American Made Movie Review – Re-Born in the USA
- Details
- Category: Indies, Docs, Foreign Film
- Published on Thursday, 29 August 2013 06:35
- Written by Janet Walker
“American Made Movie,” from Life Is My Movie and Variance Films, brings to the screen a call-to-action documentary presenting a plan to return American Made to a position of strength in the global economy.
From Directors Nathaniel Thomas McGill and Vincent Vittorio, “American Made Movie” begins with a look down memory lane at the heyday of Manufacturing in the United States.
“American Made Movie” weaves together stories of dreamers those entrepreneurs who etched out a piece of the American dream only to have the bottom fall out as their American dream was outsourced for a better deal.
Beginning with a brief overview of the great manufacturing period in American History which explained by Lee Sheppard, Contributing Editor for Tax Analysts, is defined as The Compression Period. From the end of World War II through 1979, she explains how America manufactured everything from automobiles to shoes to textiles to airplanes.
During this time Made in America was a image that had weight in the global economy and challenged foreign governments to create a more effective and efficient manufacturing machine.
“American Made Movie” interweaves this brief and interesting history lesson with vibrant images from the glory days and forwards to the decayed, empty and dilapidated factories of present. It is a sad sight.
Voice over includes every news station reading the death notices as factory after factory until even Bethlehem Steel closed its doors which seemed to seal a “Dead and Do Not Resuscitate” label for America manufacturing.
Unprecedented as to scope and effect “American Made Movie” knits together a patchwork of cause and effect. The decline and demise of America’s great manufacturing age becomes forerunner to the greatest economic recession since the Great Depression of the 1930’s that is still plaguing Americans.
“America Made” interviews three entrepreneurs as well as three manufactures refusing to cave to the pressures of the bottom line and are intent on producing their goods in America.
Rick Redman, Communications VP for Hillerich & Bradsby Co., explained the process behind every Louisville Slugger and the company’s refusal to have the symbol of America’s pastime outsourced as seen in the opening scenes of “American Made Movie” many of the necessary elements including baseballs, gear and baseball caps are all manufactured outside the USA.
New Balance, CEO, Robert DeMartini, is featured as he explains the process of manufacturing New Balance Athletic shoes and is very candid from a CEO viewpoint on the reasons behind outsourcing and the commitment New Balances has, even as they are the last athletic shoemaker in the United States, to keep one foot, so to speak, on American soil.
Carter Beard President of Annin Flagmakers, of Coshocton, Ohio, who found it a disgrace to have the emblem of our freedom, the American Flag manufactured, due to cost effectiveness, in China.
“American Made Movie” also tell the stories of self made entrepreneurs, CEO Mark Andol of General Welding and Fabricating and Merrie Buchsbaum, Merrily Made, Founder and Owner, each revealing the humble beginnings of their enterprises through the economic decline, shocking fall and amazing turnaround.
The experts also weigh in the demise and resurrection of the manufacturing including Chris Michalakis, Metro Detroit AFL-CIO, President; Lee Sheppard, Tax Analysts, Contributing Editor; Gilbert Kaplan, King & Spalding, Trade Lawyer; Scott N. Paul, Alliance for American Manufacturing; Director, Steve Suranovic, George Washington University, Professor; Paco Underhill, Envirosell Inc., Founder; Dave M Walker, Former U.S. Comptroller General and Founder and CEO of Comeback America Initiative; Fred Carl Jr., Viking Range Corporation, Founder.
What is stunning is that the CEO’s, the experts, analysts, lawyers all agree on one compelling fact: Americans can restore America’s manufacturing golden days. It may be a 21st Century Middle Class, and a modernized 21st Century manufacturing sector, and still the single most important element is the consumer.
Consumers control the market place, as is pointed out repeatedly in “American Made Movie.” After speaking with the directors, which will follow separately, one of the strongest points made in our interview was the fact that consumers create the demands in the marketplace.
Citing the Organic market as an example; Ten years ago Organic was considered elitist and now as consumers have demanded the change, every major food retailer carries Organic products in large or small sections. It is that simple.
Unemployment, decaying communities, bombed out plants, the remnants of a pinnacle, of a great time period that supplied the world with goods, can be resuscitated. The "Dead and Do Not Resuscitate" label the consumer has branded American goods is fabricated, a myth, folklore.
Every person in America, from the CEO of Fortune 500 Companies to the store owner in Middle America, can make a difference and exact change.
Look at the labels, buy locally supports the neighborhood economy; buying in state, supports the state’s economy and buying American supports Americans everywhere.
Buying American puts Americans back to work. Support American made products; demand American made products and like the consumer demands for the organic products, slowly retailers will begin to meet the demands of the consumer.
“American Made Movie” provides, in 84 minutes, enough information for every consumer to understand the balance between consumer and manufacturer; between supply and demand; and the importance of the American manufacturer in a global economy.
“American Made Movie” opens in select cities September 6, 2013.
