Rough Cut Assignment

April 01, 2009 by Heather

Rough Cut

My video is entitled “Every Marine is a Rifleman” and features SSgt Jon Koshuta—a Marine who enlisted as a bandsmen, yet served in Jordan and Iraq.

The video only included footage of my interview with SSgt Koshuta and still pictures he provided me.  I plan on getting footage this weekend of SSgt Koshuta at Marine Platoon’s Field Exercise.  I also would like to shoot SSgt Koshuta playing scales and “The Marines’ Hymn” on the french horn (thank you Dave!)  My initial intention for this film was to show viewers, the Marine Corps expects every Marine to be able to go to combat, despite what your MOS is.  I selected SSgt Koshuta, because I feel he embodies this.  He enlisted never believing he would go to war.  Yet 9-11 changed this.  Suddenly he was “trading his instrument in for a rifle and taking up base security.”  Later, he served in Jordan and Iraq.  Footage not included from the interview that may be relevant is SSgt Koshuta’s decision to do MECEP was heavily influenced by his time in Jordan and Iraq.  He now wants to become a pilot.

The in-class screening was very helpful.  The biggest thing I took from it was to try to tell SSgt Koshuta’s story and not the Marine Corps’.  Focus on SSgt Koshuta’s transition (bootcamp->Marine Combat Training ->bandman->war->MECEP->future pilot) and how he felt throughout it.

Some specific feedback I would like to receive is how to fix my still photos in my documentary.  I placed the photos in the v2 timeline; however, you can see the interview underneath the photos.  I would also like to know how can I find out if I can even use “The Marines’ Hymn” in my documentary.  Finally, any other comments on how to tell SSgt Koshuta’s story better—what other footage could I use, what is missing from the story, etc.