I really enjoyed my interview today with Dale Harlan, a war hero from World War II. Dale served in the Army Air Corp in the Battle of Midway and then as a paratrooper for the 101st Airborne (Screaming Eagles) in Holland and Bastogne and th...e Battle of the Bulge. Dale was injured in battle and earned two Purple Hearts, two Bronze Stars, and other medals. After the war Dale served in the Oregon State Legislature twice and was a practicing attorney for 40 years. Dale is a typical quiet hero living next door.
US Army Brigadier General Julius Braun (ret) with RJ McHatton
I enjoyed my interview with US Army Brigadier General Julius Braun who served in WW2, Korea, worked with Dr. Von Braun and German scientists on rockets, missiles and Space program.
Julius' father was a famous US General killed in WWII. Like father like son, they both became Generals.
US Army General Gustav J. Braun.
US ARMY Brigadier General Gustav J. Braun, Jr. was the Assistant Division Commander of the 34th Division at the time of his death in 1945 in combat in Italy.
He was the highest ranking US soldier killed in action during WWII.
Sharath Dorbala, Senior Vice President of Vertafore, a very impressive company located in Bothell, WA. I interviewed Sharath for the Bellevue Chamber Eastside Business Awards.
RJ with Patrick Husting, CEO of Extended Results, one of the top ten fastest growing companies in Washington. I interviewed Patrick for the Bellevue Chamber's Eastside Business Awards video project. RJ with Sunny Gupta, CEO of Apptio, one of the fastest growing companies in America. I was very impressed with Sunny during my interview for the Bellevue Chamber's Eastside Business Awards video project.
Here is Brayden Olson and the amazing team at Novel, Inc. Unbelievable, incredible interview with Brayden Olson, CEO of Novel, Inc. He is one of the most inspiring CEOs I have met so far. Incredible energy, very articulate, and super focused on his vision for Novel.
RJ McHatton with Chuck Oxford, owner of Lakeside Collision Center of Bellevue. It was great learning so much about how technology and relationships with customers for life has become the foundation of the new "body shop" business. I was very impressed with Chuck and his entire team. We were shooting a video about their company for the Bellevue Chamber Eastside Business Awards.
Tom Varga, RJ McHatton, and Bill Palmer.
I enjoyed my interview with Tom Varga CEO of CFO Selections and Bill Palmer CEO of CFO Selections Foundations for the Bellevue Chamber Eastside Business Awards video.
RJ McHatton and Steve Singh CEO of Concur.
It was a very inspiring and remarkable experience interviewing Steve Singh, CEO of Concur, for the Bellevue Chamber Eastside Business Awards video and my new documentary CEOs of AMERICA.
RJ McHatton with Ryan Wuerch, CEO of Motricity, one of America's fastest growing companies. This was shot as part of our video for the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce Eastside Business Awards.
Rj McHatton with Holly Halweg, Manager at Amen Clinics in Bellevue, WA. I was very impressed with the entire team at Amen Clinics. They are so enthusiastic and great people. We shot some great video footage for the Bellevue Chamber Eastside Business Awards!
It was great meeting and interviewing Duke Moscrip, CEO of Duke's Chowder restaurants. Very inspiring story for my "CEOs of America" documentary project. Thanks goes to Producer David Ogle for putting this interview together, and for taking this photo.
It was great meeting and interviewing Chris Martin, CEO of Cleanscapes of Seattle, WA for our "CEOs of America" project. Chris is a great leader who started his business because he got mad that no one was taking responsibility for cleaning up the neighborhood in the Pioneer District of Seattle, so he and a couple friends just did it! Great example of a small business with great leadership who is thriving in this new economy.
Theo White Wrestling Training Video DVD-- we are having a lot of fun editing together 49 chapters in a cool new wrestling training DVD starring Theo White, former All-American wrestler, and who plays a mean bass, too.
"Pay to Play" Feature Film Production--We are in pre-production on an exciting new fictional feature film to be shot this Summer with hopes to get it into Sundance this year. It's a musical romance film written and directed by RJ McHatton, with music by many terrific artists, including Lisa O'Kane. You can hear her music at www.lisaokane.com
Lester Maddox Documentary--Director RJ McHatton has started production on a new historical documentary film project about the life and times of Lester Maddox, considered by many to be America's most hated man in the 60s. You can learn about this project at www.lestermaddox.com
RJ McHatton with Clayton Jones, CEO of Rockwell Collins, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. CEO's of America Project--over the past five years RJ has interviewed literally hundreds of CEOs talking about important topics as Values, Character, Secrets to Success, and Vision. Now we are putting together a new Video website dedicated to the voice of the American CEO and their wisdom. To learn more about this project go towww.ceosofamerica.com
Sleep School Feature Film Production--RJ McHatton is working on a terrific new feature film project based on his original screenplay--a hilarious new fictional comedy film--no its not a remake of a Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall movie--but it's sure funny! Coming Soon.
