A Finished Film

Scott Holmgren ::

Throughout the winter and spring, Jim and I worked with Co-Producer Adam Braun, Director of Photography Patrick Gines and Editor Bryan Zhang on multiple cuts of the film. First an Assembly Cut laid out the broad order of the story that corresponded to the script. From there, some tweaks and shuffling led to a Rough Cut that approximated what the final film would look like.

In the Rough Cut stage we identified specific stills and video that would support the story as told by Jim and the other interviewees. We also sampled several music tracks, searching for melodies and tempos that would reinforce those sections of the story we wanted to emphasize and would also serve as transitions from one sequence to the next.

From there we crafted a Final Cut that added all the layers - photos, video, music, sound effects, graphics, titles, etc. - together for a final review. Last minute adjustments were made and then the project was sent off for color finishing and sound mixing to produce the Release Cut. This was the completed version of the film that, along with a promotional trailer, was sent off for DVD duplication.

Our target date was Saturday, November 7th, when we would premiere the documentary at the Branson Veterans Week Film Festival in Branson, Missouri.

More than 400 people, including veterans and their families, attended screenings of We Answered the Call over two days at the IMAX Entertainment Complex. Other films shown were Producer Rick Beyer's documentary The Ghost Army and the Vietnam film Honor In the Valley of the Tears. In addition, Jim had invited several members of the mission for a 10-year reunion since the academy had opened in 2005. For me, it was an honor meeting several veterans in person who I knew only by name from the book.

We're eagerly looking forward to 2016 and new opportunities to tell the story of We Answered the Call.