Special Operations Group: Salvation was originally drafted as a feature-length script. However, instead of working to raise funds and external support to shoot the film as a $2.5 million - $5.0 million USD feature, the cast and crew collectively decided to first shoot SOG: Salvation as a "mini-feature" (aka short film) to build audience, studio and film festival interest in the underlying story.
More than half the cast and crew were comprised of students and recent graduates from Orlando area film programs as well as former members of the military... most of whom had no prior film credits.
Few of the Filipino characters in the film are actually portrayed by Filipinos. Because the movie was filmed in Orlando, the producers had difficulty finding Filipino actors and actresses for the available roles. In an interesting twist, much of the film's post-production was completed by various film, audio and graphic design professionals in the Philippines.
The film's producer and director, Robert Barnwell, grew up at Subic Bay Naval Base in the Philippines. While at Subic, Robert was able to watch the US Navy's Seal Team #1 and Marine Force Recon teams train and refine their combat techniques. His experience in the Philippines lead directly to the underlying story of SOG: Salvation as well as the name for his production company, Subic Bay Films.
Actor James (David) Rose, one of the featured actors on the MARSOC team, was actually a member and instructor with the U.S. Marine Corp's elite Force Recon, the precursor to the Marine Special Operations Command which was established in 2005.