"Warriors" - A Proof, Inc. Production (2009)

Stephen Mick

Stephen Mick

Totally Usable
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Overview

A group of recovering soldiers draws strength from their passion for the outdoors, and in doing so discovers new ways of coping with both their physical and emotional injuries.

Synopsis

Many soldiers grow up on the water, on the mountain and surrounded by the outdoors. They are anglers. They are hunters. They are adventurers. It’s part of their DNA. And for a growing number of soldiers injured in the line of duty, returning to life outdoors is becoming a vital part of their long-term recovery.

Enter groups like Team River Runner, Hunts For Heroes, Operation Comfort and Project Healing Waters. These organizations all share one mission: to use the outdoors and adventure to help soldiers recover and reconnect to the world around them.

Through interviews with the soldiers, we'll hear their stories in their own words. They talk about how important nature and being in the outdoors is to their recovery. We will spend a week at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, seeing first-hand the work groups like Team River Runner are doing. And we would join these groups on outings with soldiers, as they hit the rivers, streams and oceans to fish, kayak, hunt, fly-fish and surf.

Finally, we would take a group of soldiers who have been through these programs on an epic adventure. We travel to the Florida Keys with Hunts For Heroes, for a week of sport-fishing for marlin and sailfish. A group from Project Healing Waters will travel west to fly-fish on a private stretch of trout-packed water. And finally, we'll join Team River Runner for their annual Colorado kayak adventure.

Through the film, the audience will see the courage of these men and women in the face of obstacles most of us will never have to face. And hopefully, sharing their experiences will encourage others to find possibility in their own passions for the outdoors.


About The Filmmakers

Proof, Inc. is dedicated to creating original films and content that combine the beauty of nature, the adrenaline of outdoor adventures, and stories that have the potential to change how we see the world around us.

Creative Director and Proof, Inc. owner Stephen Mick brings fifteen years of creative and production experience to the table. Producer Korry Ingleman works tirelessly to make sure the production train stays on the tracks, and Editor/Post-Production Coordinator Joanne Mick helps bring all the elements together in a compelling finished product.

Proof, Inc.'s most recent film, "Finding Wild Florida," has screened at a number of festivals across the country, recently winning the prize for Best Documentary at the Florida ART Film Festival.
 
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FILM SUBJECTS/PARTNERS

Operation Comfort

Operation Comfort was founded by Janis Roznowski, an American Airlines flight attendant who was part of a team transporting soldiers to and from the Middle East. On March 18, 2003, Janis began flying men and women in and out of the Middle East. The experience profoundly affected her, and she decided to serve, in her own way.

“Having had the great experience of being in the presence of some of the bravest men and women I have met makes me realize that we can never do enough for them. I believe that our military men and women are truly our nation’s National Treasure. Now that they are wounded, we must do what we can for them.”


Team River Runner

Joe Mornini is a teacher. He also has a passion for kayaking. On Tuesday nights, he combines those two pursuits with another passion: using kayaking to help wounded soldiers rehabilitate their bodies and their lives.

Joe and a group of volunteers hit the swimming pool at Walter Reed Army Medical Center each week, teaching soldiers in kayaks how to roll, and how to feel comfortable on the water. Team River Runner also adapts kayaks to suit each soldier's needs, regardless of the nature of their injuries. Then, on beautiful Thursday afternoons in the spring and fall, Joe and his crew hit the Potomac River.


Hunts for Heroes

Based in El Campo, Texas, Billy Hodges lives in the heart of some of the best goose hunting and fishing in North America. HUNTS FOR HEROES has chapters in South Carolina, Arkansas, Mississippi, and California and we eventually hope to have chapters in every state in the USA.

Hunts For Heroes is dedicated to providing quality hunting and outdoor related activities to men and women that have been wounded on the field of battle in service to our country. Partnering with some of the best guides, ranches and hunting and fishing destinations, Billy and his group are able to provide outdoor adventures to some of the most deserving warriors.


Project Healing Waters

Retired Navy Captain Ed Nicholson is an avid fly-fisherman. More importantly, he understands how a day of tight loops and hungry trout can change someone's life. So, in partnership with Trout Unlimited, he created Project Healing Waters, with the mission of using fly-fishing to further the emotional and physical recovery of our wounded warriors.

