BURN X: A DECADE OF PROGRESS

A DECADE OF PROGRESS

By Leah Sobon

Ten years ago the world was introduced to a crisis on the front lines in the groundbreaking documentary "BURN". For many, this was closer to home than they knew. But for those living it, it was just another day at the firehouse.

Detroit, a city that seems to teeter on the cusp of collapse, continues to be protected by first responders who give everything to their jobs, but get little beyond their salaries. Selfless, passionate, and resilient are a few words that describe first responders in Detroit, but sharing their story as an awareness piece was a mission that few would have taken on.

Director/producers Tom Putnam and Brenna Sanchez told this remarkable story in their original movie “BURN” - one of the highest-grossing documentaries in history - and are now back with “BURN X”, which was released in December 2022.

BOTH MOVIES DEPICT THE STORIES OF FIREFIGHTERS IN DETROIT, WITH THE FIRST FOCUSING ON THE SOCIO-POLITICAL STRUGGLES AND PERSONAL EXPERIENCES OF THE MEN WHO WORK THE HOSES.

“BURN X” continues those stories and struggles, showcasing the retirements, the advancements and even the children who’ve grown up in the ensuing years to become members of the fire service themselves.

CRACKYL sat down with Tom Putnam, an award-winning director, producer and editor who specializes in telling the stories of everyday people – like first responders.

Why first responders?

“When I was about five years old, growing up in rural Oregon, our house caught on fire,” says Putnam. “And

because we lived in an unincorporated area, it took the fire department an hour to get there - they had to come from the other side of the county. It

really left an impression on me. So from an early age, I knew what other people didn't: that responding to fire and medical calls doesn’t always work as you see it on TV. It's always been something that I've had an emotional connection to, though I didn't do anything with first responders until 2009 when I heard a news story about a firefighter named Walter Harris

who died in the collapse of an abandoned building. It’s a really tragic story. My first question was probably the same as most people's:

what was this guy doing fighting a fire in an abandoned building?”

This question brought Putnam and Sanchez together to create “BURN” and began the journey of covering a decade-long story. They financed the first part of the film themselves, not even sure if there was an audience or a need. It turned out

that there was an audience - a big one. “BURN” played 170 cities and as a result, Putnam and Sanchez heard 170 different stories.

Says Putnam, “Nobody had really made a realistic firefighting documentary before. We ultimately

ended up able to fund the whole movie with charitable donations, many from firefighters.

“Then, we fell in love with the fire service. I don't think there’s any other job like it in the world. As a journalist, it's important to me because it’s a subject that’s exciting,

shows people parts of our society

they aren't aware of, and gives them a call to action so they can be a part of the change. First responders are unique in that way. Theirs is an incredibly important job that sooner or later touches everyone's life.” To the surprise of Putnam and Sanchez, and despite Denis Leary jumping on as an executive producer as well as a roaring success with a premiere at The New York Film Festival, no one wanted to distribute the film. The producers were shocked. Screenings were sold out and the reviews were positive but Putnam began to realize

that the problem might be that first responders were still taken for

granted by the public. Some reactions received from the civilian audience showed there was still a belief that firefighters and paramedics spent their days sitting in front of a big screen, with an occasional fire to manage at a safe distance. The reality of the job couldn’t be further from the truth.

“There is some sort of lack of transparency and the media has a lot to do with it. They get an unrealistic view of what the job is

like,” Putnam explains. “It’s also one of the few documentary subjects that crosses many of the socio-political boundaries we have. The responses from people in the fire service have shown real excitement. Their story is being told in a daring and realistic way…showing the great parts of the

job…why they do the job…and also showing the challenges they face.”

So why did Putnam and Sanchez feel the need to create a sequel to “BURN''?

“The ten years since ‘BURN’ was made, coincidentally turned out to be an incredibly important time in the city of Detroit,” says Putnam. “On one hand, we continue telling stories about people like Dave Parnell, who people really “ I WISH THAT WE responded to in the first film. There are firefighters like him UNDERSTOOD THAT who had small roles in the first film who have had some pretty THESE PEOPLE ARE huge things happen in their lives since. Then we wanted to SHOWING UP, TIME AFTER do a deeper dive into many of TIME, TO SEE SOMEONE the underlying issues. One of the notes we got back from ‘BURN’ ON THEIR WORST DAY. ” was that people wanted to hear about why things were the way

they were, why they worked the way they did and where things

were headed for Detroit. It wasn’t just a deeper dive into how fire fighting works there, but also into deeper

challenges like health care.”

Putnam is confident that “BURN X” will be an eye opener for people, showing them many other aspects of the job that they couldn’t get into in the first film. “There were so many stories that went untold and so many issues. When we started ‘BURN’, we didn’t know who the main characters would be…and so now we get to see some of their stories.” “It’s a great companion piece to ‘BURN’,” says Putnam. “ ‘BURN’ is

kicking the door in and ‘BURN X’ is moving through

the complex nature of the city and what it means to be a firefighter.”

Putnam is thrilled with the personal relationships that have developed since “BURN” was made. He explains that in creating the sequel, they owe a great deal to the remarkable people who continue to tell their stories.

“Many of the first people who watched the show are now thinking of retirement. There

was also a wave of people who became firefighters

because of ‘BURN’. To be able to show them that life doesn’t end once you leave the firehouse is really important as well.”

Putnam has a powerful appreciation for first responders. “I think, in some ways, first responders have been punished for always doing their jobs. Firefighters and paramedics never leave without a fire being put out or an injured person being transported. No matter how many things get cut, they are always going to make sure the job gets done. As a result, people assume they’re also being taken care of.”

He continues, “In the United States, I feel that whenever

people start calling a group of people heroes, it’s a huge red flag that they aren’t being properly taken care of

– whether it be frontline medical workers or people bagging groceries at the grocery stores over the last few years. There is some

sort of lack of transparency and the media has a lot to do

with it. The public gets an unrealistic view of what the job is like.”

Putnam and Sanchez have observed the differences between those who ran the firehouses ten years ago and those who are showing up to do the job now. But there is a

common thread of resilience - it's a central characteristic of first responders.

“I think that reflects society as a whole. We’ve all had to learn to be more resilient. We see people getting into the job for different reasons now and many departments are having real problems retaining those employees. I was talking with an expert who explained that the amount of trauma a first responder would have faced in a 30 year career is now experienced in the first ten years. That takes a toll. I think the resilience is there – but it’s there because it’s more necessary than ever before.”

Putnam says it best, “When some people were watching ‘BURN’, they decided to make firefighting their career path.

I think we’re all looking for something rewarding in our lives and there is really no other job in the world like being a first responder.”

DIRECTED / PRODUCED BY: TOM PUTNAM & BRENNA SANCHEZ