- May 3, 2024
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It was a lesson about filmmaking he always will take to heart.
Braden River High 2021 graduate Keith Cohen was accumulating video for his non-fiction series film "Healing Paws."
He had selected his topic of trying to explain the human-animal bond for his Florida State Film School assignment, and along with his crew, he went to the Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale to follow a group from Canine Assisted Therapy.
It was one of many trips to south Florida hospitals the FSU students made to gain information and footage for their 7 minute, 30-second film.
With all their hard work, planning and research, they weren't prepared for what happened when they followed a dozen dogs — a few golden retrievers along with smaller-breeds — into the children's wing.
"We had access to accompany (Canine Assisted Therapy)," Cohen said. "When those children are in a hospital bed, in a wing, there is not much to do. TV. But we walked into the wing, and started going door-to-door. The children were from ages 5-14, and we would see their faces light up. We could see their moods change.
"These were children who were facing the worst of circumstances. What kind? I don't know. All of the above. They were fighting terminal illnesses. There were so many of them.
"Then we met this little girl ... we didn't know their names or what their illnesses were ... the girl was dark-haired. She was maybe 4. They brought her into the hallway."
The dogs are trained not to crowd the children, but to get up close so they can be touched and petted. The little girl reached out to put her hands on the dogs.
For the next few moments, Cohen didn't rely on college film class lessons, tips from former directors, or his study of film classics as the dogs cozied up to the little girl.
He went with his heart.
It told him to stay back, record the moment as it was, not to interfere, and let everything in that moment speak for itself.
"It was magical," he said.
"The thing about filmmaking is that with all that magic right there in front of us, we had nothing to do but be present. It was so beautiful and we had the privilege to be part of it."
It was just one scene from Healing Paws, but combined with the other emotional interactions between humans and dogs, the movie earned a nomination in the "Nonfiction Series" category for the Television Academy Foundation's 43rd College Television Awards April 13 in Los Angeles.
According to the Television Academy Foundation's website, the awards program "recognizes and rewards excellence in student-produced programs from colleges nationwide." It is designed to emulate the Emmy Awards.
Twenty-one student-produced programs were nominated from 181 entries submitted by 37 colleges and universities nationwide. The website said, "Criteria for the College Television Awards reflect industry standards of excellence, imagination and innovation."
"This means a lot to me, regardless of whether or not we win," said Cohen, a junior at Florida State. "'Healing Paws' now has a national audience. We have more eyes on the amazing work these dogs are doing. With more awareness comes more respect."
The "we" in the making of "Healing Paws" consists of Cohen (director, producer), and his fellow students Madeline Tremblay (cinematographer), Nico Wilcox (sound), and Mia Rae Sunday (animator).
"I will just say I am thankful to have good people around me to make it what it is," Cohen said. "And all those amazing people and their dogs."
He credits his mom, Lakewood Ranch's Jennifer Cohen, for pointing him in his current career path.
"She is largely responsible for my passion about animal welfare and the environment," he said. "She is a huge advocate for rescue dogs. It is a part of who I am."
Besides watching therapy dogs, Cohen also concentrated on dogs who are brought to a family court setting. He visited with Brenda Kocher, whose dog Tibet became the first courthouse facility dog in 2014 to help abused and abandoned children who are in the dependency court system. Cohen went to the Hillsborough County Courthouse to video the interaction between dogs and children under intense pressure because they were about to testify against their abusers. The dogs offered the children a brief pause from the stress.
Cohen wanted to tell his audience about the therapeutic effects of being in the presence of such dogs.
"I would hope people who see 'Healing Paws' gain a greater respect of the life-changing work that these dogs and their handlers do," Cohen said. "I wanted to do what I could to further their work."
Cohen and crew were out three weeks in March 2023 collecting the necessary data and video. When he put his film together, it originally was 40 minutes long. He finally paired it down to the assigned length, but not without some pain.
For himself, he said it was a valuable lesson.
"We learned to tell a story in a specific framework," he said. "But there was so much I wanted to include."
His goal is to write and direct in the movie industry, although he said he wants to learn versatility.
"I love that (Steven) Spielberg makes movie magic in every genre," he said.
He said he especially would like to do documentaries, feature length movies, series, and animation.
All four team members for "Healing Paws" will be flown to Los Angeles and be put up in a hotel while they are there.
"We're all excited," Cohen said. "We are going to be all dressed up."
Then it is back to making films.
"There is so much untapped potential within the television and entertainment industry to raise awareness and resources to help those in need, to provide a voice for the voiceless," Cohen said. "I believe that art can be one of the greatest catalysts for change, and if I can make something that positively impacts our world, I intend to do so."
