An Exclusive Interview with Ben Browder

BBO:  First phone interview with you and there is a big quote on top of my notes and it says “Fail gloriously”.

Ben:  Good Approach  [laughs]

BBO:  Last time we chatted online and you were speaking German.

Ben:  Very bad German [laughs]

BBO:  Actually, it was very good and we were talking about your time in Bavaria. Can you say Hi to your German fans ?

Ben:  Guten Tag. Wie geht’s ?  [laughs]

BBO: Thanks for doing the interview and giving us the chance to talk about your new project. Freeze Frame. There is a short clip of the movie making its rounds on the net .  Very intense, very moving clip and even a little uncomfortable to watch.

Ben:  Yes.

BBO:  Can you tell us a little bit more about the movie ?

Ben:  Well, let’s see, what do you need to know ? The short piece that is online is literally an excerpt from the script. The story is about two veterans, one from Vietnam and one from the current conflict in the Middle East. I don’t know how much to go into detail as far as what  the script is about but the basics is, it deals with the difficulties which vets have dealing with the combat stresses when they come home and what happens to their lives when they come home from war. You know,  it’s a story which has been told and retold over and over again through history and particularly in the US, I think we are at a junction where  the story needs to be told again.

BBO: I heard it is a short-film. Is it true ?

Ben: The piece that is online is a short, is an excerpt from a full length script.

BBO: From what I understand you were hesitant to take the role.

Ben: Yeah, when I read the material, as far as shooting, it’s very intense material and I looked at it and thought: “I know a number of guys who could do this really well. I am not sure I am the guy to do this”. I had some discussions with Jonas [McCord]  who is the writer and producer and he sort of assured me he wanted me to do it and I thought  “Well, I’ll take a chance and fail gloriously”.

BBO: He was in Vietnam, right?

Ben: Yes, Jonas was an Air Force pilot in Vietnam.

BBO: When I did research for this interview I have found that he has done several movies and TV-Series that revolve around the subject of war, like “Women of Valor” and “Class of ‘61”.

Ben: Yes.

BBO: So he really knows what he is talking about.

Ben: Yes, he knows the subject matter and for him it’s very personal as well.

BBO: Do you find that helpful? Or do you think it’s more complicated to make the character come alive because of his expectations?

Ben: Well, there is more pressure because, you know, Jonas knows what it is about and he knows what he is talking about.  So in that sense and in an attempt to be authentic with that kind of material, you don’t know how close you are getting, until you kind of get the nod from Jonas that it’s close. So, it’s daunting in that sense but it’s very helpful to have someone there to talk with about the material. When he talks about the material and he talks about the subject matter, you see it in his eyes, you see it in his body-language and you know how personal it is. So it is helpful but at the same time daunting.

BBO: While doing research I also found that I actually had no idea how many soldiers have this problem when they are coming back, and no only when they are coming back. They call it “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder [PTSD]

Ben: Uhuh

BBO: It’s actually a problem they already have while overseas. When they are fighting the wars, when they see people die. See friends die. They have a feeling of guilt when they survive, or when they go home and others have to stay. I had no idea how many soldiers this is happening to. There is organizations that do try to help but many soldiers need the help and don’t receive it.

Ben: Well, you know, when you consider the numbers of soldiers deployed around the world and the numbers in areas of conflict around the world, it’s obviously not strictly a US issue. Every country which has any history at all, has a history with this problem.  It’s been renamed over time. During  WWI it was called “Shell Shock”, back in Civil War it was called “Soldier’s Melancholy”. Greek playwrights wrote about  the difficulties that soldiers had, coming home from the wars back then. It’s a common difficulty and renaming it like we do in this generation to “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder” doesn’t change the thread that runs throughout history and which runs throughout human experience. It behooves us well to occasionally remind ourselves that when our soldiers come home it’s not just the visible wounds that some of them carry. It’s an important topic from that respect, I think. And the numbers are, depending on what you read, startling at large. Most of us can understand and if we go and do something very intense, for any period of time, that it changes them, it changes the way we think, it changes the way we view the world and we accept that. After 9/11 people talked about being stressed out. That’s a single event which occurred in the blink of an eye and the impact of two airplanes and people were stressed out about it and some people are still struggling to get a handle on what they experienced in that period of time. So imagine what it is like for soldiers who go to the Middle East or anywhere else, or people living in the Middle East, are constantly surrounded by conflict, by war. It can take a tremendous toll on an individual. It may not always be visible or the most noticeable problem that they are having. I think it’s a subject that’s worth pursuing and taking a look at.

