The evening was pregnant with possibilities...
In fact, the screening of "PART ONE" of "CARRIER" at the Director's Guild of America last night - to be broadcast in totality as a series by PBS (KCET locally) April 27th - May 1st - proved to be rife with bothersome jolts for the producers and unexpected moments of embarrassment for the Military brass in attendance.
The gala event started out festive, though.
When I strolled into the foyer at the DGA, I was struck by all the "suits" - PBS Executives - at the unveiling of the documentary on the USS Nimitz which KCET President & CEO, Al Jerome, was categorizing as a "landmark" project ranking right up there with the quality and excellence of former hits such as - "Hoop Dreams" and "Well-Founded Fear".
Liquor flowed from an open bar as a fleet of handsome young men clad in chic black outfits (slim well-built model/actor types) briskly circulated the room to replace the glasses as quickly as they were emptied. In addition, there were silver trays of scrumptious finger food - provided by top caterer Patina - to satisfy the most discerning palate before the curtain fell and the screen lit up.
Ah, and that's when the first glitch struck a negative chord.
Shortly after springing to life on the screen in the plush environs of the DGA, the documentary sputtered a bit, the screen went black, and a loud groan filled the theatre.
Judging by the boisterous behavior witnessed, a handful of servicemen - in civvies - were obviously among the industry-insiders. As filmgoers waited for CARRIER to restart, naughty comments like - "whose hand is that on my leg" - shot out from the dark recesses of the Theatre and broke the ice. At this point, nervous giggles swept through the darkened theatre as the production team struggled to salvage the night.
Unfortunately, when the screen sputtered to life again, the snafus persisted.
In fact, over the course of about fifteen or twenty minutes, the documentary - plagued by technical glitches - failed eight or nine times to start up on the silver screen before finally launching forward with success.
Fortunately, many at the preview were involved with the production, so they remained patient amid the brief chaos. Frankly, I thought it was ironic problems of a screening nature would surface at the DGA - of all places - what with all the state-of-the-art equipment available on the premises.
The documentary was shot on the USS Nimitz and is described by the producers as,
"A character-driven immersion into the high-takes world of a nuclear aircraft carrier."
The USS Nimitz has participated in such operations as Desert Storm, supported combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, and strengthened various United Nations initiatives.
To capture an up-close foray into the inner workings of the floating naval community, a 17 member film crew was imbedded on board for a six month tour. The adventure evolved into a challenging task as the production team sought to discern the ebb and flow of life on a carrier.
According to the Military Officers present, a decision was made to allow the cameramen to be "turned loose" on the ship, to effect a true log of the experience once the issue of their safety on board was properly addressed.
CARRIER was filmed in high-definition with a raw focus - and up-close personal look - at the Navy's role in the grand scenario.
The Executive producer noted that it was her specific intent to not only take an in-depth look at the crew's "high stakes environment" on a military carrier, but to also capture an honest reveal of the hierarchy from the top brass, down the pyramid, through the lower ranks of the common seaman.
"It wasn't about boys and their toys," she asserted.
In spite of that mission, some of the fighter-pilot footage does tend to be somewhat reminiscent of a handful of the striking exhilarating shots from the blockbuster thriller, "Top Gun". Here, it is the real deal, though.
To catch an unfettered glimpse into the heartbeat of the crew, the production team fervently "forged relationships" over the course of the voyage to facilitate that end. In the final analysis, the producers and their staff were able to put the crew at ease so the myriad tales were able to unfold without hindrance or falsity.
From the standpoint of the producers the relationship with their subjects amounted to an open and honest bonding over time. Bottom line, Mel Gibson's Icon Production crew came away with the impression that camaraderie had been struck which had proven to be fruitful.
However, when the spotlight turned on the military brass on the podium in the Question & Answer session - the three Naval Officers featured in the project - noted to a surprised audience that each had been reluctant to jump in full swing at first at the project's inception.
One officer had no qualms disclosing that he was initially quite a bit "skeptical of the press" because - in his own words - "They've misquoted statements in the past".
Well, I'll do my best here, Sir!
Another Officer was reticent about openly engaging with the crew and camera - but over time - was won over. What the heck, there's strength in numbers, eh?
In "PART ONE" - to air Sunday evening (April 27th) - CARRIER zeroes in on the first handful of crew members - an airman, a pilot, a cook - to be featured in the voluminous documentary.
But, over the course of the ten part series, CARRIER follows an enlarged crew core as they navigate their personal conflicts around their jobs, families, faith, patriotism, love, and rites of passage.
In particular, the producers stressed bold-faced efforts to focus the lens on the lower ranks - in particular - those from Middle America and the poor working classes in the Nation who made sacrifices in their youth to be a part of the military during an unpopular war.