Leo the Liberator Documentary--we only have one more interview left to finish this incredible documentary about an American GI who witnessed the liberation of the Buchenwald concentration camp. For many years, Leo Hymas has dedicated his time for free to help kids in schools to learn first hand about the horrors of the Holocaust. Here is a short clip from some interviews we have had with Leo the Liberator: video clip
(Yes that is Chuck Norris in Iraq with my youngest sister Patty McHatton)--The New Fighting Seabees Documentary Film Project--it all started as a short video about my sister Patty and her deployment as a Navy Seabees during the Iraq war. Then we started getting contacted by Seabees all over the nation who had served in WW2, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf Wars and more.--So we decided to make a full length feature documentary about the real living Seabees. Only two more interviews and this movie will be done. For more info go towww.seabeesmovie.com
Flying Man Documentary Film Project--Life and Times of Johnny Myers -- greatest test pilot of all time? We are in the final phase of editing of this exciting and interesting feature length docuementary. To learn more about this project go to www.flyingmandocumentary.com
Grace and Luke Kim Video Biography--after more than two years we are almost finished the wonderful journey to the Video Biography of Grace and Luke Kim. Rj first met Grace and Luke during the making of his documentary "Ship of Miracles" about rescue of civilian refugees from the Korean War. You can learn more about Grace and Luke Kim at www.lukeandgracekim.com
Grace Kim, Dr. Luke Kim, Esther Hyun, and RJ McHatton Grace and Luke Kim, Esther Hyun, RJ McHatton at the Korean Celebration at the SS Lane Victory ship which saved over 7000 refugees during the Hungnam evacuation on Christmas Eve 1950. Subject of my documentary "Ship of Miracles" www.shipofmiracles.com
Esther Hyun's father, Dr. Bong Hak Hyun was called the "Schindler of Korea" because he personally convinced the US General Almond to take 100,000 civilian refugees on about 190 ships during the Hungnam evacuation on Christmas Eve 1950. I am working on the video biography of Dr. Luke and Grace Kim, too.
We had a great time at the Living Legends of Aviation event at the Beverly Hilton hotel. Our videos were well received, especially the cheers during the Jim Lovell video. Here are links to the videos for your review.
We are looking to bring on five new Producers. For more information call Bill at 503-475-8212
Gordon Graham Projects
Our good friend Gordy Graham is busy writing his new book "Leave the Door Open" and we are proud to be helping Gordy and Cathy Crosslin and Instar Performance to edit together all of Gordy's famous video tape seminars from all the years and get them onto DVD. We are also shooting new videos with Gordy and Cathy Crosslin about CHANGE. For more information go to www.gordygraham.com or www.instarperformance.com
Pork in the Pines BBQ Competition and Music Festival
We are very proud to be the official video production company this year for the 2nd Annual Pork in the Pines BBQ Cook-off Competition and Music Festival scheduled for July 22-24 in Cle Elum, WA. They are expecting a hundred thousand people will attend this year's event. Recently the Pork in the Pine has joined the Kansas City Barbecue Society, the largest organization of BBQ enthusiasts in the world. To learn more about this year's exciting event, go to www.pork-in-the-pines.com
John McDonald Memorial Video & Football Documentary
Recently we lost a great friend, John McDonald, to a bad car crash. We created a short memorial video that will be shown at events in May in Bremerton and Seattle. A while back John McDonald enthusiastically told me a great story about his youth, when he was on the football team at the Star of the Sea school in Bremerton. For tens of years the school had never won a single football game. Then suddenly when John and his buddies were coached by a local military man, they went to the State Championship!. John always said it was a great story that should be made into a film. Well, I am hoping to meet a lot of John's friends and put together a short film about that winning Season and that winning team. Coming soon!
Association of Personal Historians
One of the coolest groups in the world is the Association of Personal Historians. These are men and women who help people write their memoirs or to capture their memories through an oral history or video biography. The Northwest Chapter of the APH is having a meeting in the Puget Sound area on April 30th. You can learn more about the APH atwww.personalhistorians.org
Heidi's Promise Video Project
We are helping this non profit to make a video that will help explain their story and mission. You can learn more about Heidi's Promise at www.heidispromise.org
Delta Society Video Project
We are helping this non profit to make a series of training videos for their Pet Handlers Program. You can learn more about The Delta Society at www.deltasociety.org
"The Brilliants" - new novel by RJ McHatton
RJ is just about finished with his new novel set in 18th century England. COMING SOON.
