West Covina, CA - Some reports state that over 1000 World War II vets die every day. Soon the opportunity to hear their stories firsthand will be impossible. So two women decided to do something about it. Shari Doran and Susan Cummings, first time filmmakers, decided to interview a sampling of the World War II generation and use the most compelling stories in their debut project: SAVING AMERICA: Diary of a Generation.
“Both of our fathers were in the War. “ says Doran. “We felt one way to honor them and all those who served at home and abroad, would be to interview members of that generation and let them speak for themselves.”
Cummings agrees, “One of the things that makes our project different than others you may see, is that there is no narrator and there are no academic experts. We interviewed only those people who could tell us, first hand, about what it was like back then. They are the experts”
Producer Shari Doran is a Michigan native with a background in performing. She has worked with such companies as Warner Brothers, ABC, Universal Studios, 20th Century Fox and Princess Cruise Lines. Most recently, Shari has co-written and produced an original play The Basement which made it's world premiere in California. She has written and produced a one-woman show Anne, based on the life and writings of Anne Morrow Lindbergh which has toured both coasts.
Producer Susan Cummings is a proud native of Cleveland, Ohio, and graduate of Middle Tennessee State University. This former stand up and improvisational comedian has performed shows on the east and west coast (and a place or two in between) in comedy clubs and for such companies as Universal Studios, Walt Disney World, and the Improv. A freelance writer, producer and director on various live shows, SAVING AMERICA, marks her debut in film.
“The concern over what we didn’t know about producing a documentary is far outweighed by the importance of these stories”, says Cummings. “We have been overwhelmed by the response to our project. We have been able to interview USO performers, members of the All American Girls Baseball League, members of the Tuskegee Airmen, a Navajo Code talker and members of every branch of the military”
The final result, after over a year of filming, will be a feature length documentary Doran and Cummings hope will be picked up for airing. “We really took a leap of faith,” Doran explains, “We feel there is a huge audience for this project. Some of the people we interviewed had never spoken about their experiences before, in fact, this generation is somewhat reluctant to speak about themselves. But it goes to show you that you should take a second and talk to someone who is a little older. You may be surprised to find yourself talking to a real live hero!”
For further information or to contact the filmmakers, visit their website at www.SavingAmericaTheFilm.com
