SUNY Alumna shows Emmy Winning Documentary

“Take a chance. Get to know the real me.”

This was just one of the numerous inspirational lines from award winning director, producer and cinematographer, Tricia Regan’s documentary film, Autism: The Musical.

As guest juror for the SUNY Wide Film Festival, on Friday, April 16, Regan presented one of her many successful films. Autism: The Musical is an eye-opening story about the lives of families who have a child with autism. The movie takes viewers on a journey through the continuous hardships and struggles, and the emotional and thrilling triumphs of each family.

“Autism: The Musical is a story about love and dedication and the acceptance of ourselves and other people,” Regan said in an interview. “I use ideas that come to me from other people and bring that story to the public.”

Regan’s went to SUNY Binghamton for still photography originally and her career began after receiving her graduate degree from NYU. For about 20 years, Regan has been creating many films, including other successful documentaries such as Soldiers Pay which premiered on IFC, and her very first film, “Leap of Faith” which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 1996, as well as on PBS.

“I really love making documentaries where I’m following people while a story is unfurling. I like to be there when it’s happening. It just really excited me,” explained Regan. “When I first picked up a camera, everything just opened up…it just all came together for me that way.”

In addition to her success with these films, her recognition only grew when she was announced as the winner of two Primetime Emmy awards for Best Documentary for her film Autism: The Musical. Regan’s film work has now been broadcast on five different continents and translated into six different languages.

The documentary captured a six-month theatre program run by a woman named Elaine. The idea was to assemble a group of children with autism to work together in the “miracle project” where they all helped to write, rehearse and perform a full length musical.

The final product was put together in a three act structure, introducing the characters and the “miracle project” in act one, getting into the minds of the families and children in act two, and the drama and resolution of everything in act three.

“It was really finding everyone’s inner journey. Every single character had a journey,” Regan said. “It was basically the story of these amazing kids who get up every day and struggle, but they keep going. They’re just warm, good spirited and loving, and they all had such a great time. Everybody’s happy now and it’s only brought positive things into the kids’ lives.”

Regan has worked for television on shows such as The First 48, Man Hunters, Wife Swap and Room Raiders. She is currently working to begin a new path in which she will be filming and producing scripted work.

“I’ve been trying to make directing for scripted work a possibility for myself. My heart is set on moving into new territory. I feel like it will be a new challenge in some ways, but also so much easier,” Regan said.

Although she hopes to begin her work on scripted filmmaking, Regan still has a passion and a place in her heart for documentary films. She is also looking into a new story to film for her next adventure.

“Part of the brutality of documentary filmmaking is that you work so hard and nobody thinks that what you’re doing is worthwhile until the film is done. The rewards are slim,” Regan said. “But I do it because, for some reason, I’m just compelled to.”