Documenting One Student's Second Chance
By Liz Wassmann
Studying for fall quarter finals in the journalism lab, seniors Vanessa Delgado and Wesley Culver noticed another student studying in the lab as well. Night after night, they studied side by side until they were finally introduced one evening.
Colter White, a 41-year-old communication major with full-arm tattoos who spent time in San Quentin State Prison, shared his story with them. He told Delgado and Culver what he had gone through in the prison system and his frustrations with the rehabilitation process - or lack thereof.
After hearing White's story, Delgado, Culver and fellow senior communication major Chloe Fitzmaurice knew they had found their senior capstone topic and started researching for their new documentary, "American Colter."
The film centers on life after prison, referencing Colter's experience as an anomaly. Not many ex-felons make it to a university like Santa Clara, or to any college at all.
"We think the money should be moved to the rehabilitation process, not into the prison system," said Delgado.
White was fortunate that he had family to support him after he was released, but many ex-felons are not so lucky.
There is no concrete system in place to help prisoners after their release, and many are placed back into the same community.
Throughout the filming process, Delgado, Culver and Fitzmaurice have grown very close with White. They hang out every day and have met each other's families.
"Colter is so charismatic; he brings so much to the plate," said Fitzmaurice. And White feels the same way about them.
"This group has changed my life tremendously," said White. "They are fantastic, energetic, extremely funny, extremely serious and I don't feel judged by them at all."
Additionally, White said the project has opened doors for him to meet a lot of new people, not to mention made him very popular in the communication department.
The project has become "bigger than just a capstone" said Delgado.
The project has generated lots of interest on campus and beyond. Their documentary's trailer, which has been posted on YouTube, has over one thousand views, and their Facebook page has over 100 likes.
Additionally, the group started an online campaign to raise money to film on location in Alaska, where White spent his teenage years in foster care and at a youth rehabilitation center. On Monday, they reached their goal of raising $2,500, and are now going to Alaska at the end of next week.
Delgado, Culver and Fitzmaurice have already traveled to Boulder Creek, Calif. where Colter currently lives, and to Chico, Calif. where he received his first two strikes.
Throughout their trips to these different locations, they have interviewed his parents and friends.
The filmmakers are excited to release the 20-minute documentary.
White said that he is nervous, but excited to see how the film is received.
The movie will be screened on campus June 14 at the Genesis Film Festival at Santa Clara. The group also hopes to submit it to other festivals this summer.
Contact Liz Wassmann at ewassmann@scu.edu or (408) 554-4852.