welcome to lee maine

WELCOME
TO LEE MAINE
A Big Little Town
SYNOPSIS
On June 23, 2007, his mother s birthday, Joel House was killed
by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) while on patrol in Taji,
Iraq. He was 22. On November 30, 2007 Blair Emery was killed
by an IED while on patrol in Baghdad, Iraq. Blair was 24. Both
soldiers were from Lee, Maine.
Welcome to Lee Maine is a documentary film that tells the story
of a small close-knit town (pop 845) hidden away in a scenic
corner of northern Maine coming together to cope with its loss
and persevere as a community despite carrying the tragic
burden that it is the smallest town in America to lose two sons in
the Iraqi War. Lee is the epitome of a small American town that
prides itself on its traditional patriotic values, a long history of
service in the armed forces and tolerance that comes together
as a community to overcome its loss and heartbreak. Despite
the political differences that surround the conflict, the people of
Lee are united in their support of the families and the community
in their loss.
Like the phoenix rising from the ashes of war, in the midst of his
grief, Paul House, father of Sergeant Joel House, has a dream to bring Gold Star families from across the country who have
lost loved ones in combat together in the serene Maine
wilderness to collectively heal the wounds of their loss in the
tranquil solace of nature.
Paul House enlists Bill Emery, father of Sergeant Blair Emery in
his mission, gathering support from community members, the
state, politicians and all who will listen. Their inspirational and
relentless efforts attract the attention of Maine Governor
Baldacci who gives them the support they need to make the
dream a reality to make Lee a place where the wounds of
grieving families across the nation can be healed.
DIRECTOR S STATEMENT
Welcome to Lee Maine is filmed inspired by an article I read
in USA Today, A Small Town Mourns a Big Sacrifice by Rick
Hansom. Lee Maine is the smallest town in America to lose
two sons; SGT Joel House and SGT Blair Emery in the Iraqi
war. In May 2008 I took a few trips to Lee and just sat in the
local diner – watching the people of Lee before deciding I
wanted to make the film. I went to Pastor Bickford at the
Baptist Church and spoke to him about the concept of the film
I wanted to make. He told me a bit about the town and the
families. He informed me that Paul House was a deeply
committed Christian and that his faith was a very big part of
his life. He also told me there was to be a Memorial Day
celebration and I came to film it.
It was there I first met Dee and Paul House and Bill and Quie
Emery, the parents of SGT Joel House and SGT Blair Emery.
I told them about my plans to make a documentary.
The first thing Dee House said to me was You re not going
to make an anti-war film are you? She paused and said, I
guess it is hard to make a film about kids getting killed and
not be antiwar. We spoke more and I told her I wanted to
make a film that was true to the events and the feelings and
emotions of the town.
The film was to be about the how the town of Lee came together to
deal with the devastating news of losing two sons in the Iraqi War.
The first thing Dee House said to me was You re not going to
make an anti-war film are you? She paused and said, I guess it is
hard to make a film about kids getting killed and not be antiwar.
We spoke more and I told her I wanted to make a film that was true
to the events and the feelings and emotions of the town. The film
was to be about the how the town of Lee came together to deal with
the devastating news of losing two sons in the Iraqi War.
At that moment having worked with Albert Maysles for a few years, I
could hear Albert s voice in the back of my head
Rule oneDistance your self from a point of view. Rule Two- Love your
subjects. This was easy as the people of Lee are lovely. Make the
film experiential, unstaged, and uncontrolled and for me - the most
important thing Albert Maysles ever told me was there is a
connection between reality and truth. Remain faithful to both I tried
the best I could do.
I often would laugh with Paul House as we qucikly learned we
disagreed on so just about everything politically and philosophically.
It never mattered - I have a great of respect for him.
While Lee is in many ways a typical small Christian and
conservative town but people have very diverse opinions on the
war but no matter what their view is they are united and share
the feeling of wanting to support the families and each other in
the devastating loss.
It has been my hope that this film would become a bit of a bridge
between people. No matter what your opinion or view of the
usefulness of the war is- one can understand that the real face
of war is the shattered families, friends neighbors, teachers that
deal with the loss - not just newscaster broadcasting events with
an Iraqi backdrop.
Dee House told us she wanted to help us make the film. She
helped to introduce us to people in the town. I quickly realized
how important Dee s introductions were. We could have spent
weeks trying to meet and film people in the town. As a result we
were able to get very candid and honest thoughts and feelings
from the people we spoke with.
On the very first day of filming, June 2008 Paul House began to
tell us about his dream of creating a retreat for Gold Star
families in Maine. When we began filming it was just as an idea
but as production went on we realized Paul s efforts were going
to be an important part of the story especially once Paul brought
Bill Emery onboard to help make his dream a reality.
