AMNA NAWAZ: A new documentary looks at how# gun violence has led to school lockdown drills## becoming a universal part of childhood in America.# That sparked the creation and explosive growth of## an entire industry of active shooter preparedness# products now worth an estimated $3 billion.

MAN: Lockdown 1 is by far our most# popular.

It works on any door.

MAN: Sirens and strobes throughout# the organization are now initiated.

MAN: It can move.

It has handles, and you# literally could move with the table if so desired.

MAN: Right after Sandy Hook happened,# teachers and schools started calling us.

MAN: When Sandy Hook happened and we# realized that the children were at risk,## we said we have got this great technology.

MAN: And now we're in 4,000# schools across the country.

AMNA NAWAZ: The documentary called "Thoughts &# Prayers" is available to stream now on HBO Max.## I recently spoke with the filmmaking team# behind it, Zackary Canepari and Jessica Dimmock.

Zack and Jessica, welcome to the# "News Hour."

Thanks for joining us.

JESSICA DIMMOCK, Co-Director,# "Thoughts & Prayers": Thank you.

ZACKARY CANEPARI, Co-Director,.. AMNA NAWAZ: So I wanted to get into the#.. But, Zack, kick us off here and just# tell us a little bit more about some## of those pitches we just heard, some# of the products we just heard about,## the fact that this is a whole industry# most people don't even know about## that's cropped up in recent years.

What# more should we understand about that?

ZACKARY CANEPARI: Yes, and the film documents# sort of the various different training programs## and products and cultural effects of all these# things across America due to gun violence.

And the products, the scene that you guys# just watched was from the National School## Safety Conference, which is a very# typical sort of American conference,## where they go to the hotel, they have# got the lazy river, they have got## the pool party, and then they have vendors.

And# those vendors are pitching products to schools and## other businesses looking for ways to help# prevent or stop or slow mass shootings.

Prevent is probably not the right word, because# it's more like slowing mass shootings down.## But those products are all on the marketplace# trying to find homes in schools across America.

AMNA NAWAZ: I mean, in the# world of products that you saw,## did anything surprise you that this thing exists?

JESSICA DIMMOCK: I think what# was most surprising was, like,## the calm and collected manner with which people# would kind of assume that any of this would work.

There's one thing that's a shield that kind# of opens up and theoretically could stop an## AR-15 bullet.

And, theoretically,# the demonstrator is talking about## how a kid aged 10 could run his fellow# classmates out to safety.

And, like,## when you really play that out in your# mind, you're like, wait, wait, wait.

OK.

So AR-15 bullets are flying at this shield# and this kid is supposed to be just ramming## through them?

Like, when you really stop and# think about the scenarios and what it would## actually take for any of this stuff to really be# effective, I think that's what's so surprising.

AMNA NAWAZ: Well, Jessica, I mean,# the industry is there because,## as you report in the film, 95 percent of# American schools now run lockdown drills.## There have been some 236 school shootings# in the last seven years where at least## one person was killed or injured.# That's according to Education Week.

Take us behind the film for a moment and tell us## about what made you want to make# this film in the first place.

JESSICA DIMMOCK: Yes.

So Zack and I have a child.

And l... American#parents, when she was approaching school age,## we started to think about the inevitability# of drills and started to think about what## it actually would be like to look at these.# And we went down the wormhole that I think a## lot of parents do, which is like, what's# the plan?

How is she going to stay safe?

And then once we started digging into that,# we realized that there was this whole kind of## world of safety and preparedness, which in some# ways we are looking at with some cynicism, but## ultimately the industry is not necessarily# the problem.

The industry exists because## there's a lack of meaningful gun reform# and people are trying to solve a problem.

We have some doubts that this is the# actual way to solve this problem,## but we understand in some# ways why the industry exists.

AMNA NAWAZ: I mean, I will share, I remember when# my oldest was just 4 years old and she came home## to talk about her first drill in pre-K,# when they told her, this is what happens## if an animal gets into the school, you have to# hide and be quiet and it just broke my heart.

Most parents don't get to see# the drills that these kids are## going through across the country.

Zack,# you witnessed these.

You saw a lot of## them firsthand.

Take us inside.# What is that like for the kids?

ZACKARY CANEPARI: I think it's very --# it's unique because it simultaneously## is the darkest thing that we can# imagine and also pretty mundane.

The kids are -- especially as they# get older.

They have been doing them## for years.

