We recommend: America’s last frontier
Its a place we don’t think of often. Most of us have no friends or family from this place, nor have most of us been there (except Jed of course). It is hardly mentioned in the news, most likely because of how peaceful it is. This is America’s last frontier, i’m talking about Alaska. I came across this National Geographic collection of photo’s from remote areas throughout Alaska and its pure eye candy so stop anything else your doing and take a look at these photos, they deserve it. -Braden
Click here to see all of these super rad pics.
What’s the Price of Happiness? $75,000
From GOOD, quoting the Los Angeles Times: all I do is steal other people’s thoughts - Jedidiah
The freedom to pursue happiness is an inalienable human right in this country, but what does happiness actually cost to attain? According to researchers at Princeton, who surveyed 450,000 Americans between 2008 and 2009, it’s about $75,000.
From the Los Angeles Times:
The study found that people’s evaluations of their lives improved steadily with annual income. But the quality of their everyday experiences — their feelings — did not improve above an income of $75,000 a year. As income decreased from $75,000, people reported decreasing happiness and increasing sadness, as well as stress. The study found that being divorced, being sick and other painful experiences have worse effects on a poor person than on a wealthier one.
The researchers do point out that people earning $75,000 a year would not necessarily be unhappy to receive a raise.
According to the U.S. Census, median household income was $50,303 in 2008.
Barefoot Peace Walk in London
If you’re in London on September 21st, listen up: International Refugee Trust organized the Barefoot Peace Walk for the first time in 2009 to raise awareness about crimes being committed by the Lord’s Resistance Army. The LRA is still active and spreading terror in Central African Republic, DR Congo and southern Sudan… therefore they’re doing it again.
From IRT: Come and walk barefoot* through Central London
When? Meet at 6:00 pm to start walking at 6:30 pm, 21 September 2010 (UN International Day of Peace)
Where? Next to St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square
How long? 45 minute walk
And then? From 7:30 pm onwards after-event in the Africa Centre, 38 King Street, Covent Garden with guest speakers including Anneke van Woudenberg from Human Rights Watch, and Ugandan music.
It is not necessary to sign up or RSVP to the Barefoot Peace Walk, but if you happen to be of Facebook you can sign up there.
One Hello World
Consider it a “soundtrack to your thoughts.” One Hello World uses messages left by ordinary people, and transforms them into music. Some of these soundtracks are beautiful, and others are painful, but all are inspiring. I definitely recommend checking this out and if you have a story you would like to share through music, go ahead and call (316) 247-0421, every message is listened to. (Thanks Colin for showing me this awesome site.)
-Braden
Well, onehelloworld,
you’re not on Earth anymore.
This is the Tumblrverse,
where anything is possible.
You can say anything
and not worry about
what people will think.
You can be beautiful
in your own time
on your own terms
and never fear once.
We’re so glad you’re here.
5 hours left to vote & raise money for IC’s Teacher Exchange Program!
Today is the final day to vote in the Kohl’s $10,000,000 Facebook Giveaway for Education.
The top 20 schools to receive the most votes across the U.S. will each win $500,000 tonight at midnight CST.
A great K-8 school focused on global studies and leadership, the Chabad Hebrew Academy, located near Invisible Children’s headquarters in San Diego, CA, is in the top 20 and hopes to provide a self-sustainable Aquaponics Greenhouse and continuous educational training to a school within our Teacher Exchange Program. You can make it happen! Vote 5 times today on Facebook. Either by visiting www.votemyschool.com for a step-by-step guide or if you are already logged on to Facebook visit www.votecha.com for the direct link.
Vote five times for Chabad Hebrew Academy in San Diego and together, we can make this happen.
Video: The Power of Music
This 2 minute video reminds me of the power of story telling. The places it can take you in only moments. I’m also including a video I saw a while back, I think I’ve even blogged it before, but it has the same effect. Watch both if you haven’t seen them. – Jedidiah
The Power of Music from Life File Videos on Vimeo.
Wait For Me (3 Minute Documentary) from Red Light Films on Vimeo.
New York Times: Whats going on with 20-somethings?
