Baker Boys: Inside the Surge
Encyclopedia
Baker Boys: Inside the Surge, is a 2010 four-part documentary series following the soldiers of Baker Company, Task Force 1-15 Infantry, 3d Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized), during their deployment in Operation Iraqi Freedom at Combat Outpost Carver during the troop surge of 2007
.
The series provides an intimate view of soldiers on the front lines during the Surge of coalition troops in Iraq. When veteran war cameraman Jon Steele embedded with Baker Company in February, 2008, he came with no media affiliation or assignment from the news desk... only to ask the soldiers "What do you think?" and "How do you feel?" Over the next 90 days, he filmed everything they did and said from sun up to sundown. With startling access, the film documents what a counter-insurgency
looks like up close and personal, as the "Surge" transforms the art of war into the "art of the deal". Along with footage from ground and air combat missions, the film focused around interviews with individual members of Baker Company.
"This documentary series is extremely powerful," said Mark Cuban
, chairman and co-founder of HDNet
. "Our viewers will be deeply moved by these soldiers and the stories that they tell us in their own words. We're proud to be a part of this project and to present our viewers with this inside look at life in Iraq."
This 4-part miniseries was directed by two-time Emmy Award
winner Kern Konwiser and presented in association with Gigapix Studios, PointProd, & Sandbag Productions.
. The series was released for screening on April 23, 2010 at the Newport Beach Film Festival
. On January 4, 2011, Baker Boys was released of DVD, initially exclusive through the Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES)
. The National Infantry Museum
will be hosting a film premiere event for the Fort Benning
community, home of the 1-15 Infantry featured in the film, by screening Baker Boys: Inside the Surge in its IMAX
theatre on January 19 & 20, 2011. Following the screenings, there will be an open Q&A with journalist Jon Steele, director Kern Konwiser, and several members of Baker Company who are now stationed at Fort Benning, including Baker Company's former commander, MAJ Rich Thompson. This event was made possible through the collaborative efforts of Kern Konwiser and Richard Hagan, event's coordinator of the National Infantry Museum.
played, including:
Iraq War troop surge of 2007
In the context of the Iraq War, the surge refers to United States President George W. Bush's 2007 increase in the number of American troops in order to provide security to Baghdad and Al Anbar Province....
.
The series provides an intimate view of soldiers on the front lines during the Surge of coalition troops in Iraq. When veteran war cameraman Jon Steele embedded with Baker Company in February, 2008, he came with no media affiliation or assignment from the news desk... only to ask the soldiers "What do you think?" and "How do you feel?" Over the next 90 days, he filmed everything they did and said from sun up to sundown. With startling access, the film documents what a counter-insurgency
Counter-insurgency
A counter-insurgency or counterinsurgency involves actions taken by the recognized government of a nation to contain or quell an insurgency taken up against it...
looks like up close and personal, as the "Surge" transforms the art of war into the "art of the deal". Along with footage from ground and air combat missions, the film focused around interviews with individual members of Baker Company.
"This documentary series is extremely powerful," said Mark Cuban
Mark Cuban
Mark Cuban is an American business magnate and investor. He is the owner of the National Basketball Association's Dallas Mavericks, Landmark Theatres, and Magnolia Pictures, and the chairman of the HDTV cable network HDNet....
, chairman and co-founder of HDNet
HDNet
HDNet is a men's interest television channel in the United States, broadcasting exclusively in high-definition format and available via cable and satellite television...
. "Our viewers will be deeply moved by these soldiers and the stories that they tell us in their own words. We're proud to be a part of this project and to present our viewers with this inside look at life in Iraq."
This 4-part miniseries was directed by two-time Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
winner Kern Konwiser and presented in association with Gigapix Studios, PointProd, & Sandbag Productions.
Premieres
Baker Boys: Inside the Surge was first aired on January 4, 2010, in four 1 hour segments every Monday, on HDNetHDNet
HDNet is a men's interest television channel in the United States, broadcasting exclusively in high-definition format and available via cable and satellite television...
. The series was released for screening on April 23, 2010 at the Newport Beach Film Festival
Newport Beach Film Festival
The Newport Beach Film Festival is a film festival in the United States held in Newport Beach, California, that showcases more than 350 films to more than 30,000 attendees annually....
. On January 4, 2011, Baker Boys was released of DVD, initially exclusive through the Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES)
Army and Air Force Exchange Service
The Exchange is an agency of the United States Department of Defense. Its dual missions are to provide quality merchandise and services of necessity and convenience to authorized customers at uniform low prices, and to generate reasonable earnings to supplement appropriated funds for the support...
. The National Infantry Museum
National Infantry Museum
The National Infantry Museum is a museum located in South Columbus, Georgia, just outside Fort Benning, the home of the Infantry. The museum honors the history of infantry forces in the United States Army.The museum is in size and cost $107 million to build...
will be hosting a film premiere event for the Fort Benning
Fort Benning
Fort Benning is a United States Army post located southeast of the city of Columbus in Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in Georgia and Russell County, Alabama...
community, home of the 1-15 Infantry featured in the film, by screening Baker Boys: Inside the Surge in its IMAX
IMAX
IMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...
theatre on January 19 & 20, 2011. Following the screenings, there will be an open Q&A with journalist Jon Steele, director Kern Konwiser, and several members of Baker Company who are now stationed at Fort Benning, including Baker Company's former commander, MAJ Rich Thompson. This event was made possible through the collaborative efforts of Kern Konwiser and Richard Hagan, event's coordinator of the National Infantry Museum.
Awards
Baker Boys: Inside the Surge has won awards at every festival in which it has beenplayed, including:
- Audience Award Winner - 11th Annual Newport Beach Film FestivalNewport Beach Film FestivalThe Newport Beach Film Festival is a film festival in the United States held in Newport Beach, California, that showcases more than 350 films to more than 30,000 attendees annually....
, 2010 - Award Of Excellence - Accolade CompetitionAccolade CompetitionThe Accolade Competition is an international, non-traditional, virtual awards venue. Awards go to those filmmakers who produce fresh, standout entertainment, animation and compelling documentaries....
, 2010 - Silver Remi Winner - 43rd Annual WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival, 2010
- Bronze Winner - 31st Annual Telly AwardsTelly AwardsThe Telly Award is an award presented by the namesake, New York City-based organization. The stated purpose of the award is to "honor the very best local, regional, and cable television commercials and programs, as well as the finest video and film productions, and work created for the Web." The...
, 2010 - Honorable Mention - Dart Awards for Excellence in Journalism, 2010
- Official Selection - 20th Annual Gotham AwardsGotham AwardsThe Gotham Awards is an annual ceremony of awards presented to the makers of independent films which takes place in New York City...
' Festival Genius Audience Award, 2010 - Best Documentary Feature - Ventura Film Festival, 2010
- Special Jury Award, Telecast Series - 55th Annual CINECINECINE is a consortium formulated to depict American life and thought realistically for a global audience. CINE recognizes and fosters the highest quality of non-theatrical film and video production through its semi-annual film competitions....
film and video competition, 2011