Actors Hit The “Thunder Road” To Garner Support For PTSD Film

elevationweb / August 08 2013

(As told by Boot Girl Brandi on IAMBootCampaign.com)

PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) isn’t exactly a fun topic to discuss. We understand that it’s not “fun” to talk about the side effects of war, but the reality is many of our brave defenders are dealing with PTSD when they return home. Not only is it affecting them, but also their families and friends. We want to talk the talk, while we walk the walk with BOOTS ON!

In the past 48 hours, we had the awesome surprise of getting to know three Hollywood Actors who understand that PTSD must be discussed– and they’re making a movie about it! Our new BOOT friends — Steven Grayhm (White Chicks and The Five People You Meet In Heaven) – Matt Dallas (Kyle XY) – and Charlie Bewley (Twilight and Vampire Diaries) — are traveling the country spreading awareness and encouraging Americans to get behind them in the quest to make the film, Thunder Road. (We now affectionately refer to them as the Thunder Road Boys)

For the past two years, these three actors and film makers have immersed themselves in researching the hidden world of veteran life. They’ve traveled across the United States, Great Britain, and Canada. They’ve talked to active duty soldiers, veterans, their families, VA doctors, clinicians and anyone that could give them a little bit more insight on the life of a veteran.

Using their celebrity platform they have gone above and beyond! In talking to them about their journey to make this film, we quickly realized they embody the three most important pillars of Boot Campaign… Cultivating Awareness, Promoting Patriotism, and Providing Assistance. Getting their BOOTS ON already, and they didn’t even know it!

I’m constantly amazed at the way social media has united the Boot Campaign team, and brought on countless new supporters. Let me take you back just a few days to how we met our new friends….

Boot Campaign Celebrity Supporter, Jesse Garcia, sent me a message on Facebook asking me to check out a project that his friends were working on. As soon as I saw the video that Steve, Matt, and Charlie had put together explaining their project, their goals, and their vision…. I knew I had to reach out to them! I sent a message back to Jesse asking him to put me in contact with the “Thunder Road Boys”… but if you know me at all, I got impatient, and went straight to Twitter! Blasted out a few tweets to the boys, and they responded right away. Score! SMALL WORLD, as it turns out they were meeting with one of our Charity Partners, Military Warriors Support Foundation, at that very moment.

It was already a little late in the afternoon so I figured I would wait until the next morning to reach out to them. Not even 30 minutes went by and Matt was leaving me a voicemail telling me they were on their way to Austin from San Antonio and would love to meet up with us. We grabbed a bite to eat. Chatted all things Boot Campaign and Thunder Road. The next day, they were walking through the doors of Boot Campaign HQ to have their first official “Boot Shoot.”

The Thunder Road Boys were only here for a few hours, but we all felt a common bond to share this story. As they hit the road to Dallas, BOOTS in tow, we agreed to help them promote their mission to get this film made. We’d love for you to read more about their Thunder Road KickStarter Campaign, and their schedule of stops throughout the U.S. as they build support for the film.

MORE ABOUT THUNDER ROAD…

Matt Dallas (Kyle XY), Charlie Bewley (Twilight Saga, Like Crazy) and Steven Grayhm (White Chicks) are the latest production team turning to Kickstarter to aid in the development of their script THUNDER ROAD. http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1980006892/thunder-road-feature-film

Thunder Road is a no-holds-barred account of post-war life with respect to the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“There is no movie out there for this generation’s soldier which truly explores the psychological repercussions of life after war the way THE DEER HUNTER and COMING HOME did for their generation. THUNDER ROAD will unveil the hidden truths and unanswered questions for the masses,” says writer Steven Grayhm, who together with Dallas and Bewley head Astoria Entertainment. In development of this voyeuristic glimpse into military life, the team has been gathering hundreds of accounts from the veteran community.

“This a movie about the people, for the people – a community of veterans which make up 15% of the population, not to mention their families, friends and support networks, all of whom are affected. Ultimately, we are all affected. We just don’t see it. This is why Thunder Road, as educational as it is entertaining, is so important.”

Kickstarter.com has been a hot-topic recently with high-profile successes such as Zach Braff and Veronica Mars blowing away their respective dollar amount goals.

The team behind Thunder Road is hoping to hit it big, and have set a Kickstarter goal of $750,000 in the hope of raising additional funds beyond their target.

Without the benefit of a mass existing audience, which were so crucial in the Braff and Veronica Mars campaigns, Bewley had this to say about their ambition: “There are 23 million veterans in the USA and over 5 million in the UK – millions more in the remaining allied forced worldwide. That’s an audience who want their story told. These people are thanked for their service and asked to be quiet about the truth of their challenges post-war. Someone needs to speak up. Thunder Road is that voice.”

July 31st, 2013 will see the launch of the Thunder Road Kickstarter campaign. Astoria will have 40 days to raise the $750,000 target. The guys are planning a nationwide campaign in sync with their crowd-funding time period when they will be peppering national and regional media to spread the word.

They are offering unique incentives and have recently partnered with Coinforce.com – the team behind the 9/11 10th Anniversary Challenge Coin Raising $911,000 for U.S. Military and First Responders via USO and NYPD (issued to all living presidents and featured at the Freedom Tower in NYC). A limited amount of only 1000 coins will be made.

Meet The Guys on the Road!

Twitter Updates:

@themattdallas

@alchemission

@AstoriaFilmCo

“THUNDER ROAD” TOUR DATES

AUG 5-6 – San Antonio, TX

AUG 7 – Dallas, TX – 7pm @ www.morning bellcoffee.com

AUG 8-9 Dallas/Houston

AUG 10-11 – St. Louis, MO #SeniorsSaluteThunderRoad http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCuOvVlffAs&feature=youtu.be

AUG 11-12 – Springfield, MO #SeniorsSaluteThunderRoad http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCuOvVlffAs&feature=youtu.be

AUG 13-14 – Minneapolis, MN