Remembering to Remember

As I do every year at this time I am dedicating my blog post to November 11th - Remembrance Day.

To start I ask that everyone reading this to please visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32bpraBf00A and watch Daniel's poignant movie "Letter From The Western Front".

I've blogged about this movie and its creator Daniel Kanemoto several times and will continue to do so.

My best friend directed me to the original link for it several years ago and it has become one of my favourite videos of all time.
I know that it will put a lump in your throat and a tear in your eye.
I realize that it's just a video but the message is powerful and should be taken to heart by everyone, no matter what their nationality is.

I'm not just talking about on Remembrance Day or Veteran's Day but every single day.

A couple of days ago CBC Radio in Fredericton played the audio of this Rick Mercer rant titled "Remember to Remember". I was able to see the piece on his show last night and copied the text below from his website at RickMercer.com.

It may not be proper etiquette for me to use his rant in my blog post but I'm going to do so anyway because Rick has captured the sentiment so well and summed it up better than I believe that I could.


Please read this and take it to heart...

Canadians are very good at respecting Remembrance Day. And if you've ever been lucky enough to attend a ceremony in person or even watch it live on TV from Ottawa you know it’s not something you'll ever forget. It doesn't get much more moving than that. But for most Canadians it's a workday, it's a weekday, it’s a busy day like any other.

And it can get away from you. Like last year, I wasn't at a ceremony; I wasn’t watching TV; I was squeezing in a haircut. And I looked down at my watch, it was two minutes to eleven. Two minutes to the moment where the entire country chooses to be silent to reflect on the sacrifice of our war dead. And where am I? I’m wearing a giant bib, there’s a women in one ear telling me she met Rex Murphy in person and he's really quite handsome, there’s a guy in my other ear telling me how his appendix exploded. And the music is on bust. And I ask you? Is this why they died on the beaches? Well, yes it is actually. So all of us could go about our busy lives without a care in the world.

And so I stepped out on the sidewalk where it was quiet. And then I came back in and the woman said to me, “did you go for a cigarette?” And I said no – it’s November 11th, it’s eleven o’clock, I wanted a moment of silence. And do you ever have those moments where you just want to take back what you just said? Because as soon as I said it I felt like the biggest holier than thou jerk who ever walked the earth and she felt worse. Because she didn't mean to forget. It just happened. It can happen to any of us, and we know it shouldn't.

So this year let’s make sure we remember to remember. By setting your alarm, it's in your phone. And if you don't know how that works, ask your kid. They can show you how your phone works. And you can tell them why we can never forget.

It only takes a minute to stop and remember those who fought so bravely and have paid the ultimate price in order for us to live our lives as we choose to do so.

The silence of one minute is loud enough to echo for eternity.

Please remember to remember and never forget.

Stay well,
Tim

I know, I know, but this is important.

I realize that I haven't done a blog in ages and I apologize for that. I do have a couple of things that I considered writing about but really haven't formulated anything worth writing here.

Sorry about that. I guess this is what writer's block is about. 

I really wanted to post this for you and everyone that you know. 

It's a letter from one of my favourite filmmakers ever, Daniel Kanemoto to his followers/fans. 

I have already seen "Articles of War" as Dan had given me a personal signed copy. (Rub that in, shall I?)

Now the rest of you and anyone you know has a chance to see "Articles" for yourself at no cost if you haven't purchased it already.  

I loved this film. I knew that I would. I really, really hope that Daniel has a chance one day to make the big time with feature films or even television work. 

Of course you must have seen "Letter from the Western Front" by now. 

If not go onto Youtube right now and watch it. Or do that after you seeing this first. 

Thanks for passing the word on Dan. 

We'll do what we can to carry it on. 

Here is Dan's email. Please have a watch an enjoy his excellent work. 

Stay Well,

Tim

    

Hi everyone,

After a year-long festival run that sent my animated short ARTICLES OF WAR touring across the country, I'm thrilled to announce that the film is having its online premiere...

...RIGHT NOW!