Since 2005, PHW has been offering its fly-fishing and fly-tying program to the patients at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. And recently, the program has expanded, with chapters opening across the country, all sharing the original vision and mission.
 
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Behind-The-Scenes/Production Journal

Behind-The-Scenes/Production Journal

February 6, 2008

First, let me just say starting off that the story and idea for this film is one that I've been kicking around for a while now. The opportunity to make this film is humbling to say the least, and my hope is that I can tell the stories of these wounded warriors with a sense of possibility and inspiration.

Between now and Veteran's Day of this year, production for this project will likely take myself and crew from Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, to Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, D.C., to see firsthand the challenges these soldiers face. We'll travel to places like Hot Springs, Arkansas and Minneapolis, Minnesota, where some of these wounded warriors now live. Finally, we'll join some of them in places like Montana, the Florida Keys, and the Laguna Madre of Texas, as they experience some of the biggest outdoor adventures out there.

Last week we were officially granted access to film at Walter Reed Medical Center, which apparently is rarely given, and something we see as an honor and responsibility. That part of the shoot will likely happen in early April, and fellow DVXUser "mcgeedigital" has graciously agreed to be second camera and a vital creative resource for the D.C. part of the project.

I'll use this thread to keep everyone updated on the project.
 
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Hunts For Heroes "Sargent, TX" Shoot - 3.29-30.08

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Christian (aka "El Paso") tosses another live shrimp into Matagorda Bay

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Billy, Alex and Christian out on the water

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Alex Albarran poses with the biggest fish caught on our boat

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A different kind of therapy on the Texas coast

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Alex Albarran lost a leg in Iraq, but not his spirit

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Billy Hodges, creator of Hunts For Heroes

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One of the soldiers describes the incident that led to him being sent to BAMC

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Nighttime in Sargent, TX
 
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Zak,

Yeah, you jumped the gun a little bit there. But thanks for the enthusiasm, amigo. This is, of course, my first User Film thread, so bear with me as I figure out how to make it pretty.

--SM
 
Update - 2.14.08

Update - 2.14.08

A few updates on the film…

Thanks to Barry, I've been in contact with Sven at the Wounded Marine Careers Foundation. I let them know what we're doing with this project, and told him that I'll keep him updated on our schedule. Their first class will "graduate" in March, and we're hoping to team up with some of them for parts of the Summer and Fall '08 shoots. Having "wounded warriors" in front of and behind the cameras would be nothing short of amazing, and an inspiring story of its own.

Last night I had the opportunity to meet with the Board of Directors of Hunts For Heroes. Billy Hodges, the president and founder of the group, invited me down to El Campo, Texas to tell the entire group about the film and what we hope to accomplish with it. In true grass-roots style, we met in the kitchen of the El Campo Volunteer Fire Station.

Everyone was excited about the project, and we're in the process of setting up three outings for this year. First, at the end of March, we'll be joining the group, along with recovering soldiers from Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, for an in-shore fishing outing on the Texas Gulf Coast. In the fall, we'll be joining the group for duck and deer hunts, again with soldiers from BAMC.

We're also planning something a bit more adventurous. Sometime this fall, we'll round up a group of "alumni," soldiers who've been through the HFH program, and take them down to the Florida Keys for a few days of epic blue-water fishing.

Finally, our partnership with Operation Comfort is going to provide a unique experience for a group of female "wounded warriors." Working with a friend who also happens to be a champion female longboard surfer, we're going to arrange a women's-only surf camp, and we've tentatively targeted Costa Rica as the destination.

More details and specifics are being ironed out, and when we know more, I'll share the news.
 
Well, we're going to start shooting pretty soon, so there will be plenty of news and screen grabs to share.

Thanks for the interest!

--SM
 
Update 3.2.08

Update 3.2.08

A few bits of news about "Warriors"…

First, one of the things I've tried to do with this project is create connections between the various groups involved, and possible corporate support and sponsorship. Many of these groups operate solely off donations made by individuals, and it seems that if only more companies knew about what these groups were doing, they might choose to get involved.

