When trying to reassure children in the face of terrifying news, a phrase made famous by American TV personality Mister Rogers is often trotted out: "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who
Anna Murray: Christchurch earthquake doco Help Is On The Way is about the power of hope
Help Is On The Way builds a picture of that day at the Hotel Grand Chancellor, mostly through the first-hand accounts of those who were in the mortally wounded building, including the concierge manager who had been working in the lobby, guests who were relaxing in their rooms, and construction workers who were working on existing damage to the hotel from the earthquake the previous September.
While the documentary uses a few re-enactments to demonstrate what happened, as well as some footage from the scene, it mostly relies on those people and their stories, knowing what they have to say is more compelling.
They manage to convey effectively the terror of being in a high-rise building during a 6.3 magnitude earthquake, as they describe the lights going out, the sirens going off and the dust filling the air as the concrete above their heads and below their feet groaned with every shake.
In typical reserved Kiwi fashion, those interviewed are mostly calm as they recount what happened to them. Barrie, a builder who was on level 26, and Leigham, a plasterer who was thrown from his scaffolding during the first big shake, even manage to inject some levity into proceedings as they recall raids on the minibars to quell their understandable anxieties.
Obviously, much of the interviewees' calmness comes from the simple fact they've been well clear of that hotel for nine years. But there are moments during Help Is On The Way when that poised veneer cracks and the obvious psychological scars are laid bare.
As well as gaining insights from what went on in and around the Hotel Grand Chancellor, viewers will also no doubt marvel at the ways in which some people are able to think on their feet during moments of huge stress, as they try to figure out a way to save themselves and those around them.
We also get to hear from the police officers who were on duty that day, including the man who thought to grab a spray can and write a giant message on the road for the people trapped inside the hotel: "Help is on the way."
There are several opportunities during the documentary to see and hear the effect that simple message had on those who read it from the windows of their lurching hotel rooms – and each is goosebump material.
Because, more than anything, Help Is On The Way is about the power of hope.
It's also about how, when the crunch comes, there will always be people who are ready and willing to band together to help one another. It shows that the urge to reach out and help is stronger than whatever peril might be facing us - a sentiment we could all do with hanging on to these days.
Help Is On The Way airs this Sunday at 8.30pm on Prime.
• This is Anna Murray's final column for the Herald as she follows new opportunities elsewhere. We thank her for her excellent contribution.