They spoke to all who would listen. First, the town of Lee, then
Senator Elizabeth Schneider, then Maine Governor Baldacci
and Peter Ogden, Director of Veteran Affairs. Paul has now
achieved the beginning of his dream. House in the Woods – A
Military Family Retreat.
CREDITS
Director
Executive Producer
Co-Producers
Cinematography
Additional Camera
Editor
Associate Producer
Art Direction
Web Design
Sound
Color Correction
Archival
Bill Perna
Bill Perna, Jason Goldman
Bill Perna, Jason Goldman
Jason Goldman
Jeff Griffiths, Bill Perna
Bill Perna Jeff Griffiths
Deanna House
Josh Fisher, Matt Thierran
Sean Michaud – Seismic Pixels
Modulus Studios
Modulus Studios
Provided by House and Emery
families
CAST
Paul House
Bill Emery
Luke House
Betsy Emery
Peter Ogden
Kendra Ritchie
Lester Delano
Vera Noyes
Kathy Crise
Pastor Bruce Swan
Sgt. Lyle Walker
Deana House
Quie Emery
Joy House
Hilary Emery
Senator Elizabeth Schneider
Governor John Baldacci
Everett McLeod
Harold Noyes
Amanda Tash
Ruth Worcester
SPECIAL THANKS
The House Family
Nancy Lothrop
Gail Raye
Robert Noonan
Nellie Stevens
Jeremy Carey
Pastor Mitch Bickford
MSAD 30 Band
Rabbit House
Lee Academy
Kay Crocker
The Emery Family
Pete Lothrop
Martha Broderick
Reverend Mitch Bickford
Raymond Variety
Ethel Foss
Lee Wynn Elementary
Frank Severence
Polly House
Lee Baptist Church Chamber
Music
Thurlow-Cushman Ladies
Auxiliary
BILL PERNA
Director, Executive Producer
After graduating from University of New Mexico and New York
University where he studied film and advertising, Bill began a
20-year career in Marketing and Advertising. He built his career
working in New York for advertising agencies, Grey Advertising,
Wells Rich Greene and Doyle Dane Bernbach. With his partner,
Peter Smillie, Bill spent 10 years in Los Angeles building one of
advertising s most successful commercial production
companies, Smillie Films. While serving as President and
Executive Producer of Smillie Films, Bill worked on accounts
such as Apple, Kodak, IBM, Nike and Anhueser Bush among
countless others.
Bill was elected to be President of the Association of
Commercial Producers/West Coast, an organization that
represents the interests of Commercial producers. After serving
two consecutive terms as West Coast President, Bill was then
elected to serve as the AICP National President.
While working with Albert Maysles for two years Bill created and
developed the Branded Content division for Maysles Films.
JASON GOLDMAN
Cinematography
Since graduating from Cornell University, Jason Goldman has
been involved with filmmaking in many levels of production.
Beginning his career in music videos he quickly transitioned to
the world of advertising. He soon was producing with Maysles
Films and in recent years, he produced content for MercedesBenz, Fashion Week, IBM, Swatch and Maybelline. In 2005 he
formed Pharmacy Films, which develops television and
independent feature films. During his leisure time, Jason prefers
golf to polo, Coke to Pepsi, London to Paris, forest to beach,
and Guinness to everyone. If you ask him nicely, he will even
make you a very good sandwich.
A SMALL TOWN MOURNS ITS BIG SACRIFICE IN IRAQ
By Rick Hampson, USA TODAY
LEE, Maine — It's a question old-fashioned
Yankee wisdom can't answer: How, in just five
months, could a town whose population is less
than 850 lose two young men in Iraq — as
many as it lost in all of World War II?
Why Lee? No one can say. Not the high school
guidance counselor who sees new military
recruits come into her office; not the pastor
who's leading his Bible class through the Book
of Job; not the Red Cross volunteer who helped
plan the funerals of Joel House and Blair
Emery. Continue Article>>
The veteran's memorial in Lee, Maine, the hometown of Sgt. Blair Emery
and Sgt. Joel House, soldiers who were killed while serving in Iraq.
WTLM REBUILD
By William Perna
Watch>>
Click the image or visit us on Facebook
360 LEVERAGE THE ASSETS
film
theatrical
DVD
VOD
Semi Theatrical
Broadcast
Mobile and tablet
sound track
CD
iTunes
Mobile Phone
BILL PERNA
Executive Director
[email protected]
207 415-9975
www.pernacontent.com
po box 736 • 19 main street • south freeport • me 04078