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LEGACY - BRIAN CARTY - A LIFE WELL LIVED HELPING OTHERS

By Tony Merzetti

“Hi Tony:    If it helps in the selection of positions, I'd like to be the person who makes sure everybody on the shoot is relatively happy and has what they need to do their job.  I would like to offer direction and trouble shoot as well.”

This was an email that I received from Brian Carty when he was enrolled in a film production course that I was teaching at UNB in 2002. The class was offered through extension so there were a few part-time, mature students in it. I have always said that it was my favorite class, even though I almost died half way through the term, but that’s another story.

English 3999 Film Production had been offered at UNB since 1998 with Barry Cameron. In 2000, I was invited to co-teach it with him, and in the next 2 years I learned a lot about how to run a class. In January 2002, Barry informed me that he was double booked teaching another class, and that I would have to teach the production class alone. I was initially terrified, but the group of 23 students quickly made me feel comfortable in the role. I particularly was delighted to have Roger Moore and Brian Carty as mature students around as their ongoing participation made the class a lot of fun. Brian was the producer on the short 16mm film Full Circle, and was a great leader and motivator to the crew.

There have been many film production classes over the years, but none produced so many Short Film Venture Grant recipients as the Winter 2002 class. Besides Brian and Roger, Richard MacQueen, Dawn Anderson and Christian Milligan also made SFVP films. Another student Heather Young went on to make award-winning films in Halifax.

Before the course ended, Brian joined the Film Co-op. He had written a short script for the class called Blowies. The film was a comedy about the Canadian Olympic men’s snow-blowing team. It was too ambitious for us to shoot as a class, but in late 2002, he mentioned that he was thinking that he might like to make a film of it through the Co-op. Blowies received a Short Film Venture Grant in 2003, and was shot around February 2004. It was a huge production with dozens of extras, and a full crew. Just like the opening quote, Brian looked after everyone and made sure they were happy throughout the shoot. Even when the temperature went down to -42 degrees with wind chill while we were shooting a scene at the Fredericton raceway, spirits were high and everyone was happy to be working with Brian. 

Brian was an active member with the Co-op and he helped other filmmakers on their shoots including SFVP recipients Dawn Anderson (Neverville: Population 101) and Roger Moore (Birthday Suit). When Co-op member Errol Williams was producing Echoes in the Rink: The Willie O’Ree Story, he approached Brian to voice the narration track with his deep, resonant voice.

Brian volunteered to help with the Silver Wave Film Festival each year as a Venue Manager, and everyone’s spirits always perked up when they knew he would be around.

As I looked over past email correspondence, I noticed a common phrase that he used where he said he would be there with bells on. He was just like that about everything: enthusiastic and joyful. His smile would light up a room, and his laugh was contagious and soon everyone else was laughing along with him.

He was a quintessential Co-op member and a good friend, who will be dearly missed, and always remembered.

Info about the services now in place to remember Brian: http://www.yorkfh.com/memsol.cgi?user_id=2013121