It’s not uncommon to see young people in their 20’s moving back in with their parents after graduating college, in fact, its becoming quite the norm. Young adults all over the country are evolving from the old fashion way of going to school, getting a job, and starting a family. Nowadays it is much more common to see young adults staying in school just to stay in school, dedicating themselves to temporary unpaid internships, or traveling. So why is this, and is it a problem or is it just the result of a more creative youth experimenting with new ways to go about their future?
Here are some statistics to solidify the point:
- One-third of people in their 20s move to a new residence every year.
- Forty percent move back home with their parents at least once.
- They go through an average of seven jobs in their 20s.
- Two-thirds spend at least some time living with a romantic partner without being married.
Young people no longer expect to get married in their early 20’s, but closer to 30. Early 30’s is time when starting a family is now expected. This is causing young adults to delay planning of their future and careers, so if the unexpected happens forcing them into adult situations, they are not ready. Parents have also changed, no more getting the boot when your 18, in fact most parents now encourage their kids to stay as long as they need to save money or finish school.
The 20’s are the years where much of our personal development takes place. We get our college education during these years, and most of us find a career that will last for some time. This is the time where most meet their spouses and the friends that will be their until the end. The 20’s really make you who you are and set you up for the rest of your life.
This NY times article goes into detail on “emerging adults” and the case for their lack of traditional development. -Braden
Great PSA from Topsy Foundation
Stop what you’re doing and watch this PSA about AIDS prevention. Just put down your big gulp and push play. I wish we’d made it. But more than that, I’m glad it’s been made. Well done Topsy. Check them out here. – Jedidiah
Updated: Videos I’m watching…
A little dose of inspiration and culture consumption. Thank you sir, may I have another. Your friendly neighborhood flake – Jedidiah
MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON from Dean Fleischer-Camp on Vimeo.
shinya kimura @ chabott engineering from Henrik Hansen on Vimeo.
two fails canceling eachother out. I can’t stop loving this. and I wont. I’m sorry for not being sorry.
The five most ignored humanitarian crises in the world
Genocide, famine, poverty, and many other terrible words that are used to describe terrible situations, simultaneously are occurring all over the world at this very moment. Some of these tragedies are covered poorly, covered wrongly, or not covered at all by the mainstream media, causing these crises to be ignored by, or invisible to the average person.
UN Dispatch Global News recently came out with a list of the top 5 most ignored humanitarian crises. Among the crises listed is war-torn Uganda and the LRA stronghold that is the Central African Republic. This article is definitely worth the read. -Braden
NPR and Radiolab present: Words
In an environment like Invisible Children, we glean inspiration from a thousand places. For better or for worse, it is the ad world that provides much of our creative stimuli. Here is a short film put together by the folks at NPR and Radiolab, and it’s not so much a commercial as it is an artistic expression of Radiolab’s episode on Words. ..To put the ideas to moving images. A poem of shots. I have watched it three times in a row now, saying out loud the words as they connect to one another. It reminds me of one of my favorite ads, the Nike one with each connecting action. Watch this and be spurred to create. (thanks John Beaton for showing this to me) – Jedidiah
A story of landscaping and scholarships
There’s a lot of back story here, but really, it’s not needed to enjoy the randomness of this video. Okay, maybe a little bit of context should be given. Last October, this landscaper of landscapers (with a specialty in rock decor) showed up at our office in San Diego after driving through the night from Salt Lake City. He was accompanied by a trailer full of large rock wall things (a rock trailer if you will), including an Invisible Children memorial. We were honored by his passion. But there was no way this thing was getting to our floor without breaking a window and hiring a crane to pull it up. But again, we appreciated the thought.
More on this landscaper of landscapers, he also made a video that details the rock work he did for us. His passion clearly got in the way of logistics (a lesson to you Schools for Schoolers out there). And this video is a mix of his good intentions and eccentric awesomeness.
Some highlights in the video to look out for:
-An MLK Jr. quote attributed to JR (Jason Russell).
-The nonsensical inclusion of his mother and daughter puppies.
-Constant references to Laren as Lauren.
Okay, here it is.
-Josh
Are you born in September? or know someone that is? listen up….
