BiographyGrowing up in the late 50's early 60's we naturally
played war
games. In 6th grade I distinctly
remember a
substitute teacher who astounded the class when he
talked about paralyzing fear as bullets ripped over
his
head, pinned down on Omaha Beach. At the time he was probably the ripe
old age of
about 35-38 years old! His story left an indelible
impression on me. With a growing desire to learn more about the war, I watched all the classic War Movies on television: "A Walk in the Sun", "Bataan", "Sands of Iwo Jima," but my favorite was "Sahara" with Humphrey Bogart. With a strong interest in audio-visual aids and history, my only regret was failing to record war stories when our WWII veterans were still in their middle age. After years of music production and studio experience, I returned to film
production in 2006 and the concept for a documentary. The project would initially be based on
rediscovered journals from my father's memoirs. Early retirement
would allow extra time needed
for the task that lay ahead.
Recording was always a passion and led me to the construction of a studio. The studio served well for voice-overs and narration. Struggling through film shoots staging re-creations while making frequent trips to the National Archives became a difficult pace. Taking on more interviews with veterans across the country, it became an exhaustive race against time which concluded in 2014. Working without a budget it was necessary to work solo and acquire enough equipment and experience to eventually become self-sustained. Considering the project's original format, there was little reason to get caught up in continual expensive upgrades. Staying clear of incompatibility, this would become the only project I focused on while editing in Final Cut Pro. Becoming self-reliant, I perform my own repairs and upgrades to several Mac Desktops. What's more important is archiving and frequent 'Back-Up'. I hope to focus on accuracy achieving a good story expressing gratitude to those who sacrificed for freedom which often is forgotten. Visit Yuri Beckers web site to learn more about the documentary.  Five years old in 1952 outside a U.S. Marines recruiting station in New York City This independent documentary is not intended to be a comprehensive account of the war in North Africa 1942-43. The completed film will feature rare interviews from veterans connected to the story. The search to locate veterans within this time frame was very difficult. With no funding and a small film crew who sporadically assisted with re-creations, the bulk of production falls upon one individual. Contributions of any kind are welcomed. northafricaww2survivors@gmail.com Photos, illustrations, art work or interviews may not be reproduced, copied, stored, manipulated or redistributed without the expressed permission of the author. Michael Fraticelli - North Africa 1942-43 Survivors' Stories © 2015 |
