity from Arakawa was Feb. 11 when she visited a pharmacy, pet store and grocery before returning to their gated neighborhood that afternoon, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said Friday. Hackman's pacemaker last showed signs of activity a week later and that he had an abnormal heart rhythm Feb. 18, the day he likely died, Jarrell said. Although there was no reliable way to determine the date and time when both died, all signs point to their deaths coming a week apart, Jarrell said. "It's quite possible he was not aware she was deceased," Jarrell said. Dr. Michael Baden, a former New York City medical examiner, said he believes Hackman was severely impaired due to Alzheimer's disease and unable to deal with his wife's death in the last week of his life. "You are talking about very severe Alzheimer's disease that normal people would be in a nursing home or have a nurse, but she was taking care... Read More