Lisa M Wedding
We are happy to be producing a creative "Documentary" style wedding video this May for a nice couple from Kirkland, Washington. These documentary style weddings are pretty cool because it is sort of like a reality show wedding!
Jim Zuur 70th Birthday and Documentary
We are almost finished creating a cool documentary about the 70th birthday party of Jim Zuur. Part documentary, part video biography, part party--this has been a very fun project about a great inspiring man.
RJ McHatton and the Inventive Productions Team were commissioned by Stacy Kvam and SK Wedding and Event Design of Seattle to shoot and produce a unique documentary film about the wedding of two wonderful people from Moscow who were gettting married in Seattle on Easter Day. For the first time in many years Easter Sunday was landing on the same day for many different kinds of religions. That is why Elena and James chose to be married on Easter Sunday. Family and friends from all across the globe travelled to Seattle for this joyous event. Like a cinema verite movie or more like a classic Fellini movie with such interesting characters, our documentary of the wedding day experience turned out to be a real life magical moment. You can see the Dwyer Wedding Movie Trailer by CLICKING HERE.
Gordon Graham
Cross-Country USA Roadshow
Live Seminars
We are proud to be producing the newcross-country roadshow of America's "Godfather of Change," Gordy Graham. I first met Gordy in 1988 when my dad and I went to a sales seminar with this most unusual speaker Gordy Graham at Eagle Crest Resort. I was instantly inspired by Gordy's unique true life story of overcoming self-imposed adversity to become one of the nation's leading keynote speakers, authors, and coaches. Upcomiong events are scheduled for Sept 14th at Eagle Crest and Sept 16th at the Running Y Ranch in Klamath Falls. To learn more about these events, go to www.inventivespeakers.com
RJ McHatton with attorney Steve Berman
RJ was asked to interview Seattle attorney Steve Berman of Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro for a new documentary being made by award-winning director Joan Sekler about the war crimes commited by coal mining companies in Bougainville, New Guinea. Its been said that James Cameron got the idea for his movie Avatar from the story of the people in Bougainville. To learn more about Joan Sekler go to http://www.unprecedented.org/UnprecedentedJoanSekler.htm
Storytellers Campfire Live in Manson, WA
We had an awesome experience driving to Manson, WA to shoot a day and night live radio show for the Storytellers Campfire Radio Show, which promotes literacy. It reminded me of our very own Prairie Home Companion here in the Northwest. We met poets, musicians, and authors. It was a wonderful time and we really were impressed with the authors, and the guest hosts including Barbara Parsons. Produced by Lady Selah SuJuris. To learn more about Storytellers Campfire, go to www.storytellerscampfire.org
Bucoda, Washington Baseball Team
We are proud to be the producers of a new documentary film about the history of the town of Bucoda, Washington, located near Tenino. The film was produced for the exciting Centennial celebration which included a terrific parade. You can see a short sample of our film by CLICKING HERE. You can see a short video of the Centennial parade by CLICKING HERE. We are excited about this new idea of creating a Video Biography of a Town. We hope to make more of these kinds of projects in the future.
Chente Benevides & Winners of BBQ Competition at the 2010 Pork in the Pines Event in Cle Elum, WA
We were proud to be the official Videographer and Marketing Consultant for the first annual Pork in the Pines BBQ Competition and Music Festival. With nearly twenty bands and tons of vendors and BBQ competitors, this was a lot of fun. And the weather was awesome, too. You can see video clips of the event at www.pork-in-the-pines.com
The Jennie Sun Family History Project
It's been a true pleasure working closely with Jennie Sun to create a video biography of her late husband's life. This historical video has been a great journey through Jennie's memories of her life with her husband, coming to America as immigrants from China, working their way through medical schools and residencies, raising a family, achieving success, and then dealing with the illness of her spouse until his death. Now Jennie is a enjoying her role as grandmother and hoping her video memories will help future generations understand their unique life.
Marne and Maxine Mercer
It was a lot of fun meeting Marne Mercer at his home in Silverton, Oregon. His son Lee Mercer has been a long time friend of mine. Lee asked me to make a video biography of Marne for his upcoming birthday. Marne is a great guy and a man of true integrity, wit, wisdom, and character. Here is a short sample from the Video Biography of Marne Mercer CLICK HERE.
Jimmy and Kayla Get Married
Its been a crazy summer with lots of beautiful weddings. This summer we've been involved with some most interesting wedding documentary projects. We really don't do the normal wedding video. We specialize in a "Reality Show" Wedding video. With interviews with family and friends and lots of in your face action shots! Recently we have done a Cambodian-American wedding, a Russian-American wedding, and several other terrific weddings. You can see a sample of our wedding videos by CLICKING HERE.