BBO: Why do you think this problem almost seems invisible? There seems to be a general perception of soldiers coming home … that everything is good now, now that they are back. They are going back to “normal” life and everything will be just fine. So I think the movie will be a huge wake-up-call for a lot of people.

Ben: I don’t know whether it will or it won’t  be. I think it would be good if it DID wake people up to this particular issue. I think there is more we can do as a nation, there is more we can do as people …  Can you hang on just a second ? I have got someone standing outside my front door. Hang on Elle.

BBO: Sure.

Ben: [He answers the front door then comes back] Danielle, just hang on just one more second …[leaves again]

Ben: Sorry, are you still there ?

BBO: Yes, no problem [laughs]

Ben:  [laughs] It’s the middle of the day here and, you know, people come to the front door. [laughs]

BBO: I am so going to put that in the interview [laughs]

Ben: A break in the action while those guys are clearing power lines, clearing trees on powerlines. [laughs] What were we talking about before the man walked up to the front door ?

BBO: The perception of people, not really seeing the problem.

Ben: Well, to a certain degree you have to credit the fact that soldiers generally, throughout history, have shared this experience only with other people who were there, only with other people who they feel can understand what it is that they went through. So they do a good job of keeping themselves together. You know, generally speaking, most people  with those problems don’t want to ask for help. And so the issues that do exist, can build up over time quietly, are invisible because quite frankly that’s to a certain degree the way  these men and women are build. It’s the way they are trained. They are trained to be able to take a lot of stress. Yet not all of them can handle it equally, and yet many of them are able to hold it together. The fact is that the suicide rate for soldiers is higher, significally higher, than the general population and a great deal is traced back directly to the experience of combat and being at war. That holds true historically, it holds true for today. And in this day and age when people are dealing with their own problems, dealing with the economy, it’s very easy to forget about those that have served their country. It’s not an issue of right and left. It’s not a pro war or anti war statement. It’s about taking care of those people who served their country.

BBO: It’s a human issue.

Ben:  It’s a human issue. Very, very much a human issue.

BBO: It’s not just the homeless guy on the streetcorner. I think a lot of people don’t understand that their next door neighbor is having these problems. They are not seeing it or they don’t want to see it.

Ben: Partly because they don’t wanna see it and partly , for the most part, because people, when they are having troubles, are living very private lives and they don’t want other people to see it. It is important  particularly where we are dealing with combat veterans, that we are sensitive to this issue or at least aware of this issue. I think there is a great number of people who are, for the most part, oblivious to it

BBO: The movie takes an unusual route to get funding. There is a website ( www.freezeframe4vets.org ) where people can donate money towards the movie, dedicate their donation to a veteran and have their name displayed on the movie-poster - or download the script in return for their donation.

Ben: Yes.

BBO: In addition the film company goes the traditional route for funding and – you are blogging !

Ben: I am writing occasionally online. Seriously, why is it called a blog ? I get the “log” part but what does the “b” stand for in blog ?

BBO: I have no idea [both laughing]

Ben:  [still laughing] I was just wondering if it is my b-log.  Seriously. What exactly … where does the word “blog” derive from ? I mean, I sort of know what it is but what I am doing is I am contributing occasional small bits of writing to the website. It’s not like there exists a Ben Browder blog. There is a Freeze Frame website and I am contributing to it. Most call it blogging, so be it, but since I don’t even know what that word comes from, I know what a blog looks like. I don’t picture myself as a blogger [laughs] How about that ? [laughs]

BBO:  Actually I should know because I build websites for a living

Ben:  Are they called something different in German?

