I'm doing research for a movie

[moviewriter 0]

As the title says, I'm doing research for a movie script that I'm writing and I need information, preferably from someone with a legal or military background. (if you have a legal background, I have a few more questions!)

So, here's the scoop. My character got into trouble in high school. He and a buddy accepted a bet that they couldn't steal a TV from a construction trailer. The buddy was smoking when they broke in. He dropped the cigarette into a pile of rags, and whoosh! They got caught and charged with felony malicious mischief and breaking and entering (it was a first offense and the damage was minimal).

So, in theory(and this is where you come in) one was sent to prison (he had a heart problem) the other was given the option of enlisting in the military. The one who went into the military was trained in skydiving. When he gets out he takes a friend (female of course) on her first dive...tandem.

Here are my questions:

1) Is this feasible? Would someone with his record be given such an option and would he be accepted into such an elite division?

2) How long would it take to get to the elite division and make enough dives to qualify to take a friend up in tandem?

3) How many dives is that?

4) In what branch(es)/division of the military would this person get such training?

Thank you in advance for reading my post and for considering my questions...and a special thank you if you can answer them! If I use your information you will be appropriately quoted and credited.

[AggieDave 6]

Have you ever visited a real life DZ? Have you jumped?

I think that would be good research for you to accomplish so you have a slightly better understanding on real life skydiving and not movie skydiving which is typically wildly inaccurate (and so unbelievable that it literally ruins the entire movie).

Beyond that the only unit I know of that ends up training and learning an equivalent to the USPA's tandem instructor's rating or experience is the Golden Knights. Others use tandem type systems, but for different purposes as I understand it. There are those on this site that are very experienced operators that are military freefall qualified (and experienced). If they're willing to pipe in, they will, otherwise I'm not going to punk them out for you.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[turtlespeed 221]

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Have you ever visited a real life DZ? Have you jumped?

I think that would be good research for you to accomplish so you have a slightly better understanding on real life skydiving and not movie skydiving which is typically wildly inaccurate (and so unbelievable that it literally ruins the entire movie).

Beyond that the only unit I know of that ends up training and learning an equivalent to the USPA's tandem instructor's rating or experience is the Golden Knights. Others use tandem type systems, but for different purposes as I understand it. There are those on this site that are very experienced operators that are military freefall qualified (and experienced). If they're willing to pipe in, they will, otherwise I'm not going to punk them out for you.

Well Said.

I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

[ACMESkydiver 0]

If this is supposed to be present day, there is no 'military or jail' option.

Biggest issue any prior service/current soldier would prolly roll eyes at from the get-go.

Good luck.

~Jaye
Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action.

[gonzalesna 0]

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Have you ever visited a real life DZ? Have you jumped?

I think that would be good research for you to accomplish so you have a slightly better understanding on real life skydiving and not movie skydiving which is typically wildly inaccurate (and so unbelievable that it literally ruins the entire movie).

Beyond that the only unit I know of that ends up training and learning an equivalent to the USPA's tandem instructor's rating or experience is the Golden Knights. Others use tandem type systems, but for different purposes as I understand it. There are those on this site that are very experienced operators that are military freefall qualified (and experienced). If they're willing to pipe in, they will, otherwise I'm not going to punk them out for you.

Well Said.

I can't believe I'm gonna say this, but...


I agree.

Some people refrain from beating a dead horse. Personally, I find a myriad of entertainment value when beating it until it becomes a horse-smoothie.

[gonzalesna 0]

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If this is supposed to be present day, there is no 'military or jail' option.

Biggest issue any prior service/current soldier would prolly roll eyes at from the get-go.

Good luck.

Actually, it does still occur. It's very rare, but I've met a few individuals that have done that.

Some people refrain from beating a dead horse. Personally, I find a myriad of entertainment value when beating it until it becomes a horse-smoothie.

[ladyskydiver 0]

1) Go to a military recruiting center and discuss with them the feasibility of enlistment vs. jail.

2) Go to a dropzone, make a jump, hang out and talk.

Then you'll be able to answer your own questions and have the most accurate information.

Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile.

[stevebabin 0]

Oh Good!
Another movie about skydiving criminals....

"Science, logic and reason will fly you to the moon. Religion will fly you into buildings."
"Because figuring things out is always better than making shit up."

