The Koran War did not get public or media attention anywhere near the order of Vietnam.

The origins, battles, soldiers and people who were directly affected by the Korean war truly are often "fogotten" - along with the fact that we are really still at war; the tensions between north and south, east and west often threaten to shatter the truce we have in Korea.

The story of the Korean War and the individuals in it have as much or more to teach us about being human as it does about world politics or military tactics.  Aside from the usual factual exploration found in good documentary works, I will bring the story down to the most important level - the human level.  Part of the story will be told in the exploits and choices taken by individuals at every level, choices which were sometimes, as in daily life, taken on the spur of the moment or without any real thought. It is this human element, common in all people in every situation, which illuminates the tragedies and triumphs of the struggle, and speaks to us as humans no matter our personal situation.

The project, initially defined as 13 1-hour episodes with accompanying book, will cover the Korean war from its origins at the end of World War Two, throughout the shooting conflict, and up to today.  It will include contemporary interviews, archival footage that has seldom or never been seen, physical re-enactments and 3D animation re-enactments. I have the support of The Douglas MacArthur Memorial, the 45th Infantry Museum, private individuals and others, and I expect cooperation from the U.S. military and other organizations.

I am seeking some assistance to help get the first episode done, which will enable me to raise a balance of funding for the series.  The sum I am seeking is very small for high-production value documentaries, but leveraged by my own resources as an independent producer/director. I and my co-producer will complete this pilot project regardless of the money raised, as it is part of our mission to do it. Your valuable assistance will enable us to do it in a reasonable time and without other valuable projects suffering.

The Impact

This project is a very important and unique contribution to world, military and political history.  At the end of the cold war, as China seems to be dismantling its communist system, as Iraq and Afghanistan look like winding down - it is easy to forget this still burning fuse on the world political scene. The human cost of the Korean conflict, still unsettled, continues to rise.  Families are still divided, tensions still hot.

This is a opportunity to remember the struggle of individuals who fought for what they believed in, and to learn from their experiences and the lessons of the conflict itself. It will add to people's understanding of how our world got to where it is, and an understanding of the daily human struggle in all of us.

What We Need & What You Get

I need funding to assist with the shooting and completion of the initial pilot episode. This will cover a budget that includes some research materials and licenses, minor production equipment purchase and rental, travel and editorial.

This will enable attendance at interview opportunities with veterans of the conflict, shooting, editorial, necessary color correction, and production of a viewing master copy of the episode. The project will be shot in high definition and be available on blu-ray disk and DVD.

Other Ways You Can Help

Aside from donating here, you can contact the director/producer directly by going to stellajamesstudios.com/contact. If you are interested in taking a position on the entire series, either as investor, sponsor or other participant, please don't hesitate.

You can also help by telling others about the project - and reminding them if they don't support it right away.  As the project moves along, press releases and other news will come out here and at stellajamesstudios.com.  The dedicated web page for the project is korea.sjlume.com and there will be other pages detailing its progress at stellajamesstudios.com.