we are breaking it down with mike mccoy and scott. what is your goal in releasing this film, scott? there's a lot of men and women that are fighting down range and doing some pretty heroic things and seeking no recognition. there's a lot of first responders doing the same thing. we just think it's really important those people do get recognized. they are doing valorous things for reasons that we are still try i trying to understand. >> and mike, what would you add to that? >> absolutely. the concept of "an act of valor" really struck us. these men were doing such amazing things and no one knew about it. they were humble guys that were so different in how they had been represented. so we really wanted to communicate what these guys were about. >> what do you think is revealed, mike, about the nature of their character that may be distort distorted in peoples' minds? >> first and foremost, we have all seen the concept of the commando on film. it's usually a concoction between ram bo and terminator. some of these are the most intelligent guys we have met. really dedicated family men. e

. >> reporter: director mike mccoy convinced the navy only seals could play seals. >> we started to seenu didn't know existed in the real world. >> reporter: together they embarked on a 2 1/2 year production schedule. denver has been on classified seal missions all over the world. this is as close as you get to what he really does. the combat is the crew filming seals on training missions. >> we're talking why is he addressing this? you see this guy move. >> drag out. >> it is extremely authentic. we were there at every turn with the production company and directors during the filming of "act of valor." >> reporter: the navy originally wanted to make a seal recruiting film. the crew shot hundreds of hours, and suddenly it became a movie that never got the pentagon's official stamp of approval. navy officials say they know some will be critical of real commandos being used in a hollywood thriller. >> it did not the follow the typical approval process, but the navy did support the film and the seals were involved with the film every step of the way. >> reporter: to keep their secrets, som

. >> reporter: but director mike mccoy convinced them only s.e.a.l.s could play s.e.a.l.s. >> you startedst in the real world. >> reporter: together they embarked on a 2 1/2 year production schedule. denver has been on classified missions all over the world. this movie is as close as you get to what he really does. the combat is actually the crew filming s.e.a.l.s on training missions. >> it would be nice if i could be here. we're talking why he's addressing this threat. you can see this guy move, frag out. >> frag out! >> it's extremely authentic. we were there at every turn of with the production company and the directors and say this is the way it actually happens. >> reporter: the movie is not without controversy. the navy originally wanted to make a s.e.a.l. recruiting film. the crew shot hundreds of hours, and suddenly it became a movie that never got the pentagon's official stamp of approval. navy officials say they know some will not critical of real commandos being used in a hollywood thriller. >> it did not follow the typical approval process, but the navy did support the film,

co-producers and director mike mccoy is here along with you saw him, senior correspondent john millerntelligence. welcome. >> mike, i watched the movie yesterday and i looked at it with different eyes knowing that the people were actual navy seals. that made the movie even more fascinating to me. it's my understanding it didn't start out that way. you were trying do a documentary. >> started out into app exploration, what would it look like to tell the story. once we were led inside and connected with this amazing brotherhood of man, we started about their sacrifice, ten years of sustained combat deployment. not only on themselves but their families and their wives. who felt like the only way to honor them was do it for real. casting the real guys, using real ammunition, based on real acts of valor have have gone down in the years past. >> it says the seals, how obama used to use his secret weapon. tell us about the seals. what makes them either special, different, successful. >> you really have to look at this brotherhood of men that will never quit. there's something inside the men

. >> joining me are the directors of "act of valor," mike "mouse" mccoy and.et's talk about what this movie represents as opposed to any other type of movie because you actually used real, honest-to-goodness navy seals as the key actors. scott, where was the genesis of the idea of using real seals instead of actors? >> when we really had a chance to meet the operators and we were in an exploratory phase with them and we wanted to try to extract real acts of valor with them and we got to know the guys. we were going to cast actors. when you meet them and see what incredible men they are, we thought there's no way to accurately get this unless you found the real guys. we found 8 guys that we thought were incredible men and they all turned us down. >> you weren't really originally thinking about using seals and then it kind of evolved into that? >> you wouldn't naturally think to do that. we were exploring their story and the potential for telling it overall and we connected with the brotherhood of men and saw it existing only in mythology but it was real. we lea

. >> mike: joining me are the directors of act of valor, mike mouse mccoy and scott wallace.alk about the extraordinary difference this movie represents as any other type of movie. because you tilely use real live to goodness navy seals, as the actors. what was the idea of using real seals instead of actors? >> we got a chance to meet the operators and were in an exploratory phase with them and try and extract real acts of valor from them and got to know the guys and originally going to cast the actors, when you meet the nice and see what incredible men they are, complexity of characters and no way to get the fast of real guys and we saw eight guys incredible men and he they all turned us down. >> so, you really weren't originally thinking about using seals and then it kind of evolved into that. >> you wouldn't naturally think to do that. exploring the story and potentially overall and connected with this brotherhood of men and saw a brotherhood that almost existed we thought in mythology and learned of the acts of valor in the act of battle field for one another and inspirat

. >> joining us right now are mike mccoy and scott roy, the directors of the film. asked if you were there. you said? >> right in the middle of that gun fight. >> wearing. >> full body armor and camouflage. >> that was the most orchestrated chaos we've seen in our lives. >> this is live fire. first time live fire has been used in a movie since -- >> 1929. >> oh, my goodness. >> yeah, right? >> what was the mission here for you as filmmakers? >> you know, we felt like for the last 10 years, there's been a lot of men and women in uniform that have been sacrificing for our country and we -- and they do it for no recognition, steve. we feel like, you know, they deserve recognition. they deserve to be, you know, more than just a patted on the back. >> absolutely. you have this idea, you went to the pentagon and you approached some real life navy seals and you said we're making a movie and what did they tell you? >> well, we were invited inside in the community and really got to know the guys and heard all the stories and were blown away by these amazing acts of valor tha

mike mouse mccoy and scott wau, good morning to you.ink this movie was necessary to make? and in the same vane why did the navy seals the story needed to be out there? >> well, i think overall the heroic deeds these guys have been doing in the last ten years to sustain combat deployments and the sack ra is tpaoeusess theisacrifices their families have gone through need to be brought to the forefront. as filmmakers we thought it was time to give them some recognition. martha: scott, it's martha here. did you ever anticipate how wide the release of this movie would become? i think it's in 2500 theaters across the nation as it opens. clearly it's jump off the lot of attention that this group has got even since the osama bin laden hit. >> it's definitely very humbling, mouse and i really set out on a venture four years ago to just tell their story accurately and authentically and have the film really reach this kind of recognition, i think it's over 3,000 screens now coming up on friday, it's pretty beyond our comprehension. bill: we have a

. >> we have had success and football has had the best success and mike is the coming here and getting the degree. >> mccoy entire sees something special about the players here. >> they are very hungry to be successful. i sense that when i walk on campus. they might not say that but they say that. they want to be someone special. >> now, he has five years to continue to make the football team special. for a win improvement with a five record this past season. >> that's it for sports. >> what do you think the extinction means for the spar tans this upcoming season? >> well, it is great to keep the team in focus. >>> that will do it for now. thanks for staying up with us. >> make sure to check us out on facebook. we will see you next week. travel advisories to small business loans. product recalls to home buying tips. government car auctions to finding a new job.