I want to thank Scott for sending me this link, because it is relevant to our industry and to the military. There will come a time, when this industry will be represented in film, and the story and message will be in the hands of those film makers. The question we have to ask is if these individuals care about producing something accurate and fair, or something that suits an agenda of historical revision or politics. Our industry is old, but to the unknowing public, it is absolutely new and virgin thought territory. We must engage those individuals that seek to define our industry through film or music or video games, and make sure that they get it right and care to make a good product. And if they don’t listen, and could care less, then at least we can call them out on it.
Or better yet, we can embrace the process and work with them. If someone was to do a film on Blackwater, would it benefit Blackwater to protest it, or would it benefit Blackwater to work with them and insure that it is accurate and fair? Shared reality between the two groups, would help out the overall image of the portrayed group in that film.
Also, if you ever want to watch an interesting show, check out The Unit. One of the main writers of the show is Eric Haney, a retired CAG officer. Also, Pete Blaber has contributed to the writing of the show as well. In essence, the most secretive and best soldiers in the US, are now contributing to a TV show about their unit(Eric wrote the book The Unit, and the show revolves around the book). Instead of fighting media, they are embracing it, and controlling the quality and content(or at least trying to). That is a lot better than someone making a show about this incredible group of guys, that have no credibility at all about this subject.
Media relations is the one area where PMC/PSC’s really drop the ball on. Hell, the entire contracting industry as a whole sucks at media relations, and film is one area that we certainly need to be wary of, just for the very reasons that Mr. Beevor discusses in this article. –Matt
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Antony Beevor on films that rewrite history
From The Sunday Times
January 18, 2009
Open Minds: Films that rewrite history, says Antony Beevor, are fatally warping our sense of reality
Antony Beevor
In the West, we tend to assume that the greatest threats to democracy and liberty come from outside. We think of the totalitarian systems of the last century or fundamentalist terrorism today, but we fail to recognise the viral strain that has developed out of our own entertainment industries.
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