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Team VetPics Productions has produced a SAG short film project (9.5 min), Life After Oblivion for the Armed Forces Film Challenge through the Film Consortium San Diego, collaborating with So Say We All. 

The premiere was on Thursday, February 25, 2021  at 7 pm PST and was part of the Armed Forces Film Challenge Virtual Screening in collaboration with So Say We All. Life After Oblivion was one of three films written and directed by military veterans. The film is an official selection for the GI Film Festival (Life After Oblivion will be shown on May 21, 2021 at 6:15 PM PST and will be available to screen on demand May 22-26, 2021). TICKETS/INFO: https://gifilmfestivalsd.org/2021/movies/life-after-oblivion/.

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The Armed Forces Film Challenge tells stories written and directed by military veterans and active-duty service members.

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 Life After Oblivion was filmed at the Meadows Field Airport and the Wind Wolves Preserve in Bakersfield, California.

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Thirty volunteers and fourteen veterans and were involved in Life After Oblivion: production team, cast and crew, along with Adam Stone, writer of the story ‘Oblivion’.

 

Due to the topics realistically portrayed, this film is intended for mature audiences.

The Armed Forces Film Challenge was a 60 Day challenge, (extended due to the coronavirus pandemic) during which Team VetPics selected one of several stories offered by the Challenge management, wrote a screenplay (by Tommy Anderson, Veteran), filmed (with 2 assigned elements and one optional element), directed and edited (by Floyd Strayer, Veteran) and submitted to the Challenge management.

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The story chosen was Oblivion by Veteran Adam Stone through So Say We All. It is about a Marine Sniper returning from Afghanistan and the ghosts that come with him. It focuses on a singular event that tends to stick out amongst the many he has experienced. It stands out with Team VetPics as a phenomenal opportunity to show the world a snippet of what veterans struggle with when they return home.

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About the Producing Team

The VetPics Productions team includes:

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Floyd Strayer (Chula Vista, CA) ~ (Team Leader/ Producer/ Director/Veteran) works with Survivors of Suicide Loss in San Diego, supporting those that have loss to suicide.  He acts as the military and Veteran Chair to reach out to our veteran community offering our support. Daily, 22 veterans have struggled with PTSD, mental illness, depression or ghosts of some sort that drove them to take their own life. Twenty-two a day! Floyd’s IMDB; 

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Tommy Anderson (Norco, CA) ~ (Producer/Screenwriter/Actor/Veteran) Best-selling author and award-winning photographer/artist Tommy Anderson enjoys his role as a motivational speaker and Co-Host of “The Take it Back Show” with Tommy and Tina (Hargett) on the IQ Podcast Network in San Diego. An accomplished screenwriter and Producer on “Life After Oblivion”; a film based on his adapted screenplay from the short story by Adam Stone, Tommy is routinely cast as an actor in commercials, television, and film. Tommy is a founding member of Team VetPics which produced ‘Life after Oblivion”, a short film for the Armed Forces Film Challenge. Tommy”s IMDB.

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Susan J. Farese (San Diego, CA) ~ (Producer/Casting/Publicist/Actor/Veteran) is the owner of SJF Communications Public Relations and is a veteran Army and Navy Nurse; Susan is a filmmaker: (Producer, Casting Director and Publicist) as well as a SAG-AFTRA actor , writer/poet and photographer. Author of Poetic Expressions in Nursing: Sharing the Caring. Susan’s IMDB.

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Shar Yonan (Bakersfield, CA) ~ (Producer/Location Scout/Actor) Shar is a film producer, originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and later raised in Chicago. She studied Improv at Columbia College and has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s in Counseling and Therapy. After taking acting classes at Act I Studios in Chicago, she relocated to California. Shar was the Festival Director for the Beverly Hills Film Festival for five years and then she was involved in the  Bakersfield Out of the Box Film Festival where Veteran and disability feature films were showcased, notably  Inclusion Films, founded by Joey Travolta.  Shar is a strong supporter of Veterans and their stories. In 2016, Shar joined Global Edge Pictures as a producer, showcasing diversity and inspirational stories.  Shar is a strong child advocate, empowering foster youth to excel so that they can reach their fullest potential.  Shar is currently in the development stage of a number of feature films and continues to be a liaison for independent filmmakers, screenwriters and producers. Shar’s IMDB.

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Sue Vicory (Mound City, KS) (Producer) is a three-time Telly Award winning filmmaker. Sue has been making films since 2003. Heartland Films, Inc., her non-profit production company was established to create films that inspire and educate. Sue has spoken on and moderated panels around the world including Sundance and Cannes Film Festivals. She is a member of the Alliance of Women Directors and has served as an Emmy judge both regionally and nationally. Sue’s IMDB.

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Fourteen veterans were involved in Life After Oblivion: production team, cast and crew, along with Adam Stone, writer of the story ‘Oblivion’.

