Moving Like Pond Water
Joshua Tree, California | Film Feature
Documentary, War
Is it possible to go to war and come back mentally sound? Moving Like Pond Water asks this question, among many others, through stories shared, some for the first time, by Veterans and active military. They are gut wrenching stories of war, art, humanity and redemption.
Moving Like Pond Water
Joshua Tree, California | Film Feature
Documentary, War
2 Campaigns | California, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $16,320 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
61 supporters | followers
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Is it possible to go to war and come back mentally sound? Moving Like Pond Water asks this question, among many others, through stories shared, some for the first time, by Veterans and active military. They are gut wrenching stories of war, art, humanity and redemption.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
The world is a mess. It is overwhelming. How can we possibly know how we feel about anything? Politics, War, Religion, Human Rights, to name but a few social issues we are grappling with every waking moment of every single day. The film's title is military jargon that refers to something moving very slowly. In the context of the film, it is referring to social change, which is often slow. The film discusses the importance of patience, persistence, and collective action in effecting meaningful transformation, and the positive ripples created from individual and collective action.
Moving Like Pond Water sheds light on the social justice issues of one community that touches the lives of most Americans: Veterans. This population includes Veterans who are recently transitioning into civilian life, older adults, experiencing homelessness or housing insecurities, and people with disabilities.
IMPACT
The entire film team is dedicated to Moving Like Pond Water with the goal of creating ripples of change by encouraging neighborhoods to produce creative arts programs for Veterans and a holistic approach to social justice and overlapping health issues.
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell: In 1994, the U.S. adopted “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” as the official federal policy on military service by lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals. The rule prevented service members from being openly queer without threat of being discharged.
EXCITING INTERVIEW SCHEDULED
Colonel Margarethe Cammermeyer pictured above with actor Glenn Close has agreed to interview with director Cheryl Bookout for inclusion in our film. In 1988, as part of military security clearance she disclosed she was a lesbian. By regulation, homosexuality was incompatible with military service. Colonel Cammermeyer was discharged from the military after 25 years. She challenged her discharge in federal court, won and was reinstated. Her story was memorialized by producers Barbra Streisand and Glenn Close (as Colonel Cammermeyer) in made for television movie Serving in Silence (NBC, 1995). After Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was implemented in 1993 Colonel Cammermeyer spent 17 years advocating for its repeal. She lead the Pledge of Allegiance at the signing ceremony of the repeal by President Obama in 2010 . Her autobiography Serving in Silence (2016) depicts her life and struggles and is available on Amazon as is the DVD of the movie.
WHY MAKE THIS DOCUMENTARY NOW
Photo Credit:SDI productions/Getty Images
In 2023 the U.S. Congress was called upon to prioritize effective Veteran suicide prevention initiatives, improved access to healthcare and benefits, and greater support for underserved Veterans. With the current political strife, that is not going away anytime soon, war(s) and environmental concerns, Veterans issues are lost in the fray. It has been shared by Veterans in our film that they feel the country does a really good job sending us to war but do not do enough to train us how to come home from war. What is the solution to Veteran isolation? Does the solution hold key insights for society? There is a well-documented epidemic of loneliness and isolation in our culture. Today, 1 in 2 adults report experiencing isolation and loneliness, which increases the risk of premature death by nearly 30%.
Film Director"s Mom, a WWII Veteran, Honored for Her Service in 2022, Washington, D.C.
WHERE WE ARE IN THE FILMMAKING PROCESS
February 2024 location shoot in Joshua Tree, CA
Research & Development began in October 2023 and principal photography launched on January 17, 2024. To-date we have filmed 9 interviews plus drone footage and cinéma vérité relevant to the interviews. Production is estimated to wrap by mid-September 2024 and postproduction will begin by working with Los Angeles-based documentary film editor Jillian Corsie.
OUR INSPIRATION
Cheryl Montelle, Mil-Tree Founder and Executive Director
Moving Like Pond Water is inspired by a collaborative art project produced by Mil-Tree Veterans Project (Mil-Tree) based in Joshua Tree, CA “Tapestries of Transformation'' in response to the Veteran community they serve. Mil-Tree continues to grow and expand its in-person outreach and programming to serve the local veterans of Riverside and San Bernardino Counties and welcomes veterans from across the US into community through remote participation.
