As reported in IndieWire and Rolling Stone, Adam Yauch, who parlayed his Beastie Boys bone fides into a parallel career in film production and distribution, died this morning at age 47, following a long struggle with cancer.
Yauch launched Oscilloscope Laboratories in 2008 and in four short years, the company distributed some of the more acclaimed docs of that time period: The Garden, If a Tree Falls, No Impact Man and Dear Zackary are just a few of the titles on Oscilloscope's roster. The company also handled DVD distribution for the Academy Award- nominated Exit Through the Gift Shop. Yauch himself directed two docs: Awesome; I Fuckin' Shot That, in which he distributed cameras to fans to shoot a Beastie Boys concert, and Gunnin' for That #1 Spot, about the top high school basketball players in the US.
On the Oscilloscope website, his colleagues wrote: "We are deeply, deeply saddened by the passing of Adam Yauch-- an amazing leader, a dear friend and an incredible human being. Today we are heartbroken at Oscilloscope as we take in this awful news and our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time. Adam’s legacy will remain a driving force at Oscilloscope--his indomitable spirit and his great passion for film, people and hard work--always with a sense of humor and a lot of heart.""Growing up, a couple of friends used to make fun of me because I watched documentaries so much," Yauch recalled in an article about Oscilloscope Laboratories in Documentary magazine. "I remember one saying, 'You're probably going to grow up to be a documentary filmmaker.' " For the complete article, click here.