October
3, 2008: The U.S. Air Force is quite
happy to how all its assistance in the making of a new movie, "Eagle
Eye," worked out. It doesn't always work out. This film included some
scenes involving the Air Force Office of Special Investigations and several
military aircraft (C-17, KC-135, F-16, C-130, UH-1 and MQ-9 Reaper UAV. The film showed the air force aircraft and
personnel accurately, which is mainly what the air force PR officers try to
achieve in these deals.
The
U.S. military has long actively worked with Hollywood, to provide assistance
for movies that will accurately depict American troops and equipment. No help
is provided for films that are hostile to the U.S. military, or require
unrealistic, or unflattering, depiction of the troops. This usually leads to
film makers going ahead anyway.
Films
can depict the military without Department of Defense participation, it just
costs more. Using existing film of military equipment, that addition expense
may only be a few thousand dollars. But if you have to build or lease realistic
mockups or working models of equipment, or use computer generated images, the
additional cost can be millions of dollars. When the military cooperates, the troops
and equipment basically get some extra training, and the thrill of being a
movie extra (no problem getting volunteers for this, even if it means doing it
when off duty.) The film crews are usually just allowed to come along on
regular training operations.
