April 2003 - Want to be a television star - even if it is a bit retroactively? Documentary filmmakers Darren Garnick and Peter Koziell, who most recently chronicled the third party presidential campaigns of Ralph Nader and Pat Buchanan for PBS, are seeking old home movie or camcorder footage for their new TV special, "Toying With War."
The producers seek vintage footage of children playing with military toys, including neighborhood army games, sibling horseplay, birthday parties, Christmas or Chanukah presents, etc. Relevant toys may include action figures, model kits, little green army men, toy guns, historical board games or military costumes. High-quality photographs capturing the same spirit will also be considered. AWARD Productions will return your original footage and photos and if there is a high probability of using your material will transfer your movies to VHS tape. Please call 1-888-932-6565 or e-mail [email protected] with a description of your footage.
DOCUMENTARY SYNOPSIS
"Toying With War" celebrates the passion of adult collectors of military toys, including action figures, models & dioramas, historical board games and vintage toy guns. Underscoring this hobby is a love for history, patriotism for America, and pride in the U.S. armed forces - all factors that have taken on new meaning following September 11.
The one-hour documentary is slated for broadcast in the fall of 2003. The program will feature interviews with adults who grew up "playing war" and share how they recapture their childhood memories through their military toys. Archival footage of 1950s and 60s toy commercials and collectors' home movies will be juxtaposed with observations from today's leading toy manufacturers.
PRODUCER BACKGROUND
"Toying With War" co-producers DARREN GARNICK and PETER KOZIELL work for AWARD PRODUCTIONS, a Boston-area broadcast production house that serves networks such as CNN, PBS, Discovery Channel, Lifetime, and The Travel Channel. Previous documentaries for PBS include "Why Can't I Be President?" and "I'm On The Ballot," both of which focus on national politics.
GARNICK, 35, never owned a GI Joe, but spent countless hours with Batman, Superman and Aquaman action figures in his youth. Growing up in bleeding heart liberal Massachusetts, he did not own many toy guns except for an assault rifle that came with his "Planet of the Apes" Halloween costume (second grade).
KOZIELL, 30, grew up playing "war" in the woods of Northern New Hampshire, where he kept an arsenal of toy machine guns and rocket launchers. His childhood bedroom was carpeted with GI Joe "Special Missions" comic books.
