Photographer Pamela Littky Moves From Celebrities To Students Growing Up In Her Film ‘Most Likely To Succeed’

World-renowned Photographer Pamela Littky may be best known for her work capturing contemplative moments with some of the world’s biggest celebrities, including Oprah, Justin Bieber, Steve Martin, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Lawrence, and Jeff Bridges. Now, Littky is bringing that same sense of intimacy between subject and photographer to her first feature film, Most Likely to Succeed. The intriguing documentary follows four everyday students over ten years, beginning with their high school graduation in 2007.

The students selected couldn’t be more different. Some have been born into more privileged communities, and others have had a far greater struggle in lower-income and higher-crime areas. The one commonality the four teens share is that they were all voted ‘Most Likely to Succeed.’

In vulnerable and honest one-on-one interviews over the ten-year period, each student reveals how their dreams are shifting as they search for meaning and purpose in their lives. Their definitions of success change and grow. Some family members and romantic partners become side characters, and the moments of loss, such as the death of a parent and the dissolution of a marriage, are some of the most powerful in the film.

I spoke with Littky about how she cultivates trust and intellectual intimacy with her subjects. We also discussed the way socioeconomic factors can inform a person’s relationship to the concept of success.

Risa Sarachan: What was the inspiration behind making Most Likely to Succeed?

Pamela Littky: Ironically, the idea for this film about “success” came from a discussion I was having with some childhood friends over Thanksgiving 13 years ago.  We were flipping through our yearbook, when we saw that a classmate of ours, who had fallen on hard times, had actually been one of the most successful kids in our class. 

That revelation led me to think about how success in high school translates to the real world after high school; how do those seen as the “Most Likely to Succeed,” fare as adults?    

Sarachan: How did you select this charismatic and diverse group of kids?

Littky: When the thoughts of who my subjects would be were swirling in my head, I knew I would need to tap into my network of friends and relatives who were educators or who knew people who worked in education. I happened to have been born in Detroit, I grew up in South Florida, and I live in Los Angeles, and through those connections, I was able to find a group of really interesting kids with stories that I believed viewers would connect with.

Sarachan: Did any other films influence the creation of this one?

Littky: I’ve always loved films that spanned a significant period of time. To me, I always thought of this film as a Spellbound meets Hoop Dreams. Many people make the 7up comparison, which I, of course, get too. But it was important to me to show the entire decade in one piece. Seven years into the filming of Most Likely to Succeed, Boyhood came out in 2014, and from that point on, when I would describe my project to anyone, they’d immediately draw that comparison. I love anything that Linklater does, and Boyhood was so beautifully done, so I was just flattered to be associated with that film even in the tiniest way.

Sarachan: To capture the beautiful and spontaneous moments displayed in your photographic work, I imagine earning the trust of your subjects is very important. How did you get these kids to open up so much to you and your crew?

Littky: I approached making this film in a similar way to how I approach my photography. I try to open myself up to the subject, in a way that is real and genuine, and hopefully, in turn, find that common ground. Whether I’m shooting a famous person or an 18- year-old kid, I always find that we have something in common that we can relate to, laugh about, or learn from each other. 

When we first started the project, my crew usually consisted of me, another camera person, occasionally a sound person and a producer. But a couple years in, I started just doing it mostly on my own. I found that when it was just me and my camera, I was able to get into their lives more deeply, it was better when it wasn’t too imposing or too formal. As time went on, I started to forge bonds with the kids and started to form a trust. For example, chatting with Sarah on her dorm room floor the day before her college graduation reflecting on her college experience, or sitting in the car with Quay while she’s emotional over just ending a pivotal relationship, it was not only more conversational, but it was way more intimate, raw and honest.

Sarachan: You followed the lives of four college-bound high school kids with disparate backgrounds. It’s painful to watch Disco and Quay have to work through so much more adversity than Sarah and Peter. Why was it important to you to show both worlds?

Littky: Throughout the film, each character is working towards their own version of success. Whether it’s a high-powered job, a spouse, or just working on connecting with people, you see them strive to reach their own ideal life. 

My goal in making this film was to show how the definition of “success” varies so dramatically when viewed through a lens that illuminates socio-economic, cultural, racial and geographical differences.  Most of us see success as a construct that flows from our own experience, and we fail to see how our own backgrounds and personal circumstances directly inform what that means.

Sarachan: I predicted Sarah might end up running for office and that Quay might end up in education. It’s incredible how much these kids develop over the ten years but ultimately stay true to their core interests and values. How correct were your first guesses on how their lives would go? 

Littky: What I love so much about most of my favorite documentaries, is the element of the unknown. Setting out on any longitudinal project, there is no way to know what will happen along the way and where it will all end up. When I began filming, there was no way to know how their lives would unfold. I just knew that following someone for ten years would be inherently interesting, especially at age 18, leaving home and being out on their own for the first time. 

While viewers get to see the ten years play out over 90 minutes, I saw their lives unfold in real-time. When I think back to my first guesses on predicting where their lives would go, on the one hand, I feel like I wasn’t that far off, but on the other hand, I wasn’t even close.

Sarachan: What ultimately was your biggest takeaway from the experience of filming Most Likely to Succeed? What did you learn about young people in this generation?

Littky: When I started making this film, the common denominator among the students I was following was that they had all been voted “Most Likely to Succeed.” What, I ultimately learned, however, is that irrespective of the superficial commonality of a high school superlative category, in the end, teenagers, no matter where they are from, no matter what they look like, no matter what advantages they have or don’t have, the one thing they truly have in common is that they share the same hopes, fears and dreams.

Sarachan: I imagine it would be emotional to look back on ten of the most formative years of your life documented. Have they watched the film? 

Littky: I was nervous but excited to share it with them. I had asked them to make a huge commitment to me and to give me their trust, and the film is a culmination of the leap of faith they took with me.  At the end of the day, regardless of the way their lives may have diverged from how they expected, it would be hard for them to deny the film is an honest portrayal of their lives.

Sarachan: Do you plan to still keep in touch with the participants? Will there be any follow-up to their stories?

Littky: Social media was in its infancy when we began, but now I am connected with each of them and remain in touch. Even though I’ve stopped filming and the movie is finished, I still very much care about these individuals, and I’m so curious where their lives go from here. I can’t see not doing some sort of follow up at some point.

Sarachan: What are you working on next?

Littky: I just started working on a project called Sunshine State, where I explore the regional polarity between North and South Florida, as a microcosm of the polarity that currently has a chokehold on our Nation.  It seems to be a fascinating study, especially in light of the chances that the 2020 election may come down to Florida’s voters.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

Most Likely to Succeed is in select theatres and on-demand December 6th.