U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

AD-X2

AD-X2: Behind the Scenes

Share

Learn more about the making of "The AD-X2 Controversy" in this behind the scenes video.

The AD-X2 Controversy - Behind the Scenes
The AD-X2 Controversy - Behind the Scenes
Writer/Director José Ricardo García gives us a peak behind the scenes of The AD-X2 Controversy.

so how real are the re-enactments?

The majority of the lines spoken by the main characters (Allen Astin, Jess Ritchie and Secretary Weeks) in this film were taken directly from interviews, media articles, Congressional testimony and other sources. You can find links to a selection of those sources on our Resources page.

Curious about how visually "true to life" the reenactments were? Check out some side-by-side photos below.

National Bureau of Standards

Left: black and white picture of Allen Astin holding his glasses. Right: screenshot from AD-X2 Controversy film of actor playing Allen Astin holding his glasses
Left: Dr. Allen V. Astin, director of the National Bureau of Standards. Right: Screenshot of Evan Casey as Allen V. Astin in "The AD-X2 Controversy" documentary.
Credit: NIST
Left: Black and white photo of a lab. Right: recreation of scene on left
Left: Herbert J. Reed and Phyllis R. Robb of the Electrochemistry Section with automotive (front row) and aircraft (back row) batteries that were studied to determine the effect of magnesium and sodium sulfate additives on their performance and useful life. Measurements of the specific gravity showed no significant difference between treated and untreated cells.

Right: A re-enactment of the scene for "The AD-X2 Controversy" documentary.
Credit: NIST
Left: black and white photo of an NBS scientist doing a battery test. Right: Re-enactment of same scene
Left: NBS scientist Herbert J. Reed with automotive (front row) and aircraft (back row) batteries that were studied to determine the effect of magnesium and sodium sulfate additives on their performance and useful life. Measurements of the specific gravity showed no significant difference between treated and untreated cells.

Right: A re-enactment of that research in "The AD-X2 Controversy" documentary.
Credit: NIST

Pioneers Inc

Left: Black and white photo in a publication of Jess Ritchie on the phone while his wife sits at a typewriter. Right: Re-enactment of the same scene
Left: Pioneers Inc founder Jess Ritchie talks on the phone while his wife, Valera Ritchie, types.

Right: A re-enactment of that scene from "The AD-X2 Controversy" documentary.
Credit: NIST
Left: Black and white of a man showing off boxes of AD-X2. Right: Re-enactment
Left: A photo of Jess Ritchie with the AD-X2 display box.

Right: Jess Ritchie with the display box in "The AD-X2 Controversy" documentary.
Credit: NIST
Left: Black and white of a man showing off a box of AD-X2. Right: Re-enactment of the scene
Left: Jess M. Ritchie demonstrating AD-X2 before the Senate Select Committee on Small Business.

Right: A re-enactment of the scene.
Credit: NIST
Left: black and white headshot. Right: Man standing up while another man looks up at him
Left: Merle Randall, who helped create AD-X2.

Right: A re-enactment of the creation of AD-X2 by Merle Randall (standing up) and Jess M. Ritchie.
Credit: NIST
Created April 21, 2023, Updated May 10, 2023