A group of Humber College Film and Television Production Advanced Diploma students had their documentary about the challenges faced by two Toronto TTC subway operators accepted into the prestigious Hot Docs festival.
The ten-minute documentary short, Chance Encounters, focuses on Kevin and Shelley Pett, a married couple who work for the TTC, each of whom had to deal with the mental and emotional trauma of having someone jump in front of their train. The documentary is part of the Canadian Spectrum program and is eligible for Best Short Documentary and the Hot Docs Audience awards.
“It’s really amazing and incredible to be selected when we’re just two years into the program,” said Justin Colautti, director and co-writer of Chance Encounters. “It was a lot of work. But we had a great crew and I would work with any of them again. It was an incredible learning experience, and that’s why we all came to Humber – for the hands-on experience we get.”
Chance Encounters will be screened with Grinders and shown three times during the festival. The first screening is on April 29 at 9:45 pm at the Isabel Bader Theatre, the second is on May 7 at 9:30 pm at TIFF Bell Lightbox 1, and the final screening on May 8 at The Fox at 6:30 pm.
Work on Chance Encounters, a class project for second-year students, actually began at the end of their first year, when Colautti and co-writer Lauren Belanger, who also served as editor, pitched the idea to their class and faculty. Of 40 ideas presented, Chance Encounters was one of 16 selected.
A team of six students created the documentary by interviewing the Petts, getting footage of them at home and at work, and handling all pre- and post-production aspects of the film. Filming began in October and the final edit was finished in December. The students worked closely with Humber faculty throughout the process, asking for their feedback and insights. This proved especially helpful in editing 90 minutes of interviews into a 10-minute documentary.
“We learn first-hand from industry professionals who share our passion and make themselves available to help us in the classroom, in the editing suite and in production,” said producer Matthew Ieraci. “Our instructors spent hours of their personal time with us. They know what a successful documentary requires, and what it takes to be admitted into a festival such as Hot Docs.”
Their faculty is excited that the students’ hard work is being rewarded.
“This is an amazing opportunity for our student filmmakers,” said Donna O’Brien-Sokic, a School of Media Studies & Information Technology professor. “For both the faculty and the student crew, working on this production from the pitch through post has been a tremendously rewarding experience. We’re very proud of them, and the story they have crafted.”
