Are you against the war? What are your politics? How are you going to use and twist our words? What do you want us to film? Why should we believe you? Why should we trust you with our experiences? I told them we would do this together. We would tell the story—their story—and go wherever it took us, no matter what.
Ten soldiers volunteered. Zack Bazzi, Mike Moriarty, Steve Pink, Duncan Domey, and Brandon Wilkins were five soldiers that filmed the entire year. In total, twenty-one soldiers contributed to the project. Each soldier was given a one-chip Sony MiniDV Camera, tripod, microphones, various lenses, and piles of blank tape. My communication with the soldiers varied; some simply shot footage and turned in their tapes, while others communicated with me regularly via instant messaging and email. I believe the power of film—image and sound—lies in its ability to evoke empathy. Even if war negates humanity, film—especially film that shows war from the inside—can ensure that even when we fight, we can hold on to, and bear witness to, our humanity. We found the possibility of empathy in the middle of war.
Director’s Bio
Director Deborah Scranton makes her feature film directorial debut with The War Tapes, which premiered at the 2006 Tribeca Film Festival. The War Tapes grew out of her locally-acclaimed World War II television documentary, Stories From Silence, Witness to War—and her own commitment to using new technologies to empower people in the creation of their own media, and the telling of their own stories. Scranton began her career in journalism, freelancing for ESPN, CBS Sports, ABC Sports, MTV Networks, USA Networks, and The Outdoor Life Network. As a journalist, she covered a variety of world-renowned events, including the Tour de France, the Winter Olympics, the Davis Cup, the U.S. Open, and World Cup alpine skiing. Scranton was also a special assignment reporter for The Outdoor Life Network, and ABC and FOX affiliates in Salt Lake City, Utah. She graduated from Brown University with a degree in semiotics. A former member of the U.S. Ski Team, Scranton resides on her family’s farm in the mountains of New Hampshire.