[skydemon2 0]

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1) Go to a military recruiting center and discuss with them the feasibility of enlistment vs. jail.

2) Go to a dropzone, make a jump, hang out and talk.

Then you'll be able to answer your own questions and have the most accurate information.

28 months........ wow can you make it?

Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes clean to the bone!

I like to start my day off with a little Ray of Soulshine™!!

[skyjumpenfool 2]

I have all the answers to your questions! I accept visa, mastercard, pay pal or jump tickets $$. Call me any time, night or day.

And, thanks for asking.

Birdshit & Fools Productions

"Son, only two things fall from the sky."

[happythoughts 0]

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My character got into trouble in high school. He and a buddy accepted a bet that they couldn't steal a TV from a construction trailer. The buddy was...

So, you are "making a movie" and it is about "this guy and his buddy"...

Ok.

Or, you could have dreams of excitement and adventure.

Talk to a recruiter and see what they offer you.

[riggerrob 643]

Golden Knights (US Army Parachute Demonstration Team) are the only ones who brag about doing tandem jumps.
A bunch of other special forces units (Rangers, Airborne Pathfinders, Green Berets, Marine Recon, SEALS, USAF ParaRescuemen, Forward Air Controllers, Delta and the unit that prefers not to be mentioned in public ...) all jump tandem bundles into battle. Whether they do tandem jumps with soldiers strapped on front ... is not discussed in polite company.

Minimums include 3 years jumping, 500 freefall jumps, another parachute instructor rating, survived at least one malfunction, passed the tandem instructor course, etc.

[quade 4]

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Oh Good!
Another movie about skydiving criminals....

Because, well, we KNOW we don't have any drug smugglers or murders in OUR midst...do we? And certainly nobody has ever skyjacked an airplane using a parachute as a "planned" getaway.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[aresye 0]

I'm active USN, and unless things have changed in the past two years I've been in, I believe that they still offer the enlistment vs. jail option. It really depends on the offense, but I did have a few guys in my boot camp division that were in because they had that option.

If you need any more information about military life, just PM me. I don't have too much information about the military vs. jail option though.

Skydiving: You either learn from other's mistakes, or they'll learn from yours.

[happythoughts 0]

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Oh Good!
Another movie about skydiving criminals....

How about... the guy who gets caught torching the place gets sent to jail. The other guy is a stoner who skydives into the prison yard and...


Oh wait. Now they have two guys in prison.

[quade 4]

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The one who went into the military was trained in skydiving. When he gets out he takes a friend (female of course) on her first dive...tandem.

Your story is going to take place over a very LONG period of time if it's set in 2008ish.

The minimum enlistment is going to be maybe 4 years but he's probably going to have to agree to a longer period if he wants this type of training and acceptance into an "elite" parachute group.

IF he really was in an "elite" military group that used square parachutes on a regular basis, he might not have too much trouble converting that knowledge into a civilian skydiving "career" -- I'd tack on at least six months or so AFTER he gets out before he ever takes up his girlfriend.

So maybe 6.5 years total provided he lives though the Iraq war, doesn't get stop lossed and everything worked out perfectly.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[riddler 0]

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The other guy is a stoner who skydives into the prison yard and...

Oh right, like that's ever happened

Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

[moviewriter 0]

Thank you aresye. I appreciate the offer and will PM you. I also appreciate the other serious replies.

For those of you who expressed concern over the skydiving content of the movie, accuracy is the reason I'm doing the research. The movie isn't about skydiving though, I'm simply trying to establish the charactor's personality and the connection he has to this woman vs. another one. If this avenue isn't realistic, I will have to figure out another way of doing the same thing. Maybe he'll just take her for a motorcycle ride through the mountains. It's only a tiny portion of the movie, and I certainly didn't mean to offend anyone. I appologize if I have.

[PWScottIV 0]

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Thank you aresye. I appreciate the offer and will PM you. I also appreciate the other serious replies.

For those of you who expressed concern over the skydiving content of the movie, accuracy is the reason I'm doing the research. The movie isn't about skydiving though, I'm simply trying to establish the charactor's personality and the connection he has to this woman vs. another one. If this avenue isn't realistic, I will have to figure out another way of doing the same thing. Maybe he'll just take her for a motorcycle ride through the mountains. It's only a tiny portion of the movie, and I certainly didn't mean to offend anyone. I appologize if I have.

