Posted on Oct 20, 2017
Jason Hall, writer and director of the film 'Thank You for Your Service', here for a Q&A Wednesday. What questions do you have for me?
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Jason Hall is an Academy Award-nominated filmmaker whose films seamlessly blend incisive social commentary with emphatically human stories turning real people and challenging issues into gripping, entertaining cinema.
Hall is the product of a military family: his grandfather was a WWII vet; his uncle was a Marine in Vietnam; and his half-brother was disabled in the Army during Desert Storm. Having witnessed the effects of war on those who fight, he was inspired by the remarkable story of Chris Kyle. After meeting Kyle and hearing his story firsthand, Hall was honored to be entrusted with authentically rendering his journey on screen. AMERICAN SNIPER, written and executive produced by Hall and directed by Clint Eastwood, was released in 2014 by Warner Bros. and earned six Academy Award nominations including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay for Hall.
Following the final untold threads of a life that was tragically cut short, Hall turned to a similarly true military story for his next project, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. Based on the David Finkel book of the same name, the film intimately tracks the lives of a battalion of combat veterans returning home from the grueling surge in Baghdad as they struggle to reintegrate while battling the lingering effects of war. Hall both wrote and directed the project, which was produced by Steven Spielberg and stars Miles Teller as the central figure, Adam Schumann. Universal will release the film in October 2017.
Hall currently has several diverse projects in development, including RASPUTIN for Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way.
Born in Lake Arrowhead, Hall attended Philips Exeter Academy and USC. He began his career working as an actor before transitioning to filmmaking. Additional filmmaking credits include his debut feature, SPREAD, produced by and starred Ashton Kutcher, and the thriller PARANOIA starring Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman.
Hall currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife and three children.
Jason Hall is an Academy Award-nominated filmmaker whose films seamlessly blend incisive social commentary with emphatically human stories turning real people and challenging issues into gripping, entertaining cinema.
Hall is the product of a military family: his grandfather was a WWII vet; his uncle was a Marine in Vietnam; and his half-brother was disabled in the Army during Desert Storm. Having witnessed the effects of war on those who fight, he was inspired by the remarkable story of Chris Kyle. After meeting Kyle and hearing his story firsthand, Hall was honored to be entrusted with authentically rendering his journey on screen. AMERICAN SNIPER, written and executive produced by Hall and directed by Clint Eastwood, was released in 2014 by Warner Bros. and earned six Academy Award nominations including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay for Hall.
Following the final untold threads of a life that was tragically cut short, Hall turned to a similarly true military story for his next project, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. Based on the David Finkel book of the same name, the film intimately tracks the lives of a battalion of combat veterans returning home from the grueling surge in Baghdad as they struggle to reintegrate while battling the lingering effects of war. Hall both wrote and directed the project, which was produced by Steven Spielberg and stars Miles Teller as the central figure, Adam Schumann. Universal will release the film in October 2017.
Hall currently has several diverse projects in development, including RASPUTIN for Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way.
Born in Lake Arrowhead, Hall attended Philips Exeter Academy and USC. He began his career working as an actor before transitioning to filmmaking. Additional filmmaking credits include his debut feature, SPREAD, produced by and starred Ashton Kutcher, and the thriller PARANOIA starring Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman.
Hall currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife and three children.
Q&A
Entertainment
Military service
Appreciation
Transition
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 80
We recently had another guest on RP who works with the entertainment industry to address what he sees--correctly I would add--as the two main viewpoints about veterans and service members that Hollywood has and thus presents to the public. In essence, those being the extremes of the noble warrior hero or the broken individual with little reflection of the real lives of the vast majority in between. (Though to be fair to the industry, no one will pay for a ticket to watch a 20 year old PFC pick up cigarette butts outside a barracks for 2 hours!)
How do you feel about these types of portrayals in general and where do you see yourself when considering these issues?
Thanks!
How do you feel about these types of portrayals in general and where do you see yourself when considering these issues?
Thanks!
Jason Hall
Thats a great question-- David Finkels book followed several guys home who struggled to with trauma and traumatic injury - I don't think this story has been told in this way with the attention to detail on film before. I got close to these warriors, Adam Schumann in particular, and his is a story of hope in the way that I've told it--but this war hasn't left him, as some of you know. There are many stories to tell in this space and I hope this one brings a greater understanding to the community. I want the civilian population to understand what they are thanking you for and what it cost you, or in this case Adam.
