If you're not familiar with it, Twitter is a website where you can send out short messages. I've started following a lot of people I may never have met in real life, one of which is Leandra Ganko (@tlkativ) in Durham, N.C. Yesterday was Veteran's day and she posted a message about her father who served in Vietnam that said, "Dad, thanks for risking your life flying over hostile territories to save the lives of our soldiers on the ground in Vietnam. I love you."
So, I sent her a message (Twitter limits you to 140 characters), asking her if her dad new the Montagnards, and told her about the project. She told her dad. Her dad told her to tell me to call Col. John Hope who works with the River Rats. I called him over lunch today. He told me to speak to Mike Benge. He also shared that they were having an event on the 18th in the DC area, where a lot of folks would get together and tell war stories. In 15 hours, two new friends were made and in 15 minutes I learned a quick overview of the amazing work the River Rats are doing. And, let me tell you, it's heart warming.
The River Rats, officially known as the Red River Valley Fighter Pilots, were formed to help the families of those who served (like with education scholarships). Their sister organization, the Air Warrior Courage Foundation, also does equally amazing things for the families of vets. It sounds like a great group, one I'd like to learn more about once we get things in gear with this film.
Also in relation to social media, two old friends from high school connected with me on Facebook this week. One of them is a filmmaker, who just shared a music video he made. Another is a talent manager in the entertainment industry, managing an artist he thinks might have something to offer a future project.
Social media is definitely impacting the way this film is made, and while some people still aren't convinced it's worth their time, I can easily see how it's going to make this film impact people's lives. The folks I have met through this project continue to amaze me, and I hope I can do for them what they are doing for this project.
My time before the trip to DC is dwindling, and as I grow closer to our oh-dark-thirty departure, I get more and more excited. My sister has agreed to join me on the trip, which has put me at ease greatly. On Friday we'll capture footage in the city and on Saturday I'll sit down with Mike Benge and Greg Stock again to talk with them on camera.
Should the weather hold out for us, it promises to be a memorable weekend in my life and in the life of this project. We are moving ahead in excellence, and I am eager to start post-production once we conclude our filming.
1 comment:
Glad I could help. :)
Post a Comment