Project Clear Vision (film)

Project Clear Vision - The Anthrax Conspiracy is an American independent film written, produced, and directed by Dallas, Texas filmmaker Jonathan Van Voorhees in 2007. The film fictionalizes accounts of actual events surrounding the anthrax attacks following the World Trade Center attack on 9/11, and two secret government Biological weapons development programs (Project Clear Vision and Project Bacchus).

The Anthrax attacks following the attacks of 9/11, covert government biological weapons programs, and New World Order conspiracy theories are prominent themes of Project Clear Vision. the film interweaves actual events with fictionalized accounts of events that may, or may not, have taken place to create this docufiction film. Because Top secret government programs are tightly controlled and information sparse or non-existent it is impossible to determine the validity of many or the assertions made in the film.

Film Premise

The films plot was constructed on the premise that one of the scientists that worked at the Project Bacchus research facility had confided to a friend and former co-worker, Katherine Peeples, that he had worked on a Top Secret government project to develop anthrax and that he feared for his life because others at the facility had mysteriously died within weeks of one another.[1] This premise was constructed after the producer received a video tape supposedly recorded by a woman named Katherine Peeples, who related a story told to her by Michael Patrick,[2] an actual researcher involved in biological research possibly at UTMB National Biocontainment Laboratory in Galveston, Texas. However, the character Michael Patrick in the film is fictionalized being based on a composite of several biological researchers profiles. The existence of Katherine Peeples has never been verified.

Plot

Michael Patrick arrives at the door of his friend and colleague, Katherine Peeples, with a fantastic tale of scientists that have died under suspicious circumstances,[3] a top secret government program called Project Bacchus designed to produce anthrax, a Los Angeles area gynecologist Larry Ford who has developed a contraceptive that stops the transmission of the HIV virus for the Apartheid government of South Africa, a gold mine full of anthrax, and the attempted murder of the gynecologists partner, and a series of lab assistants that had been drugged and raped while working for the doctor.[4] Michael relates his fears that the scientists working on the project are being systematically eliminated. Afraid that she is getting involved in something over her head and believing that media exposure is the only safety measure available to Michael, Katherine convinces him to contact the media and expose the project.

When Michael attempts to contact the media his messages are intercepted and he is offered a bribe for his silence. Convinced that his best bet for safety is to leave the country with the money, Michael attempts to convince Katherine to come along. She refuses but Michael insists that they should lay low and let things blow over. Then Michael spies a former lab assistant from the secret government lab emerging from a farm supply store in the small Oklahoma town near Turner Falls where Michael and Katherine are hiding.

Convinced that the lab assistant is following them for nefarious purposes Michael insists that he and Katherine flee. Michael leaves Katherine at a cabin near the falls and goes to fill the car with gas. While he is filling up the car with gas, someone attempts to murder Katherine at the cabin where they have been hiding out. Upon his return, after reviving Katherine, he agrees to try once again to contact the media. Katherine arranges a meeting with a Dallas television station where Michael makes his assertions public. Shortly thereafter Michael contracts West Nile virus and becomes progressively sicker and sicker.

Katherine attempts to find treatment for Michael but is unable to help. While emerging from a Dallas pharmacy she is chased by government agents and seeks the assistance of a friend who videotapes her deposition. This tape is supposedly the deposition that ended up in the hands of the film's producer.

Background and writing

Jonathan Van Voorhees, the writer and producer of the film, had read the 2001 book written by The New York Times reporters Judith Miller, Stephen Engelberg and William J. Broad, Germs: Biological Weapons and America's Secret War, and developed an interest in U.S. Government testing of biological weapons on civilians without their knowledge and consent. This research led to a broad general knowledge of biological weapons programs which Van Voorhees drew upon during the development of the script.

Katherine Peeples' taped deposition was delivered to Van Voorhees early in 2003. Van Voorhees contacted friend Ross Sheridan about developing the story conveyed on the tape into a script for production as a Low-budget film. Sheridan and Van Voorhees met regularly at a variety of Dallas area Starbucks over the next nine months writing and revising the script. Nichole Quintana, who is credited with co-story credit, worked on the project in its early stages but dropped out as the script neared completion.

The writing process for Project Clear Vision was easy and many ideas were explored before the script was finalized. One of the biggest challenges of the writing project was sorting through the huge volume of information and dates collected while the team was researching the validity of the information presented in Katherine Peeples taped deposition. Much of the information could be validated through public sources, however some of the critical elements such as Michael Patrick's involvement with Project Bacchus or his involvement with Peeples were never verified, but were included in the film because there was no other way to tie the information together.

