Fulltime in film making. Why did you originally study psychology. I think a lot of us want to understand how we tick ourselves and that was our initial motivation. I think i had an interesting upbringing where i didnt really understand what was happening in my family life. My parents have been through a divorce. And the i really think through that i wanted to understand how we all think. Where did you grow up . Grew up in new jersey, in essex county half hour west in north caldwell. Your family, whats the status today of your parents . What do they do . My mother is a Grammar School librarian and my father is a largely retired lawyer. So he works a lot as well. Anybody in your family do documentary s . Not that i know of. No one in my family works with the media and nobody does anything related either. They took it to the Democratic National convention and the Republican National convention, youre still working the documentary across the country. Why. Its a slow burn. It takes a long time to catch on in a way. We have a relief that youre kind enough to come to with your wife, victoria. I was flattered by that. But its really a backwards distribution in a way. More people are getting to see the film now and my being around to sell the film, if you will, and talk about it with people, i think, in an additional draw. Were doing the college and Community Tour as well that i think is really where a lot of people are going see the film. Of course, a lot of people will go to see it on digital itunes, or amazon as well. These live events are finding really useful. Its a feature director. I worked as a producer on others. Producing three other films now. The personal projects i made, each of the features are taken seven years from inception to broadcast to eventual release. Follow the leader is what . Its a coming of age story. A political coming of age story for real. About three teenage boys who want to be president. We followed them over three years. They basically figured out what they believe and what task they want to do in the future. Why did you do this . Where did you get the idea . I was living in london for ten years over the 9 11 period and the aftermath. The start of the war on terror, if you will. I wanted to explore what it meant to be an american. When i was thinking of moving back here, it was very important for me. How did you notice the mindset changing. What were the things you saw . The things people would come out with, students would say about what we should do in the world, this doctrine of preemptive war that seemed to be adopted wholeheartedly by a lot of my students in periods strongly right after 9 11. That really struck me. Someone like myself who grew up in relative peacetime in the 80s and 90s or 70s and 80s, perhaps, never came out with Something Like that. Things that were largely conservative in a way, like the doctrine that we have of, you know, going to war preemptively or targeted killings halfway around the world sort of viewed as noncontroversial. And people were saying we were in the midst of a liberal revolution in the country. Didnt really wash for me. I wanted to explore the contra diktss of the new generation. Three main characters. Who are they . Ben, d. J. , and nick. Theyre basically three teenage upper middle class white boys who i know is really quite striking for a lot of people. But i think what we wanted to do in the film was really explore the baseline political reality in the country, by looking at whats happening for those that are avatars for traditional leaders in america. A lot of people will come to the film about come to any film about the leaders and they expect to see a multicultural tapestry of what america really looks like. I think our country is really still run politically, at least, largely by upper middle class, relatively privileged white men. And i think reacting to that is really what im trying to do for viewers. The three of them come from what states . What communities . They come from the first 13 colonies. Springfield, virginia, d. J. Is from the massachusettsNew Hampshire border. Lets watch the opening and see the three young boys. And what year would this have been in the open ing . When we starting to film was 2006. All of the boys at that time started off conservative in their political views. As well see in the rest of the film as we talk about it, we go to three different directions. And theyre again, how old . 16 in the film. In the end, how old. 19. The interview you see in the film, youll see it in the opening sections as well. The interviews were filmed one or two years after the main action was filmed. We filmed over five years. The footage you see is filmed from 20062011. To help folks watching this and not being able to see the whole thing, d. J. Is from bethune, massachusetts. And ben is from springfield, virginia. And ben is from milford, pennsylvania. Lets run a minute and a half so people can see what were talking about. Less and less society, what are we becoming . We are every issue. The war on terror. May be a long road. It gets frustrating at times. Trying to create a better place for us all to live. Were not deadbeats. Were not the bad people. America america i real lell felt the history of that represents the traditional leadership in the country. A few thousand boys and girls while i was researching the film for years before i started filming, i felt that program represents the tradition that we think of when we think of leaders like bill clinton, mike dukakis, tom brokaw, neil armstrong, they all went to boise state as well. The fact that they went there ties them together in the first sequence of the film. 2 1 2 minutes in the film. It sets the tone. Bill clinton, john f. Kennedy at age 16 went to boise nation in the rose garden. He did. Yeah. That footage we were trying to work that into the film for sometime. We wanted to have the older leaders look back on their experiences. I had to throw back interviews like i did with tom brokaw and others. I wanted the boys to reflect for themselves about their experience and the path oh of what were going with film changed. Where did you go to boise state and what was the impact on you . I went to