Our friends at charity: water just launched their 4th annual September campaign and this year the goal is huge: Bring clean water to the entire population of the Bayaka people of the Central African Republic.
The Bayaka people are among the few remaining hunter-gatherers left today. They are skilled hunters and know the way of the forest around them, but in recent years the logging industry has destroyed their way of life along with the forest canopy.
The Bayaka have an incredible story, but almost no access to clean water.
The goal of Charity Water is to give clean water to all 20,ooo Bayaka in the region, as well as 70,000 of their closest neighbors. It will take them 1.7 million dollars to reach that goal, and they NEED your support.
There are four things you can do to help:
1. Watch the September campaign video here: http://www.charitywater.org/september
It just might be the best one they’ve made. Please share it with others.
2. Born in September? Know someone that is? Donate your birthday and start your own fundraising campaign. It’s so easy. Thousands of people have done this over the past few years, raising millions of dollars for clean water.
3. Facebook. This morning they launched a new Facebook page to share exclusive videos each day from C.A.R. Please join them on www.facebook.com/charitywater and donate your status today by sharing the video.
4. Are you on Twitter? Here are a few sample tweets you could spread today:
- Today, @charitywater launched the 2010 #September campaign. Watch this video and support: http://bit.ly/17oovL
- Please support the @charitywater #September campaign. Watch the trailer now: http://bit.ly/17oovL
- Who are the Bayaka people? And why do they need clean water? Watch this video: http://bit.ly/17oovL
- Your birthday can change the world. Watch this video to see how: http://bit.ly/17oovL
Thank you for helping our great friends at charity: water.
Our girl K.Bell stars in Yeasayer’s new video
This is one of my favorite songs of the last year. I can’t tell you how many night drives has been kicked off with it, blasted to the max in my Nissan. So proud that KB is in this video. – Jedidiah
From Pitchfork:
Anyone who’s lost a beloved cat or dog can relate to the absurd, heartbreaking new video for Yeasayer’s “Madder Red”. The clip stars Kristen Bell (“Veronica Mars”,Forgetting Sarah Marshall) as a distraught owner of a sick pet. The pet happens to be an amorphous, one-eyed (and oddly lovable!) mass of flesh. It was made by wildly talented Swedish director Andreas Nilsson (Fever Ray, MGMT) and you can check it out below or at Pitchfork.tv.
What I’m watching: Best of the worst of the news
Hi everybody, this is Braden, a newbie here at Invisible Children. You will be seeing me around the blog! Just wanted to share with you this Paste magazine collection of funny news bloopers. Paste forgot one of the great classics, which I’ve included below.
From Paste Magazine:
So, apparently Jason Schwartzman and Michael Cera invaded a weather station here in ATL yesterday and engaged in a few minutes’ worth of japes. And so the stars of Scott Pilgrim have engaged in a time-honored live news tradition: ridiculous goof-ups. Some of them are a byproduct of an interview gone awry, some happen on-set; all are ridiculous and hilarious. Here’s the 10 best.
Read this: MLK Jr’s Nobel Peace Prize speech
We at IC have been trying to articulate, to synthesize what it is that makes this generation, this movement, this cultural rebellion for justice. We’ve been trying to find the common thread and put it to words. In my research and treasure hunt for language, my friend Lindsay pointed me to this speech. Holy holy. It is powerful. Please, take the time to read this today. There is a reason why Martin Luther King, Jr. is studied by speechwriters around the world. His words are deservedly eternal. - Jedidiah
The Quest for Peace and Justice, Nobel Lecture, December 11, 1964
It is impossible to begin this lecture without again expressing my deep appreciation to the Nobel Committee of the Norwegian Parliament for bestowing upon me and the civil rights movement in the United States such a great honor. Occasionally in life there are those moments of unutterable fulfillment which cannot be completely explained by those symbols called words. Their meaning can only be articulated by the inaudible language of the heart. Such is the moment I am presently experiencing. I experience this high and joyous moment not for myself alone but for those devotees of nonviolence who have moved so courageously against the ramparts of racial injustice and who in the process have acquired a new estimate of their own human worth. Many of them are young and cultured. Others are middle aged and middle class. The majority are poor and untutored. But they are all united in the quiet conviction that it is better to suffer in dignity than to accept segregation in humiliation. These are the real heroes of the freedom struggle: they are the noble people for whom I accept the Nobel Peace Prize.
