"Radioactive Veteran" tells the story of the military’s nuclear testing and its consequences for one veteran and his widow. The filmmakers hope "Radioactive Veteran" will raise awareness of the legal challenges radiated veterans have faced and compel viewers to demand justice for all veterans.
"Radioactive Veteran" tells the story of the military’s nuclear testing and its consequences for one veteran and his widow. The filmmakers hope "Radioactive Veteran" will raise awareness of the legal challenges radiated veterans have faced and compel viewers to demand justice for all veterans.
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Story
About The Project
“Radioactive Veteran” is a documentary short that offers a new look at nuclear fallout in America.
Donald Guy was a Marine in the early 1950s when the military ordered him to the Nevada Test Site, where they had begun conducting nuclear testing. Along with thousands of other Marines and soldiers, Donald was assured he was safe as he gazed at the billowing mushroom cloud and marched through the desert toward the atomic blast. Within only a few years, however, Donald began experiencing serious medical issues resulting from radiation exposure and soon became disabled. For the rest of his life, he fought for disability benefits with Veterans Affairs, but in 2009 he died before receiving his due compensation. For the next seven years, Donald's widow Mary continued his fight for justice.
After veterans attorney and law professor Craig Kabatchnick began representing Donald and Mary in 2007, Kabatchnick became convinced the story of America's radiated veterans needed to be told on a broad scale. He published a widely cited law article in 2013 and then began assembling the resources for a documentary film. In 2014 his student Mark Wampler, a Marine Corps veteran himself, joined the project as director. Two years later filmmaker Bradley Bethel came on as producer, and the team decided to begin with a short film.
"Radioactive Veteran" tells the story of the military’s nuclear testing and its consequences for Donald and Mary Guy, and the filmmakers are currently raising funds to complete postproduction. After releasing the short film, they hope to extend the project into a feature, Radioactive Veterans. The production team hopes the films will raise awareness of the legal challenges radiated veterans have faced and compel viewers to demand justice for all veterans. Both the short film and the planned feature are projects of the American Hero Legal Defense Fund, and all contributions are therefore tax-deductible.
Incentives
$5
Social Media Thanks
Even small contributions make a difference, and director Mark Wampler will express his gratitude for any contribution of $5 or more (tax-deductible) on his personal Twitter feed and on the "Radioactive Veteran" Facebook page with a film still that includes your name.
$15
Online Sneak Preview
See the film online before its world premiere. We plan to begin the film festival tour this fall, but anyone who contributes $15 or more (tax-deductible) will get to see "Radioactive Veteran" first.
$25
Special Thanks in the Credits
In addition to receiving an online sneak preview, anyone who contributes $25 or more (tax-deductible) will receive special recognition in the end credits of "Radioactive Veteran."
$50
Big Screen Sneak Preview
This summer we'll be offering a number of private sneak previews featuring Q&A with the "Radioactive Veteran" filmmakers in Greensboro, Durham, and Jacksonville. In addition to receiving the above incentives, anyone who contributes $50 or more (tax-deductible) will be invited to the sneak preview of the their choice.
$100
Exclusive Director's Cut
Over the past three years, we've shot significantly more footage than we can include in the final cut of "Radioactive Veteran." Yet much of the footage that won't be included in the final cut is no less rich with emotion and insight. In addition to receiving the above incentives, anyone who contributes $100 or more (tax-deductible) will receive an exclusive digital download of the director's cut, featuring extended interviews and bonus footage.
$250
Film Poster
In addition to receiving the above incentives, anyone who contributes $250 or more (tax-deductible) will receive their choice of a 27x40 "Radioactive Veteran" film poster or an 11x17 master print of the poster.
Claimed: 0 of 25
$500
Limited Edition DVD with Bonus Features
In addition to receiving the above incentives, anyone who contributes $500 or more (tax-deductible) will receive a limited edition DVD that includes the final cut, the director's cut, and more than an hour's worth of extended and bonus interviews. Contributors at this level will also receive a personal thank you note from director Mark Wampler, producer Bradley Bethel, and executive producer Craig Kabatchnik.