Production

There were no story boards but at an investor meeting in 2004 at the Holiday Inn Express in Richardson, Texas, Van Voorhees presented a trailer-like video [5] consisting of excerpts from Katherine Peeples' video taped deposition.[6] The story was well received by the audience.

Production began in June 2005 and proceeded on and off for the next nine months as actors schedules could be accommodated and locations became available. All locations were scouted by the director, Jonathan Van Voorhees, and his production assistant, Tanya Laree, both prior to the start of filming and while filming was underway.

The film was actually videotaped using SVHS and Sony digital video cameras. Editing was done using Adobe Premiere Pro 7.0. Editing was completed in 2007 and took approx 18 months from the completion of filming. This was due largely to technical issues relating the various tape formats used during filming.

The cover was designed by the producer and the film was entered in the Thin Line Film Festival in Denton, Texas in September 2007.

Auditions

Without waiting to raise all of the production funds Van Voorhees decided to proceed with auditions. He placed announcements on several talent websites and on various acting organizations' newsletters for the first round of auditions. The first auditions were held in a bar in Deep Ellum in Dallas, Texas. These auditions drew a small crowd but several of those present at this audition were eventually cast in the film. Tonya Laree offered to be Van Voorhees production assistant during this audition and remained in that capacity throughout the production.

A second round of auditions was held at the Sammons' Center for the Arts, thanks to the assistance of its Executive Director, Joanna St. Angelo.

A final round of auditions was held at UT Dallas with the assistance of Beth Keithly.

While auditions were being conducted Van Voorhees and Laree began to scout locations. The film was to be set in a wide range of locations from South Africa, to Nevada, to southern California. Initially the Dallas Film Commission, the Texas Film Commission, and the Amarillo Film Commission were approached for assistance, however, the Seymour, Texas Chamber of Commerce was particularly helpful in providing information and arranging tours of potential locations in the Texas panhandle area. Van Voorhees and Laree were able to locate all of the necessary locations within 200 miles of the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex.

Setting

The film has multiple settings which was a challenge during production due to a limited budget. Locations included the Republic of South Africa, Santa Monica/Los Angeles, California, Nevada, and Oklahoma, and included interior and exterior shots of hospitals, research labs, airports, mansions, and government facilities, most of which were reluctant to extend permission to shoot to a low budget film.

Locations

Most of the film takes place in the Dallas, Texas area with scenes of Deep Ellum, Dallas, Texas; Mockingbird Station DART Station, Parkland Memorial Hospital, and downtown Dallas. Scenes shot in Lucy's Cafe in Celina, Texas and the Agape Coffee House in Aledo, Texas doubled for locations supposed to be in Oklahoma. Scenes shot outside of Grandbury, Texas and in Caprock Canyons State Park and Trailway doubled for the Nevada desert. Scenes shot near Crowley, Texas doubled for the Republic of South Africa near the Namibian border, and scenes shot near Willow Bend Mall in Plano, Texas doubled for a Safari camp in South Africa. Scenes that doubled for Santa Monica, California were shot in an office complex on Twilight Lane in Richardson, Texas and a housing development called Savannah off of Highway 380 near Denton, Texas.

Interior scenes of research facilities and hospital labs were shot at Kim Dawson Studios in Dallas, Texas, and in a Denton, Texas High school science lab. Hospital interiors were shot without permission at Parkland Hospital, and some exteriors were shot at Richardson Regional Medical Center in Richardson, Texas. Apartment scenes were shot in the director's home, a studio loft in Los Colinas, Texas, and an apartment complex in Lewisville, Texas. Scenes of Larry Ford's mansion were shot at a home on Inwood Road in Dallas, Texas. Scenes of the Santa Monica Airport were shot in an abandoned terminal at the Denton Municipal Airport.

Genre

Project Clear Vision is a docufiction film based on actual events surrounding the anthrax attacks post 9/11, and the story of a Los Angeles area gynecologist named Larry Ford who was discovered during this time period to have buried barrels of anthrax in his back yard.