CPO David Sharp
How did they translate their experiences into the Civilian community, i.e, volunteering for Habitat for Humanity, becoming Veteran Service Officers to help others, Medical, technical contributions, etc. There is much portrayed on the negative where there are many very positive aspects which add quality to the "Home Front" from Military training and experiences.
I wish you the best with your film & thank you for making it. The last movie I went to was American Sniper with my former Special Forces brother. We both had lots of tears. If he wants to go see yours, I will go with him. Tears don't hurt. The only things that hurt would be the demeaning of our country and/or our military.
Jason Hall
thank you sir. This film will not demean the country, the military or your service. I can guarantee you that. please go see it. And welcome home.
SP6 Ron W.
Jason Hall - I have no doubts about you or your film, young man. I probably wrote that last line in a way it could be misconstrued. My apologies.
Mr. Hall;
I can say that I have not yet seen this movie but am interested in it. As some have stated Hollywood does show to sides of the soldier - the hero or the broken individual, what they don't see is that these are often the same person. That individual who wonders around the house at night because he can't sleep, or sleeps only 2 hours at a time, that person who is struggling to pay his own bills will give up his food for those that need it most. The individual who seems to have it all, nice house, nice car, loving wife, kids but he to has problems, he works no stop, always at the office, always working the hours nobody else wants, working the jobs nobody else will do, why? Because these are the same people, the person who is hero for standing watch for hours so others are safe, the person who works that weekend or holiday so others can be home. But yet they watch and see their friends, battle buddies getting killed, injured and for what. I know when I think about it, I didn't join for God and Country, I joined because during high school, I didn't know what I wanted to do afterwards, what I wanted to go to college for. I joined to get away from everything I knew and find out who I was. I learned that in war there is nobody else you can count but yourself and those next to you, I didn't care what Washington said or did, I stood the line so that some day my children wouldn't have to. But I see that we must always have these "broken heroes" to stand that line between good and evil, between love and hate and I am proud to be one of these "broken heroes" but I am most proud to be something few in this country can be, part of a brotherhood that transcends time and place. Only a veteran knows what a veteran has done and sacrificed. If you want to understand a soldier - then be one.
I can say that I have not yet seen this movie but am interested in it. As some have stated Hollywood does show to sides of the soldier - the hero or the broken individual, what they don't see is that these are often the same person. That individual who wonders around the house at night because he can't sleep, or sleeps only 2 hours at a time, that person who is struggling to pay his own bills will give up his food for those that need it most. The individual who seems to have it all, nice house, nice car, loving wife, kids but he to has problems, he works no stop, always at the office, always working the hours nobody else wants, working the jobs nobody else will do, why? Because these are the same people, the person who is hero for standing watch for hours so others are safe, the person who works that weekend or holiday so others can be home. But yet they watch and see their friends, battle buddies getting killed, injured and for what. I know when I think about it, I didn't join for God and Country, I joined because during high school, I didn't know what I wanted to do afterwards, what I wanted to go to college for. I joined to get away from everything I knew and find out who I was. I learned that in war there is nobody else you can count but yourself and those next to you, I didn't care what Washington said or did, I stood the line so that some day my children wouldn't have to. But I see that we must always have these "broken heroes" to stand that line between good and evil, between love and hate and I am proud to be one of these "broken heroes" but I am most proud to be something few in this country can be, part of a brotherhood that transcends time and place. Only a veteran knows what a veteran has done and sacrificed. If you want to understand a soldier - then be one.
Jason Hall
thank you for your sacrifice and welcome home. I portrayed these character not as broken or as heroes, but as human. We forget that our heroes are people and those broken, wounded or otherwise are human too. This is a film about humanity in its most challenged place. I tried to do just to the men and women it was about, and to every soldier.
SGT Robert Kromminga
Sir;
Have you thought of doing something along the lines of the children of the veterans and how the military life has affected them? And how the handle and deal with the changes they see in their parents, fathers, mothers, aunts, uncles.....?
Have you thought of doing something along the lines of the children of the veterans and how the military life has affected them? And how the handle and deal with the changes they see in their parents, fathers, mothers, aunts, uncles.....?
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