This evening I would like to use this lofty and historic platform to discuss what appears to me to be the most pressing problem confronting mankind today. Modern man has brought this whole world to an awe-inspiring threshold of the future. He has reached new and astonishing peaks of scientific success. He has produced machines that think and instruments that peer into the unfathomable ranges of interstellar space. He has built gigantic bridges to span the seas and gargantuan buildings to kiss the skies. His airplanes and spaceships have dwarfed distance, placed time in chains, and carved highways through the stratosphere. This is a dazzling picture of modern man’s scientific and technological progress.
Yet, in spite of these spectacular strides in science and technology, and still unlimited ones to come, something basic is missing. There is a sort of poverty of the spirit which stands in glaring contrast to our scientific and technological abundance. The richer we have become materially, the poorer we have become morally and spiritually. We have learned to fly the air like birds and swim the sea like fish, but we have not learned the simple art of living together as brothers.
First Listen: Ray LaMontagne’s new album
Looks like Ray is holding on to his roots (thank God). After a few more mainstream releases, with gems on them for sure, Ray has released a substantially raw americana album that I think I can get behind. We’ll see. Stream away… Here is NPR’s review and the whole album streaming at NPR Music. – Jedidiah
Ray LaMontagne may be dismissed as the kind of musician relegated to warm, fuzzy television dramas, but there’s much more to the husky-voiced singer-songwriter. On his fourth studio album, God Willin’ and the Creek Don’t Rise, he’s joined by his terrific band The Pariah Dogs: Jay Bellarose on drums, Jennifer Condos on bass, Patrick Warren on keys, Eric Heywood on guitar and Greg Leisz on steel guitar. The album was recorded in LaMontagne’s woodsy home in western Massachusetts, which helps lend that rural sound which runs through all of his records.
Whereas 2008’s Gossip in the Grain was a more expansive release, God Willin’ exists in a more compact musical space. As the album’s title suggests, it’s a country-tinged record complete with slide guitar and the occasional banjo. The songs conjure images of a simple life of hammock naps and skillet-cooked breakfasts within a universe devoid of cell phones, laptops and televisions. The only interruption to his scene of melancholy serenity occurs in the first track, “Repo Man,” which kicks off the album with an aggressive guitar riff and accusatory lyrics. The rest of the album operates at a much slower pace, though, wandering from regret to occasional contentment.
With God Willin’, LaMontagne continues to churn out soulful tunes that relentlessly tug at the heart strings. He isn’t covering new territory, but his music is no less satisfying for its familiarity. For example, in “New York City’s Killing Me,” he laments the sterility of urban living, singing, “I was just kicking along the sidewalk / No one looks you in the eyes / No one asks you how you’re doing / Don’t seem to care if you live or if you die.”
LaMontagne reins in his characteristic raspiness on God Willin’. It’s still very much present, but he rarely belts the notes as on previous records. Instead, he favors clarity and a smoother delivery, as evidenced by the contemplative “Old Before Your Time.”
God Willin’ and the Creek Don’t Rise will stream here in its entirety until its release on Aug. 17. Please leave your thoughts on the album in the comments section below.
Discuss: a mosque at Ground Zero
I’m sure you’ve all seen the insanely fired-up debate surrounding a proposed Mosque on or near Ground Zero in New York City. Many progressives believe it is a step towards healing. Moderates think it’s touchy and probably inappropriate. Conservatives believe it is a shameful slap in the face to the thousands of victims of the famed attack. I heard a pretty compelling rabbi speak on the news yesterday about the inappropriateness of building a Convent at Auschwitz. Made me think.
Because McLaren’s ideas are a popular source of debate within our walls here at IC, I thought I’d post his response to all of this, found in The Washington Post. His post is ‘Bible heavy’ because so much of the debate turns on the religious response. – Jedidiah
Why I support the mosque in Manhattan, by Brian McLaren.