BBO: No, they are actually called the same but I never actually think about blogs. I don’t blog.

Ben:  Yeah, where DOES that word come from ?

BBO: I have no idea! I’ll do the research  [note: blog stems from “web-log”. The community shortened it to “blog” – so easy !]

Ben: I sort of get twitter [laughs] I understand the notion of where that word comes from because  it’s just, you know, a little twitter of to the side.

BBO: That was actually my next question – Is twitter next ? [laughs]

Ben: Is Twitter next ? Mostly uses I see for twitter are basically people saying “I am going for coffee”, “I am watching the game”, “Why does my butt hurt?” you know, things like that [laughs]

BBO: [laughs]

Ben: So, I don’t see myself twittering [laughs]Plus  it seems to me that Twitter is best utilized by people with Blackberry’s or  devices like that, I don’t owe one.

BBO: You don’t own one? You should get one!

Ben: [dramatic voice]Why? So I spend more time hooked into an electronic device.

BBO: Actually it can be a good promotion-tool, I think. There are lots of actors twittering with hundreds of thousands of followers.

Ben: I am just not that compulsive of a sharer that I need to share my day [laughs] “I am at Home Depot. I am shopping for a rake. Anybody have a suggestion for a good rake ?”

[both laughing]

Ben: I am seeing people’s twitters. I don’t get it. I guess if I was really fascinated by somebody I might want to know what they are doing every 30 minutes all day long but [laughs] I don’t see myself broadcasting my daily “I am having my coffee.  Black.  I like it that way.”  [laughs] I don’t get it.

BBO: [laughs] Actually I didn’t mean in terms of sharing your private life. I know you are very private and like to spend every minute you can with your family.

Ben: That’s true.  I am actually trying to find ways to cut down on the electronic uses. I like to occasionally just l-e-a-v-e my phone at home when I leave the house. Just every so often. Leave the phone. I am now free. It feels like I am living in the 70s or something [laughs and adapts funny voice] No one can get to me; I don’t have a phone on me. These are precious moments. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll end up twittering when I have something really interesting to twitter about, then I might decide to twitter[laughs] But not today. I don’t really have anything interesting to say on an hour by hour basis.

BBO:  Just promote the movie while you are at the supermarket – in line [laughs]

Ben:  [laughs] “I am in the freezer sections.  Making me think “Freeze Frame”” [laughs] No … not yet. I haven’t  gone to that place yet. [laughs]

BBO: You gotta be the only person [in entertainment] who doesn’t own a Blackberry.

Ben: I am sure there is lots of people who don’t own Blackberrys [laughs] It’s another portable information device. If I have to text, I can use my phone. I go the old route. Tap that button 3 times to get my “H”, you know what I mean ? [laughs]

BBO: [laughs]

Ben: That way it keeps the messages REALLY short. And I am not a hazard in traffic. I am still amazed at these people, driving AND texting at the same time. I thought talking on the phone was bad enough but you go down  the LA freeway, sure they made it illegal, but there is still people with the Blackberry on top of their wheel at 75 mph in traffic - texting.

BBO: That’s what my niece does. She doesn’t even look while texting.

Ben:  There is nothing that I have to say that is important enough for me to kill somebody on the freeway. It’s just not … there is nothing that urgent. If it is that urgent – pull over [laughs]

BBO:  I am not even driving, so …

Ben: [serious] I love the connected world. The access to information is a fantastic thing but[laughs]  there are times where you sort of think it’s time to  free ourselves from the technology. When I finally succumb and start twittering you can write me and remind me that this day was inevitable.

BBO: I am sure something new is coming up soon anyway and Twitter is gonna be old news.

Ben:  We’ll have a little button on the side of our head and [laughs] when we press it we will be connected with everybody we need to be connected with.

BBO: Like the Nebari on Farscape

Ben: Yeah, basically you say it out loud and whoever needs to hear it, hears it.

