Composers John “Scrapper” Sneider and Adam Elk have launched Storefront Music in New York. They are joined by songwriter and pianist Chris Merritt who comes over from the indie music community. Sneider and Elk had been writers at JSM Music since 2001. Storefront has already turned out work for Google, Maglite and Time Warner Cable (“Back To School,” “Ball Machine”)…Previsualization production/post studio The Napoleon Group is set to relocate to New York’s Flatiron district in January, taking over 14,000 newly renovated square feet on two floors in what was once the corporate offices for fashion designer Kate Spade. Along with edit and audio studios, the new facility’s open air workspace will seat over 40 artists and designers. The Napoleon Group, under the aegis of founder Marty Napoleon, is building an in-house green screen stage and motion capture studio to expand the services and resources the company offers…Bicoastal ArsenalFX, headed by owner/managing director Mark Leiss, has promoted sr. VFX compositor Terry Silberman to partner. Silberman is a 20-year-plus industry veteran who has worked on commercial campaigns for national brands including Pepsi, Gatorade, HBO, Nike and Mitsubishi. Most recently, Silberman worked as a Flame Artist on the hit viral campaign for Smartwater, “The Jennifer Aniston Security Tapes,” featuring Aniston mocking recent baby bump rumors with a larger-than-life belly among other exaggerated “security tape” antics….Diana Payer, most recently director of broadcast production for TracyLocke, has been hired as executive producer at Big Fish Films, the Dallas-based shop founded by director/cameraman Robert Latorre…..
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