Screening of Diselpunk war short “The Wars of Other Men” followed by Q&A with the filmmakers

Presented by Scott Norman & Mike Zawacki

Set in an alternate 1920s-era world at war, “The Wars of Other Men” tells the story of a nameless Lieutenant fighting for an army on the verge of defeat. The enemy has begun to dominate the battlefield with their new chemical super weapon, known only as “the Fog.” When his superiors learn the location of the facility that manufactures the Fog, the Lieutenant is ordered to lead a squad through the war torn city to capture the scientist responsible for its creation… at a terrible cost to soldier and civilian alike. With the lives of his men and the fate of the war hanging in the balance the Lieutenant must make a choice — will he be a good soldier or will he be a good man?


Scott Norman – With plenty of experience on both independent and major productions (Low Winter Sun, Detroit 1-8-7, and others) Scott Norman has worked both sides of the camera. Active for many years in the Detroit indie scene he put the breadth of his experience to work as the lead in “The Wars of Other Men”. Scott also teaches acting and film production in the Detroit area, and is active in numerous theatre productions on top of all of that. Promoting “The Wars of Other Men” has given Scott a chance to meet and play with some of the Steam/Dieselpunk community’s finest and funnest!

Mike Zawacki has been a Steam/Dieselpunk enthusiast ever since he watched “20,000 Leagues Under The Sea”. He’s also a fan of military history, so the notion of an alternate history war film seemed almost inevitable! Mike learned most of his craft in the Film School Of Hard Knocks in and around the Detroit area. Co-writing and directing “The Wars of Other Men” put his independent and guerilla filmmaking skills to the test, with most of the production being shot in unsecured locations. Mike currently works in the not-for-profit sector and continues to write and direct occasional projects.

Chicago Steampunk Exposition