By all means, integrate skydiving into your movie... But please do everything in your power to make it accurate. Like someone mentioned earlier, nothing completely ruins a movie more than incorrectly portraying an activity such as skydiving... Granted, it only ruins the move for people who have experience/knowledge with that particular activity... But, undoubtedly, the worst thing it does is misinform people who don't have experience with the activity.

Gravity Waits for No One.

[Jewels 0]

In fairness, while I understand why skydivers get defensive about how skydiving is portrayed on film, often the people who show up here to ask questions are the ones who are actually trying to get it right. It doesn't mean that they always do or will portray things correctly, but asking questions is a good first step. It's the people who never ask questions at all who stand the greater risk of taking things out of the realm of reality.

TPM Sister #102

[mdrejhon 8]

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1) Is this feasible? Would someone with his record be given such an option and would he be accepted into such an elite division?

2) How long would it take to get to the elite division and make enough dives to qualify to take a friend up in tandem?

3) How many dives is that?

4) In what branch(es)/division of the military would this person get such training?

Generally I don't think military do tandem jumps with civilians -- at least I haven't heard about it, even if it happens sometimes with the demo teams.

More likely, a military guy tries skydiving in the military context and then they become interested in becoming a sports jumper or even tandem instructor (as a civilian) because they liked the skydiving in the military.

I've met a few ex-military people who subsequently joined sports skydiving for that reason.

If your story is tweaked a little bit, it becomes much more plausible. Maybe an "A year later...." intermission (Scene 1: Show military newbie doing first skydive. Scene 2: Fade to black, display "A year later..." or "Many jumps later in a new hobby...", Scene 3: Fade to recreational dropzone such Perris showing same person as now-already-experienced about to start a fun jump or a tandem.) ... that way, no explaining to the moviegoer, what happened between the military jump and the tandem jump. A year is a bit fast, but tandem instructors have been made that quickly in less time than that before, given enough money. Of course, this may not work, but the story becomes that much more plausible if you gap it as if he took up skydiving as a hobby ...

There are plenty of easy plot band-aids. Let's not scare the plot researchers -- tomorrow's plot researcher will be googling and finding this old archived thread anyway, and they'll be discouraged from even starting to write about skydiving because of the politics.

I welcome more skydiving content into movies -- just a few simple plausibility tweaks to keep it realistic.

[BIGUN 1,317]

Your character would have difficulty becoming "elite" and to carry a tandem as trained by the military on a first enlistment - it's "usually" a second re-enlistment.
A more plausible scenario would be one who chose the military in lieu of jail; signed up for Airborne Infantry and found himself assigned to the 82nd Airborne.
Jumping out of planes changed his life and gave him a way to channel his thrill-seeking behaviors in a positive way.
He chooses to pursue his new found passion for jumping by concurrently becoming a civilian skydiver while assigned to the 82nd Airborne.
Within a year or so, he racks up enough skydives to become a civilian Tandem Instructor.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[MikeJD 0]

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Have you ever visited a real life DZ? Have you jumped?

I think that would be good research for you to accomplish so you have a slightly better understanding on real life skydiving

Hm, I dunno - that's starting to sound like a bad movie pitch in itself. Writer looking to add authenticity to his script becomes dangerously embroiled in the world of skydiving...

I think you'd need to spend a lot of time at a dropzone and make quite a few jumps to really get any insight into how it all works. And that's not practical for the sake of what sounds like a fairly minor plot element.

It bothers me (not directed at you, AggieDave) that any posts by non-jumpers always seem to get at least a handful of cynical and unhelpful responses. I don't see anything in moviewriter's questions to suggest he's trolling or has some secret motive.

Moviewriter, sorry I don't have the right experience to answer your questions - but I hope somebody here will, and I hope it helps you to get it right.

[turtlespeed 221]

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More likely, a military guy tries skydiving in the military context and then they become interested in becoming a sports jumper or even tandem instructor (as a civilian) because they liked the skydiving in the military.

I know of several that have - They had connections, but still they were civies.

I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

[Broke 0]

If you happen to be a civvy who knows someone you can get free tandem jumps in.

Divot your source for all things Hillbilly.
Anvil Brother 84
SCR 14192