So, when I reached out to Hunts For Heroes, I mentioned to Billy Hodges, the founder, that there might be a chance we could hook them up with some kind of much-needed piece of gear. The only thing he could think of that they might need would be some kind of 4x4 to pull a flat-bed trailer with. They use this trailer to get wheelchair-bound vets out into the hunting grounds.

I made a phone call to photographer Mike Calabro (great shooter and even greater guy), who contacted some of the folks he knows in the 4x4 world. Lo and behold, the Ranger group at Polaris stepped up and offered Billy Hodges and his group a $10K side-by-side Ranger 4x4. When I called Billy to tell him about it, I felt like Santa Claus. So, props to Polaris for their support of Hunts For Heroes. I'm sure they won't be the last company to offer some support.

The schedule is starting to take shape as well. Our first shoot is going to happen later this month, with an in-shore fishing event involving Hunts For Heroes and soldiers from Brooke Army Medical Center. In April, we're going with the same group to do some South Texas wild turkey hunting, which should be the perfect place to put that new Ranger to work.

April looks also to be the time for our shoot in DC at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The only problem is that the military folks haven't yet confirmed the dates, so that part of the schedule is in limbo for now.

Finally, we've tentatively set up an "adventure" for the fall, taking a group of soldiers from BAMC to Park City, Utah for a few days of "recovery" at the National Ability Center. The "recovery" part of the trip involves getting our "wounded warriors" onto a stretch of privately-managed trout waters for some epic fly-fishing with some of the best guides in the area. (It's amazing how giving all of these people are with their time when a project affects them the way this one seems to. I offer each and every one of them my gratitude for their support.)

The surf trip and offshore fishing adventures are still in the research stages, but hopefully we'll have some news to share on those fronts soon.

Semper fi!

--Stephen Mick
 
Update - 3.27.08

Update - 3.27.08

Tomorrow we'll be rolling the first footage for the "Warriors" film project.

Friday afternoon, a group from Hunts For Heroes will be picking up a group of (I believe) ten recovering soldiers from Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. They'll head down to Sargent, a little town on the Texas coast, and spend all day Saturday and half of Sunday fishing for redfish, sea trout and whatever else they can find.

Joining me for the weekend will be the boards' very own Drew Ott, or "Kubrick-in-Training" as I like to think of him. He'll be working the HVX for the weekend, while I'll be working for the first time with an HPX-500, rented from Omega here in Austin.

Also, everything is set for our upcoming shoot dates in the Washington, D.C. and at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. I'll be spending the week of April 7th working with another DVXUser "mate," Matt Gottshalk. He'll be handling HPX-500 duties on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, while I go back to handling the HVX (back in my comfort zone).

Matt's HPX is out on another job for those dates, so we've worked out a deal with Rooster Productions and Mark Kokkoros to rent their gear for the days we need it. Mark himself has also offered up his services to be my HPX operator on Saturday the 12th, when we'll be headed down to Rose River Farm to shoot the "Ice Breaker Tournament." It's the first fly-fishing event of the year for Project Healing Waters, and I can't wait to get out on the river.

And so this film odyssey begins…
 
Shoot Report - 3.30.08

Shoot Report - 3.30.08

The first official frames for "Warriors" are in the can (metaphorically speaking).

With a little help from Drew Ott, and a lot of help from Mother Nature, the fishing trip with Hunts For Heroes was a huge success. The HFH guys picked up a group of around 15 soldiers from BAMC in San Antonio on Friday, then drove them down to Sargent, Texas. People in the area opened up their homes and offered up their boats to get the soldiers out on the water.

Saturday started with a breakfast taco at Linda's Bait Camp. Then we loaded into boats and quickly headed out to the fish. The winds kicked up, but there were plenty of trout and reds to go around, and everyone seemed to have a great time.

Props to Drew Ott for his hard work and creative eye. (Just remember to turn your hat around when the boat starts running next time.) Special thanks go out to all the captains who helped the soldiers catch plenty of fish. And a hearty salute to all the "warriors" we met and talked to over the weekend.

I've posted some grabs above from the weekend. Enjoy!
 
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