Director: John L’Ecuyer * Writer: Heather O’Neill * Producers: Sandra Cunningham, Nicole Robert

* Cameraman: Stephen Reizes

* Diary by: Dave Lazar

When director John L’Ecuyer picked up a copy of the literary magazine Blood and Aphorisms, he made a discovery that would change his filmmaking life. In the publication, L’Ecuyer read a short story called Big Al, written by Heather O’Neill. He ‘liked the story, sensibilities and the style of dialogue that she was writing,’ a style he calls ‘authentically street.’

L’Ecuyer, already established with the success of his previous feature Curtis’ Charm, tracked down O’Neill and discovered she was someone with ‘genuine life experience – hanging around with the wrong people in the section of Montreal called ndg.’

The result is a film called St. Jude, the story of a ‘hit-and-run-at-the-mouth teenager with an eclectic view of her neighbourhood and its characters.’

Spring 1998: L’Ecuyer tracks down Heather O’Neill after reading her impressive story Big Al in Blood and Aphorisms magazine. Together, they begin development of a possible feature script.

Summer 1998: O’Neill and L’Ecuyer workshop early drafts of the script with story editor Esta Spalding. Says L’Ecuyer: ‘We tried to shape up what was initially 150 pages of a mixture between prose, poetry and script that Heather had put together. This being her first screenplay, she wasn’t familiar with the whole process.’

Spalding, who had worked with L’Ecuyer on DaVinci’s Inquest, is story editing what will become her first feature.

September 1998: The director and his Curtis’ Charm producer Sandra Cunningham of Toronto’s East Side Film Company meet with Nicole Robert of Lux Films in Montreal in hopes of making the project an Ontario/Quebec coproduction.

Agreeing to the project at a restaurant on Pin Street in Montreal, Robert brings Seville Pictures (then Behaviour Distribution) on board with 12% of the ‘just less than $2-million budget.’

October 1998: With the first slice of the budget in place, additional funding and development applications are prepared. Also, financial plans and recoupment schedules are completed.

November 1998: sodec commits to providing another 12% of the budget. Now, 24% of the financing for the picture is lined up.

December 1998: The second draft of the screenplay is completed. By this time, ‘Heather [O’Neill] is working very well on her own and going off feedback from myself and Esta [Spalding],’ says L’Ecuyer.

At this time, Telefilm Canada comes on board, committing to another 46% of the budget.

January 1999: Preliminary casting begins in both Montreal and Toronto. Eventually, parts go to Liane Balaban, Nicholas Campbell, Raymond Cloutier, Bernie Coulson, Chris Lemche, Louise Portal, Victor Soumis, Victoria Sanchez, Simon Peacock and Tom Watt.

Preproduction scheduling begins, but still financing is not complete.

February 1999: The Movie Network signs a broadcast licence for the project. This creates ‘the right momentum’ for L’Ecuyer, and for the first time he is supremely confident that the ‘film is going to get made.’

March 1999: cbc signs a broadcast licence on the film, the ctf Licence Fee Program commits to 17% of the funding, and Ontario, Quebec and federal tax credits account for the last 2%, 7% and 4% of the budget, respectively.

‘It seemed like every two weeks we’d get a little bit more good news,’ says L’Ecuyer.

Preproduction scheduling has to be revised due to the finalized budget, which is ‘a bit smaller than expected.’

Spring 1999: With dop Stephen Reizes behind the lens, the shoot takes place over 18 days at the end of April and beginning of May. It turns out to be ‘a great shoot’ where L’Ecuyer gets ‘everything [he] needs and [doesn’t have to work] more than an hour of overtime in the whole 18 days. Also, the shoot comes ‘in a little under budget,’ leaving the ‘bonder and everybody very, very happy,’ says L’Ecuyer.

Summer 1999 to January 2000: Picture and sound post-production are completed. Editor Nick Hector, composer Mark Korven and sound designer John Hazen lend their talents to the final product. After several delays due to problems with the titles and credits, the picture is locked as the new millennium begins.

September 2000: St. Jude has its world premiere at tiff. *