Arts & Entertainment

'American Made Movie' Has a Gwinnett Touch

The documentary about manufacturing in the U.S. has local origins.

Updated July 6

Nathaniel McGill and Vincent Vittorio go back to their Dacula High days. And they struck a receptive chord with Gwinnett philanthropist Clyde Strickland a couple of years ago when they were discussing making a movie about the American manufacturing employment sector.

The results have just rolled out -- literally -- as the producers/directors began a national publicity tour for "The American Made Movie" on Friday (July 5) in Suwanee. The illustrated tour van was at Suwanee Town Center in the morning, then was to head for Buford for a 2 p.m. stop. Later, the tour was to head to Coolray Field at 5:30 p.m. for a screening.

McGill noted that his father worked at the shuttered General Motors plant in Doraville, and he later noticed how the so-called "local food movement" took off around 2006.

Strickland, who is a financial donor to Gwinnett Medical Center, noted that "for 25 years, I've been trying to save America." And so when McGill and Vittorio, who Β founded Life Is My Movie Entertainment, discussed their newest film idea with Strickland, the project rolled on.

And so will the bus tour -- to 32 cities in 32 days, according to the plan. The idea is not just to spread the word, but to get film footage from each stop, then post it on the website.

But the passion for the impact of manufacturing on the American economy is very evident with the filmmakers.

McGill notes that the film includes footage of such U.S. manufacturers as Louisville Slugger and New Balance, and emphasizes the impact that buying American-made goods can have on the economy -- and jobs.

He hopes the film inspires people to pledge three things: "know what you buy, buy where you live, and share with everyone."

Added Strickland: "We want to create the idea that each purchase we make can help America."

Furthering the local impact, the film will be shown in Gwinnett high schools and middle schools.

From Suwanee, the tour was to head to Okabashi Brands in Buford, then to Lawrenceville and Coolray Field.

-- Do you "buy local"? What do you think about the state of local and manufacturing jobs? Tell us in the comments below.

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