FILM STUDENT BRETT TAYLOR CLIMBS LADDER OF SUCCESS!

When extern Brett Taylor enrolled in Entertainment Connection’s film program, he had no idea how high he would go — literally! Luckily he rose to the challenge . . .

After signing up with Entertainment Connection, Brett was serving his externship at Crossing Studios, one of western Canada’s largest film and video production houses.

His mentor, president and producer Dian Cross, runs the company, which has a distinguished client roster including Disney, Chevron, Mattel, Toyota, Sony, and many, many others.

“Brett wanted to get into sports broadcasting,” recalled Dian. “A contact of mine was the producer on a new show about hockey — so I sent Brett over to work with him for a few days.”

So one of Brett’s first assignments was assisting on shoots for the reality show on CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation), called “Making The Cut.” This 13-episode docudrama combines professional hockey with a behind-the-scenes search for Canada’s best unsigned hockey players.

The show, produced by Network Entertainment, is hosted by Scott Oake alongside Kelly Hrudey and Cassie Campbell. Led by legendary NHL coaches Scotty Bowman and Mike Keenan, Making the Cut chronicles the trials and tribulations of players as they are put through the paces of NHL caliber drills, fitness tests and scrimmages in an effort to secure one of six invitations to a Canadian NHL team training camp.

During the filming, Brett got to travel around the province of British Columbia. But the most exciting moment came while he and the cinematographer were getting some scenic shots of Vancouver for the opening sequence.

“We got permission to shoot from the top of Lion’s Gate bridge in Vancouver,” Brett explains. “To get there, Director Fred Frame, Director of Photography Ian Kerr, and I, climbed up a little metal ladder inside the tower. We weren’t strapped in or anything, and the only thing keeping us from falling were two little metal railings. Plus, the bridge was shaking the whole time!”

The height of the tower? 364 feet above the choppy waters of the ocean below!

 

But the best was yet to come. “The people at Network Entertainment enjoyed working with Brett so much that they hired him full-time!” says Dian. So Brett hit the jackpot.