Today’s guest blogger is Brian McLaren, who began his career as a college English teacher, and then served for twenty-four years as a church planter and pastor in the Washington, DC, area. Now he is a popular blogger and speaker, author (the most recent of his eleven books is A New Kind of Christianity), and activist, especially focusing on the spiritual life and its intersection with the planet, poverty, peace, and pluralism.
I don’t really like proof-texting – pulling a verse out of context to try to prove a point. I’m not even a big fan of the fact that the Bible is divided up into chapters and verses. It wasn’t always that way – our modern schema of chapters and verses is a relatively late addition to the Bible, having evolved since the 13th Century. Chapter-and-versification allows people to kidnap a quote out of its context in a longer narrative and apply it in potentially irresponsible and harmful ways, as if the Bible were a legal constitution and its verses were articles, sections, subsections, and amendments in a legal code.
But I’m about to engage in chapter-and-versing, consciously and intentionally – and with regard to context, because in this case, the ancient text applies powerfully to our own situation in America today. Consider Exodus 23:9:
“Do not oppress an alien; you yourselves know how it feels to be aliens, because you were aliens in Egypt.”
The command was originally for the Jewish people. After a famine, they became refugees in Egypt and eventually were enslaved for generations by Pharoah’s regime. But according to the Bible, God isn’t on the side of the oppressors; God sides with the oppressed, and so God liberated them from slavery. God then led them through the wilderness and ultimately provided them a place to live. The oppressed became the blessed.
But being blessed by God gave them no excuse to oppress others, so they were commanded to never forget – never forget what it’s like to be oppressed, so you never become complicit in the oppression of others. The command is repeated often, and even strengthened, as in Leviticus 19:33-34:
When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.
You find a similar strengthening of the command in Deuteronomy (10:19):
[The LORD] defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing. And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt.
Lately I’ve been thinking about Exodus 23:9 and its companion verses in relation to the current controversy about a group of Muslim citizens – full American citizens in a democracy, not even aliens! – seeking to build a mosque in Manhattan. Among others, Sarah Palin has called for peace-loving Muslims to “refudiate” the mosque, calling it a provocation and saying that it stabs the hearts of people in the heartland. But I wonder if people in the heartland have forgotten that they are only a few generations away from ancestors who were also immigrants, who came to the United States in many cases to experience freedom of religion.
Shouldn’t it stab the hearts of caring Americans like you and me to imagine forbidding Muslims to experience the same freedom of religion in their new homeland that our own ancestors sought here in the past? Shouldn’t we remember how it feels to be seen as aliens, and shouldn’t we love our Muslim neighbors as ourselves, wanting the same religious freedom for them that we cherish?
That’s why I think it’s valid to bring Exodus 23:9 and its companion verses into the equation at times like these. We Christians – and Jews too – should enthusiastically support Muslims in their desire to build a center devoted to peaceful religion near the site of an atrocity committed in the name of violent religion. We are not called to mistreatment, prejudice, oppression, or even to mere tolerance – we are called to something far higher: to empathy, to generosity, to hospitality, and to love, fueled by empathy and memory. To violate those values should truly stab the heart of all Christians everywhere.
Knowing that Sarah Palin respects the Scriptures, I think if she gives it a second and prayerful thought, she couldn’t help but change her mind.
The content of this blog reflects the views of its author and does not necessarily reflect the views of either Eboo Patel or the Interfaith Youth Core.
The Great Depression in color
In Denver, there is a collection of some 40 preserved/restored photos from the era. I am amazed at how real the 30’s become when I see them captured in color photos that look like they could have been taken last month. The faces become familiar. The exhibit is called ‘Captured.’ Check out all of them at the Denver Post.
Watch this: ‘Fair Trade’ and ‘Organic’ isn’t a total fix
This is interesting. I grapple with this stuff a lot, we all do at Invisible Children. It’s one of our favorite topics. The idea of our world, the economy, and our role in changing it for the better. I’m not sure I agree with him, and, he points out the system with a critical voice without really offering a solution. I am optimistic that a we can find a solution that blends the compassion of socialism with the pragmatism of capitalism. As Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Communism forgets that life is individual. Capitalism forgets that life is social, and the kingdom of brotherhood is found neither in the thesis of communism nor the antithesis of capitalism but in a higher synthesis…that combines the truths of both.” Anywho… watch this and let’s discuss. - Jedidiah
Do you buy organic apples because you think they taste better or because you’re trying to buy redemption for your own participation in a pernicious capitalist system? In this lecture, compellingly illustrated by the RSA Animate crew, the philosopher Slavoj Zizek criticizes charity and what he calls “cultural capitalism”—think TOMS shoes or Fair Trade coffee—as palliatives that only perpetuate an immoral economic system.
