63d ARMY READINESS DIVISION | The Power To Defend

When I began The Power To Defend, the challenge was deceptively simple: create a compelling narrative centered on two modest corrugated buildings at Mare Island Naval Shipyard. Buildings 734 and 736 hardly announce themselves. But through research, archival discovery, and conversations with those who knew their history, I found the true inciting incident—the attack on Pearl Harbor. That moment of national shock and mobilization reframed everything. These structures were not background architecture; they were part of the industrial surge that powered America’s wartime naval dominance and reshaped the trajectory of the 20th century. The film was produced in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, honoring places that embody our nation’s military, technological, and cultural evolution.

What began as a documentation requirement became something more personal. In tracing the origins and purpose of these buildings, I came to better understand the complexity of America’s role in the world order—the weight of industrial power, the responsibility that comes with it, and the human labor behind national resolve. Projects like this are reminders that history hides in plain sight. If you look closely enough, even corrugated steel can reveal the architecture of global consequence.

Scriptwriter | Video Direction & Editor / Design