There’s a person down the street, in your neighborhood and mine…
These are the first words I wrote for my short documentary The Person Down The Street because Veterans are everywhere. Over the years I’ve met a lot of them. We’ll be talking and eventually it would come out, “I was on Omaha beach”, “I was over in Iraq”, “I took reconnaissance photos over Europe”, etc. etc. They are our doctors and lawyers, our postmen and our nurses. They are under our noses and we didn’t even know it half the time. So I thought, maybe I should be a little nicer to everyone I meet because after all, that person could be a Veteran. This is the thought that is meant to be provoked by this film.
I love the Veterans of The United States of America. Anyone who takes an oath to lay it all on the line for my freedom is top tier in my book. So to all Veterans out there, thank you.
I’d also like to thank all the Veterans who allowed me to photograph them for this film. Especially my Grandfather, a WWII Vet who instilled in me a sense of pride for country and love of history that I will carry with me for eternity. Thanks Pop.
Drat! My wife and co-producer, Letty, and I aren’t able to attend the GIFF to see the films and party with everyone. Don’t feel too sorry for us though, we’re sitting here in Maui. We had booked and prepaid for our vacation, much of it is non-refundable, when we recieved the exciting news that our film was “officially selected” for the festival.
I wanted to share a little about our film, which takes place during the “Battle of the Bulge” and how it was made:
My late stepfather, 1st Lt Omer Dwight “Whit” Whitwell, was a WWII combat veteran. Whit was an Infantry Rifle platoon leader who fought through the ETO, was seriously wounded and nearly killed towards the end of the war. He was highly decorated for his bravery for which he received two Silver Star Medals (SS & OLC) and three Purple Heart Medals (PH 2 OLC). Whit was never boastful and he rarely told stories about combat. He agreed with General Sherman that “War is Hell”. Whit passed away in 1998.
In 2000, while cleaning out my mother’s garage, I found a 1945 letter addressed to Whit from his former commanding officer. After a long search, I was able to locate Whit’s best combat buddy, 1st Lt Royal A. Offer, who is currently 93 years old and has a “sharp as a tack” memory. Over the years, I have attended 4 reunions of the 35th Infantry Division Assn. The veterans have given me the stories which I have woven into our short 10 minute film.
For authenticity, Royal Offer served as an “Historical Adviser”. He donated an Army blanket and a turtle neck USO sweater that he thinks he wore during the “Bulge,” or what he refers to as “the Breakthrough” period. We also used actual period equipment, rifles, etc. The film took over two years to complete and in the process I discovered that many of my cast and crew had relatives that had served and fought during WWII. It was a labor of love for us to make.
I have received enormous pleasure from screening the film for people, especially WWII veterans who fought in the Bulge. Their comments include: “…it looks so natural” and “…the final scene is a true page out of history”. At Christmas 2009–which was the 65th anniversary of the “Bulge”– I was able to record with Royal a commentary track over the film. I have supplied copies to the festival and I hope they include it in the screening.
My wife, Letty and I hope that everyone that sees it will enjoy the film.
Was just cleaning out my hard drive and came upon some photos of my trip to Washington DC in 2005.
Cut to 2007 when I was researching online for names for the character William Kemp in our Letter Home – I came upon the name Samuel L Kemp who died during the Vietnam War. I just thought it was a pretty unique name and the fact that the last name meant combat – I thought it was a perfect choice.
Then tonight, going through some photos, I came upon one I labelled ”Vietnam Memorial 03″. It’s a reflective photo of myself on the Wall. There are over 58,000 names etched in the Vietnam War Memorial. Anybody who’s been to Washington knows just how big that memorial is. (I’ve attached a wide shot of the memorial – labelled “Vietnam Memorial 02″) At it’s highest point, the wall is over 10 ft tall. I could have chosen any spot to take this reflective photo back in 2005, but I chose this spot for some reason. Take a look near my left forearm and look at the name etched in the marble – SAMUEL L KEMP!!!!
I’ve been telling people that this film has been kismet, but this is too much!!!!!!!!!!!!