boise state in 1993. I wouldnt really say that the impact was where . In new jersey. New jersey. Okay. I think the programs in my experience going and attending the research, the programs are different in every state. Theyre different depending on whats happening in the country. So whate with see in the beginning of follow the leader is really a sort of distilled wartime mentality. Like a wartime mentality. Almost perpetual war, if you will, at the time in 2006. That the country was undergoing at the time. And my feeling in starting there was that, okay, you know different types of news are beginning to permeate the american landscape. And over the next few years with these boys come of age and grow up, were going to see the changes in some of them and theyll have different reactions to the changes happening in the country. What have you found that the American Legion boise nation part of this. I know they sponsor some in the state. Is there a certain dogma theyre trying to teach . Every state is different as we said. Its a largely conservative Program Teaching largely traditional values. I think they bring in people from all political stripes. But if we look at the people of democratic, republican politics, if you will, you know, theyre all still relatively traditional in their values. And i dont mean politically, i mean more philosophically traditional. Theres not much between them depending on party. This is nick and his family. Its about 1 20. Hi. Hi. You know what i have here . These are all nickys awards. The volunteer Service Award from president bush he just got. Photograph fist. A thumbs up, america. They give him the bronze medal for it. Overall, he did an outstanding job, right, nick . I want to say thank you. How fortunate i am to be the first recipient of this. How grateful i was to my parents to bring me into this community. Its been great growing up here. I feel so fortunate. My great grandparents got off of the boat from ellis island. They just wanted an opportunity. And here i am today capitalizing on that opportunity. Being a good leader, it has to be a characteristic some people have, some people dont. Were not all born the same way. Nick was confident in himself . What was your reaction to that . What whiz reaction when he saw the film . All of the boys loved the film, actually, i was really heartened by that. Im not sure hes confident. Hes an all american leader, really. Hes the avatar for this guy coming up in a small town where everybody in town knowles him. Everybody in town roots for them. Thinks theyre going be president some day. Thats the role nick plays in the film. Mom was proud of her son. Did you find that wherever you went . I did. Nicks parents are particularly proud. And theyve been wonderful throughout the distribution, continuing that pride, you know, almost every screening we have, they come. Lets see d. J. From massachusetts. Thats me. So when i run for New Hampshire one day for the primaries, i was in New Hampshire. Favorite son. Theres my wall of fame. These are originals. Bobby kennedy, 68. Various other candidates. Regardless, theyre like rock stars. Governors, senators, president s. People i look up to. This is an article in the paper. Young political guru leads campaign. D. J. Bow regard ran his First Political campaign at the age of 16. He managed the campaign for romney. He has that intuition. It comes from within. Stepbystep. I eventually establish a career. Heres your mayor, heres your governor, heres your president. I wouldnt bet against him. I have nothing to do with him in politics. Watching 9 11 is when he got the bug. Something good always comes out of something bad. I remember you said that to me. Horrible that it happened but good things can come out of it, you know . It sparked an interest in me about getting involved with government and campaign. In the end, the people you work for, the people you elect, theyre the people with the future in their hands, you know . Theyre our leaders. What are rules with the restrictions going to the homes. How much video do you have on each fellow . Ill take it separately. I guess the restrictions are quite straightforward. Anything that we film, we can use in the film. But if anyone was uncomfortable at any time, they can tell us to go away. Tell us to stop filming. And i would always listen to those requests. I mean, thats how i always work. I mean, its really difficult if you give characters and participants in your films control later. And they have control while its happening. And how much time did you spend around each one. People think we spent three years with them. Five to 15 shoots. Shoots could be a couple of hours to a few days but we didnt film as much as you might think, hopefully, seeing the film. And in all, probably have 200 and 300 hours. 200 and 300 hours. I dont really film a lot by standards of documentary makers today, i suppose. But its still a world of footage to whittle down to 70 to 90 minutes. We saw with nick and we saw with d. J. , a reference in their home or on their desk talking about being the president of the United States some day. What does it come from . Comes from growing up in this time when everybody is told, you know, you can be anything you want to be. If you become a leader at your high school, that will be the path long into the future. We can see it from the course of the rest of the film that they became a little disillusioned with that ambition, to some extent. Some do at least. And they have a more broad definition of what being a leader means. Three of them will become president in 2040, three of them would become president , thats impossible. How much did the three of them get involved in student politics . They were all class president s when i filmed them. I wanted certain scenes. I wanted to film them all at their High School Graduations speaking to the classes and to real politicians. The play hes playing to the adults not only adults but adult politicians who are in charge of everything who are leading the way for all of their peers to follow. How many parents had the same politics as their kids had . The parents werent political. I wanted the kids who were selfmotivated. All three are not