STRETCH GOALS
If we raise an additional $1,500.00 we will put this toward an animator for production.
If we raise an additional $2,500.00 we will put this toward post production.
Thank you for your love and support!
STORIES HELP US UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER
The Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) Program provides rental assistance to homeless veterans and their families.
Personal stories told in this film by Veterans, active military and their families are the people behind the national statistics. Why do many Veterans lose their way in the world? Veterans burdened by service-related trauma or crushed by the profound loss of community and common purpose become isolated and alienated from a society that often misjudges them. Is this a Veteran issue, or a societal issue? “The universe is made of stories, not of atoms.” ~Muriel Rukeyzer, American Poet, and Political Activist
LOOKING BACK TO MEET THE FUTURE
The use of archival footage, images and animation in our film presents a strong visual of past and present military recruitment strategies and the intended influence(s) on society.
The film takes a look at the shift in U.S. Military recruitment campaigns from WWI - current to put in context shared Veteran and active military experience of why they joined the military and reflections on the quality of their lives before and after military service. Intimate interviews with Veterans, active military, and community are shared with the viewer in the tradition of oral storytelling.
On May 18, 1917, Congress passed the Selective Service Act. To influence public opinion in favor of the war, the U.S produced films, commissioned colorful posters, published pamphlets and recruited everyday Americans to “sell the war.” These efforts helped create both modern American wartime propaganda and spurred the 20th century advertising industry.
DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
Photos of Cheryl's family members taken during military service: Mom, Dad, Aunt, Husband, Grandson
My connection to Veteran communities and access to my film project's content is embedded in my DNA. I grew up in a home with military parents. My father was in the Marine Corp and my mother in the Navy, they met during their active service in WWII. When the war ended both my parents were honorably discharged. My father was called back to serve in the Korean War and my mother stayed home to take care of her infant daughter -me. When my father returned from Korea and back to being a civilian, home life was not easy. He was in constant pain from shrapnel, small pieces of metal from a weapon explosion, embedded in his left leg during combat that could not be surgically removed. This was before PTSD had a name and problems at home were never publicly discussed. My childhood memories are flooded with huddling in a bedroom with my twin brothers (5 years my junior) to distract them from the yelling and screaming taking place in the next room. My father passed away at the age of 65 from a massive heart attack. My mother is 98 years-old and in 2022 was honored in Washington, DC for her military service. This story is mine to tell. It is a story of shared experiences and a collective pondering on how we, alone and collectively, set out on a quest to live a “good life.” ~ Cheryl Bookout, Director
Be part of the Team and help get this film made and seen!
TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATION
Your donation is tax-deductible! MOVING LIKE POND WATER is a fiscally sponsored project of the International Documentary Association (IDA), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Contributions in support of MOVING LIKE POND WATER are payable to IDA and are tax-deductible, less the value of any goods or services received, as allowed by law. The value of goods and services offered is noted under each donation level. If you would like to deduct the entire donation, decline the reward at checkout.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Production Team
Costs $10,000
These funds will help pay our crew members including cinematographers and production assistants to work for the next 2-3 months.
Sound Mixer
Costs $2,500
The sound mixer is responsible for recording all sound on set during the filmmaking for later inclusion in finished project.
Locations
Costs $5,000
These funds will help our crew travel to the filming locations critical to our story.
Lightning Equipment Rental
Costs $2,500
Lighting holds immense power in shaping a film’s visual narrative, though it often goes unappreciated.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Director: Cheryl Bookout is a filmmaker, artist, and nonprofit arts leader based in Joshua Tree, California. Her work explores creativity as a force for healing, memory, and social transformation. Her directing and producing credits include Inside the Beauty Bubble, Acting Like Women, PURE, Gloria’s Call, and Just a Friend. Moving Like Pond Water reflects her long-standing commitment to ethical storytelling and collaborative creative process.
Cheryl Bookout
Lead Producer: Elizabeth Worley is a producer and film production management professional whose work includes the feature-length films California King (2025) and Good Girl Jane (2022).
Elizabeth Worley
Producer: Stacy Sweeting is a producer whose work includes the short documentary Inside the Beauty Bubble and the anthology series Discover Indie Film. Her background spans development, event production, and fundraising, supporting projects from concept through exhibition.
