PART I: How it all began.

    My interest in the world of firefighters began rather late in my life, as opposed to other young men.  Most guys started with their toy firetrucks.  For myself it happened later, not too much later mind you, when I was a cameraman for the local NBC affiliate.
    One Sunday morning we received an assignment to join the local fire dept in a training exercise.  The firefighters were holding a final session for the new recruits. At the time, I was only about 26 years old.  Not too much different in age then the trainees themselves. 
    We arrived and immediately the PIO ( Public Information Officer ) pulled me aside.
    "Are you claustrophobic?" He asked me rather matter-of-factly.
    "Ah, no..." I responded almost as a question. What a weird way to start a conversation, I thought.

    Well it turned out we, or more so I, was going to join the trainees as a little more than just that of an observer. The PIO then gave me a turnout coat, helmet, and boots.  He then helped me to put on the tank and mask.  Apparently this was turning out to be an interesting Sunday morning.  One that looking back in my career would not be all that uncommon for me.
    Apparently the plan was to to ignite an old building and all "us" newbies were to enter the building in full regalia and ablaze. I started filming the whole procedure and the briefing.  They placed all the apparatus on me and the other so called observers. The flames pushed out from the house and we were ready to go. Although I was thoroughly briefed and was shadowed by a firefighter, there was still this exhilaration and excitement of entering into this blaze.
    My final procedure prior to entering was to put my mask onto my face and activate the oxygen by placing my hand over the front apply pressure on the seal and inhale. Which I performed brilliantly, however the result was less brilliant.  When I executed the first inhale nothing happened.  I just plain couldn't breath. So there I was standing, facing this fiery monster, not breathing.
    "Holy Shit! I can't miss this shot!" I thought.
    Should I continue filming, hold my breath and hope for the best? Or spin around and run my ass outa there?  Well I did somewhat of a combination. I held my bnreath for about a minute, filmed what I could while I could and then actually calmly turned and walked to the opening. 
    Once outside I lifted my mask and said, "There's no oxygen."  My firefighter looked at my tank and then realized I ( or whoever ) didn't twist the valve open.  He opened it and back in we went.
    Fortunately we didn't miss a thing. I was able to capture the height of the flames and stay entirely. It was an amazing experience.  After that I continued doing many stories alongside the FD, gaining a tremendous respect for them and what it is they do.

 Here is the actual story as it aired that night.

     Eventually I left photojournalism and moved to LA.  There I started working in reality and documentary.  After a few years I had the opportunity to work on a new show pilot about firefighters.  We had originally been scheduled to film at a fire house closer to Silverlake, an area north west of downtown. As luck would have it that location fell through.  Almost serendipitously Station 9 was willing to take us.  This show that we shot was for another company and a network had already been chosen.  We spent about a three days there with Station 9 and I really got to learn all about Skid Row and those firefighters.  The pilot was eventually picked up and green lit.  However for what ever reason the producers decided to film it in Boston instead.  Usually after I finish a job I just move on.  But I could not stop thinking about Station 9.  In a way it haunted me.  I kept thinking how that story of that house needed to really be told.  So after about a year or so I was at a place in my career to fund this idea.  I started working on getting this pilot done.  I raised my own money, and partnered with an amazing audio operator who had been with me on the other show also. And together we went back to Skid Row and Station 9. 

    After some negotiation and a good chunk of change we were able to get back into the firehouse to film.  They allowed us to stay there with the firefighters for another week.  It was just us two filming all that we could.  But being the busiest firehouse in the nation we naturally didn't get all that we could.  However I think that we did get quite a bit. 

  ( TOP: That's me in Station 9 between calls, I think it must have been close to 4am when that photo was taken.)

The footage that we got and the experience was beyond what we had imagined.  I filmed almost 25 hours of footage. We didn't have to always wear the Kevlar vests but if we did they had to be hidden.  Although the LAFD are possible targets for random violence they do not like to have a visual image outwardly to the public which the vest represents.
    Afterward it was daunting.  Funny enough however it would take almost another year before the trailer would be edited.  Why a year you ask?  Well right after we finished the shoot I got into a relationship.  And the edit took a back seat to dinners, movies and well all that which goes with new relationships... Anyway after a year of that, the relationship was over and I needed a distraction.  And there in the corner of my office was this box of tapes just staring, no glaring back at me. Mocking me if you will.
    I met this incredible trailer editor who willingly took on the job of helping me make something out of this.  He is amazing at what he does and it shows.  He and I worked to get this done and he turned it into what you see now.
    Well that is the story of how this trailer came to be.  Despite it all and despite all that I have been through it is a passionate project for me and I have no plans of ever letting it go.

My next post will be what happened after we finished the edit... Stay Tuned.