September 10, 2011
by mvirtueproductions
By Monica Virtue (ATVF ’03)
Ten years ago this September, Sheridan College’s Advanced TV & Film Program was celebrating it’s first anniversary in the newly constructed SCAET building. The 2001/2002 school year was barely a week old when the tragic events of September 11th began to unfold.
Ten years later, compelling stories about 9/11 continue to be told by filmmakers around the world.
One of those filmmakers is ATVF graduate…Lucius Dechausay.
Above: ATVF graduate Lucius Dechausay (’03) recently directed “Solace in the Dark: A TIFF 9/11 Retrospective,” which will be shown before all public screenings on September 11th at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.
Name: Lucius Dechausay
Current Location: Toronto, Ontario
Graduating Year: 2003
Web Site: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/lucius-dechausay/3a/899/679
1/ Lucius, you’ve been working on a really unique project recently. Can you tell us a bit about it – and where we can see it?
It’s a short retrospective 10 years after 9/11. It focuses on the stories of filmmakers, critics, staff and executives who experienced the terrorist attacks while attending TIFF that year. It’ll be playing September 11, 2011 @ TIFF before every film. So go see anything that day and get there on time. 
After it’s premiere it’s going up on TIFF’s website for the remainder of the festival.
>> Watch “Solace in the Dark: TIFF 9/11 Retrospective”
2/ As someone who loves documentaries, I’ve got to admit that I’m drooling a bit over the thought of directing a film on an emotional subject like this. How did you land this project?!
TIFF has done a great job over the years programming films that have dealt with the anger, fear, racism and lasting effects that the 9/11 attacks had on our society. This being the 10th anniversary I knew they were going to want to do something special. I had worked with them earlier in the year as I produced the trailer for this year’s festival. So I got in touch with them, pitched an idea, they liked it and helped with the contacts. Then the pressure was on to make it happen in an incredibly tight deadline.
3/ What was the process you went through once you learned you had landed it? Can you walk us through, from hearing the news to it appearing on screen?
I didn’t have a lot of time to put it all together so I immediately phoned everyone I trusted and built a team. Surprisingly everyone was available. I then began writing up a creative treatment while also searching for subjects and sourcing out stock footage and photos. I couldn’t waste any time. I’m not sure if I’ve ever been more organized.
Once a team was in place I delegated a few things and everyone gave 110%. The interview subjects were confirmed only a few days before I’d interview them so there was constant research taking place.
We shot for two days, a third used for phone interviews and then I had only two days for editing and graphics.
The team of execs and programmers at TIFF obviously wanted to see the final piece so that screening took place hours before I was supposed to be on a plane leaving for vacation. Luckily they liked it or I might have had some tough decisions to make about those plane tickets.
4/ I imagine everyone you filmed with must have had a powerful story to tell. How did you make decisions on which footage to keep in, and which to cut?
I’ve edited a lot of projects that incorporate a lot of materials so I’m used to dealing with an enormous amount of footage and condensing into cohesive storylines. I had a pretty good idea in my head of the way I wanted this film to flow. I was actively listening throughout each interview to address ideas that I wanted to include, but was also restructuring that outline in my head as someone would go into a story or answer that I didn’t expect. Plus, it did get very emotional and many people teared up so you want to be able to give them adequate screen time so that their reaction makes sense.
5/ What was the most challenging aspect of this project?
The hardest part was cutting out pieces of the interviews not because they didn’t work but simply due to the length of the film. I could’ve easily made this two or three times longer. Also with the deadline there was an incredible amount of multitasking that had to be done and some things just couldn’t get done in that period.
6/ What did you learn?
I learned if you cut out sleep you can work for 8 more hours each day.
Really I learned how much people can contribute to a project if they’re engaged by it. The whole team was awesome and really made this a smooth, painless, fun process.
7/ I know you’ve directed dramas before, because I saw you direct a dramatic short while at Sheridan. Did you have an interest in documentary before this?
I love documentaries. I’ve edited them before but always wanted to direct one. I watched you work on your doc and I think there is so much power in telling real stories. I’ve always thought they were much harder than dramas because they require more of a time investment and can be unpredictable. We had one subject not show up for an interview, others that exposed things I wasn’t expecting and you have to be constantly adapting.
8/ It’s been eight years since you graduated from the ATVF program. What have you been working on in that time?
Music videos, commercials, shorts, television, you name it. Either editing, directing or doing some graphic work I’ve had a couple of day jobs and freelanced on over 100 projects since graduating. Most recently I edited a feature film, Webdultery, for another alumni and great director Charles Wahl.
9/ What’s the one thing you learned at Sheridan that has helped you the most in your career so far?
I learned a lot at Sheridan. Everything was essential. The more you know about each aspect of the filmmaking process the better off you are and you never stop learning new things.
10/ What’s your favourite movie of all time?
That’s a really tough question. Ten other films will come to mind as soon as I write this, but in the moment I’ll say Amelie.
11/ Where will we see you next? Any other new projects in the works?
I’m currently finishing up a short animation I was working on this summer. It’s called The Mark and deals with race and identity. Also, I’m in the early stages of developing a longer documentary about dangerous psychiatric treatments.
Links:
Sheridan (Shine Brighter)
Sheridan Mafia – Facebook Edition
Jean Desormeaux – Facebook
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