Visit www.articles-of-war.com to watch and download the movie in crystal clear, mouth-watering Quicktime HD, or watch (and comment on!) the film over at Vimeo and YouTube:

Quicktime HD: http://www.articles-of-war.com

Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/10741912

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/DanielKanemoto

Finally, on behalf of my myself and my insanely talented crew, I'm asking everyone I know for a favor... if you enjoyed ARTICLES OF WAR, please pass the word (or Tweet, or MyFace, or use whatever new awesome, vaguely baffling verb that's busy transforming the way we all talk to each other).

Truth is, word of mouth is everything when it comes to promoting these movies (and the people who make 'em), and my dream is for ARTICLES OF WAR to be seen by as many people as possible. 

In the years (!) it took me to make this film, the Internet became the world's most amazing film festival, and even though I'm busy writing new projects, I still can't wait to find out what the world thinks of this one...

Thanks so much and hope all is well,

Dan Kanemoto

---------------------------------

dkanemoto@aol.com

www.articles-of-war.com

Tim Scammell, PTech

At the risk of being repetitive, I'd like to repeat myself.

This is my second blog for today.
I started it a while ago and it could have waited but something arrived in the mail today that is tied to this.
I don't mean to carry on about any topics too much but I'm not done with "A Letter From the Western Front" quite yet.
I had sent a message to the creator Daniel Kanemoto saying how glad I was to see the video back up after being gone for so long. I also linked him to my last blog about it.
I received this email from Dan a few days later.

Hi Tim -

Thanks for the kind words, and for helping to promote my work. I really appreciate it. I'd be happy to send you a copy of my new movie, ARTICLES OF WAR - what's your address?
Also, I recently updated my website and put up a remastered HD version of WESTERN FRONT - you can check it out at:

http://www.exmortisfilms.com/pages/western.html

(Be patient - it takes a while to load!)

Hope all is well,
Dan

Isn't that nice of him? Remember my blog a short while ago about people who have a sincere appreciation for their fans?
There you have it. A wonderfully talented person who takes a couple of minutes to thank a fan.
It made my day.

I should also point out that Daniel's talents have not gone unnoticed by others who know a thing or two about talent.
In 1999 Daniel won the Gold Medal in Animation at the Student Academy Awards for "Letter from the Western Front" while at New York University.
This award is presented every year by the ​​Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
That very same Academy that hands out that little golden guy Oscar every year.
I was thrilled when I read that.

I received the "Articles of War" DVD in the mail today. I haven't watched it yet but from the trailer (also on the website) I can tell that it's another emotional one.

I went to Dan's site and downloaded the remastered HD version of Letter from the Western Front.
While it was downloading my son Boo came into the room and asked what I was doing.
I told him that I was downloading a very special movie. I asked if he would like to see the Youtube version while we waited. He said that he did.
When I got to the Youtube page Boo saw my comment in the comments section on the page and asked "This makes you cry?"
"Every time." I replied.
He looked thoughtful after I said that.
Coincidentally, he had just finished watching "Saving Private Ryan" a short while before this.
I'm not sure how I feel about my 11 year old son watching a movie like that but my initial feeling is that it is a good thing that our kids realize the true horrors of war and how lives are really lost and affected forever.
I was about to find out that my initial feeling was pretty good.
I started the Western Front video playing on Youtube.
Boo and I watched it.
As it was starting he asked me if it is a true story.
My answer was that this particular story was not but the situation itself has been happening thousands and thousands of times for centuries and centuries all over the world.

When it was over and the end music was playing I looked at Boo.
I'm proud to say that he had tears in his eyes.
He made no attempt to hide them from me either.
He has seen me cry far too often, especially over the past year or so, and knows that there is no shame in crying.
To see that the horrors of war had this effect on him struck a chord in me that my wife and I are doing something right and are on the right track.

Back to the story...

A couple of minutes later the download of the HD version finished.
I had honestly not intended on watching it at that moment since it was bedtime.
What the heck, I thought. I wanted to see how the quality was.
Boo sat down to watch it with me.
Oh my. What a difference!
I expanded the display to cover my entire computer monitor and the image was crystal clear.
I saw images in there that I could never have noticed before. Little things that Dan and his associates must have laboured to include and assemble when creating the film but I had never noticed before.
Absolutely amazing.

