Sunday, January 15, 2017

SMART: Specialized Mobile Animal Rescue Team (Guest Post) #BtC4A

When people ask me about my favorite rescue in my feature-length documentary SMART: Specialized Mobile Animal Rescue Team, they assume the answer’s going to be something big. The deer in Pee-Wee Herman’s backyard? Airlifting the horse from the dam? Surely, the mountain lion in the basement?

The answer, surprisingly enough, is a kitten in a basement.

First, check out the trailer:




You back? Great. Pretty cool, right?

My team and I spent 3 years in the field with SMART. We lived, breathed and bled with them. But they truly figured out who I was early on, in a house with true Hollywood pedigree. Yes, this rescue could only have occurred in the City of  Los Angeles.

SMART team lead Armando Navarrete was in the attic, his flashlight beam sweeping across insulation and wood. The owners thought the kitten was up there, but although we could hear the little thing, it was nowhere to be found.

I shimmied downstairs and ran outside, making sure I was on the same side of the house Armando was. And then I heard it. The kitten was crying beneath the house, and the sound was racing up the wall to the attic.

I told Armando to come on down, and then I almost went in to grab the kitten. I think that’s when they figured out that I was truly invested in their work. That I got it. Me, leading my small crew, determined to tell their story… and I almost ruined my own shoot to go get that little critter.
Armando with Kitten
Photo Courtesy of Justin Zimmerman, Director of SMART


Of course the properly trained and incredibly talented Armando Navarrete did his thing and saved the day, and that kitten rescue is an important part of the documentary. But the end of the story hasn’t ever been told before. Until now.

Because in true Hollywood fashion, the owner of the home was in the classic Planet of the Apes. He sprayed down Chuck Heston with a water cannon, in fact. And Planet of the Apes is Armando’s favorite movie from his childhood.


From Planet of The Apes
Photo Courtesy of Justin Zimmerman, Director of SMART


Mind. Blown.

So it wasn’t the dog over the cliff or the 50-foot fall or even the pelican water rescue that stands out to me the most. My favorite rescue is a kitten, alone in the dark, crying out for help so loudly that it sounds like it’s coming from the attic. And the need to go in and get it out, no matter what, running through me.


Armando with kitten
Photo Courtesy of Justin Zimmerman, Director of SMART


Movies. Documentaries. LA. It all came together in SMART, and now the film is live on Amazon and more for all to see. I hope you have time to watch and review it, and I hope it galvanizes everyone who sees it to help. To volunteer, to adopt a shelter animal, to have their pets spayed, neutered and microchipped. You know the score.

Because you don’t have to jump out of a helicopter to be an animal rescuer.

Justin Zimmerman, Director

Everything SMART: www.SMARTMovieDoc.com

SMART on Facebook 


SMART on Amazon DVD




From Cat Chat With Caren and Cody: We were not compensated for sharing this guest post.

26 comments:

  1. Mes is going to has to watch this movie! Its right up my alley!
    Kisses
    Nellie Bellie
    Ps probably all the emails work, but the bestest on is nellieontheedge @ gmail.com

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  2. How awesome was that? I wish more people wanted to see documentaries like this one instead of the latest action adventure/CGI thing.

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  3. That was a great trailer!
    SMART sounds like a pawsome outfit and they probably have amazing stories.
    Purrs Georgia,Julie and JJ

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  4. I LOVE documentaries like that! Thank you Cody and Dakota for telling us. XXX

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  5. I'm going to have to watch this. What amazing work they do. The world could certainly use more people like them. Thank you, Cody and Caren, for bringing this to our attention!

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  6. It sounds like SMART is indeed very wise!

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  7. Awww, especially on the kitty rescue. They can be very loud when they want something.

    Have a purrfect day Cody. My best to your wonderful mom. ♥♥♥

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  8. I've never heard of this documentary ... but now I really want to see it! And I love the line, "Because you don’t have to jump out of a helicopter to be an animal rescuer." AWESOME!

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  9. Never heard of it but will check it out!

    Purrs xx
    Athena and Marie

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  10. That sounds like a pawsome documentary ! Purrs

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  11. What an awesome introduction to this doco - Armando is awesome and I just love your end quote... "You don't have to jump out of a helicopter....

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  12. Wow! Yep, yep, yep - I'll be watching this!

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  13. The trailer was interesting. Thanks for sharing it. I'll have to check out the movie.

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  14. What a pawtastic rescue group! We just love humans like them. This was the purrfect post for BtC4A.

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    Replies
    1. We agree that they are great! Thanks and Cody and I think so too! They were great guest posters!!

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  15. After watching the trailer, all I can say is that they are my heroes. Thank you for sharing this as I had not heard of this documentary before. Purrs from Deb and the Zee/Zoey gang

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  16. WE'll keep this in mind. Thanks for sharing.

    Emma and Buster

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  17. This is so awesome! This looks like an amazing documentary. Thank you for sharing it with us, Caren and Cody! :)

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  18. What a coincidence. I learned about this documentary on the Community Cats Podcast, and just watched it.

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    1. He reached out to a number of people. I have had this scheduled for over a month..hmmmm....maybe they saw it here? One never knows!

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  19. Oh MY!! What a great rescue that was...even if it was not the biggest hardest, MOL!! Wee kittens sure can bawl like no one's business if they are lost and hungry...
    Thanks fir sharing this with us:)

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