Zizek’s views actually aren’t that radical. His point isn’t that socially or environmentally enlightened buying habits aren’t good. He’s just arguing that there’s an “element of hypocrisy” involved because those acts also support the economic structures that cause environmental and social problems in the first place.
As far as I can tell, Zizek would prefer you to buy Fair Trade coffee as long as you recognize it isn’t the ultimate solution to the injustices suffered by coffee growers.
Restrepo: behind the scenes
I saw this film with a bunch of IC people at Mountainfilm Film Festival in Telluride this past May. It is one of the most honest, powerful films I’ve ever seen. I encourage you all to see it. The film doesn’t make soldiers out to be criminals, or the Afghani people to be perfect sinless victims. It simply gives you a front row seat to the front lines of battle. My friend Lindsay pointed out, ‘how objective can it be if it doesn’t show the war from the perspective of the local people?’ It’s a great point, but we both came to realize that this film isn’t a full exposé on the intricacies of the war. It is simply and powerfully an honest presentation of life for the American deployed. I’m including a behind the scenes interview with the filmmakers in this post, because it gives context to the powerful messages of the film. Watch the trailer and read below. - Jedidiah
From National Geographic:
From May 2007 to July 2008, Battle Company of the 173rd Airborne Brigade was stationed in the remote Korengal Valley of eastern Afghanistan—considered one of the most dangerous postings of the war. The soldiers of Second Platoon built and manned a remote and strategic outpost that they named Restrepo in honor of their medic, Pfc. Juan Restrepo, who was killed in action. This is their story, in their words, of a group of men who came be considered the “tip of the spear” for America’s efforts in that area.
In the last five years the Korengal Valley—a rugged valley six miles long near the border with Pakistan—has become an epicenter of the U.S. war in Afghanistan. It was considered to be a crucial relay point for Taliban fighters moving from Pakistan toward Kabul, and several top al Qaeda leaders were thought to have used it as a base of operations. In 2005, Taliban fighters cornered a four-man Navy SEAL team in the Korengal and killed three of them, then shot down a helicopter that was sent to save them. All 16 American commandos onboard died.
By the end of 2007, almost one-fifth of all the combat in Afghanistan was taking place in the Korengal. The fighting was on foot and it was deadly, and the zone of American control moved hilltop by hilltop, ridge by ridge, a hundred yards at a time. There was literally no safe place in the Korengal; men have been shot while asleep in their barracks. To date, close to 50 American soldiers have lost their lives there.
Recording Combat, Boredom, Terror
Starting in June 2007, Tim Hetherington and Sebastian Junger dug in with the men of Second Platoon, making a total of ten trips to the Korengal on assignment for Vanity Fair magazine and ABC News. Each trip started with a helicopter flight into the main firebase in the valley and then a two-hour foot patrol out to Restrepo. There was no running water at Restrepo, no Internet, no phone communication, and for a while, there was no electricity or heat—it was essentially just sandbags and ammo. Some days the outpost was attacked three or four times from distances as close as 50 yards.
Hetherington and Junger—sometimes working together, sometimes alone—did everything the soldiers did except pull guard duty and shoot back during firefights. They slept alongside the soldiers, ate with them, survived the boredom and the heat and the cold and the flies with them, went on patrol with them, and eventually came to be considered virtually part of the platoon. By the end of the deployment, they had shot a total of 150 hours of combat, boredom, humor, terror, and daily life at the outpost.
Conditions for filmmaking couldn’t have been harsher. The surrounding mountains rose to a height of 10,000 feet—which was traversed on foot. Long operations meant carrying enough camera batteries to last a week or more, on top of the 50 or so pounds of gear required on even ordinary patrols. Cameras got smashed into rocks, clogged with dirt, and hit with shell cartridges during firefights.
