A lot of people are interested in World War II, but not many people can bring it to life in vivid new ways.
Tim Gray is a former TV anchor and sports reported turned Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker who captures the stories of an unprecedented time in our history.
Tim tells us that his fascination with the war began when he was just 6 years old. He devoured every book and movie he could find about the battles in Europe and Asia. He says since the war’s reach included so many people, there are millions of dramatic stories out there to tell. The vets just need someone willing to help them preserve their stories.
His film, “The Price of Freedom,” which focused on D-Day, won 2 Emmys for writing and photography and aired on hundreds of PBS stations across the country.
For the film, Tim took five D-Day veterans back to Normandy and just followed them around. He said not only was it so special to hear their memories of such a horrific and defining event, but it was even more powerful to watch the reaction of the French people.
Traveling with veterans around Europe is like traveling with the Beatles, Tim says. In every country, people come running out to shake the veterans’ hands, get their autograph and just thank them for their bravery and service.
Tim tells us about his next film project, which will focus on Richard Winters, who was made famous in the Band of Brothers mini-series on HBO.
Tim tells us which big-time actors will be lending their voices to his project and why he feels such an urgency to tell these veterans’ stories.