Stacy Sweeting
Producer: Tracy Jordan Roberts Tracy Jordan Roberts is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust, and Probate Law with over 20 years of professional experience. She brings strategic organization, research, and stewardship to the project’s production and planning.
Tracy Jordan Roberts
Director of Photograph: John Darwin Kurc is a cinematographer and photojournalist whose work bridges art and activism. His visual storytelling has been featured in documentary and editorial contexts, including American Scar, produced by The New Yorker. His work on Moving Like Pond Water emphasizes patience, texture, and presence.
John Darwin Kurc
Cinematographer: Barry Norwood attended the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, Los Angeles. He is known for his work in commercials & music videos . Filmography includes Suicide Kings, Back to Even, The Omega Code, Final Voyage,Inside the Beauty Bubble, plus 70 more credits.
Barry Norwood
Production Assistant: Alisha Sweeting graduated from California State University, Long Beach. She has acted and directed several theater productions. Her goal is to have a career in the entertainment industry.
Alisha Sweeting
Impact Producer: Patrick Wallis is a U.S. Army veteran and President of Mil-Tree Veterans Project, a Joshua Tree–based nonprofit connecting veterans and civilians through collaborative art. He has produced multiple veteran-centered creative projects and serves as a key advisor on community engagement and ethical collaboration.
Patrick Wallis
Production Advisor: Foster V. Corder is a U.S. Navy veteran, filmmaker, and producer with decades of experience in television and independent film. Co-founder of Black Bird Films, he has produced branded and independent content and mentored emerging filmmakers nationwide.
Foster V. Corder
Fiscal Sponsor: The International Documentary Association (IDA) supports the vital work of documentary storytellers and champions a thriving and inclusive documentary culture. For almost 30 years IDA's fiscal sponsorship program has been helping independent documentary projects of all types get funded, finished, and seen. Their fiscal sponsorship program is open to independent filmmakers and documentarians, regardless of education, background, or previous credits.
Fiscal sponsorship is a formal arrangement in which a 501(c)(3) public charity, such as IDA, agrees to sponsor a project that furthers our mission, for the purpose of fundraising through grants and donations. This is an effective alternative to starting your own nonprofit. The arrangement allows you to seek grants and solicit grants and tax-deductible donations for your documentary, with the oversight, support, and endorsement from one of the most long-standing and trusted charities in the field.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
The world is a mess. It is overwhelming. How can we possibly know how we feel about anything? Politics, War, Religion, Human Rights, to name but a few social issues we are grappling with every waking moment of every single day. The film's title is military jargon that refers to something moving very slowly. In the context of the film, it is referring to social change, which is often slow. The film discusses the importance of patience, persistence, and collective action in effecting meaningful transformation, and the positive ripples created from individual and collective action.
Moving Like Pond Water sheds light on the social justice issues of one community that touches the lives of most Americans: Veterans. This population includes Veterans who are recently transitioning into civilian life, older adults, experiencing homelessness or housing insecurities, and people with disabilities.
IMPACT
The entire film team is dedicated to Moving Like Pond Water with the goal of creating ripples of change by encouraging neighborhoods to produce creative arts programs for Veterans and a holistic approach to social justice and overlapping health issues.
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell: In 1994, the U.S. adopted “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” as the official federal policy on military service by lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals. The rule prevented service members from being openly queer without threat of being discharged.
EXCITING INTERVIEW SCHEDULED
Colonel Margarethe Cammermeyer pictured above with actor Glenn Close has agreed to interview with director Cheryl Bookout for inclusion in our film. In 1988, as part of military security clearance she disclosed she was a lesbian. By regulation, homosexuality was incompatible with military service. Colonel Cammermeyer was discharged from the military after 25 years. She challenged her discharge in federal court, won and was reinstated. Her story was memorialized by producers Barbra Streisand and Glenn Close (as Colonel Cammermeyer) in made for television movie Serving in Silence (NBC, 1995). After Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was implemented in 1993 Colonel Cammermeyer spent 17 years advocating for its repeal. She lead the Pledge of Allegiance at the signing ceremony of the repeal by President Obama in 2010 . Her autobiography Serving in Silence (2016) depicts her life and struggles and is available on Amazon as is the DVD of the movie.
