We love history - that's why we make films about
great military events, but we want everyone to share our passion for these
amazing stories. We understand that many people consider history boring - just
a bunch of stuff that doesn't seem to have any relation to where we are today.
This just isn't true.
The old way these stories were told, how documentaries relied on talking-heads, people pointing at things and washed out black and white footage, didn't help the cause. Our mission is to make history exciting and entertaining.
We are about to start a new project that will take
us back to The Great War; a war that shaped the world, changed the face of
America and signaled the dawn of an era of military technology. We will see for
the very first time how aircraft, massed artillery, field communications, and
dreaded gas were used on the field of battle. In the early 20th century our
soldiers were still drilled and trained in the military tactics of the 19th
century, but they faced and used modern weapons so ferocious that the casualty
rate was mind numbing. Most people know very little about this long forgotten
war, of the soldiers sailors and airmen of the American Expeditionary Force,
who crossed the U-boat infested Atlantic Ocean, and joined their exhausted
allies in muddy, bloody trenches . . but as we approach the 100th
anniversary, it is time to tell the
story.
All of America was affected by The Great War. African Americans, like the famous
Harlem Hell Fighters, the 369th
Infantry Regiment, went to war hoping that if they fought for their country,
then their country would consider them part of it. It didn't happen. They
fought valiantly, but with the French, and returned home to a still-segregated
land, which soon forgot their sacrifices.
Livingbattlefield has enlisted the expert skills of retired Marine
Captain, Dale Dye, a skilled presenter and actor trainer. Famous for the
Academy award-winning movie, Saving Private
Ryan, and the epic HBO series, Band
of Brothers, Dale will skillfully guide viewers through the actions on the
exact locations in Northern France and help us to recreate battle scenes on a
specially constructed lot near Fort Benning, Georgia.
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| Captain Dye on the set of HBO's The Pacific |
Our productions are shown on Public Television,
nationwide. Public television wants to increase the number of younger viewers
watching it's programs and we want to help by creating a completely new style
of documentary with exciting live-action narration, special effects and
re-enactments, that will appeal to a wide audience. Our current series, The
American Road to Victory, has gone some way to achieving that.
War can be, and often is, miserable, but it's not necessary to heap misery on top of misery. The stories have to be told with the right amount of respect, without losing their ability to transport and entertain. Soldiers didn't just kill and get killed, they laughed, joked, wrote touching letters home, and saw the humor in their living conditions.
It's young people who will carry the banner of
history forward and we want to recruit them. We want to listen to their
opinions before we start planning the series. It is for this reason that Livingbattlefield and The National Infantry Foundation are
launching a special competition.
"Doughboys"
The Competition
The Partnership are inviting young viewers under the age of 18 to
submit a paper of not more than 300 words on why they find history documentaries
boring and what we can do in our new WWI "Doughboys" series to excite
and interest them. We want to hear how they feel about archive footage versus
re-enactments? Particular credit will be given to submissions, which offer a
reasoned argument for how history can be turned into a subject kids can get
excited about.
Deadline & Judging
All submissions must be received by August31st 2013. A panel consisting
of Captain Dye, Professor John C. McManus PhD, Livingbattlefield Executive
Director, Heidi Lanni and Jordan Beck of The National Infantry Museum will choose 2 submissions. The winners will be notified
by email on November 29th 2013.
The Award:
The two winners (along with a parent or guardian) will be invited to the
"Doughboys" set in Columbus, Georgia. They will meet Captain Dye, see
him in action as our re-enactors are turned into WWI soldiers. The award will
include flights from anywhere on the mainland of the United States, airport
transfers, two nights accommodation including meals, a complete guided tour of
the magnificent Infantry Museum and a short, specially prepared video of their
trip. The winners will make the trip during our 2014 filming season, at a date
to be advised.
(Livingbattlefield full terms and conditions apply).
To Qualify:
In the first instance please email expressing an interest to:
films@livingbattlefield.org A full copy of our terms and conditions will be provided, together with
a short questionnaire.
Please note that all applicants will have to obtain the permission of
their parents, in writing, to enter the competition.( Neither Facebook nor Google support or endorse this competition)
