www.military.ie the defence forces magazine
| 17
Seán has set up a Kickstarter fundraising campaign to help fund
the Op Phoenix Rising Series, where people can support them
through giving as little as €10 for the DVD of all eight episodes,
including special features and extras, or €30 for the DVD and a
Tee-shirt, right up to €7,000 to be an associate producer: you
choose what matches your pocket or your enthusiasm to back this
project.
Seán says: "The Kickstarter campaign aims to raise the funds
to make the series; hire multi-Bafta and Emmy award-winning
cinematographer, Graham Smith (he was behind the BBC's 2004
two-part mini-series, Dunkirk); and also to give the campaign team
various production roles that suit. So it's a chance to be part of a
pretty historic factual entertainment series produced in Ireland,
Scotland and Norway.
"All that is left now is to build an audience for the production
of people who enjoy programmes on military history and human
endeavour. Many people buy DVD box sets of stories they have only
just heard about; we're simply starting the ordering process earlier
with Kickstarter!
"With a highly skilled and experienced team behind the project, it
promises to be a fantastic, inspirational story that will shed light on
WWII's first real Special Forces."
Op Phoenix Rising's mission is for one man to overcome severe
spinal injuries and another to manage a career-ending injury to
undertake the original Special Forces training from the 1940s.
They must meet the incredibly tough original standards, recreate
the original mission rehearsals with historical accuracy, and tell
the story of the Linge Company in the same style and with the
same quality level as HBO's Band of Brothers.
I for one am behind them, and really want to see this series
being made! The Kickstarter campaign goes live on 27th May,
but you can follow Op Phoenix Rising's progress by visiting their
website or social media pages.
Kompani Linge survivor
Jan Baalsrud
Members of Kompani Linge are pictured
during a demonstration for the Norwegian
King Haakon 7th, and Crown Prince Olav,
Norwegian Minister of Defence during WW
II. The 'dead' German soldier between the
railway tracks had been rendered harmless and
an explosive charge placed under him.
57 men of Kompani Linge gave their
lives during commando raids behind
enemy lines in WWII. Pictured is a
plaque in their memory at Glenmore
Forest Park, Scotland.
British and Kompani Linge Commandos during Operation Archery, where
Capt Linge was killed and Capt O'Flaherty (pictured) was hit by sniper fire
and lost one eye. He subsequently became an eye-patch wearing Brig Gen.
Email: opphoenixrising@gmail.com
web: http://tinyurl.com/oprising
twitter: @OpPhoen1xR1s1ng
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ophoenixrising
kickstarter: http://bit.ly/OpPhoenixRising