coming from inherently political families. I dont think their politics really matter in a way. I think that makes us identify a little more with kids rather than thinking how we normally think that, oh, theyre following their parents beliefs. Ben is from Fairfax County in springfield. Here is a little bit and his mother. We can never be certain about the future. The hope of past generations cannot prevent future tragedy when faced with adversity, you will succeed. We are we shall prevail. What about open handed close fit. This is for making a point. This is for basically like bring it on, im cool with everything. And frustration and i just want to be something right now. Hey, lauren. My entire life i felt like i had something to prove. In the fourth grade, i ran to be vice president. I lost by four votes. And i was crushed. Were going to fight for this. I guarantee you, were going win. Because i dont like to lose. Things wont come the first time around. But im a fighter. Im very lucky. I live in a fairly wealthy area. In Northern Virginia in Fairfax County. We live right next to our nations capitol. Its a very competitive atmosphere. I guess thats why i cant settle for anything less than what is absolutely need to paint napoleon on one wall and alexander the great on another wall. Even though they might believe them to be sketchy characters. Theyre great leaders. Thats what i want to bo. I want to be a person that contributes a lot back to my country and my government. If i want to go study in the middle east i would want to clean your room. I might not ever go anywhere again. He reacted to that. He tried to prove something to his dad going to politics and becoming a leader. You grab a screen shot of that plaque that says nothing worthwhile comes easy. Right. I mean, this is something that we see a lot of the time in high schools today. Science and plaques like this, you know, were number one. All about achievement. Things like this. And i find out a little bit ironic in a way. But it relates exactly to what ben is saying. Talking not only their own personal slogans but slogans for the high schools. Banners on the wall. Ive seen them myself. Where does it come from in this society . And do you have any idea whether its done in other countries . Its done less in other countries. I mentioned it was a school because its a still shot inside the high school. Were putting things of his life together in that part of the film. Where did it come from. I think americans are instilled with this amazing selfesteem. This past generation has been. My generation was to a lesser extent. But in reality, its gone astray. It instilled me with values that i could achieve certain things. I dont think if i thought highly of myself i could go out and make a film that people dont necessarily believe in and work on for seven years and finish it. But theres a certain entitlement a lot of the time among too Many Americans, too Many Americans to be successful feel that theyre entitled to be successful. So it creates a lot of depression. A lot of Mental Health issues. A lot of problems for society because everyone feels that to a certain extent they should have more than they possibly could have. How much of this did you feel comes from your psychology major . I think its the question of which came first, something of a chicken and egg idea for that if you will. I used to think of psychology and how personal relations work and that led me to psychology rather than other way around. But that study 20 years ago now really gave me some ways of thinking about human relationships. The next clip sh the d. J. In massachusetts. Meaning the governor, did you set that up in advance . Or did it just happen . We didnt set anything up in the film. Its just the way that these boys lives unfold that they happen to be encountering loads of politicians in making of the film. President obama, bill clinton. Theyre part of the wallpapers of their lives in a way. They happen to run into them in the daytoday activities. Heres dchlt j. And the governor. Next governor of massachusetts. Massachusetts. Thank you. Democrats. Right for me. Then i started to think on my own. Hows it going, dad . Oh, youre doing good. Nice to see you. Nice to see you too. I think maybe we want to talk about the weather or i dont know how much politics we want to talk . Oh, we do get passionate. We know that we live in a great country, the greatest country on earth. We need to lead the world. Were not leading the world. In order to be a lieder, you you have to have followers. The rest of the world doesnt want to follow the United States of america. If youre doing something right and no one follows you, it doesnt mean youre wrong. No one has to be behind. Thats the problem. Look at iraq. No one is behind us. If you want to be the president of the United States, youre never going to please people. Nothing has been worse than iraq. Baloney. Saddam hussein didnt have weapons of mass destruction. How do you know . They founding in. When the shock and awe was going on with the pompons in your hand. First of all, d. J. And his father his father is divorced from his mother . They are divorced, yeah. What did you what youre taping this, what was your reaction to it . My reaction was this is a great scene. But why all of a sudden has d. J. Changed his politics . I think that a lot of it is that hes reacting to his father. Hes personally invested in what is going on in his life. Hes reacting to that. A lot of it at the iraq war was starting to become controversial in america. And hes experiencing one thing at school, one thing with his friends where people are beginning to think, you know, well, maybe this wasnt the wisest thing to do for our generation. And hes throwing that generational anger back at his father. Conservatives feel strongly. All you have to do is listen to the talk shows, that a lot of this happen unless the classroom from the teachers . Whats your experience . Thats not my experience. But what did you find what these young folks experienced . I feel like politics is largely absent from schools today. I think even discussing it in a fairminded way is largely absent. I think civics is really something