Claimed: 1 of 10
$1,000
Associate Executive Producer Credit
In addition to receiving the above incentives, anyone who contributes $1000 or more (tax-deductible) will be listed in the end credits of "Radioactive Veteran" as an associate executive producer.
Claimed: 4 of 5
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Wishlist
Use the WishList to pledge cash and loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an incentive directly.
$5
Social Media Thanks
Even small contributions make a difference, and director Mark Wampler will express his gratitude for any contribution of $5 or more (tax-deductible) on his personal Twitter feed and on the "Radioactive Veteran" Facebook page with a film still that includes your name.
$15
Online Sneak Preview
See the film online before its world premiere. We plan to begin the film festival tour this fall, but anyone who contributes $15 or more (tax-deductible) will get to see "Radioactive Veteran" first.
$25
Special Thanks in the Credits
In addition to receiving an online sneak preview, anyone who contributes $25 or more (tax-deductible) will receive special recognition in the end credits of "Radioactive Veteran."
$50
Big Screen Sneak Preview
This summer we'll be offering a number of private sneak previews featuring Q&A with the "Radioactive Veteran" filmmakers in Greensboro, Durham, and Jacksonville. In addition to receiving the above incentives, anyone who contributes $50 or more (tax-deductible) will be invited to the sneak preview of the their choice.
$100
Exclusive Director's Cut
Over the past three years, we've shot significantly more footage than we can include in the final cut of "Radioactive Veteran." Yet much of the footage that won't be included in the final cut is no less rich with emotion and insight. In addition to receiving the above incentives, anyone who contributes $100 or more (tax-deductible) will receive an exclusive digital download of the director's cut, featuring extended interviews and bonus footage.
$250
Film Poster
In addition to receiving the above incentives, anyone who contributes $250 or more (tax-deductible) will receive their choice of a 27x40 "Radioactive Veteran" film poster or an 11x17 master print of the poster.
Claimed: 0 of 25
$500
Limited Edition DVD with Bonus Features
In addition to receiving the above incentives, anyone who contributes $500 or more (tax-deductible) will receive a limited edition DVD that includes the final cut, the director's cut, and more than an hour's worth of extended and bonus interviews. Contributors at this level will also receive a personal thank you note from director Mark Wampler, producer Bradley Bethel, and executive producer Craig Kabatchnik.
Claimed: 1 of 10
$1,000
Associate Executive Producer Credit
In addition to receiving the above incentives, anyone who contributes $1000 or more (tax-deductible) will be listed in the end credits of "Radioactive Veteran" as an associate executive producer.
Claimed: 4 of 5
- Updates
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Current Team
About This Team
Mark Wampler (Director) served in the Marine Corps Reserves and is a recent graduate of North Carolina Central University School of Law. He began working on "Radioactive Veteran" while in law school, studying under executive producer Craig Kabatchnick.
Bradley Bethel (Producer) is the writer and director of the award-winning documentary feature Unverified: The Untold Story Behind the UNC Scandal. In addition to "Radioactive Veteran," Bradley is currently producing a documentary short about the first black mayor of a white town in the South.
Craig Kabatchnick (Executive Producer) is the Director of the Veterans Law Program at the North Carolina Central University School of Law. "Radioactive Veteran" is based on Professor Kabatchnik's widely cited law review article "Radioactive Veterans: A New Look at the Nuclear History of America."
Ned Phillips (Associate Director & Cinematographer) is a Durham-based filmmaker who has been the director of photography for multiple documentaries, and this summer he will be directing a documentary about Costa Rica's last tradional midwife.
Caleb Childers (Editor) is the creative director of Malachi Films and is the director of photography for a documetary feature about the families of the three Muslim students murdered in Chapel Hill.
Gabriel Pelli & Mark Simonsen (Composers) are longtime friends and bandmates in the seminal pop noir band The Old Ceremony and have have been composing, performing, and recording original music together for many years.
Charlie Morris (Assistant Producer) is a self-taught photographer and videomaker who enjoys creating content for small businesses, social movements, humanitarian causes, and environmental groups.
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