Once in awhile I read about a documentary or film that I think would be very different and important to see. 10 mph is one of those. It's the story of two young men, Hunter Weeks and Josh Caldwell who decide they want to pursue their dream instead of working at jobs they find meaningless.
Pursuing one's dream is an interesting concept for a film. This one though not only carries the boys through their experience but shows the whole perspective, the cost of carrying out such a venture. Their dream was to drive a Segway across the country from Seattle to Boston at its top speed of 10 mph. They compared it to the speed people once had to travel with the first automobiles.
Overall the film was well worth watching. I liked the exploration of following a dream although I feel that when we have a dream, we need to either bring others along with us, who are sharing that dream or be prepared to pay the cost of it ourselves. They expected someone else to fund their dream as they went looking for sponsors. They found one who made a commitment, but the money was not all up front which led to some of the later problems-- not hard to imagine what.
If we want to have an adventure. If we want to fulfill a dream, should we ask someone else to pay for it? I guess it's okay but it becomes a little irritating in this film to listen to the later whining over it not coming through as they had hoped. Perhaps that was more about creating dramatic tension-- can they finish the film or not?
I have no idea what it would have cost to take their small crew, a Segway (two went with them), enough batteries to allow for frequent battery changes, and a 'chase' vehicle that far. There would be fuel, food, cameras, lodging not to mention possible repairs along the way.
We had made a somewhat similar trip one summer but on freeways and not at 10 mph. When Farm Boss was still in the corporate world, he was on a project developing the use of lasers, one of which had been built to the needed specifications in Massachusetts. When it became obvious the company was in trouble and the laser platform might fall through, we decided to drive back, spend a month, and he would shepherd the project to completion. We did the drive from our farm to Rockport in 4 1/2 days. There was no time to sight see on the way. He did successfully help them get that laser completed before the company went under which made it worthwhile and an interesting memory to see that much of our country, that fast-- at least when traveling on the ground. We met no interesting people on the way though...
In 10 mph, they did stay in what looked like inexpensive motels but also had people who heard of their quest and let them stay in their homes or donated food. They got coverage from radio or local television stations which gave them help along the way and added to the interest as we met those people.
They presented an informative view of not only America but the nature of the American people. For somebody whose only knowledge of Americans is through movies or crime stories on the news, I think this would be a good look at what middle America is about in terms of being helpful and sharing with strangers. People really responded to this idea of a Don Quixote type of adventure.
As I had said, I hadn't been sure how great the video quality would be, but they did an excellent job. Interesting shots, not shaky, good color and diversity of how they filmed it. I loved seeing roads I had been on but also places I have never seen and likely never will. By the time it was over, I liked the kids who had set out to create this documentary. It's not a big cultural concept about America but more slice of life.
Many people have dreams that they put aside. Maybe most people. Once in awhile it's nice to share the experience of someone who didn't do that.
It is available on Netflix, free on YouTube. Here's the Trailer.
7 comments:
I watched part of it on Youtube, interesting.
I think that most dreams like that do require outside funding of some kind, so I am not surprised by their wanting others to financially support their dream. I think it is in the nature of dreams that they cost more than you expect and you need the support of others to carry through. Look at old Chris Columbus, he didn't finance his dream himself either. If we only do what we can afford then a lot of us won't be following through on any dreams.
In the film I saw them wrestling with cashing in their pension funds, they didn't want to do it but they did it rather than give up on the dream. I think if they were totally into expecting others to finance their dreams that would have been the nail in the coffin, but it wasn't.
I may check it out. Dreams are part of our lives. I had one last night that dealt with what is to come for the nation. I may write about it on my blog. Good post Rain...:-)
They really skipped over the part about their own investments until the end and even then not how much. Nor was there any talk of how that guy would get his own $20,000. That was 3004, so not sure what the economic situation was. Maybe something he thought would come through did not.
They did though block out his face, didn't name him, and attacked his character for making a commitment (doesn't sound like in writing) that he failed to fulfill. At the last, talk of giving it up seemed more like a matter of dramatic tension as they were so close. It doesn't sound like it took them much money to finish it out as young guys probably didn't have huge amounts in an investment account yet anyway.
My thinking on dreams is more generic and not related to big investments but rather our own dreams. Can we expect others to fund them or even approve of them? It all is an interesting question to me.
2004... for when it was being made... typo
I retired early to produce my documentary, Andrus which was 100% self funded. The problem with self-funding is that you have nobody behind you on the "inside" to promote your film. The only festivals ours was in were the ones that asked us to submit; festivals are a racket, they charge $75 minimum and don't even bother to send you a rejection by e-mail.
I submitted my film to Netflix - they never bothered to respond. Yet all these other films have the door held open for them.
If you aren't on the "inside" you don't exist. I'd give my right arm to have HALF the funding and backing that 10 mph. I found their wining about needing funding very annoying.
This is interesting. My dreams were never so grandiose and didn't require large investments.
My mother is an intensely practical sort and scoffed at big dreams which might be why I didn't follow mine.
As a result, my dreams are pretty generic and also pretty impossible at this point of my life.
I may check this out Rain. My dreams are never about investing in this way..much more scaled down to fit my life. But, this does sound interesting. Thanks.
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