Harbor Club 50th Anniversary Video Documentary
Inventive Productions is proud to have been commissioned to create and produce a documentary about the History of the Harbor Club in Seattle for the upcoming 50th Anniversary celebration scheduled for June 18th. We are travelling to homes and offices of some of Seattle's most interesting people who are recalling their fond memories of the Harbor Club. Over the past 50 years some of the biggest business deals and small intimate family weddings have all happened at the Harbor Club. From the movers and shakers of Seattle's financial district to the Maritime Industry leaders, the Harbor Club has been host to some of the most important dignitaries ever to visit the great city of Seattle. From Danny Kaye to President Franklin D. Roosevelt's son Elliott, from Nelson Mandela to the Premier of China. We are very proud to be able to help capture the memories of this great institution. To learn more about the upcoming 50th Anniversary of The Harbor Club go to www.harborclub50.com
The Haas Foundation Art Contest Finalists at the Seattle Aquarium
We are proud to be working with the Haas Foundation to create a video which includes interviews with several attendees and the teenage finalists for their annual Art Contest. The theme for the Art Contest this year was "Parity." The annual fundraising breakfast was located at the Seattle Aquarium. What an awesome place to have a breakfast! Have some great food, donate to a great cause, recognize the achievements of several kids and teachers, and then go look at octopus' and fish and turtles. It was a terrifc experience. To learn more about the Haas Foundation go to www.haasfoundation.org
Bombardier Business Jets Presents
Have you ever been inside a Lear Jet? While we were down in Southern California for the Legends of Aviation event, we were commissioned by Bombardier Lear Jet Business Jets to make two short videos. One video was about the terrific VIP Private Party that was held in some hangars near Clay Lacy Aviation in Van Nuys. The party was awesome. The hangars were full of incredible array of Lear Jets and lots of interesting people. I was totally amazed at the great library of cool photos of celebrities who have owned Lear Jets. Danny Kaye, Frank Sinatra. Some of the most cool people of all time!
Thanks to Bombardier Business Jets and Clay Lacy Aviation for the opportunity to make these videos.
RJ visits Lakeside Center for Autism
As a documentary filmmaker, I am very lucky to be able to meet some of the most interesting people in the world. This past week I went to the Lakeside Center for Autism to record documentary footage of their work for a short video. The Lakeside Center for Autism is a finalist for the Eastside Business Award recognized by the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce. I spent a couple hours at Lakeside and recorded some very cool kids having a terrific time while learning, too. I really bonded with those kids. They made me feel so special. To learn more about the Lakeside Center for Autism, go to http://lakesideautism.com/
To learn more about the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce and the Eastside Business Awards, go to www.bellevuechamber.org
We just finished making eight short videos for the Living Legends of Aviation benefit
dinner in Beverly Hills. This project included shooting videos about Elon Musk, Joe Clark, Buzz Aldrin, Kermit Weeks, Sam Williams, Hank Beaird, Dee Howard, and Kurt Russell. During the production we also interviewed Bill Peare, Bruce McCaw, James Raisbeck, Bob Hoover, and got to meet Tom Hanks. Here is the short introduction to the Legends of Aviation.
Interview with Cliff Robertson
Academy Award winning actor and Legend of Aviation Cliff Robertson with RJ.
I really enjoyed meeting Cliff and he did a super job in the interview.
Interview with Buzz Aldrin
Astronaut Buzz Aldrin with RJ McHatton
It was fantastic interviewing Buzz Aldrin about his life and times. He is a man
with determination and focus on the future.
Interview with Bob Hoover
Bob Hoover is considered one of the greatest living aviators. He did a super interview
talking about his good friend Johnny Myers and several of the other Legends of Aviation.
Interview with Kent Kresa
Kent Kresa is the former Chairman of General Motors and Northrop Grumman.
I interviewed Kent about his memories of Johnny Myers for my documentary
"The Flying Man: Life and Times of John Myers." Kent is a great guy and he
is a real visionary about the future of aviation and space travel.
Tom Hanks stops in during my interview with Kurt Russell
Here is Kurt Russell during our interview
Kurt Russell with RJ
Interview with Jack Huyler
RJ with Jack Huyler at Thacher School
We drove to Ojai, California to interview Jack Huyler at the Thacher School where
John Myers went to school as a child. John Myers and Howard Hughes graduated
in the same class at Thacher. Jack was a life long friend of John Myers. We interviewed
Jack for my new documentary "Flying Man: Life and Times of John Myers."
Paul Hunsberger served for over 27 years in the US Army, at D-Day in World War II, in the Korean War, and in the Vietnam War.