Men were killed and wounded during filming, so there was a constant issue of when it was OK to turn on the cameras and when it was not. Only the filmmakers’ close relationships with the men of the platoon allowed them to keep shooting in situations where other journalists might have been told to stop.
Three months after the end of the deployment, Hetherington and Junger traveled to Vicenza, Italy, where the unit is based. They used two VariCams, a full light and sound package, and two cameramen to conduct in-depth interviews with their main characters.
These interviews—initially considered a kind of glue for the verité and a way to avoid outside narration—wound up being some of the most powerful and affecting material of the entire project. The soldiers were able to allow themselves a level of emotion and introspection that is simply not possible in combat.
Interview With Sebastian Junger & Tim Hetherington
How did you come across this particular assignment? What brought you there? Why did it appeal to you?
Sebastian Junger: We were on assignment for Vanity Fair and ABC News. After an embed with Battle Company in 2005, I’d had the idea of following one platoon for an entire deployment and both writing a book and making a documentary about their experience.
We hear the initial reactions of the soldiers upon learning that they’ve been assigned to the Korengal Valley. What was your first impression of Korengal?
SJ: When I stepped off the helicopter in June ’07 I was stunned by the ruggedness of the terrain—and the beauty. Then again, I didn’t have to spend a year there, and I assumed the fighting would be minimal, which of course it wasn’t.
What kind of advice or protection did the soldiers offer you while you were shooting? Did you receive any training or safety guidelines prior to shipping out?
SJ: They knew Tim and I had been in plenty of wars before this, so they didn’t really offer any advice. Once or twice during combat I was advised where good cover was (it depends on what direction they’re shooting from).
Did you take turns with the camera?
Tim Hetherington: We each had a camera and filmed more or less of our own volition. If I was busy taking stills, Sebastian would make sure to cover the camerawork. There were scenes where we were both shooting, and we would divide things up in a crude manner—I’d take the wides, he’d take the tights, or I’d shoot the Afghans while he shot the Americans.
What limits were placed on your access?
TH: No limits at all on access—none. There was a stated agreement that we would not shoot wounded American soldiers—or would get their OK later—and I think there was an understanding that we would be very sensitive about filming the dead. The Army asks to review a rough cut later for security and privacy concerns, but they had no issues.
Did you stay the entire duration of their deployment?
TH: No, we did five trips each, sometimes together, sometimes not. Each trip lasted around a month.
How much footage was shot? Did you ship footage back as you went along?
SJ: We shot 150 hours of footage, and we’d bring our footage back on each trip and copy it and log it. We also shot around 40 hours of interviews at the soldiers’ base in Italy about three months after the deployment.
Who are these soldiers? Did you get any distinct impressions of them, where they came from, why they were there?
TH: No one had followed a platoon for an entire duration of [its] deployment, so we became incredibly close to many of the soldiers. They came from a variety of backgrounds and had joined the Army for a myriad of competing reasons. Some said they needed to get out of their parents’ home and saw the Army as offering them independence; others [said] that they were seeking a rite of passage and new experiences. Many didn’t think they had many options open to them and saw the Army as the best opportunity on offer. They came from all over the U.S.—many from Texas and California, others from faraway places like Guam.
What kind of dynamic did you have with your subjects?
SJ: Each trip the dynamic got more and more relaxed and comfortable. It became clear to the soldiers that we were not doing a political story and that we were comfortable in that environment—and that we were willing to take the same risks they were and endure the same discomforts. Tim broke his leg in combat; I ripped my Achilles tendon. Then I got blown up, but none of those things kept us from going back out there.
After being under fire for a sustained period, how would you describe the effect it has on you? Did you notice any change in the soldiers over the course of your time with them?
SJ: Both of us have been war reporters for some time now, so this was not our first experience being shot at. Being in a combat zone can be both exhilarating and terrifying, combined with long stretches of boredom. Things appear very simple in a war zone as the clutter of daily living recedes with the larger equation of being killed or staying alive. Mix this with being drip-fed adrenalin, and inevitably it’s going to make “coming back” incredibly difficult. I think this is something that the soldiers experienced, and to a lesser extent we also.
