A Neighbor's Mission. A Story Worth Telling.
How a chance connection with a neighbor led to an award-winning documentary, a PBS broadcast, and an ambitious new film exploring one of the most important stories of our time.
One of the things I love most about Brown County is that you never know who you might meet around the next bend in the road.
A few years ago, a friend of a friend in Indianapolis mentioned someone named Lisa Hall. They told me she lived somewhere in Brown County and was working on a documentary project. At the time, I had no idea that "somewhere in Brown County" meant practically next door.
As it turns out, Lisa lives only a few hundred yards from my home—about a two-minute walk.
That introduction led to a friendship and a creative collaboration. I had the opportunity to help Lisa develop the logo and brand identity for her production company, Glory Girl Productions, and later assist with marketing efforts surrounding her first documentary film, The Addicts Wake.
What makes Lisa's story so remarkable is that she had never done anything like this before.
Most people spend years talking about the projects they hope to tackle someday. Lisa simply decided to do it.
The Addicts Wake explored the devastating impact of addiction on individuals, families, and communities. The film resonated deeply with audiences and went on to receive recognition on the film festival circuit, including honors at the Heartland International Film Festival. Even more impressively, it was later broadcast nationally on PBS, bringing its message to millions of viewers across the country.
Not bad for a first-time filmmaker.
But Lisa wasn't finished.
Her latest project, Dying for Freedom, may be her most ambitious undertaking yet.
The documentary examines one of the most troubling and persistent challenges facing our nation’s veterans: why so many continue to struggle after returning home from military service—and why veteran suicide rates remain stubbornly high despite billions of dollars in funding, countless support organizations, public awareness campaigns, and extensive governmental programs.
Rather than simply raising awareness, Dying for Freedom asks difficult questions.
What happens when veterans leave behind the structure, purpose, identity, and community that military service often provides? Why do so many veterans report challenges accessing consistent and effective mental health care? Are the systems and organizations designed to help veterans truly producing measurable outcomes? And if not, what needs to change?
The film explores issues ranging from delayed access to care and inconsistencies within the VA system to the impact of pre-service trauma, adverse childhood experiences, and the often-fragmented landscape of veteran support services.
These are not easy conversations. Nor are they conversations that can be solved with slogans, bumper stickers, or another awareness campaign.
What impressed me from the beginning was that Lisa wasn't interested in creating a film that simply tells people what they already know. Most Americans are aware that veterans face challenges. The real question is why, despite enormous resources and good intentions, the outcomes often fail to match the effort.
That willingness to ask harder questions is what gives the project its power.
Today, Dying for Freedom is in its fundraising and awareness-building phase. A professionally produced trailer has been released, and the production team is working to build support among veterans, veteran families, VFW and American Legion posts, civic organizations, foundations, corporate sponsors, and individual donors.
The goal is not merely to complete a documentary. The goal is to spark meaningful discussion, encourage accountability, inspire community involvement, and ultimately help improve the lives of veterans who have already sacrificed so much in service to our country.
I've had the privilege of contributing to the project through branding, marketing strategy, messaging, fundraising support materials, website direction, and campaign positioning. My role has been helping create a consistent public-facing identity that reflects both the seriousness of the subject matter and the importance of the mission.
One of the themes I find myself returning to is that important work doesn't always begin in major cities, large studios, or corporate boardrooms. Sometimes it begins in small communities, among neighbors, with people willing to ask difficult questions and dedicate themselves to finding answers.
That's exactly what I see happening with Dying for Freedom.
And I'm excited to see where the journey leads next.