Factual Elements

1. February 28, 2000 James Patrick Riley was shot in front of his offices at BioFem in Santa Monica, California. His partner, Dr. Larry Ford, is suspected of hiring a hit man to kill Riley.
2. March 2, 2000 Larry Ford committed suicide.
3. March 9, 2000 acting on an anonymous tip police searched Larry Ford's home and discovered barrels of anthrax buried around the swimming pool in Dr. Ford's backyard.
4. In May 2000 the magazine Cockburn reported that Dr. Ford had worked with Dr. Wouter Basson, head of the South African biological warfare program known as Project Coast.
5. In June 2000, Salon.com claimed investigators had found evidence connecting Ford with the South African Defense Forces and Project Coast
6. The New York Times reported on the existence of the lab in an article titled, "U.S. Germ Warfare Research Pushes Treaty Limits" written by Judith Miller, Stephen Engelberg and William J. Broad, published: September 4, 2001
7. The CIA acknowledged the existence of a secret anthrax production facility on September 10, 2001 The production facility was used in the development of simulated anthrax for Project Bacchus.
8. Anthrax was mailed to members of Congress and television media arriving on September 18, 2001
9. The anthrax was determined to have originated from the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases and U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command bio-research facilities at Fort Detrick, Maryland
10. December 16, 2001 DNA testing of the anthrax in the Leahy letter matches the Ames strain.
11. According to the Sunday Independent (South Africa), a South African newspaper, Ford provided weapons training seminars to scientists working with the South African Defense Forces on Project Coast.
12. November 3, 2002, the New York Times reported that Dr. Ford's business card and directions for making chemical and biological weapons, including anthrax, were recovered by police from a gold mine in Nevada.
13. BioPort is was an actual facility contracted by the United States Department of Defense to manufacture anthrax vaccines that is partially owned by Porton Down owned by Emergent BioSolutions whose CEO is Fuad El-Hibri a Muslim with ties to the bin Laden family.

Fictional Elements

1. Michael Patrick was a biological researcher at UTMB Galveston but (so far as is known) was not involved with Project Bacchus.
2. Katherine Peeples may be fictional.
3. The video tape deposition of Katherine Peeples may not be authentic.
4. Todd Miller is a fictional character although the National Veterinary Services Laboratories is an actual facility in Ames, Iowa.
5. It is unlikely that money was offered in exchange for Michael Patrick's silence since he is a fictional character. Even though Katherine Peeples makes a statement to this effect in her taped deposition. Even if the authenticity of the tape could be determined, her statements cannot be proven.
6. There may or may not have been any connection between Project Bacchus, BioPort, Fort Detrick, Dugway Proving Ground, and Porton Down

Style

The film is a combination of deposition mixed with classical Hollywood narrative told in non-linear narrative style. The main character in the film provides a linear narrative in the form of a deposition, which includes deposition-like narrative of a second character (who is not living in the present), who refers to disparate events occurring at various points in time each event is told as a separate narrative story in classic linear style.

The basic affect of this type of storytelling is somewhat jarring in that the viewer must make the transition from the present to the near past and then sometimes to the distant past in order to follow the thread of story. The overall affect of this story within a story within a story method is to create a Chinese puzzle box style of film that mirrors the secret, and layered, nature of conspiracies. The film is edited using cuts and fades to delineate recent events and progressive wipes to mark the transition to more distant occurrences (see Cut (filmmaking) ).

Symbolism

In a general sense the film does not use a lot of embedded symbolism. However there is some symbolism employed in the film's making.

The opening title uses a background of television static which is symbolic of the veil of secrecy surrounding government projects and the obscuring of the truth about certain subjects. the anthrax attacks that followed 9/11 were investigated by the FBI but no conclusion was reached for over 7 years concerning who might have perpetrated the attacks. Even with the FBI finding that a Fort Detrick scientist named Bruce E. Ivins was the culprit there are still lingering questions due to the convenience (in terms of preserving secrecy) of his untimely death.[7]

The veil is parted and the opening title is followed by a statement about the secret nature of government defense projects and a brief recollection of facts leading up to the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center.

The opening sequence juxtaposes scenes of the September 11 attacks with events related to the anthrax mailings as a way of putting the attacks into context with one another. As a television news reporter relates information about the anthrax attacks the film cuts to a shot of hands addressing an envelope, placing powder into the envelope, and sealing it. Hands being symbolic of balance, choice, contrast, and justice (holding scales).

In art hidden hands symbolize humility and the hands in the film are in full view suggesting that the person responsible was highly egotistical. The White House, United States Capitol, and Hart Senate Office Building are juxtaposed symbolizing the targets the mailer selected, which are in themselves symbols of power, presumably chosen by the mailer to illustrate their power to prevail over the most powerful institutions of government, another hint about the perpetrators egotistical tendencies.

