Jake Rademacher

Well, 2018, I brought you those first scenes, first moments and interviews with Isaac and Hunter and Derek, which is in this new film. And that's when you were like, we're going to do this.

Well, 2018, I brought you those first scenes, first moments and interviews with Isaac and Hunter and Derek, which is in this new film. And that's when you were like, we're going to do this.

Well, it's a great question, John. And one thing you said is three-dimensional. I was very, very passionate about presenting a three-dimensional look at these service members, soldiers, Marines, veterans, wherever they are on the spectrum of their career and life. These are my friends. These are my brothers. Oftentimes when you see documentaries, people cherry pick sad stories.

Well, it's a great question, John. And one thing you said is three-dimensional. I was very, very passionate about presenting a three-dimensional look at these service members, soldiers, Marines, veterans, wherever they are on the spectrum of their career and life. These are my friends. These are my brothers. Oftentimes when you see documentaries, people cherry pick sad stories.

They're not really in the community. Somebody's kind of doing their drive-by film about it. And that's not Gary Sinise and I. He's been doing this for 40 years. I've been at this project for 21 years. I was at combat with these guys. So I really wanted to, and this is from the very beginning, I said, Gary, I can't just come and do an interview. I've got to actually spend a day with these people.

They're not really in the community. Somebody's kind of doing their drive-by film about it. And that's not Gary Sinise and I. He's been doing this for 40 years. I've been at this project for 21 years. I was at combat with these guys. So I really wanted to, and this is from the very beginning, I said, Gary, I can't just come and do an interview. I've got to actually spend a day with these people.

I've got to embed in their life now. I embedded with them in the foxholes. I got to embed with them, whether that means I got to jump out of an airplane with them or go scuba diving or, you know, get weapons training, which I did all, all of that.

I've got to embed in their life now. I embedded with them in the foxholes. I got to embed with them, whether that means I got to jump out of an airplane with them or go scuba diving or, you know, get weapons training, which I did all, all of that.

I go on a construction site with Ben. Like I want to show the audience, these are, you know, these are for the most part, highly functioning people, but they are still carrying some of the invisible wounds of war. They still have some work to do and I'll show their vulnerability, but I also want to show their strength and, And so I have to say that Gary also felt strongly about that.

I go on a construction site with Ben. Like I want to show the audience, these are, you know, these are for the most part, highly functioning people, but they are still carrying some of the invisible wounds of war. They still have some work to do and I'll show their vulnerability, but I also want to show their strength and, And so I have to say that Gary also felt strongly about that.

And as I finished the film and then got through the process of recutting it, it was frankly some of his insistence. Some of the humor that's in the film, Gary was like, hey, did anything funny happen? I'm like, yeah, mostly at my expense.

And as I finished the film and then got through the process of recutting it, it was frankly some of his insistence. Some of the humor that's in the film, Gary was like, hey, did anything funny happen? I'm like, yeah, mostly at my expense.

So we started putting some of that back in the movie so that we could give audiences the chance to laugh alongside us, but then also feel alongside us, and then also have some of that solution. Your question about the workshops is very astute. What was special was I was there with them. I chewed dirt with them. I spent three months. I lived with them.

So we started putting some of that back in the movie so that we could give audiences the chance to laugh alongside us, but then also feel alongside us, and then also have some of that solution. Your question about the workshops is very astute. What was special was I was there with them. I chewed dirt with them. I spent three months. I lived with them.

I came in with Final Cut as a filmmaker wanting to really understand them and where they're coming from. So I had incredible access. I followed that up with walking with our service members for 14 years as they came home from war. When Oklahoma, where I am now, lost 14 soldiers in combat and a few to suicide, they called me and said, can you come?

I came in with Final Cut as a filmmaker wanting to really understand them and where they're coming from. So I had incredible access. I followed that up with walking with our service members for 14 years as they came home from war. When Oklahoma, where I am now, lost 14 soldiers in combat and a few to suicide, they called me and said, can you come?

And I came and we built the workshop to what it is today. We expanded it to help, you know, help them deal with the loss of their friends. We wrote a workbook for family members. And so the reason why that's important, you know, the 2-1 Marines, when they lost 11 guys recently, we, you know, with the help of the Gary Sinise Foundation, we went there and did a workshop.

And I came and we built the workshop to what it is today. We expanded it to help, you know, help them deal with the loss of their friends. We wrote a workbook for family members. And so the reason why that's important, you know, the 2-1 Marines, when they lost 11 guys recently, we, you know, with the help of the Gary Sinise Foundation, we went there and did a workshop.

And we play the original film and then we first part, what part of the film do you relate to? And then I've got 18, 19, 20 year old Marines for 45 minutes talking about what they related to in the film. And that's the power of the movie. It makes tough subjects easier to talk about.

And we play the original film and then we first part, what part of the film do you relate to? And then I've got 18, 19, 20 year old Marines for 45 minutes talking about what they related to in the film. And that's the power of the movie. It makes tough subjects easier to talk about.