GI PICTURES

GI Pictures is a film production company dedicated to supporting America's troops by giving military veterans and their families access to jobs and training in the entertainment industry through the experience of working on professional film and media projects. It will act as a patriotic yet non-partisan company in this first-time-ever venture connecting military personnel with opportunities in the film industry.

The first initiative is the pitching process in which creative people may submit their ideas and scripts for potential production. This is primarily for writers, producers, and directors. There is also a broader program incorporating casting for actors and crew positions and other media crafts.

Who is leading the GI Pictures mission?

GI Pictures is the brainchild of an Oscar-winning movie producer, whose father served in Vietnam, a retired Marine Corps Master Sergeant turned screenwriter, and a team of seasoned film and internet execs with close ties to our nation’s veterans. Nehst Studios, a new film financing, production, and distribution enterprise, is known for innovation by giving unprecedented access to writers, actors, crew and craft members.

GI Pictures is founded on the belief that men and women who have served, as well as their families, can achieve life-changing success from this endeavor. Many veterans already possess an arsenal of skills needed to create a motion picture. The vocational crossover from military occupational specialties to film crew positions, with appropriate orientation and training, is a fundamental mission of GI Pictures.

Larry Meistrich is head of Nehst Studios, and has produced the Academy Award winner "Sling Blade," as well as "You Can Count on Me," "Belly", and "Croupier," as well as almost 100 films. According to Meistrich, "GI Pictures just makes business sense. It doesn't simply give veterans and their families a shot in the film business, it gives us access to an untapped pool of motivated, disciplined, and team oriented people that already have skills that can be redirected into film production." Cary Abbott, USMC – Ret. adds, "Shooting a film is very similar to a military op. Name a bigger resource for creative talent and crew than the armed forces."

How GI Pictures Works

All active and honorably discharged military personnel, their spouses and children are eligible. If you are an aspiring scriptwriter or producer you will be able to submit scripts and treatments for evaluation on this site. If you are an aspiring director you may submit short films or videos. If you are an actor or other aspiring crew member you may join our database, free, by clicking CAST / CREW.

What kind of projects will GI Pictures do?

We will begin with feature films - the subjects will depend upon submissions received and the Board of Advisors. Projects will be of general entertainment interest, and for fairness will avoid politically-charged subject matter. Using a panel of experts - military and film veterans, GI Pictures will select a project for production from those submitted. GI Pictures will fund the film and choose from the qualified applicants to produce, act, direct, crew, and edit it. This will be a professional feature film and participants will be paid. The project will be under the supervision of “top guns” in the film industry.

GI Pictures Training

In the future, GI Pictures intends to hire people at all levels of expertise, some requiring very short orientation and on the job training periods, some which are longer-term professional crafts and skills. Veterans with existing skills will be placed as appropriate. There will be positions for production assistants, drivers, carpenters and various crafts - supervised by industry pros. We will run regular GI Pictures boot camps for orientation and counseling, and direct interested service members to more advanced training where appropriate. We will actively recruit from the Armed Forces Radio and TV Service, among others, for already trained individuals in advanced positions.

What are the benefits of GI Pictures?

Veterans almost unanimously say that the GI Bill changed their lives. While not a government benefit program, GI Pictures provides an innovative platform for public/private partnership in career development, economic development, and positive image opportunities. Because of the wide range of talents and crafts required for movie production, there are opportunities for everyone. GI Pictures is scalable - all that is needed are additional projects. Private sector partners may even choose to fund projects, with the bonus of additional fiscal benefits.

Everybody benefits from GI Cinema. Veterans can identify career paths, get training and work on actual movies. GI Pictures/Nehst gains access to a strong, disciplined workforce and cost-effective means for creating media projects. The US Government and Department of Defense wins because this program contributes to morale and reinforces a positive image of the armed services. Corporate and non-profit partners and funding sources participate in socially beneficial activities, and where appropriate can get financial benefits. The economy benefits because this is a jobs creation activity with a multiplier effect. And the American people benefit, not only from an inspirational model that stimulates pride, but they can support the activity by patronizing the movies produced.

GI Pictures Charities

As part of our commitment to support the troops, GI Pictures will give a portion of its proceeds to several military charities. Watch this site and press releases for announcements.

Board of Advisors

GI Pictures is currently assembling a blue ribbon Board of Advisers to assist with veterans and military issues, public/private sector partnerships, and development of jobs creation programs. The board will provide input into the selection of media projects that GI Pictures executes and participate in promotion of this initiative. As new members of the Board of Advisers are announced, they will be posted here.