Vancouver: Bob Scarabelli, president and CEO at Vancouver post-production house Rainmaker, died Sept. 8 of an apparent heart attack at age 48.

A British Columbia native, Scarabelli had 25 years of expertise in the post-production industry. He was one of the first full-time employees at Gastown Post & Transfer in 1980 where he began as a telecine operator and went on to develop a career in concert with the emerging digital technologies. Eventually, he took on foreign assignments such as an early 1990s stint as manager at VHQ, one of Singapore’s predominant production companies, and later with Valkeiser Group in Amsterdam.

With the vision to start a digital post house in his hometown, Scarabelli returned to Vancouver in 1994 with a business plan for Rainmaker – which merged with the Gastown divisions and went public. His imprint on Rainmaker and its subsequent success in the developing Vancouver production community means that it is difficult to separate Rainmaker from Scarabelli.

‘Not only is it a personal loss to family and friends, but a huge blow to Vancouver’s film and television community,’ says Rob Egan, president and CEO of British Columbia Film. ‘Bob was a real leader. He was influential and visionary and he’ll leave big shoes to fill.’

‘Bob was an outstanding person and business leader and he contributed to the collective success of our industry,’ says B.C. Film commissioner Susan Croome. ‘He always volunteered to help and offered excellent advice. He will be missed by many.’

Scarabelli is survived by his wife and their two children.