I wanted you to see this film before. Now I insist that you see it in HD!

Boo and I didn't say a word for a while when it was done. But the lumps were in our throats and tears in the corners of our eyes.

One more thing of note.
I'm sure that everyone realizes the impact that music has on the emotion and intensity of things that we watch.
The music for "Letter From The Western Front" was composed by an outstandingly talented chap named Ryan Shore.
Have a look at his web site here.
http://www.ryanshore.com/bio.html
A really great thing about his site is that there are .mp3's of his music which you can download.
In fact, this BlackBerry I am writing this blog has several of Ryan Shore's pieces on it.
I was happy to see that Ryan also composed the score for "Articles of War".
I know what type of emotion to expect.

I'm not going to rush into watching it but wait until I have a few minutes to sit down and watch it all, and then sit and think about it afterwards.
I want Tiny and Boo to watch it with me.

Daniel, thank you so much for sending the DVD. It will be watched many many times. I guarantee it.

And again thanks for everything that you do.

You keep making them and we'll keep watching them.

Stay well,
Tim

If nothing else today, please watch this video

I did a blog about this short movie quite a while ago.
I'm blogging it again because it was posted on Youtube yesterday by its creator Daniel M. Kanemoto for all to finally see again.
It hasn't been available for a little while.

I don't know why I do this to myself but I watched it again as soon as I found out.
And it made me cry again as it does every time I watch it.
So emotional. Wow.
The first time I saw it was when a friend sent me the link to it a few years ago.
That Remembrance Day I forwarded the link to everyone I know. I'm certain many tears flowed among my friends.
What talent it takes to make a grown man cry over an animated film...

Have a look.

A Letter from the Western Front
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbbROCFhjtI

You can read about it here http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0209097/ and Daniel here http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0437548/bio .

Please share your comments with Daniel to show your appreciation of his work and tell others to watch it too.

Thank you for sharing it with us again Daniel.
But stop making me cry! :)

Stay well,
Tim

A Website of Note as Remembrance Day Approaches

Several years ago my best friend Mike pointed me to watch a video on Atomfilms called "Letter from the Western Front".
This animated short was done in 1999 by a young man based in New York City named Daniel M. Kanemoto.
I can't begin to describe how touching this film was.
It follows a young soldier named John as he writes a letter to his love back in Milwaukee.
I have taken this plot summary from The Internet Movie Database - www.imdb.com.
(I would bookmark that if I were you. It has everything about every movie or show ever made.)
"In Belleau Wood, France, during the Great War, a soldier named John writes a letter home to his wife Sara in Milwaukee. He writes that her picture "helps me remember what it was like to be me." He tells her about sorties into No Man's Land, and that they have orders tonight to charge. Then, his letter becomes a report of that charge: toward an armed German soldier who doesn't fire, even when John reaches him and jumps into the trench beside him. What happens next brings silence and an end to the letter.
I won't bother ruining it for you but to say that what happens brings silence is an understatement. In reality it brings tears.
After I watched it on Atomfilms I sent the link to my family and friends.
My sister had recently been to France and the beaches of Normandy. She told me that it was tremendously emotional, especially at the monument.
When Hayley watched the film in struck a nerve.
I have not been to Normandy and it made me cry. I can only imagine how Hayley felt.
The bad news. I have spent ages looking for this video online again. For some reason it is gone from Atomfilms and nowhere else seems to have it.
The good news. During my hunt I discovered Daniel M. Kanemoto's myspace page at http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=43004224.
I was glad to see that Daniel has a new film entitled "Articles of War" out.
I watched the trailers at www.articles-of-war.com and this looks like another highly emotional film.
This lad is very very talented. It appears that he is on his way to the big time.
His blog discusses him sending copies of the new DVD to film festivals everywhere.
This may explain the disappearance of the film from Atomfilms.
It is likely that we need to pay to see Mr. Kanemoto's work.
In my opinion that is just fine. His work is worth any price.
Have a look.

Tim