HDNet Presents the Documentary Series 'BAKER BOYS: INSIDE THE SURGE' - Tuesday, January 5 at 10:00 p.m. ET

HDNet Presents the Documentary Series 'BAKER BOYS: INSIDE THE SURGE' - Tuesday, January 5 at 10:00 p.m. ET

The Four Part Documentary Series Gives a Rare and Intimate View of Soldiers on the Front Lines During the 'Surge' in Iraq

DALLAS, Dec. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- On Tuesday, January 5, HDNet will premiere a four-part documentary series called BAKER BOYS: INSIDE THE SURGE.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080324/HDNETLOGO)

The series, which will air every Tuesday throughout the month of January, is an intimate, inside look at Baker Company, an elite group of Army soldiers on an extended tour in Iraq as they 'surge' into a notoriously dangerous Al Qaeda stronghold. "BAKER BOYS: INSIDE THE SURGE" was filmed over three months in 2008 by veteran combat photographer Jon Steele.

As the Baker Boys' three-month deployment unfolds, viewers get a gripping look into the everyday lives of our soldiers on the front. The documentary features first-person, real-time storytelling as the soldiers of Baker Company negotiate new alliances with local Iraqi militias, pay off tribal sheiks for their cooperation, and deal with the fear and uncertainty of being thrust into the middle of counter-insurgency warfare, where money and trust are their most effective weapons. This is a deep penetrating look into the life of a soldier that exposes the raw personal emotion and the honest physical experience of combat soldiers operating in Iraq.

Director Kern Konwiser explains, "The documentary bears witness to the physical and emotional cost paid by American soldiers who, after years of fighting to win the war in Iraq, are now cast into an unfamiliar and unsettling role of winning the peace with non-traditional weapons: talking, trust building, and cash. These tactics stopped the violence and saved lives; it is fascinating, and sometimes unsettling, to see our own soldiers helping and handing out weekly payments larger than what most soldiers earn in a year to the very people who were trying to kill them just weeks before."

Baker Company is led by a tough but measured Army captain, Rich Thompson of West Palm Beach Florida, who has to keep his tired men motivated and safe in one of the most dangerous places in the world - all this during the last months of their extended tour. The Baker Boys thought they were about to go home; instead, they found themselves on a whole new mission.

"This documentary series is extremely powerful," said Mark Cuban, chairman and co-founder of HDNet. "Our viewers will be deeply moved by these soldiers and the stories that they tell us in their own words. We're proud to be a part of this project and to present our viewers with this inside look at life in Iraq."

The documentary gets inside the lives of the men of Baker Company like very few war documentaries ever have. The Army allowed Jon Steele into a world that is glamorized in films and television, but inside Jon's camera we get to see that world honestly and deeply, not dramatized or glorified. "I wanted to hook up with a combat unit to look in their eyes, hear their voices ... get them to open up about their feelings and emotions," said Steele. "I made a deal with them; I'd be willing to die with them if they'd be willing to talk to me."

This 4-part program was Directed by two-time Emmy Award winner Kern Konwiser, Executive Produced by Cal Boyington and David Pritchard for Gigapix Studios and Vincent Gonet and David Rihs for PointProd, and Produced by Kip Konwiser and Jon Steele. The film was edited by Derek Boonstra and Davon Ramos.

Dennis O'Brien is the Executive Producer of News and Documentaries and Lucia McCalmont is the Director of Program Acquisitions for HDNet.

For more information on the program, including clips and photos please visit the following links:

http://www.bakerboysmovie.com/http://www.hd.net/affBakerBoys.html

About HDNet

HDNet (www.hd.net, twitter.com/hdnet) is the independent network with unique and provocative content that appeals to men of all ages and is delivered in true high definition.

HDNet is the exclusive, high definition home for popular, original programming, including television's only HD news feature programs "HDNet World Report," and the Emmy Award winning "Dan Rather Reports," featuring legendary journalist Dan Rather. Only HDNet goes beyond the headlines to deliver real news that is redefining the way we look at our world. HDNet News is provocative, sometimes controversial and always relevant - telling the important stories of our time in-depth, with attitude and with independence.

HDNet presents championship sports coverage featuring five regular season games from the Premiere Season of the United Football League. HDNet also features the best of Mixed Martial Arts with its Friday night series, "HDNet Fights" (www.hdnetfights.com, twitter.com/hdnetfights). "HDNet Fights" works with leading MMA promoters including DREAM, Sengoku, XFC, M-1, K-1, K-1 Max, MFC, Adrenaline and more. HDNet produces more live Mixed Martial Arts events than any other network and HDNet's "Inside MMA" is the hottest Mixed Martial Arts program on television, giving MMA fans their weekly fix for everything MMA.

HDNet also delivers the world's largest and most diverse concert line-up through the HDNet Concert Series. The HDNet Concert Series features leading artists and bands including Coldplay, Gwen Stefani, John Mayer and more. HDNet also features revealing lifestyle programming featuring "Art Mann Presents," "New York Confessions," "Deadline" and "Get Out!" HDNet is also the exclusive high definition home to critically acclaimed and award winning documentaries as part of the InFocus series. "NASA on HDNet" presents all live shuttle launches through 2010.

Only HDNet Movies (www.hdnetmovies.com, twitter.com/hdnetmovies) delivers exclusive Sneak Previews of new movies before they hit theaters. The HDNet Movies Sneak Preview series features top Hollywood stars in critically acclaimed performances including Gwyneth Paltrow, Joaquin Phoenix, Demi Moore, Michael Caine, Tom Hanks, Vera Farmiga, Parker Posey, Brian Cox, Matthew Broderick, Brittany Snow, Eric Bana, John Malkovich, Emily Blunt, Robin Williams, Charlize Theron and Kim Basinger.

In addition to being the exclusive home of Sneak Previews, HDNet Movies presents viewers with over one hundred films and an average of twenty-five "HD Premieres" each month. HDNet Movies viewers enjoy the best films from the classics of the 1950s-1970s, to favorite films from the 1980s and 1990s, to recently released theatrical films.

HDNet Movies offers subscribers a premium movie viewing experience in true HD, and more original movies shot entirely in HD than any other network.

Launched in 2001 by Mark Cuban and General Manager Philip Garvin, the HDNet networks are available on AT&T, Charter Communications, Comcast, DIRECTV, DISH Network, Insight, Mediacom, Verizon and more than 40 NCTC cable affiliated companies. To receive HDNet information via email, simply go to www.hd.net/listpage.

About Gigapix Studios

Gigapix Studios, Inc. is a California studio that was formed to develop, produce and distribute television programming and high quality children's and family oriented film projects including animated films. Gigapix features an experienced management team with a history of success as Hollywood film/TV veterans and digital media and marketing experts. Gigapix has a diversified content business focusing on niches of highly targeted consumers.

In 2008, Gigapix Studios produced the acclaimed feature film "Captain Abu Raed" (Sundance Film Festival, Audience Award winner), and has finished a pilot, "Workaholics", for an original television series for Comedy Central. The studio is also in pre-production on "Blackbeard", which is the first in a slate of family-friendly theatrical films.

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080324/HDNETLOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: HDNet

CONTACT: Colette Carey of HDNet, +1-303-542-5576, ccarey@hd.net; or
Mariah O'Hara of B|W|R Public Relations, +1-310-248-6177, mohara@bwr-la.com,
for HDNet

Web Site: http://www.hd.net/

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