For the young kids, it's got# this spooky quality, but the kids don't## totally even really understand what# it is that they're practicing for.

With the older kids, they have been# doing this twice a year for their## entire school career.

And they have gotten to# the point like in high school at this point,## I think a lot of schools recommend that the# kids actually pick up something to use as## a improvised weapon.

It's really# just to stand there and hold it.

But the idea that this is even in the psyche# of these kids over years and years, I think,## is really what we're pointing at.

These# individual drills, they don't always## look like much.

They're pretty short.

But I# think the collective experience over many,## many years, and even just, again, just# talking about it and thinking about it,## hearing about other shootings, I# think that's what's the most damaging.

But, yes, the drills are just now# part of our ritual, American ritual.

AMNA NAWAZ: I mean, some of the most powerful## moments in the documentary are when# we hear from these kids dire.. I want to play for folks just# one of the interviews you did## with a student named Julie.

Take a listen.

JULIE, Middle School Student:# I really want to be a teacher,## elementary schoolteacher.

I really like# little kids, and I like working with them.## I like letting them express themselves and# teaching them to help them succeed in life.

But, again, that will be frustrating because# of school shootings.

I have to do a bunch of## trainings for them, get ready.

And especially# if I'm a teacher and one of the kids get hurt,## I will be very guilty, even if it's# not my fault.

It would just be like,## I could have done this to protect them.# And I would really -- I would feel guilty.

AMNA NAWAZ: Jessica, tell us about what else you# heard from the other kids when they would talk## about these drills and also just the possibility# of something happening in their schools.

JESSICA DIMMOCK: Yes, well, a couple of# things that the kids are so clear on,## which was really eye-opening for us as# people that didn't grow up doing this,## one, they're worried about it all the time.# They're in rooms and they're always kind of## thinking about where the exit is.# Could I jump out of that window?

Is## this building high enough for me to survive# something like that?

Can I run out the door?

So that kind of constant mental noise is# something that they -- is pretty universal.## They talk about it a lot.

They also talk# about close calls.

While shootings at schools## themselves are rather rare, they absolutely# -- as all Americans know, they do happen.

And the amount of kind of close# calls that these kids are around,## someone had a kill list, someone made a threat# on social media, a janitor at school had a plan,## this kind of proximity to the# violence was also really striking.

And I'd say the third thing that# really blew us away is that the## kids are clear about why this goes on.# They're very clear about that this is## a problem about guns and that this# is a uniquely American phenomenon.

AMNA NAWAZ: Zack, what about the impact# on teachers?

What did you hear from them?

ZACKARY CANEPARI: Well, I think, for the# teachers, teachers are on the front lines## of so many American culture wars.

It was masks# and book bands and obviously this as well.

And so what I found so striking was the teacher# in our film saying that there's been a huge## drop-off with teachers.

And the ones that are# in this program, the program in the film is in## Utah where they train teachers beyond just active# shooter preparedness.

They train them to use guns.

And the ones that are in this program for her# were the ones that were left, being that this## is what we're willing to do to protect our# kids and continue to educate kids.

I mean,## what a crazy -- that all they're trying to# do is educate, be teachers and there just not## totally -- there's no way that they're prepared# for -- this kind of ask is just above and beyond.

AMNA NAWAZ: Jessica, in all the conversations# with students and teachers and others,## is there consensus on what# they want to see changed,## on what they want public officials or leaders# to do or to act to stop this from happening?

Or## is there a resignation that this is# just part of their normal life now?

JESSICA DIMMOCK: I mean, I think that there# is a resignation that has deeply set in,## which is partially it has to do with why we# made this film and the way that we approach it.

I think, when we think about drills, what's# important for everyone to understand,## including your listeners, is that all of the# things that we show in our film, which are very## commonplace in America, are all predicated on the# idea that this violence cannot be stopped or that## this violence is just coming and what we need to# do, instead of prevent it, is to practice for it.

And so I think what we really want# is to for people to feel enraged## that -- and hopeful that we don't# need to live this and that there## is a different way to live that's# free from this kind of violence.

AMNA NAWAZ: The film is called "Thoughts# & Prayers."

It's streaming now on HBO Max.

Filmmakers Zackary Canepari and Jessica Dimmock,## thank you so much for making the# time to speak with us about it.

JESSICA DIMMOCK: Thank you.

ZACKARY CANEPARI: Of course.

Thank you.