THE DOCUMENTARY FILM THAT MUST BE URGENTLY MADE.
“I was blown up,” said a former American soldier using an all too common military description of being hit by explosives at close range. “Since then, nothing in my life seems right. I’ve been wandering … wandering in a wilderness for almost 12 years.” Unfortunately this is not an isolated story, but one that’s told daily by thousands of American heroes of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Atmosphere One Point Five – Survival Under Pressure is a documentary film that follows the life of one such Veteran as he attempts to survive a world filled with domestic issues, violence, unemployment, substance abuse, depression and suicide. The film not only documents the Veteran’s daily challenges, but also examines the potential and effectiveness of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) as an alternative treatment for Traumatic Brain Injury and the related symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This is accomplished through an overarching storyline of following a man on a mission … a quest by the Veteran to no longer exist in survival mode, but to bring a lasting end to his suffering and the suffering of those around him.
While HBOT has been an established form of treatment in the medical field for years, it has not been without its controversies and lack of acceptance. Through the film, HBOT comes under extensive, objective examination, comparing its results to traditional treatment with medication and psychotherapy. The position of the US Military, the policies of the Veterans Administration, the interests of the Pharmaceutical industry, and the use of HBOT by the Israeli Military personnel are also thoroughly scrutinized. Interviews with researchers, physicians, and HBOT Organizations are also presented. The film’s Producers anticipate the featured Veteran going through a 30-45 day HBOT regimen and sharing the conclusions of the therapy.
Atmosphere One Point Five – Survival Under Pressure will be held to the highest standards of production and storytelling with a goal of international distribution. The core team made up of Director Bob Wheeler and Producers Danny Kirsic and Benjamin Rowland brings a combined 80-years of experience in the filmmaking business to this project.
A CREATIVE TEAM THAT
WILL TELL THE STORY
Bob Wheeler, Executive Producer / Director
Bob Wheeler is a seasoned visual storyteller, filmmaker and principal at Wheeler Communications with almost 40 years of production experience. From the beginning, Bob recognized the potential of film and video as a powerful storytelling tool that both entertains and informs. As a result, he has become known in the industry as an accomplished visual storyteller, most always focusing on the personal stories and unique experiences of people in his films. Now working as Executive Producer and Director on most projects, he has also served as Writer, Cinematographer and Editor in numerous projects. For 9 seasons, Bob produced and directed the groundbreaking #1 outdoor reality show "The Best and Worst of Tred Barta" for NBC Sports Network. His filmmaking work has also received 20 Telly Awards, recognized internationally for their production excellence.
Danny Kirsic, Producer
Danny’s collective life experience has made him the filmmaker he is today. For the past 30 years, along with writing music for television, motion pictures and working as a touring musician, Danny has gained respect in the film industry as a Producer, Director of Photography and Cinematographer. Danny’s assignments have taken him from the Arctic Circle to Cape Horn as well as many times around the world, working under extreme conditions and pressure to manage time, content and personnel. While working for networks such as NBC Universal and NBC Sports, he has been personally responsible for the delivery of over 300 episodes of unscripted television and documentaries. Danny would rather be on location any day of the week and has earned three coveted TELLY AWARDS related to his cinematography.
Benjamin Rowland, Producer
Benjamin Rowland began his 20-year career in the industry directing a regional children’s television show at the age of 19 and hasn’t stopped since. Benjamin has directed content for TV and commercials to Hollywood films such as “Insurgent” and “Dumb And Dumber To” and has worked with studios including Netflix, Lionsgate, and Universal, mostly providing cutting edge aerial cinematography. He served as a producer and post-production supervisor on NBC Sports longest running show for 8 years, assuring that the show was profitable and highly rated by its audience. Benjamin’s fascination with the technology behind scenes led him to completely rewire a TV production facility at age 20. Since then he has built specialized drone aircraft before they could be purchased, developed custom post production solutions, built editing computers, and other technologies required to properly tell a story on film.