WHY MAKE THIS DOCUMENTARY NOW
Photo Credit:SDI productions/Getty Images
In 2023 the U.S. Congress was called upon to prioritize effective Veteran suicide prevention initiatives, improved access to healthcare and benefits, and greater support for underserved Veterans. With the current political strife, that is not going away anytime soon, war(s) and environmental concerns, Veterans issues are lost in the fray. It has been shared by Veterans in our film that they feel the country does a really good job sending us to war but do not do enough to train us how to come home from war. What is the solution to Veteran isolation? Does the solution hold key insights for society? There is a well-documented epidemic of loneliness and isolation in our culture. Today, 1 in 2 adults report experiencing isolation and loneliness, which increases the risk of premature death by nearly 30%.
Film Director"s Mom, a WWII Veteran, Honored for Her Service in 2022, Washington, D.C.
WHERE WE ARE IN THE FILMMAKING PROCESS
February 2024 location shoot in Joshua Tree, CA
Research & Development began in October 2023 and principal photography launched on January 17, 2024. To-date we have filmed 9 interviews plus drone footage and cinéma vérité relevant to the interviews. Production is estimated to wrap by mid-September 2024 and postproduction will begin by working with Los Angeles-based documentary film editor Jillian Corsie.
OUR INSPIRATION
Cheryl Montelle, Mil-Tree Founder and Executive Director
Moving Like Pond Water is inspired by a collaborative art project produced by Mil-Tree Veterans Project (Mil-Tree) based in Joshua Tree, CA “Tapestries of Transformation'' in response to the Veteran community they serve. Mil-Tree continues to grow and expand its in-person outreach and programming to serve the local veterans of Riverside and San Bernardino Counties and welcomes veterans from across the US into community through remote participation.
STRETCH GOALS
If we raise an additional $1,500.00 we will put this toward an animator for production.
If we raise an additional $2,500.00 we will put this toward post production.
Thank you for your love and support!
STORIES HELP US UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER
The Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) Program provides rental assistance to homeless veterans and their families.
Personal stories told in this film by Veterans, active military and their families are the people behind the national statistics. Why do many Veterans lose their way in the world? Veterans burdened by service-related trauma or crushed by the profound loss of community and common purpose become isolated and alienated from a society that often misjudges them. Is this a Veteran issue, or a societal issue? “The universe is made of stories, not of atoms.” ~Muriel Rukeyzer, American Poet, and Political Activist
LOOKING BACK TO MEET THE FUTURE
The use of archival footage, images and animation in our film presents a strong visual of past and present military recruitment strategies and the intended influence(s) on society.
The film takes a look at the shift in U.S. Military recruitment campaigns from WWI - current to put in context shared Veteran and active military experience of why they joined the military and reflections on the quality of their lives before and after military service. Intimate interviews with Veterans, active military, and community are shared with the viewer in the tradition of oral storytelling.
On May 18, 1917, Congress passed the Selective Service Act. To influence public opinion in favor of the war, the U.S produced films, commissioned colorful posters, published pamphlets and recruited everyday Americans to “sell the war.” These efforts helped create both modern American wartime propaganda and spurred the 20th century advertising industry.
DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
Photos of Cheryl's family members taken during military service: Mom, Dad, Aunt, Husband, Grandson
My connection to Veteran communities and access to my film project's content is embedded in my DNA. I grew up in a home with military parents. My father was in the Marine Corp and my mother in the Navy, they met during their active service in WWII. When the war ended both my parents were honorably discharged. My father was called back to serve in the Korean War and my mother stayed home to take care of her infant daughter -me. When my father returned from Korea and back to being a civilian, home life was not easy. He was in constant pain from shrapnel, small pieces of metal from a weapon explosion, embedded in his left leg during combat that could not be surgically removed. This was before PTSD had a name and problems at home were never publicly discussed. My childhood memories are flooded with huddling in a bedroom with my twin brothers (5 years my junior) to distract them from the yelling and screaming taking place in the next room. My father passed away at the age of 65 from a massive heart attack. My mother is 98 years-old and in 2022 was honored in Washington, DC for her military service. This story is mine to tell. It is a story of shared experiences and a collective pondering on how we, alone and collectively, set out on a quest to live a “good life.” ~ Cheryl Bookout, Director
Be part of the Team and help get this film made and seen!
TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATION
Your donation is tax-deductible! MOVING LIKE POND WATER is a fiscally sponsored project of the International Documentary Association (IDA), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Contributions in support of MOVING LIKE POND WATER are payable to IDA and are tax-deductible, less the value of any goods or services received, as allowed by law. The value of goods and services offered is noted under each donation level. If you would like to deduct the entire donation, decline the reward at checkout.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Production Team
Costs $10,000
These funds will help pay our crew members including cinematographers and production assistants to work for the next 2-3 months.
Sound Mixer
Costs $2,500
The sound mixer is responsible for recording all sound on set during the filmmaking for later inclusion in finished project.
Locations
Costs $5,000
These funds will help our crew travel to the filming locations critical to our story.
Lightning Equipment Rental
Costs $2,500
Lighting holds immense power in shaping a film’s visual narrative, though it often goes unappreciated.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Director: Cheryl Bookout is a filmmaker, artist, and nonprofit arts leader based in Joshua Tree, California. Her work explores creativity as a force for healing, memory, and social transformation. Her directing and producing credits include Inside the Beauty Bubble, Acting Like Women, PURE, Gloria’s Call, and Just a Friend. Moving Like Pond Water reflects her long-standing commitment to ethical storytelling and collaborative creative process.
Cheryl Bookout
Lead Producer: Elizabeth Worley is a producer and film production management professional whose work includes the feature-length films California King (2025) and Good Girl Jane (2022).
Elizabeth Worley
Producer: Stacy Sweeting is a producer whose work includes the short documentary Inside the Beauty Bubble and the anthology series Discover Indie Film. Her background spans development, event production, and fundraising, supporting projects from concept through exhibition.
Stacy Sweeting
Producer: Tracy Jordan Roberts Tracy Jordan Roberts is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust, and Probate Law with over 20 years of professional experience. She brings strategic organization, research, and stewardship to the project’s production and planning.
Tracy Jordan Roberts
Director of Photograph: John Darwin Kurc is a cinematographer and photojournalist whose work bridges art and activism. His visual storytelling has been featured in documentary and editorial contexts, including American Scar, produced by The New Yorker. His work on Moving Like Pond Water emphasizes patience, texture, and presence.
John Darwin Kurc
Cinematographer: Barry Norwood attended the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, Los Angeles. He is known for his work in commercials & music videos . Filmography includes Suicide Kings, Back to Even, The Omega Code, Final Voyage,Inside the Beauty Bubble, plus 70 more credits.
Barry Norwood
Production Assistant: Alisha Sweeting graduated from California State University, Long Beach. She has acted and directed several theater productions. Her goal is to have a career in the entertainment industry.
Alisha Sweeting
Impact Producer: Patrick Wallis is a U.S. Army veteran and President of Mil-Tree Veterans Project, a Joshua Tree–based nonprofit connecting veterans and civilians through collaborative art. He has produced multiple veteran-centered creative projects and serves as a key advisor on community engagement and ethical collaboration.
Patrick Wallis
Production Advisor: Foster V. Corder is a U.S. Navy veteran, filmmaker, and producer with decades of experience in television and independent film. Co-founder of Black Bird Films, he has produced branded and independent content and mentored emerging filmmakers nationwide.
Foster V. Corder
Fiscal Sponsor: The International Documentary Association (IDA) supports the vital work of documentary storytellers and champions a thriving and inclusive documentary culture. For almost 30 years IDA's fiscal sponsorship program has been helping independent documentary projects of all types get funded, finished, and seen. Their fiscal sponsorship program is open to independent filmmakers and documentarians, regardless of education, background, or previous credits.
Fiscal sponsorship is a formal arrangement in which a 501(c)(3) public charity, such as IDA, agrees to sponsor a project that furthers our mission, for the purpose of fundraising through grants and donations. This is an effective alternative to starting your own nonprofit. The arrangement allows you to seek grants and solicit grants and tax-deductible donations for your documentary, with the oversight, support, and endorsement from one of the most long-standing and trusted charities in the field.