Interested in talking to people van living by choice - Making a documentary

[KenMartini]

I started a doc about 3 years ago on mobile living and am interested in finishing it now. My doc is focused on people who are living the nomadic lifestyle by choice. Please reply to this post to discuss with me. It is an open conversation that helps inform me about you. Ask questions, make suggestions. I am located in northern California. I will be shooting interviews within 600-700 miles and expand from that as needed. You can learn more about me at my website: https://kenmartini.com/

RTR: I would like to meet some of you there. Let me know when and coordinates.

[Oldyeller]

This is a skoolie forum, we do school bus conversions. If you're interested in van life and RTR you might want to contact Bob Wells since he started the RTR.

[KenMartini]

Thanks for the reply. I already interviewed Bob Wells. I am interested in people living full time on the road. It can be Vans, RV's, or Schoolies.

[ewo1]

Originally Posted by KenMartini

I started a doc about 3 years ago on mobile living and am interested in finishing it now. My doc is focused on people who are living the nomadic lifestyle by choice. Please reply to this post to discuss with me. It is an open conversation that helps inform me about you. Ask questions, make suggestions. I am located in northern California. I will be shooting interviews within 600-700 miles and expand from that as needed. You can learn more about me at my website: https://kenmartini.com/

RTR: I would like to meet some of you there. Let me know when and coordinates.

What the purpose for the doc?
Where will you be publishing/disseminating the info/study at?
Are you pro or con full time living?

Have you yourself spent anytime living in an Rv, skoolie or van ?

Inquiring minds would like to know!

[KenMartini]

Posted by mistake

[KenMartini]

ewo1, The purpose of the doc is a study of the lifestyle of full time mobile living by choice. It looks at the various reasons people choose this life, the benefits and challenges. It will look at the societal underpinnings of the community, social interactions, and financial motives.

As an independent filmmaker I do not know if the doc will be picked up for distribution. That depends on how well I do my job, and sometimes it is just luck. In the minimum it will be be seen by many. Hopefully it will be meaningful for those who are in it, and those who get a window into this subculture. I am compelled to tell this story through the eyes of the participants, psychologists, cultural anthropologists, economists, and politics.

I have never lived in an RV, or a schoolie. I have had a van or RV most of my life as well as having converted a van. I am attracted to this lifestyle.

[Oldyeller]

LOL, I have enough trouble looking at my face in a mirror, can't imagine knowing it was on YouTube.

[DeMac]

Seems you're seeking an unassuming informant to provide the exposure which, although unintended, may be used to further restrict those who've choosen to live a non-traditional, transient lifestyle. Often parking on the down-low or living stealth.



A more hands-on approach, such as undercover journalism, may provide more insight to an already leary community of private individuals. Buy a bus. Join our community. Hit the road. You'll gain credibility and meet skoolie a variety of folks, face to face.

[KenMartini]

Originally Posted by DeMac

Seems you're seeking an unassuming informant to provide the exposure which, although unintended, may be used to further restrict those who've choosen to live a non-traditional, transient lifestyle. Often parking on the down-low or living stealth.



A more hands-on approach, such as undercover journalism, may provide more insight to an already leary community of private individuals. Buy a bus. Join our community. Hit the road. You'll gain credibility and meet skoolie a variety of folks, face to face.

DeMac, Thanks for your comments. I understand the weariness of the community. I have filmed several schoolies already and we had some deep conversations. The reason they allowed me to film was because after talking with me, they found me trustworthy.

As far as keeping a low profile, I would have to say that one is out of the bag. Many people in all nomadic sub-communities publish just about everything on a daily basis. I respect privacy concerns and do not film, or reveal anything that the subjects do not wish to be known.

I know that trust is something that has to be earned; however, I am in no position to "buy a bus" and join the community. The community is already in my heart. That is why I am doing this.

[musigenesis]

Originally Posted by KenMartini

cultural anthropologists

I used to be one of these creatures in a past life. It would be interesting to be on the receiving end of an ethnography, but I'm too far from California.

[Dorothy Harris]

Have you talked to Chad DeRosa? He’s a good friend of mine. Has the Living the van life pages on YouTube, IG etc. He'd be a good candidate to talk to. He’s been living in a van for just under 11 years now.

[KenMartini]

Originally Posted by Dorothy Harris

Have you talked to Chad DeRosa? He’s a good friend of mine. Has the Living the van life pages on YouTube, IG etc. He'd be a good candidate to talk to. He’s been living in a van for just under 11 years now.

Thanks Dorothy. Chad is transitioning to living in a house. Let me know if there is anyone else. Be great to hook up with a group at RTR.

[TheHubbardBus]

Originally Posted by KenMartini

I am compelled to tell this story through the eyes of the participants, psychologists, cultural anthropologists, economists, and politics.

No offense intended, but to me, that kinds of gives me the vibe of an insect under glass. What place would psychologists have when the participants are willing to directly explain their drives & motivations? What use would their generalizations be when commenting on a lifestyle that's inherently too diverse & multi-faceted to generalize?

If it were me, and I told you why I did something, and then an 'expert' told the audience why I really did it, I'd be incensed. Not saying you're doing this at all - just that's the vibe I'm getting off your comment above.

[KenMartini]

Originally Posted by TheHubbardBus

No offense intended, but to me, that kinds of gives me the vibe of an insect under glass. What place would psychologists have when the participants are willing to directly explain their drives & motivations? What use would their generalizations be when commenting on a lifestyle that's inherently too diverse & multi-faceted to generalize?

