Park Pictures has signed director AG Rojas for commercial representation. Joining Park from Caviar Content, Rojas has turned out distinctive cinematic imagery for music videos featuring such artists as Jack White, Spiritualized, Purity Ring, Gil Scott-Heron and Emili Sande. Rojas’ music video work has earned him numerous accolades including an award for Best New Director at the 2012 UKMVA’s, Best Indie Rock Video for Spiritualized’s “Hey Jane,” and a nomination for Best Rock Video at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards for his Jack White video. Rojas’ branded work includes spots for Adidas, Sadia and O2….Stopp/family, an integrated production company with bases of operation in Stockholm and L.A., has opened an office in New York to meet the needs of its expanding U.S. clientele. Creative technologist Ola Björling–a founding member of Stopp Interactive–heads up the production arm at Stopp New York. Stopp’s recent notable U.S. work includes an integrated Honda campaign, an app for Land Rover, and an interactive website for “Hello Again,” the Beck and Chris Milk collaboration….Dallas-based editorial boutique 3008, has added turnkey production services to its offerings. Move was made in response to an increasing number of client requests expressing interest in streamlined production services. Hired for the new endeavor is a team consisting of director Shawn Fedorchuk and head of production Brian Hwang. Fedorchuk comes to 3008 from Digital Kitchen, Seattle. He has also worked for Digital Kitchen in Chicago and New York, at Lost Boys Studio in Vancouver B.C., and Prologue Films in Venice, Calif. Fedorchuk has directed, edited and creative-directed work for clients including HBO, PGA, BMW, Discovery Channel, TNT, Audi, Levi’s and the Academy Awards. Fedorchuk has hit the ground running at 3008 with a three-spot holiday package for Western Union via Moroch/Dallas and a shoot for Ford via JWT Team Detroit…72andSunny Amsterdam has hired Simon Summerscales as director of communication strategy and Caroline Britt as group brand director. Summerscales will be a champion for cross channel content planning, social spread strategy, tech and data insight and media innovation. Britt will run the agency’s Samsung and Benetton accounts, and be joint lead of the brand management department. Summerscales has run communication strategy at several London firms, including Carat, Naked and Wieden+Kennedy. Britt served as global account director at TBWAChiatDay Los Angeles….
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