Mine Warfare Documentary Proposal

MINE WARFARE IN THE U.S. NAVY
“The Weapons That Wait” 

A DISCOVERY/MILITARY CHANNEL DOCUMENTARY

THE MINE WARFARE ASSOCIATION (MINWARA) has in place a program to produce a “Ken Burns”-like one-hour, high-end documentary on the history of Mine Warfare in the U.S. Navy to be broadcast by the Discovery Military Channel.  The focus will be on current and future requirements for mine warfare––mine countermeasures as well as mines and mining––with an additional emphasis on the threat of mines and underwater IEDs to U.S. domestic maritime security, as well as how U.S. mines would support strategies and operations in conventional and “irregular” warfare world wide.  A historical perspective will be taken and the primary theme will be to remember the past to ensure critical capabilities for future needs.


MINWARA has identified a Washington, DC producer (Atlantic Video) that has extensive experience in these types of projects, and our conversations have included senior decision makers at Discovery. 

MINWARA is seeking a partnership with our corporate members to support production of the documentary.  The estimated total cost of the project is $150,000, and MINWARA has committed $50,000 of our own funds for this important effort.  Thus, we are looking to our corporate partners for a total of $100,000 at various levels of support:

At the Presidential Partner sponsorship level ($25,000), the following benefits are provided: 

  • Inclusion of the Presidential Partner’s mine warfare system(s) in the documentary

  • Interview with corporate partner’s representative for potential inclusion in the documentary

  • Prominent display of the corporate logo on the appropriate mine warfare system

  • Prominent display of the corporate name in the documentary film credits every time it is run on Discovery Military Channel

  • Prominent display of the corporate name, logo and a display table at the gala screening at the Atlantic Video headquarters in Washington, DC (18th/K Streets NW)

  • Complimentary tickets for ten to the gala screening at Atlantic Video headquarters in Washington, DC
  • Prominent thanks cited on the MINWARA website and in the Minelines newsletter for two years
  • Verbal thanks from the podium and prominent listing in the printed programs at the next two annual Mine Warfare conferences

At the Executive Partner sponsorship level ($15,000), the following benefits are provided:
  • Inclusion of the Executive Partner’s mine warfare system in the documentary
  • Prominent display of the corporate logo on the appropriate mine warfare system
  • Prominent display of the corporate name in the documentary film credits every time it is run on Discovery Military Channel
  • Prominent display of the corporate name, logo and a display table at the gala screening at the Atlantic Video headquarters in Washington, DC
  • Complimentary tickets for six to the gala screening at Atlantic Video headquarters in Washington, DC
  • Prominent thanks cited on the MINWARA website and in the Minelines newsletter for one year
  • Verbal thanks from the podium and prominent listing in the printed programs at the next annual Mine Warfare conference.
At the Premiere Partner sponsorship Level ($5,000), the following benefits are provided:
  • Prominent display of the corporate name in the documentary film credits every time it is run on Discovery Military Channel
  • Prominent display of the corporate name and logo at the gala screening at the Atlantic Video headquarters in Washington, DC.
  • Complimentary tickets for two to the gala screening at Atlantic Video headquarters in Washington, DC
  • Prominent thanks cited on the MINWARA website and in the Minelines newsletter for one year
  • Verbal thanks from the podium and prominent listing in the printed programs at the next annual Mine Warfare conference
We intend to begin production in the late fall 2008 timeframe, which will allow completion of the documentary by the spring of 2009.  We will schedule a premiere showing in Washington DC for government officials, including key congressional members and staffs and USN/USMC/Joint/OSD leadership, as soon as feasible after completion of the production. We would also show the documentary as part of the MINWARA Spring 2009 conference (May 18-21) in Panama City, Florida.

In order for Minwara to move forward with this important endeavor, we need to have commitments from our industy partners.  We would greatly appreciate your informing us of the  partnership level your corporation would commit to the project and how soon you might be able to provide the actual funding.  We must have approximately one-half of the corporate commitments in hand, in addition to MINWARA’s funding, before we can commence.

Thank you.

 Paul Ryan, President, MINWARA, 703-448-6081x207, pryan@wbbinc.com

John Pearson, MINWARA Documentary Lead, 757-480-0510, jdpearson@msn.com