We were invited to screen at the Charleston International Film Festival. Fort Sumpter in Charleston, SC is where the first shot of the Civil War was fired and hence its citizenry are keenly interested in anything having to do with the Civil War – like our film, “As If You’re Dead.” We strove for historical accuracy and authenticity in the making of AIYD, utilizing seasoned re-enactors to fill the frame. In particular the man who plays the surgeon in our film has been a “Civil War Surgeon” for 30 years and brought with him an arsenal of authentic surgical instruments that are either actually from the war or are exact replicas. In the making of the movie, it was like having historians on hand, keeping us honest throughout the process. Another useful guideline for me as a writer was “The Diary of a Dead Man” written by Union Private Ian Pettit, who served on the battlefields of Chancellorsville and Gettysburg and who died in the squalor of Andersonville Prison. His voice resonated for me as I wrote the dialogue for “As If You’re Dead.”
In the years before Anton and I met, our professional careers ran along parallel paths. Upon graduating from film school, we both served as Marine Corps infantry officers and deployed twice to fight in Iraq, leading U.S. Marine and Iraqi forces in combat. In the fall of 2008, we returned to civilian life. Six years had passed since college graduation, and our responsibilities had left us no time to focus on the long-term goal of becoming filmmakers. The economy was horrible and our industry connections were few, but after surviving our experiences at war, neither of us was willing to give up on our dream.
In January 2009, a mutual friend introduced Anton and me. We discovered that we had both fought in the same city in Iraq: Ramadi, one of Iraq’s most violent and heavily contested areas. There was an instant bond and trust in one another. I had written a treatment for Chosin and shared the idea with Anton. We teamed up, and just 30 days later we began shooting. The film had no financial support besides our own personal savings, credit cards, and a few cashed-in retirement accounts, but we were armed with faith in our abilities and a passion for the story.
Earning the title of “Marine” means inheriting the legacy and reputation forged in sacrifice by the Marines who have gone before. The Chosin Reservoir Campaign is taught to every single recruit at boot camp, along with Belleau Wood and Iwo Jima, as one of the seminal battles of the Marine Corps’ proud history. During our research, we discovered that not only had there never been a documentary made about Chosin, but nobody, not even the Marine Corps, had archived first-person accounts of the battle on film. The men who survived Chosin were either gone or in their twilight years, and we realized that this revered piece of our heritage would be lost forever unless we took action.
We reached out to veterans’ organizations across the country, to include the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, and Marine Corps League, and they all provided us locations to film and places to sleep (along with a few cold beers). The Chosin team spent eight months on the road living out of a van and eating military rations in order to collect the stories from 185 Korean War veterans in 27 cities across the U.S. As fellow combat veterans, we forged a unique connection with the men we interviewed. We were proud to give them a gift 60 years overdue: an environment where they felt comfortable unburdening themselves of the intimately sad, horrific, funny, and triumphant moments from the most defining experience of their lives. Time and time again, these men told us stories that they had never told anyone…not their wives, their children, or their closest friends.
As the men of Chosin fade into history, their story fades with them. Many men we attempted to contact during production had passed away just weeks before our phone call. Already, we have lost one of the veterans we had the privilege of interviewing. The importance of honoring these heroes during their lifetime is the driving force behind Chosin’s very intimate and human story of triumph and tragedy.
Imagine being sent to the front lines in World War II. Not to close with and destroy the enemy, but to record the war with your pen and paint brush. Eight WWII veterans recount their experiences in Art in the Face of War, of their lives as war recorders in a documentary directed by David Baugnon. Ignoring their fear and shaking hands, these brave men embraced their skills and found the creativity needed to record an accurate portrayal of what was occurring overseas.
These war artists served in all theaters of operation and in all branches of the U.S. military, including the once-secret Army division known as The Deception Corps. Their powerful imagery – some done on the spot, some done years later from haunting memories – will enlighten, challenge, even amuse, showing that war is hell but also that creativity can still exist, even in the face of utter destruction.
These artists/veterans share how they used their art for journalism and to preserve their own sanity.
Filmmaker David Baugnon
Filmmaker David Baugnon resides in New York. His directing credits include the feature documentary Art in the Face of War, 2006 (winner of the Newport Film Festival Special Jury Prize 2007 and Audience Award Winner for Best Documentary at Connecticut International Film Festival, 2006); the short documentary Matisyahu (screened in 50 film festivals worldwide and Grand Prize Winner at AOL Moviefone Short Film Festival, 2006 and the Special Jury Prize at the God on Film Festival 2004). He currently teaches screenwriting in New York at Writers Boot Camp and at Pratt Institute.
