Journalism Students take the TIFF Red Carpet with Melissa DiMarco
September in Toronto is a time of glitz and glamour, as the city prepares to host stars from across the world for the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival. Locals have their eyes peeled for celebrities out and about town, while red carpets and bright lights cover the bustling streets. At the heart of this buzz stood our Journalism students last Monday, as they worked the red carpet for Melissa DiMarco’s Out There Productions.
The acclaimed TV personality graciously gave our students the real-life experience of conducting live interviews and press junkets with celebrities. A group of wide-eyed future journalist took the the streets bright and early in their best outfits to live the life of an entertainment reporter for the day. With the help of their profs as well as DiMarco’s incredible team, our students had a taste of the hectic and stressful schedule of the industry. They also enjoyed the perks of having exclusive access to some of the most sought-after stories in the business.
Students learned how to prepare their equipment, develop talking points and get in position for a press junket with Christian Potenza of 6Teen fame. Once they got that story, they hustled to set up for live interviews at the out door red carpet premiere of Steve’s Music Store, where they interviewed the stars to find out more about their work and the project. In a span of minutes, these students dismantled their equipment, hauled them across a block and repositioned their cameras and microphones for an entirely different set-up. The process was intense, it was stressful and required quick thinking and focus – but our students shone in these circumstances.
We witnessed the behind the scenes magic of these press tours and how hard entertainment reporters work to get viewers the story and a glimpse of their favourite celebrities. It’s hard work, but we could see the excitement and passion on the students’ faces and just how much they wanted to be there. A big shoutout to Out There for giving our students this opportunity, and to our students – we are so #SenecaProud of your professionalism, work ethic and talent!