BBO: You seem to enjoy teaching.

Ben: Yes !

BBO: I recall you mentioning a science class, coaching football and pole vaulting. Don’t you trust your career or is it too much fun to do ? [laughs]

Ben: No, it’s not that I don’t trust my career, it’s just that there are other things to do in life that are also enjoyable. Some people play  golf.  As opposed to playing golf I would prefer to be out coaching  a bunch of High Schoolers and teaching them how to pole vault.

BBO: I think that’s cool actually , that you do that.

Ben: It’s just more fun [laughs] For me ! For me  it’s more fun than perfecting a golf stroke. I am terrible at golf, I probably will never take up golf on any regular basis but for me it’s more fun to go out and interact with a bunch of young people and watch them soar over a bar than it is to do a number of other things, like take up bowling or something. [laughs] He didn’t trust his acting career so he took up knitting [laughs]

BBO: [laughs] I do not wanna see that.

Ben:  That has nothing to do with my career, that has everything to do with living life.

BBO: You know I was joking, right ?

Ben: I…I … wasn’t sure. [laughs]

BBO: Do the kids expect stunt from you or are you just the parent next door who helps out with teaching and coaching ?

Ben: For the most part I am just the guy who helps out.

BBO: Very cool. Might not seem cool to you . It is to me. So what else is going on with you ?

Ben: Uhm… what else is going on ?  I am continually auditioning for acting work. Continuing to write. I still have an ongoing project at SciFi which we are still working on. Obviously we are working to get Freeze Frame up and going… uhm… I am currently coaching pole vaulting. I have a group of 12 ..14 kids that I coach, so life is very full. It’s good.

BBO: Did you audition for any pilots ?

Ben: I did. I did audition for pilots.

BBO: You did ??? Any good feelings ?

Ben: I am sorry, the other line is now beeping. You are lucky, it’s the middle of the night in Germany, so you don’t have people at the front door and no one is calling. I auditioned but it’s like mini pilot seasons. In my entire career in Los Angeles which spans a number of years now, I have booked a total of 1 pilot. Pilot season is just one of those things [laughs] where they are casting all of their stuff. To a certain degree it’s a numbers game. It’s a crapshoot so, I go out, I audition, I meet people, I enjoy myself. But this year, no pilots this year.

BBO: And Going Homer and Black Mountain ? Are they still ….

Ben: Going Homer is still in development at SciFi

BBO: How far along are you with that project ?

Ben: Every day we are one stop closer I guess. It’s hard to say, you know, until you have a green light and someone is writing more checks, it’s impossible to say. Hopefully we have another meeting on it within the week – and hopefully it will continue to move forward.

BBO: Nothing on Black Mountain ?

Ben: No. Not that I know of. That script has been sold and is currently owned elsewhere.

Ben: Say Hello to the board for me. I can’t believe, they are still … well, I do that. I am always amazed that anybody out there that even knows, that I am around. So thank you. Thank you for all the support, it’s really tremendous. I am honored.

BBO: We have a nice little "black-t"-Login for you, if you ever wanna come by so we saved  that one for you.

Ben: Great !

BBO: Yeah ?

Ben: Yes ! And I still have my Winona Forever-shirt [member shirt]

BBO: Very last question: What’s your personal wish for Freeze Frame. Where do you wanna see it’s place in movie history ?

Ben:  #1, I just wanna get the story told, getting it done and ultimately ...if Freeze Frame saves 1 life than it’s worth having done the movie.

BBO: Great ! Thank you for your time and for talking to me.

Ben: Thanks Danielle. It wasn’t so bad now was it ?! [laughs]

BBO: No, it wasn’t.

Ben: I don’t think you failed gloriously. I may have, but you’ve done fine.

BBO: It was actually fun. Thank you.

Ben: Good. I am glad you enjoyed yourself

BBO: Ok. Bye

Ben: Bye Bye. Thanks. Bye

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To discuss the interview, please go here: Interview-Discussion