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i remember

Jake Eberts produced some of Hollywood's biggest films, including four best-picture Oscar winners.NASSER NASSER/The Associated Press

Vanessa Dylyn remembers Jake Eberts, who died on Sept. 6.

I had the privilege of spending a morning with legendary film producer Jake Eberts and his wife, Fiona, during a documentary film shoot at the Montreal Neurological Institute in 2007.

I was producing my film The Musical Brain, and that fateful morning, we were expecting the performer Sting to arrive. He had agreed to participate in our film as our guinea pig, allowing neuroscientist Daniel Levitin to put his brain under a functional magnetic resonance imaging scan.

I had received word that Jake Eberts, a friend of Sting, had requested permission to visit the set with the performer.

Well, as a producer who had recently started her own company, I was actually far more intimidated by the prospect of meeting Jake Eberts than by the prospect of meeting Sting. I needn't have fretted as I did.

On the morning of the shoot, Jake approached with his wife and introduced himself, putting me at ease with his gentle manner.

He spent the morning quietly standing along a wall with me outside the room where Sting's interview was taking place, intently listening to the director's questions and Sting's answers. He blended in with the crew, making easy conversation with them and remaining unobtrusive.

I was deeply impressed with his respectful manner and professionalism that day.

In the years following, he always responded to e-mails with unusual thought and consideration.

I was very saddened to hear of his passing.

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