The U.S. Military and Hollywood have had a long standing relationship; Americans have been fascinated and entertained by war films since the early 20th century. Unbeknownst to some movie lovers however, is the fact that each branch of the military has their own entertainment liaison office in Los Angeles. Each branch handles production requests differently, but the underlying purpose of each office is to offer a point of contact for those wanting to produce some form of media that involves the military.

There has been much debate over the Pentagon’s involvement in films and whether or not the military actively censors what is being produced. Phillip Strub is the Director of Entertainment Media at the Department of Defense, heading the Film and Television Liaison Office. He consults on projects involving the military and reviews requests to ensure an accurate and positive portrayal. He was recently interviewed by Military Times and commented on criticism of the Pentagon’s propaganda tactics:

“I think the whole notion that we censor is so ridiculous that it’s hard to believe that people take it seriously. Hollywood … has to be the most influence-resistant institution ever. The last thing they will tolerate is interference. Pictures (related to the military) are made all the time without support from DoD, for one reason or another.”

Strub made headlines last year when the Pentagon decided to stop collaborating on the move The Avengers, stating they, “couldn’t reconcile the unreality of this international organization and [their] place in it.”

Specific criteria has been laid out by the Pentagon in order for a production to be approved. The policy states that the production must benefit the Department of Defense or otherwise be in the national interest based on the following factors:

The production must help increase public understanding of the Armed Forces and the Department of Defense.

The production should help Armed Forces recruiting and retention programs.

The production must be authentic in its portrayal of persons, places, actual military operations or historical events. Fictional portrayals must depict a feasible interpretation of military life, operations and policies.

The production should not appear to condone or endorse activities by private citizens or organizations that are contrary to U.S. Government policy.

The producer must agree to sign and abide by the production agreement and DODI5410.16 (you will receive copies of both documents early in your coordination).

Military assets requested must be available when required.

There are different levels in which the military may assist the production of different types of media. In his dissertation, The Development of Hollywood’s Relationship with the Military: A Guide for Filmmakers and Military Entertainment Liaison Officers, Jim Gregory outlines how the military may become involved:

Courtesy assistance entails providing filmmakers access to military bases for research purposes. It can also include a review of the script for accuracy where the DoD entertainment liaison representative will make suggestions that the filmmaker can accept or reject. If requested, a DoD entertainment liaison may choose to visit a set to provide technical advice regarding accuracy, such as how a command center might look, or how military props and uniforms are utilized or worn. Normally, filmmakers do not need to have secured a distribution agreement to receive courtesy assistance.

The next level of assistance is considered full support. For a film project to be considered for full support, a distribution agreement must have been secured by the person submitting the film project and the full script must be approved by the military. Once the script is approved, the appropriate military service will draft a production agreement for signature. The agreement stipulates the exact assistance that will be granted throughout the production of the film. Full support entails the assignment of a DoD project officer, who will provide technical assistance as well as ensure adherence to the agreed upon script. Depending on the needs of the filmmaker, the cooperation provided can range from access to military bases and equipment for filming to assistance with obtaining military extras to perform tasks that could not easily be taught to actors.

There’s no doubt that the military and Hollywood film producers will maintain its strong bond for as long as Americans continue to flock to the theaters.