Here Am I, Send Me - D-Day 75th Anniversary Jump Behind the Scenes
So how in the hell did you guys pull that off?
It's been a common question since this project wrapped up shooting in June.
Here's how: Persistent Professionalism
A lot of people couldn't see the vision behind what we were doing, didn't want to support it with budget, and generally thought it was impossible to pull off. Those are not the people you want on your team. When you're going for the impossible, you need to find those with experience making the impossible--possible.
This will be the first installment of our behind the scenes images from my phone. Starting off, I have to thank the people.
Team Supertramp
From the first meeting with this team, we knew it was a fit. As I described the concept of jumping a Gold Star mom into Normandy, France out of a vintage airplane, the excitement built. There wasn't a sigh, head-shake, or look of hesitation. All there was was a, "Hell yes. Let's do this."
Carter Hogan (Producer/Videographer): By far the best producer I've ever worked with. Quick, concise, clear, and thorough. Nothing slips between the cracks. None of this would have been possible without his diligent execution.
Zane O'Gwin (Writer): Kindness, empathy, and immersion. Without any military knowledge or background, Zane quickly immersed himself in the world of special operations to understand the gravity of the event and communicate it clearly in a way that ties civilians and veterans in a place of reverence. Thank you Zane.
Johnny Quintana (Videographer): There's a lot of things I could say about Johnny (AKA Bubba), but the most memorable moment of the adventure was throwing Johnny belly-first into the open door of a moving C-47 getting ready for take-off. He didn't miss movement and that's all that matters. Love you Bubba.
Devin Graham (Director Photography): Quiet, humble, and relentless in the pursuit of the perfect shot. Without hesitation, I can say that nobody wears a WW2 Ranger uniform like Devin. Thank you for giving your all to this project.
Team Supertramp: Carter Hogan, Zane O'Gwin, Johnny Quintana, Devin Graham
Team Gold Star
Andy Farrington (Aerial Camera 1): Honored to have the Captain of the Red Bull Air Force step up for this one. From start to finish, he ensured the team, bird, and camera were in the right position to capture the moment. Thank you Andy for leveraging your lifetime of work to do this right.
Larry Yount (Aerial Camera 2): Our trusty navigator and the recipient of my non-PC comments. Thanks for replacing my french press and getting us from point A to B smoothly.
Zach Carbo (Tandem Master & Operations): The best "What If" guy in the business. If he identified a problem, he was like a pit bull on a pant leg until it was fixed. Thankful for his patience and persistence on this process.
Scoti Domeij (Precious Cargo): Pretty sure she filled out paperwork to adopt us all after this trip. It was a true honor to spend time and fly through the air with a woman that raised a legend.
Team Gold Star: Andy Farrington, Matt Griffin, Scoti Domeij, Zach Carbo, Larry Yount
You had me at the cellos…wonderful documentary. I am sharing to a Navy Sea Cadet unit I volunteer with, for that younger generation of future military men and women to see. Thank you!
Poignant and sends a message our country needs to hear. We are a marvelous country which never shrinks from evil and adversity. The younger generations need to be reminded, from time to time, just how great our nation truly is, so that we might all move together into a bright and prosperous future!
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