As part of the first wave in the War on Terror, First Lieutenant Mike Scotti (awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with Combat "V") served on the front lines during the 21 day advance to Baghdad. His experiences in Afghanistan as well as Iraq put him face to face with the sobering realities of war on a daily basis. Severe Clear offers an unflinching look at life on the battlefield through the eyes of someone who was there. Written by Marc Perez
Shot by First Lieutenant Mike Scotti on his Mini-DV camera, and told through his own journal entries, Kristian Fraga's "Severe Clear" is more than a documentary. It is a first person account of the Marines who were on the front lines of Operation Iraqi Freedom. This is what they saw. In this digital age of embedded reporters and filmmakers directing their "war" pictures from the internet, "Severe Clear" strips the barriers between audience and soldier, personalizing the fear, moral conundrum and sheer adrenaline rush of life on the battlefield. The personal story of Mike Scotti and the Marines in his unit is the backbone of this intimate, extreme and often times horrific tale. The story begins with Scotti on a 40-day voyage across the Arabian Sea, aboard the USS Boxer, where his days are filled with physical training, tactical study, and mental preparation. For the Marines, who have been in a constant state of war since the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, the political wrangling of world leaders and diplomatic debates over the merits of UN resolutions are nothing but a smoke screen for a war they all know is inevitable. So they train, blow off steam, and wait. The forces reach Kuwait, but there is more waiting to be done. That is, until President Bush addresses the nation and orders the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom. As they push onto Baghdad, patriotism and youthful enthusiasm gradually gives way to the real, brutal horrors of war. As the resistance to their presence escalates, Scotti and his fellow soldiers are forced to come to grips with the magnitude of the situation they find themselves in. Severe Clear is a motion picture that captures the chaos and complexity of war. Written by Marc J. Perez