If it were me, and I told you why I did something, and then an 'expert' told the audience why I really did it, I'd be incensed. Not saying you're doing this at all - just that's the vibe I'm getting off your comment above.

Thanks for your feedback. I like multiple viewpoints, such as yours. It informs me of directions to take. The social anthropological view brings history into the story. Humans have a strong nomadic past. What you may view as "putting people under glass", others may view as an interesting look at the inherent nature of man expressing itself in various ways.

Almost all human endeavors have an economic component. So many many who enter this lifestyle do so for economic reasons. Why not have economist speak about it? An economist may explain the structural weakness in our society that is the driver of these movements. Also, like you say this may be apparent as told by the people themselves and we may not need to have an economists viewpoint. Typically we shoot 10 to 1. Meaning only 10% of what we shoot gets included. So we film many viewpoints and choose what feels true and right for the telling of the story.

There aren't two filmmakers that make the same film. We do it through our personal experience and our filters. My storytelling will probably be more structured than other who tell this story. It will probably have a narrator, a story arc, and be more PBS oriented.

I am hoping we meet and further this discussion.

[KenMartini]

Originally Posted by TheHubbardBus

No offense intended, but to me, that kinds of gives me the vibe of an insect under glass. What place would psychologists have when the participants are willing to directly explain their drives & motivations? What use would their generalizations be when commenting on a lifestyle that's inherently too diverse & multi-faceted to generalize?

If it were me, and I told you why I did something, and then an 'expert' told the audience why I really did it, I'd be incensed. Not saying you're doing this at all - just that's the vibe I'm getting off your comment above.

Thanks
I am hoping we meet and further this discussion.

[TheHubbardBus]

Honestly, the only thing that rubbed me the wrong way was the inclusion of psychologists. And I admit I have no idea what your vision is, so my suspicions may very well be 100% unfounded. Personally, I believe your interviewees are the best resources for the 'whys' of their choices, and unless a psychologist was doing nothing than affirming those choices, any contrast could be viewed as insulting.

A psychologist's view of what's normal - which is a standard I believe the science itself to depend on - is not something I'd personally want applied to my decisions. I'm having a hard time envisioning how the concept of normal wouldn't somehow be applied or alluded to in the context of a psychologist's input. But again - I could be entirely wrong.

Then again, maybe your resources will agree that working your entire life away, hoping to secure a scratch of land you'll never truly own, and a bunch of stuff you don't really need, may not be the healthiest or most 'normal' of activities if the goal is to be happy.

Happy New Year! Don't mean to bust your balls. I appreciate you appreciate my opinion and understand it's not an attack.

[KenMartini]

Originally Posted by TheHubbardBus

Honestly, the only thing that rubbed me the wrong way was the inclusion of psychologists. And I admit I have no idea what your vision is, so my suspicions may very well be 100% unfounded. Personally, I believe your interviewees are the best resources for the 'whys' of their choices, and unless a psychologist was doing nothing than affirming those choices, any contrast could be viewed as insulting.

A psychologist's view of what's normal - which is a standard I believe the science itself to depend on - is not something I'd personally want applied to my decisions. I'm having a hard time envisioning how the concept of normal wouldn't somehow be applied or alluded to in the context of a psychologist's input. But again - I could be entirely wrong.

Then again, maybe your resources will agree that working your entire life away, hoping to secure a scratch of land you'll never truly own, may not be the healthiest or most 'normal' of activities if the goal is to be happy.

Happy New Year! Don't mean to bust your balls. I appreciate you appreciate my opinion and understand it's not an attack.

Thanks for your honest discussion. I think you will find me very open to yours, as well as anyone else's viewpoints. We are probably more aligned than how it comes out in these posts.

[peteg59]

If you do attend the RTR, (OP), in a good year with high attendance, you will likely find most all of the information you seek on the lifestyle.

Knowing that this year you'll continue to be faced with covid concerns as you make your way through the assembly.
Perhaps you might wait for the pandemic to turn endemic, before going face to face with the populated folks there. Meaning you might have a better, more responsive, captive audience when hysteria over the current virus ravaging the world subsides?

Good luck and post up any connection to your findings if you go forward with your work...

[KenMartini]

Originally Posted by peteg59

If you do attend the RTR, (OP), in a good year with high attendance, you will likely find most all of the information you seek on the lifestyle.

Knowing that this year you'll continue to be faced with covid concerns as you make your way through the assembly.
Perhaps you might wait for the pandemic to turn endemic, before going face to face with the populated folks there. Meaning you might have a better, more responsive, captive audience when hysteria over the current virus ravaging the world subsides?

Good luck and post up any connection to your findings if you go forward with your work...

I hear you about it being a bad year. The reason I am back at this doc is because all my other film gigs have dried up and I have time on my hands. Not perfect, but I should be able to get some stuff. Also good to see how people are dealing with a health crisis while on the road.

[LargeMargeInBaja]

Originally Posted by KenMartini

...societal underpinnings of the community...

.
.
I have zero-zero-zero in common with anybody using that type of vocabulary in the presence of children or the gentler sex.
.
First, I have a few caravan chums.
These are my community, although we prefer fiercely growling 'TRIBE!' because it alarms the straights.
.
Second, societal... of course, you meant 'varietal'... the wine?
.
Third, underpinnings.
The garment you add before experiencing leaky bowels syndrome?
.
Translated to LM-speak:
* "cheap-box-wine adult-diapers of my TRIBE!"
Well, see, I can relate to that...