The GI Film Festival is delighted to announce Art in the Face of War as an official selection of the 2009 Festival. The GI Film Festival is a 501-c-3 non-profit organization whose mission is to honor the service and sacrifice of the men and women in uniform. Please consider supporting our festival to further our mission by bringing awareness to more great movies like David’s.
When I was a kid, it was considered a huge insult to say “your mother wears combat boots!” They even made a TV movie with the same title. And who can forget the bumbling 1980’s Private Benjamin where Goldie Hawn’s character was initially more interested in shopping and make up than conducting proper drill and ceremony. These were my first images of women in the military. (Naively, I entered West Point thinking it was going to be more like summer camp and less like Full Metal Jacket).
Fast forward 30 years post Judy Benjamin.
Enter the age of “Lioness.” In this gripping documentary, a female solider on foot patrol with the Marines in Iraq is caught up in a deadly firefight against enemy insurgents. In another scene, a female soldier in full combat gear, is searching house to house in enemy territory; patting down the Iraqi women looking for hidden weapons.
Filmmakers Meg McLagan and Daria Sommers bring us the incredible untold story of the first group of women soldiers who were sent into direct ground combat. Through intimate accounts, journal excerpts, and archive footage, this films follows five women who served together for a year in Iraq. With captivating detail, this probing documentary reveals the unexpected course of events that began when US women soldiers were used to defuse tensions among local Iraqi civilians, but resulted in them fighting in some of the bloodiest counterinsurgencies battles of the war.
Lioness bridges the gap between the perception and the reality regarding the role women in the military are playing in Iraq.
Lioness will premiere at the GI Film Festival in May in Washington DC. For more information about the GI Film Festival please visit our website at www.gifilmfestival.com. The GI Film Festival is a 501-c-3 non-profit organization whose mission is to honor the services and sacrifices of the men and women in uniform. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to help support our mission.
Brothers at War, GIFF 2008 Winner for Best Feature Documentary
We launched the GI Film Festival for one reason and one reason only: to make sure films that portray American GIs in a positive light are distributed as widely as possible. That’s why we are so proud that a stand-out film from last year’s fest, Brothers at War, hit the big screen this week! Some of you may recall, the GI Film Festival rolled out the red carpet for Brothers at War last year for the film’s world premiere. Award winning actor Gary Sinise introduced the film which received both a standing ovation and the GI Film Festival’s award for Best Feature Documentary. Ultimately, the film earned a theatrical distribution deal with the prestigious Samuel Goldwyn Films.
Here’s what the Director of Brother’s at War had to say about the experience: “The GI Film Festival was a wonderful place to debut Brothers at War. The combination of military, political, and entertainment leadership present at our world premiere made it a night to remember and an important event in the promotional rollout of the film. We will always remember the great reception we received at the GI Film Festival.”
As any filmmaker will tell you, it is extremely difficult to get any independent film on the big screen, especially a documentary. Credit to Jake for his talent and persistence. And credit to the GI Film Festival for giving the film its all-important launch.
While we are psyched about our role in the success of Brothers at War, we are not going to rest on our laurels. We have a dynamite program shaping up for GI Film Festival 2009, with a festival full of aspiring filmmakers looking for their shot on the big screen too. Check out a few of our trailers. And check back often as we are adding them weekly in the lead up to the festival, which will be held May 13-17, 2009.
Hey, the 2009 GI Film Festival is shaping up to be a really great event. We are still reviewing films and the competition is extremely tough this year! If you can’t make it to DC in May, but believe in our cause, sponsor a soldier to send in your place. www.gifilmfestival.com/sponsorasoldier. This allows a soldier, sailor, airman or marine to attend and see these great films. No other film festival in the nation shows such quality films that all honor the service and sacrifice of the American GI.
Ultimate, all-inclusive festival experience and receive one all-access pass good for admission to all screenings in the main auditorium, parties, events and much more. A all-access pass includes all GI Film Festival screenings and receptions from Thursday, May 14, 2009 thru Sunday, May 17, 2009.
There’s a person down the street, in your neighborhood and mine…