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The Music in Life After Oblivion

The song ‘Life After Oblivion’ is sung by Tina Hargett and co-written and accompanied by Mark Ontiveros and Nick Tersio Ontiveros. It is featured on Spotify:

 https://open.spotify.com/album/4c4EHoYtcPvlBPEGbNCGmy?si=EXG3J3fQRsGk5wql06yTRA

The background music is by Dead as Dillinger featuring Roman Terenzini, Adrian Byers, Mike Garritson and Matt Novack. Background music composed by Jacquie Joy.

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Social Media for Life After Oblivion

Life After Oblivion Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/LifeAfterOblivionVetPics

Life After Oblivion IMDB page: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11722940/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

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Montage Video Day 1

Life After Oblivion

This video is a photo montage from day one of our film shoot. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxY2DYhvkxw&t=2s

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The Cast of Life After Oblivion

The cast of Life After Oblivion includes: Ryan Gangl: Phil (Sniper); Elliott McKenzie: Jeff (Spotter); Kyle Brody: Afghan Boy/Sniper’s Son;   Susan Farese: Dr. Silvia Ricci; Emmy Farese: Libby; Chase Dittrich: Marine #1; Keith Fingers, Jr.: Marine #2; Will Hill: Marine #3; Josh Conner: Marine #4: Janey Hann: Phil’s (Sniper’s) wife; Tom Anderson: Phil’s Father; La Contessa Miller: Libby’s Mother; Joseph Lloyd: Libby’s Father; Miguel Montoya: Libby’s Boyfriend/Utility Stand-In; Johnitta Clemons: Jeff’s (Spotter’s) Mother; Shar Yonan: Marine #1’s Wife; Tina Hargett: Mother of Marine #3; Robert Hargett: Father of Marine #3; Sheila Mauck: Wife of Marine #4.

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The Crew of Life After Oblivion

The Life After Oblivion local Bakersfield crew is led by Joey Garza and includes Patrick Haynes, Keith Fingers, Jr., Will McBride and Miguel Montoya and Tiffany Wennihan.

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Recent Awards/

Nominations

(as of 5/10/2023)

Winner: Golden Lemur International Film Festival 2022 (Best War Film - Tommy Anderson, Floyd Strayer, Susan Farese, Shar Yonan, Sue Vicory), Best Producer -Tommy Anderson, Susan Farese, Shar Yonan, Sue Vicory, Best War Film Director - Floyd Strayer); 

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Nominee: San Diego Film Awards 2022 (Costume Design, First Time Filmmaker); Niagara Falls International Short Festival (Best Musical Score Jacquie Joy); Green Bay Film Festival 2022 (Best Short Film Tommy Anderson); Green Bay Film Festival 2022 (Best Short Film - Tommy Anderson); 

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Recent Awards/

Nominations

(as of 5/9/2021)

Winner: Niagara Falls Indie Film Fest (Poster); Indie Short Fest November, 2020 (Short Script); Big Sur (Screenplay); Santa Monica Short Film Festival (Script); Sydney Indie Short Festival

(Best Produced Script); Toronto Film Channel Awards (Best Screenplay); (Veterans) Fight Back Film Award, 2021, Beyond the Curve International Film Festival (Best Short Screenplay); Austin International Art Festival (Best Short Script);

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2nd Place: Reno, NV Short Film Festival (Best Dramatic Screenplay)

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Certificate of Achievement (Screenplay): IndieX Film Fest (Short Script); Independent Shorts Awards (Screenplay and Film, November 2020); Indie Short Fest (Short Script); Indie Short Fest (Original Song)

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Honorable Mention: Phoenix Short Film Festival (Short Script); Wiki (Short Script)

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Finalist: Reno, NV Short Film Festival (Best Dramatic Screenplay); Austin International Art Festival, April, 2021)

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Semi-Finalist: Los Angeles International Film Festival Indie Short Fest (Screenplay December 2020)

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Nominee: IndieX Film Festival (Short Screenplay); Independent Shorts (Script); Indie Short Fest December (Short); Venice Short Film Awards (Script)

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Official selection: Armed Forces Film Challenge (2020); Indie Short Fest (Screenplay 2020, Film, January 2021); Phoenix Monthly Short Film (Screenplay); Big Sur Film Festival (2021); Vegas Shorts (Screenplay, January 2021); Venice Shorts Film Awards (Screenplay); Paris International Short Festival (Best Music in Short); GI Film Festival 2021 (Film); Nevada Short Film Festival Spring, 2021 (Screenplay); Santa Monica Shorts Best Produced Script 2021; Sacramento International Film Festival American Screenplay Challenge (Short); Beyond the Curve International Film Festival, Paris, France (Script); 

 

In summary:

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Team VetPics hopes to help bring awareness and remove the stigma around PTSD and suicide to provide hope and encouragement to those in need with Life After Oblivion.

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“The ghosts of the battlefield last longer than the war itself”

– Tommy Anderson

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Ticket link for the GI Festival: https://gifilmfestivalsd.org/2021/movies/life-after-oblivion/

Media Inquiries – please contact:

Susan J. Farese,  SJF Communications PR: sjfcommunications@gmail.com.

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