A higher-ranked officer asserted on-camera that young people joined the forces because they wanted structure in their lives and "responsibilities". He assured the viewers - in an aside to camera - they get that experience in spades.
But the reasons for enlisting did not end there.
To some, the Navy was a gateway to a quality education; others, a golden opportunity to traverse the world in their prime.
Surprisingly, the mix - or cast of characters - was quite "diverse", noted moderator Huell Howser, with a tinge of surprise in his familiar broadcasting voice.In fact, the host of "California Gold" - a popular PBS offering - couldn't sing the praises of the producers enough after taking the project in.
"I served in the military," he pointed out to a rapt audience. "This brought back memories - good and bad."
"But, you know, this was reality TV at its best. Unlike those shows where six people are stranded on an island somewhere," he quipped jovially.
Mr. Howser's assessments were right on the money.
The cheerful host was well-prepared as moderator, too. With Howser at the helm, the informative discussion about the Nimitz zipped along at a good pace. In addition, a handful of questions he posed, elicited in-depth responses that resonated deeply with the audience and offered up keen insights.
No, the producers did not have an agenda. Nor did the Military intend CARRIER to be a "recruitment" film.
But, as Howser astutely noted, CARRIER turned out to be a great promo for the Navy.
Personally, I found the production values striking.
A split-screen approach to some of the subject matter (a gimmick that has been unsuccessfully utilized in the past by less-competent filmmakers) not only appealed, but swept the story along in an engaging, captivating way.
The soundtrack was powerful - killer, man!
Tracks included - "All These Things That I've Done", Killers; "The Numbers", Leh-lo; "Trucktop Butterfly", Pump Audio; "Jedi", Melpo Mene; "World", Five for Fighting.
When I asked the producer if the trendy innovative music was part of the original vision for the project, or just a tool facilitated to handily tie-up a dynamic package, she noted that a lot of energy and thought went into that aspect of the doc.
"Music is a big part of the crew's lives. So, we quizzed them about their tastes, what they listened to off-duty."
There were a handful of provocative images, too, as the producers poked about in the private lives of crew members on board. No doubt, many viewers were in awe of a couple of the sailors who stood half-naked on-camera, flexing muscle, and showing off their ubiquitous designer tattoos.
Warts and blemishes were on display, too.
In one dramatic segment, a young woman is called up on charges of alcoholic abuse before Senior Officers; then later, the green recruit is forced to hold back tears, call home, and confide in her father the outcome of the ordeal.
When Howser asked Admiral Branch - Captain of the USS Nimitz at the time the doc was shot - if any directives were issued about taboo subjects, he stated matter-of-fact that there had not been any concerted effort to restrict filmmaker's access or to hold back the truth.
Admirable, Admiral.
Surprisingly, the approach was not "monolithic" in approach either. Neither the Navy nor the filmmakers allegedly set out to give the impression that the Nimitz or the Navy was "one unified body" with all cogs fitting snugly in unison in the grand scheme of things.
In fact, there was a great diversity represented on celluloid (and an honesty) that impacted, bottom line.
I was just about to wrap up my notes when a man in the audience stood and asked an awkward question of the Admiral.
Apparently, in Episode 3 of the series, the issue of a "homosexual" relationship presents itself in the natural daily scheme of things.
The "Top Brass" was asked about the Military stance on the matter in direct relation to the controversial policy, "Don't Ask. Don't Tell".
Admiral Branch was quite emphatic that all the crew members on his ship were sailors first. Then, added, "I don't know how many are gay. Nor do I want to know."
He stressed that the "Don't Ask" policy was the "Law of the Land" - and basically - that was that. As long as the policy was adhered to, "no problem".
However, the producers noted that they felt bad when a couple of the "gay" crew members - in an environment that often allowed for Naval Officers to share with family - were left out in the cold and unable to participate in those moments.
"They weren't discriminated against, necessarily," added the producer. "But, we thought what transpired was unfortunate and sad."
Judging by the reaction of the Admiral, clearly he felt he had been stabbed in the back at this juncture. Ah, the treachery of Hollywood. Maybe there was someone with an agenda lurking about in the shadows somewhere?
Guess we'll have to turn in to Episode 3 to fathom the intrigues of a policy in the military which - to this day - elicits much angst and controversy.
In closing, I should like to point out that I was asked to spread the word that CARRIER will be screened on the Military Network this weekend so overseas forces - in addition to those with access to PBS and KCET in America - have the opportunity to tune in and watch this exciting high-caliber documentary which does justice to its subject matter.
For a virtual tour of the Nimitz: http://www.pbs.org/weta/carrier
