Purple Heart Recipient Produces Documentary
To Destigmatize Negative Perception of Veterans
Wants Nicholas Cage or Other Hollywood Insider
to Consider Larger Production
To Destigmatize Negative Perception of Veterans
Wants Nicholas Cage or Other Hollywood Insider
to Consider Larger Production
“VETERANS: A Motion Picture,” a documentary produced by award-winning journalist and Army Vietnam veteran Chuck N. Baker, has been released to help dispel news stories and editorial opinions that he says often tend to paint all veterans as having PTSD and other mental and emotional problems.
“Too many veterans have not received their fair share of positive media coverage,” Baker said. “I have produced a documentary film that illustrates in brief interviews and vignettes how most American veterans return from military life and become positive citizens. Overwhelming media depictions of soldiers who come home and who can’t adjust to civilian life is just plain wrong, and is an insult to the veterans community as well as to the active-duty military.”
“I had a small budget and wrote and produced the entire documentary as a labor of love,” Baker said. “Now that it’s out, I’d like to see a top actor — Nicholas Cage comes to mind — initiate a major production on the subject.” Baker added that Cage has truly been one of his favorite actors who has appeared in numerous military-related films. “I think this would be an excellent opportunity for him to use his talent to help the veterans community.” (Baker has recently written to Cage and his representatives have agreed to formally present the idea.)
Baker points that he in no way “seeks to denigrate those individuals who in fact do suffer from ailments due to their military experiences. They have served honorably and proudly in defense of their nation, and they deserve full credit and gratitude from the government and the public. But for too long, many veterans have not received their fair share of positive media coverage, and I hope to help turn that dialogue around with this documentary.” By interviewing men and women from different services who served at different times, he has woven into a single narrative a DVD that illustrates how veterans return to civilian life and successfully lead productive, fulfilling lives. Many of the interviews were culled from Baker’s recent veterans television show, while some interviews were done especially for the DVD. Those stories are combined with archival footage, government promotional film and statements from veterans service organizations. “This film puts the lie to a general media perception of large numbers of disturbed veterans returning from service and not contributing to society in a meaningful way,” Baker said.
A long-time journalist, author and filmmaker, some vintage scenes used in the production were shot by Baker as far back as the 1960s when he was a young teenager. Those B&W shots were produced with a silent 8mm camera. “I was working for the Chicago Tribune as a copy boy. So I was able to attend news events and shoot some film at the time of some famous politicians who happened to have been veterans,” Baker said. “I didn’t know then that I would use the footage far into the future, or that I would serve in combat myself a few short years later.” Those vintage political scenes are artfully woven between the current footage he produced. And as credits roll at the end of the film, there is actual brief footage of Baker, then an Army soldier, walking in the streets of Saigon in 1965.
Baker has worked for several newspapers, television stations and radio outlets. He is the founder and former managing editor of the Veterans Reporter newspaper, and was the producer and host of Nevada’s former television show “The Veterans Reporter-Chuck N. Baker Reporting.” He is currently the producer and host of a Las Vegas radio show. The DVD is currently available at WWW.VETERANSREPORTER.COM. “VETERANS: A Motion Picture,” is offered for $19.95.
Baker is a veteran of the U.S. Army’s 1st Infantry Division, “The Big Red One.” He received a Purple Heart after being severely wounded in Vietnam. After his discharge, he was elected to the office of state commander of the Disabled American Veterans in California, and later held several offices in Nevada chapters of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, The American Legion and the Military Order of the Purple Heart. As a journalist, he was a section editor of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, and was the editor of the Boulder City News in Boulder City, Nevada. He later established the Veterans Reporter newspaper and was its editor for 14 years. He has received numerous journalism awards from the Veterans Administration and from veterans service organizations for his compelling reporting about veterans issues.
Vietnam veteran Chuck N. Baker (left) is named Nevada Veteran of the Month in June, 2015, by Gov. Brian Sandoval.
Chuck N. Baker
Purple Heart recipient, Vietnam Army combat veteran.
Law School graduate (non-practicing attorney).
Award-winning print journalist:
- 2001 Fellow, National Press Association
- Reporting Award, Veterans of Foreign Wars
- Two Reporting Awards, Dept. of Veterans Affairs
- Public Service Journalism Award, Local Chapter Vietnam Veterans
- Founder and former managing editor, Veterans Reporter (Nevada) newspaper
- Former Real Estate editor, Las Vegas Review-Journal
- Former Editor, Boulder City (Nevada) News
TV & Radio news:
- Radio host/producer, “That’s America to Me,” 97.1-FM, Las Vegas.
- Former anchor/reporter, Las Vegas ONE cable news.
- Former anchor/reporter, UPN-TV, Las Vegas.
- Former anchor/reporter, KTUD-VEGAStv.
- Author of published books: (1)Real estate (2)Popular music (3)Princess Diana.
- Former State Commander, California Disabled American Veterans.
- Member of American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Vietnam Veterans of America, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Coast Guard Auxiliary.
Filmmaker/Video/TV producer:
- Producer, director, writer, host of home video “Basic Real Estate Investing,” which received “Best Educational Video” award.
- Producer, director, writer, host of DVD documentary, “VETERANS: A Motion Picture.” Received “Honorable Mention,” Hollywood Weekly Magazine Film Festival.
- Free-lance producer and host of television news shows.