In one scene, we see a soldier making small talk during serious acts of war. It’s quite affecting. Why did you choose to include it? Were there other moments like this that struck you?
TH: There’s a great emphasis in war reporting on capturing the actual “bang-bang” fighting of war—and many reporters feel that any work would be incomplete without a sense of this “action.” We were no different, but because there was an incredible amount of fighting going on in the Korengal Valley, recording the actual firefights got quite boring. What was infinitely more interesting and revealing was how the soldiers carried on in these situations. People who haven’t experienced war inevitably base their understanding of it [on] the mediated versions of news or Hollywood. These representations are often limited and can’t quite reveal the humor, boredom, and confusion inherent in combat. It’s something we felt was important to represent.
The film shows how multifaceted the role of the captain is with respect to his team and the village—being able not only to advance the military goal but also having to communicate the humanitarian aspects too. Were there any dynamics that you hadn’t anticipated that you were especially glad to have captured?
SJ: I was unprepared for just how smart and dedicated the officers were, and many of the enlisted men as well. I was also amazed by how open and welcoming they were with us, the press. It was not what I had anticipated.
Were there any interactions with the village people or elders that you wish you could have included in the film?
TH: There were many, many scenes of all types that we were heartbroken not to include in the film. There were very funny moments in the shuras—the meetings with the elders—and also very intense moments when someone was very angry. There were several scenes of locals saying how much they hated the Taliban and gave up information on them, and other scenes where they clearly hated the Americans and wanted them to leave. All of it shows the complexity of this kind of war, but we couldn’t put everything into the movie.
The film is very balanced and doesn’t lead the viewer but rather shows it how it is. Did you have any guiding principles about how and what you shot as well as how you edited and shaped the film ultimately?
SJ: We were not interested in the political dimensions of the war, only the experience of the soldiers, so we limited ourselves to the things soldiers had access to. We did not ask any generals why they were in the Korengal, for example, because soldiers don’t have that opportunity, either. Our guiding principle was that we would only have people in the movie who were fighting in the Korengal. It was that principle that excluded Tim and me from the movie as well … and prevented us from using an outside narrator.
TH: It was a conscious choice. We are journalists, and as such, we are not supposed to “lead” people to a certain opinion. That is called advocacy, and it certainly has its special place in the media world, but as journalists, it’s not something we wanted to engage in.
Levi’s “Pioneer Sessions” are a good thing
After being inspired and fascinated by the Levi commercials, I stumbled upon another project headed up by Levi: The Pioneer Sessions. If you haven’t already given these a listen, I recommend doing it now. You can sign up for free downloads, too. The Swell Season, Passion Pit, She and Him all have songs. Get stoked. Go here to listen. -Rebekah K.
Currently reading: Anna Karenina
Tolstoy’s character development and ability to catch a glimpse into the tendencies of humanity are unmatched. My journal has progressively become covered with quotes from this book. A long read, but completely worth the time. You may find a disarming glimpse of yourself within the pages. Below are a few quotes that have lingered with me long after I turned the page in which they live…
-Rebekah K.
“He walked down, for a long while avoiding looking at her as at the sun, but seeing her, as one does the sun, without looking…”
“God gave the day, God gave the strength. And the day and the strength were consecrated to labor, and that labor was its own reward. For whom the labor? What would be its fruits? These were idle considerations, beside the point…”
“…And Sergey Ivanovitch put before him the alternative: either you are so underdeveloped that you can’t see all that you can do, or you won’t sacrifice your ease, your vanity, or whatever it is, to do it…”
Hey Monday’s new single on iTunes
Warped Tour is still going strong (come see us!) and Hey Monday, a band that we love so much that we even share a tour bus with them this summer, has a new single: “I Don’t Wanna Dance.” It just released on iTunes, so show ‘em some support and buy it! The music video will be releasing on MTV and MTV.com tomorrow, so check. it. out.
Their new album, “Beneath It All,” comes out August 17th–so keep that on your radar, too. Enjoy!
-Rebekah K.