Richard Shaw, Producer, Director and Editor, Dies at 65

Richard Shaw, a writer, director, producer and editor, died June 19 of complications from an unexpected heart condition in Los Angeles, a publicist announced. He was 65.

In 2010, Shaw produced and directed the video documentary The Wordz Project, featuring Snoop Dogg, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and other rappers and hip-hop artists discussing how they express their religious and spiritual beliefs through music.

Also that year, he wrote and directed the first sci-fi paranormal episode of Watchers, hosted and co-produced by author and UFO aficionado L.A. Marzulli. They went on to independently produce 10 additional installments. 

Later, Shaw produced, directed and hosted the documentary Torah Codes End to Darkness (2015), which featured theologians out to uncover the embedded and encoded mathematics in the first five books of the Old Testament.

At the time of his death, Shaw was developing other projects with mythical themes that involved ancient archeology sites in Israel and undiscovered caves and century-old tunnels under Jerusalem.

Early in his career, Shaw was instrumental in honing software beta technology testing for companies such as Apple, Adobe and Avid. In 1993, he was one of the first to use the new software QuickTime & Avid at Digital Solutions Atlanta, a company he co-founded.

Shaw launched the production banner Z Post and produced and edited the 1998 Billy Graham TV special Starting Over, which aired on Fox and BSkyB and has been translated into 48 languages.

He came to Los Angeles in 2001 and produced the Kimmel International-MGM International feature Beat the Drum (2003), about the AIDS pandemic in Africa, then launched Pinlight Production and Post in 2005 at Mack Sennett Studios in Hollywood.

Survivors include his wife, a son and daughter and grandchildren. A celebration of his life is planned for July 20.

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