A man arrives at a secret government facility, opens the door of his car, gets out and approaches a gate that must be unlocked, although we do not see him unlock it, we presume he enters because he has a key. This sequence is symbolic of the films intent to reveal secrets that have been previously locked away.

As we approach the facility we are peering through a window at two men engaged in some undetermined activity, possibly packing or unpacking thing. Peering through the window being an allusion to our trying to peer behind the veil of secrecy surrounding this particular project and the anthrax attacks in a larger sense. Once inside the facility we are confronted with another window, this one into an office where we can hear a man's cryptic conversation with an unidentified person on the other end of the line. Then he opens a file folder. Again a viewer finds themselves peeling away layer after layer, opening door after door, to get to the heart of the matter reinforcing the Chinese puzzle box nature of government secrets and the style of the film.

Men in dark glasses are a stereotype for secret government activities such as surveillance conducted by the FBI and CIA. The woman they are following disappears a foreshadowing of her eventual fate. A train door opens and she enters, being transported to a place where she can find safety. An interior shot of a woman knocking on a door, opened by a friend is another example of opening doors to reveal things. In this instance the woman reveals her burden, her knowledge of a secret government project, to a friend.

Throughout the film things are opened to reveal new information, doors, briefcases, and folders are used to symbolize another layer of the secret and the story. The viewer also finds themselves frequently peering through windows a symbolic separation that denotes the ability to see what is going on but because the window does separate the viewer from that which is being viewed there is always a certain ambiguity about the true nature of the events being viewed, especially when no audio is available to help with the analysis of the visual information.

Sound and music

The basic sound track was the recorded dialog of the actors and any background noise present during the shooting. Since much of the shooting was done on location and outdoors the sound track was difficult to piece together. Many of the sound effects such as doors opening and closing, car motors starting and running, restaurant noise, train noise, and airport noise, were recorded separately and dubbed in. This was possible because of Adobe Premier Pro's ability to add and/or overlap sound tracks as necessary. Some segments of the film used as many as eight tracks to achieve their final sound recording.

The musical score was originally supposed to be created by a Dallas area composer who was forced to drop out of the project after taking a job in Seattle, Washington. The producer, Jonathan Van Voorhees, pieced together the soundtrack that is used in the film from public domain recordings of Gustav Holst's The Planets adjusting the duration of the musical segments to alter the pitch of the music to create the desired effect. Also included in the film were segments of songs written and performed by Anika Paris (daughter of Maurice Peress) and David Youtz.

Sources, inspirations, and allusions

Two primary sources for information used in the film were the story of Dr. Larry Ford as told by Rachel Bell on the TruTV Crime Library website,[8] and the videotaped deposition of Katerine Peeples.

The inspiration for the style of the film is a movie titled 12 Monkeys directed by Terry Gilliam and staring Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe, Brad Pitt and Christopher Plummer.

Distribution

The film was released direct to DVD in the fall of 2007 by Z List Films and has had limited distribution.

References

• New York Times - California Doctor's Suicide Leaves Many Troubling Mysteries Unsolved
• 60 Minutes - 'Dr. Death' And His Accomplice
• Salon - Mad Scientist
• County of Orange Press Release - Biologic Agents Identified by Mark Harton, M.D.
• Anthrax-Letters Investigation Amerithrax ― The Ignored South African Front
• Ibrahim, Fuad and Nancy El-Hibri, Admiral William J. Crowe, Jr.

Source Material

• Project Anthrax by Alex Constantine [9]
• Analyzing the Anthrax Attacks [10]
• Anthrax, Greed, and Deceit by Cheryl Seal
• Washington Post - White House Mail Machine has Anthrax [11]
• The Medicine Man by Edward Humes [12]
• Biofem Conspiracy Led by Ford, Probe Alleges by Jack Leonard [13]
• Dr. Larry C. Ford [14]

Further reading

• Tucker, Jonathan B. "Biological Threat Assessment: Is the Cure Worse Than the Disease?", Arms Control Today, October 2004.
• Miller, Judith, Engelberg, Stephen and Broad, William J. Germs: Biological Weapons and America's Secret War, (Google Books), Simon and Schuster, 2002, (ISBN 0-684-87159-9).
• -- "U.S. Germ Warfare Research Pushes Treaty Limits", The New York Times, September 4, 2001.

External links

• IMDB: Project Clear Visions: The Anthrax Conspiracy