Corey Berg has been named executive producer for Pulse Films USA, the stateside operation of the London-based cross media production company. He will work from Pulse Films partner Caviar’s L.A. office collaborating with NY-based Cedric Gairard, Pulse’s U.S. managing director. Berg will initially focus on developing commercial production opportunities for Pulse’s growing roster of directors, including: Mike Piscitelli, Dave Ma, The Young Replicants, David Lewandowski and Kahlil Joseph, and will seek stateside opportunities for Pulse’s UK-based directors, which includes: Thirtytwo, Ben Newman, DARYL, Anthony Dickenson and Fred & Nick. Berg spent most of the past decade producing hundreds of commercials as a freelance line producer for Smuggler, Hungry Man, Partizan and Station Film….The Artery VFX and Harbor Picture Company have formed an artist-driven alliance for post production in NYC. The Artery’s CG artists will team with Harbor’s production and post expertise to span expertise and services ranging from creative direction to production, editorial, high-end VFX, commercial color correction, feature film DI and the full spectrum of deliverables for features, spots, web, installations and music videos. The Artery VFX is headed by partner/creative director/VFX supervisor Vico Sharabani and partner/exec producer Yfat Neev. Harbor is under the aegis of founder/president Zak Tucker…..New York-based visual effects and design studio Carbon has added Chris Noellert as creative director/lead Flame artist and VFX supervisor to its newly opened Los Angeles office, where they have just completed a multi-spot package for the recently launched Windows 8 campaign for Microsoft with Crispin, Porter + Bogusky. Noellert joins Carbon LA from Motion Theory/Mirada…
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