While Iraq was preparing for a pivotal parliamentary election, Hollywood was about to celebrate an independent film about bomb-disposal technicians at the annual Academy Awards. The movie won best picture and best director on the same day as the election.

I spent a week embedded with several explosive ordnance disposal teams before the election and the Oscars to get a sense of how much their roles and their lives had changed since 2004 when the film took place.

I filed the above video, as well as raw cuts and photos for AP wire services. I also wrote the print story. click to download PDF

While in Iraq I also produced this interactive, which includes the Voter Voices video essay.

TOOLS

I shot video and photos with the Sony PMW EX1 and Canon 5D Mark ii. I edited in Final Cut Pro.

A video on Pennsylvania Army National Guard’s 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team before their deployment to Iraq on Jan. 20, 2009.

TOOLS

I shot the video on the Sony PMW EX1 and edited the video in Final Cut Pro