Produced & Directed by David Donnenfield and Kevin White

Client:

Bureau of Land Management and NextEra Energy.

Goal:

Tell the forgotten story of the Desert Training Center — 18,000 square miles of rugged terrain in the Mojave Desert where a million soldiers came to train for battle in WWII. The DTC tested men and machines in a setting as close to real combat as could be devised.

Strategy:

Create a half hour film about the Desert Training Center for broadcast and museum exhibit.

Audience:

WWII veterans and their families, other veterans, WWII amateur and professional historians, regional resource agencies, and engaged citizens who either work or recreate in the Mojave desert.

Approach:

Using both current and rare archival footage, and told through the personal experiences of WWII veterans, the program provides a compelling account of the young men and women thrust onto the stage of world conflict.

Impact:

The film had a national feed on PBS with more than 1000 telecasts reaching 75% of the country, with an estimated audience of more than 700,000 viewers.