Military Channel Premieres BAKER BOYS: INSIDE THE SURGE, 2/18

The Military Channel has acquired from Gigapix Studios the critically-acclaimed and multiple award-winning documentary BAKER BOYS: INSIDE THE SURGE. The series follows Baker Company, a squad of Army soldiers on an extended tour in Iraq. Their primary mission: attempt to dismantle Al Qaeda and the terrorist organization's infrastructure during "the Surge" that turned the tide of the war. Filmed over three months by legendary combat photographer Jon Steele, viewers are given a compelling, unprecedented view of the reality of American soldiers in combat in Iraq. In a unique event, BAKER BOYS: INSIDE THE SURGE premieres on the Military Channel on Saturday, February 18 in a four-hour block from 4-8 PM ET.

BAKER BOYS: INSIDE THE SURGE features first-person, real-time storytelling as the soldiers of Baker Company negotiate new alliances with local Iraqi militias, pay off tribal sheiks for their cooperation, and deal with the fear and uncertainty of being thrust into counter-insurgency warfare, where money and trust are their most effective weapons. This is a deep, penetrating look into the life of a soldier that exposes the raw, personal emotion and the honest, physical experience of combat soldiers operating in Iraq and reveals the causes and conditions of post-traumatic stress disorder.

"BAKER BOYS: INSIDE THE SURGE captures the heroism, valor and courage of our service men and women as they deploy to an Al Qaeda stronghold in Iraq," said Ed Hersh, senior vice president of content for the Military Channel. "The unfiltered, first-hand storytelling from those charged with taking the fight directly to insurgents, as well as building the needed trust with local officials and residents, provides an unflinching and revealing inside glimpse at what it took for 'the Surge' to be successful."

"We are very happy to partner with the Military Channel," said David Pritchard, President of Gigapix Studios. "A series as groundbreaking as BAKER BOYS deserves a place on television, and we are very excited to be working with Military Channel to make this happen." BAKER BOYS: INSIDE THE SURGE was produced and filmed by combat cameraman Jon Steele, who went to Iraq with no official designation and embedded himself with Baker Company for three months of filming. The series was executive produced by Pritchard for Gigapix Studios and Vincent Gonet and David Rihs for PointProd.

Acclaimed producer and cameraman Jon Steele began his career with the Independent Television News of London in 1980. Inspired by what he called "the nobility of television news in getting into dangerous places to tell the stories of innocent lives caught in the crossfire of conflict," Steele became one of the network's top cameramen and editors, winning several international awards. He penned his autobiography, "War Junkie," in 2002, revealing his life behind the camera in some of the worst places on earth. Today the book is recognized as a cult classic of war reportage. It was during the run up to the Second Iraq War that he became disillusioned with television news and left ITN. Five years later, he returned to Iraq and lived with an American combat unit for three months, filming their lives, recording their voices, and capturing their raw emotions for the documentary.

About Gigapix Studios, Inc.

Gigapix Studios is a diversified independent entertainment company encompassing film, television, new media, and distribution through the newly formed Gigapix Releasing. The company features an experienced and award-winning management team of veteran film and television executives, along with digital media and marketing experts. Gigapix Studios and Gigapix Releasing take a strategic approach towards creating and distributing content, with a focus on creating distinct entertainment brands across multiple platforms. Gigapix Studios co-produced the acclaimed feature film, Captain Abu Raed (Winner of the World Cinema Audience Award at Sundance) as well as the award-winning documentary, Baker Boys: Inside the Surge. The Company recently completed the second season of production on the scripted comedy series "Workaholics" for Comedy Central, based on a web series developed in-house at Gigapix.

About Military Channel

The Military Channel brings viewers compelling, real-world stories of heroism, military strategy, and significant turning points in history. Currently available in more than 59.9 million homes, the network takes viewers "behind the lines" to hear the personal stories of servicemen and women and offers in-depth explorations of military training, aviation technology and cutting-edge weaponry. As the only cable network devoted to military subjects, it also provides unique access to this world, allowing viewers to understand the full spectrum of experiences intrinsic to the armed forces, as well as the long-held traditions of the military. For more information, please visit military.discovery.com.

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