Nexus Studios has signed directing duo Sojiro & Eri, consisting of Sojiro Kamatani and Eri Sawatari, for commercials, branded content and music video worldwide, except for Japan and France. In the latter market, the directorial team is repped by Paris production house Bandits. Nexus adds Sojiro & Eri to its roster as directors spanning moving image, digital, print and interactive projects, VR, 360 storytelling and installations. The duo specializes in crafting surreal and visually rich parallel universes, infusing spots for brands such as PlayStation, Honda and Facebook with bold and imaginative concepts often paired with epic visual effects. Before their names became synonymous with their commercial work, Kamatani worked in video production in Kyoto and Sawatari studied film at the University of the Arts in London. They met at Qotori Film Inc. in Tokyo, joined forces and quickly established themselves as ones to watch on an international scale. The duo is behind a beautiful film for Japanese music group Wednesday Campanella, “Yaku No Jitsugetsubushi,” and the brilliantly bizarre spot for Dentsu Tokyo and Marukome miso soup, “Marukome.” Other highlights include the multi award-winning, time warping masterpiece for Mori Building, “Designing Tokyo,” and an eccentric satirical short for Japanese cable TV program, Family Theatre….
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