National Infantry Museum & Livingbattlefield to co-produce WWI series.

WWI Battle of Soissons part of National Infantry Museum Last Hundred Yards Diorama


New WWI Documentary to be Filmed Near Fort Benning

Public television series to premiere on 100^th anniversary of American involvement

Columbus, Georgia – September 28, 2012    Filmmakers are scouting locations on or near Fort Benning, Georgia, for an upcoming documentary about the ‘War to End All Wars.’

     Over There: Doughboys in The Great War will be a four-part series for public television hosted by Hollywood actor-trainer Captain Dale Dye (Ret. USMC). Dye, famous for the HBO series Band of Brothers and Saving Private Ryan, says the series will be “an in-depth, intriguing and inspiring look at one of the most pivotal and costly conflicts in the history of mankind. It will give our audiences a feel for the brutal, dehumanizing experience of static war in muddy, bloody trenches.”

     The series will be completed by 2017, in time for the 100^th anniversary of America’s entry into World War I. It is a co-production between independent filmmakers Livingbattlefield and the National Infantry Foundation, the non-profit organization charged with the operation of the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center in Columbus, Georgia. Viewers will be treated to an on-location battlefield experience in Northern Europe, while seeing the actual battle scenes acted out near the home of the U.S. Army Infantry.

     “This is an exciting opportunity for us,” said Foundation President Ben Williams. “We are thrilled to be part of a production that will explain how young Americans fought in the ugliest of wars.”

     The filmmakers hope the trench that will be built for filming could remain open for visitors after production is complete.

     The state-of-the-art museum already features a life-size diorama from the bloody battle of Soissons on the ‘Last 100 Yards’ ramp, a recreated trench ‘immersion experience’ and a vast array of memorabilia on display in the WWI gallery.

     “Rats, waterlogged trenches, barbed wire and shell holes will add to the authenticity of the series. Our re-enactors will be young U.S. Army veterans,” says Director and Executive Producer Richard Lanni.

     Livingbattlefield forged a partnership with the National Infantry Foundation after the filmmaker’s groundbreaking World War II series – The American Road to Victory – aired nationwide on PBS stations. Adopting a quirky and engaging style, Livingbattlefield has rekindled an interest in history among families. “We expect this upcoming World War I project to provide an enlightening explanation of a little-known period of American history,” says Lanni.

    Work on the production will begin in Spring 2013. The series will be distributed by American Public Television.

     For more information, please contact Rachael Wilson/Livingbattlefield Development, at Rachael@livingbattlefield.org

The National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center at Patriot Park, a 200-acre tract linking Columbus, Georgia, and Fort Benning, the Home of the Infantry, is the first world-class site to pay tribute to the U.S. Army Infantryman and those who fight alongside him. As the only interactive Army Museum in the United States, the museum showcases the contributions of the Infantry Soldier in every war fought by the U.S. by offering immersive participation and engaging visitors in the unique experiences of the Infantry Soldier. The complex also includes a parade field, memorial walk of honor, authentic World War II Company Street and 3-D IMAX^® Theatre. For more information, visit www.nationalinfantrymuseum.com.