Jeremy Gillespie
Host / Producer
Jeremy would rather swing a hammer than use a nail gun.
He would rather swing an axe than use a splitter.
He prefers reading books and personal research to the education found in “institutes of higher learning.”
He just found out what a “selfie” is, and you’ll never see him take one.
He performs his own bike maintenance out of fear of upsetting his bikes by taking them to a stranger.
All coffee is consumed black, the way god intended it to be consumed.
He can’t tell jokes, stories, or anecdotes. He can’t remember a limerick to save his life. Spare yourself the agony and simply walk away if he begins one.
He believes hard work and dedication to your craft is the only true path to happiness, and true happiness is the ultimate measure of success.
Ian Rygiel
Host / Producer
Ian is a rogue, scholar and gentleman adventurer. During The Great Recession, he loaded trucks, swung a hammer and hauled demo to get by, but he has also worked as an educator, freelance videographer and editor.
For him, the West has always held a certain allure, speaking to him through novels, poetry and classic westerns. Broke Out West is an opportunity for Ian to follow in the footsteps of the explorers, vagabonds and writers who heeded the call of the road and experienced America for themselves.
Blog Posts:
The Mother Road: Part 2
One of the reasons I enjoyed Rt. 66 so much was because of the spontaneity we were afforded on that stretch of road. Unlike our other stops, we had no pre-approval to film anywhere along the highway. Sure, we had a few ideas for locations, but we were truly counting on our own charm and good luck to be able to shoot anywhere. Luckily, the staff at Pop’s were gracious enough to let us record our visit. It was about noon and our first real stop of the day. We were all starved and grateful for a break from rest stop food, and the heat, as we rolled into Pop’s. If you’ve seen any of our short videos, it’s the place with the massive soda bottle out front. The metal frame buzzes loudly with the sound of electricity during the day, almost as if straining in anticipation for the moment its switch is flipped, and it can illuminate the night. There’s likely a metaphor to be found here; possibly, something about feeling boxed in and yearning to light out across the land – or maybe just some sexual innuendo. It’s been a long work week, so I’ll let you fill in the blanks. But I digress. Aside from the bottle out front, Pop’s is known for carrying a ridiculous number of sodas (pop, to our regional readers) for sale. If it’s made inside this country, or even outside, they likely have it. I’m not much of a soda drinker myself, but even I was taken by temptation to try some of the more interesting flavors and fill up a...The Mother Road: Part 1
Route 66: The Mother Road — Few roadways in America can claim more nostalgia or whimsy than this historic route. Luckily, our departure from Missouri and our next shoot in Texas placed us conveniently in the path of 66. I had wanted to ride the Mother Road for years, and it was an opportunity too good to let go by. Like many Route 66 travelers, we had left our homes behind with little money in our pockets and California in our sights. We didn’t have any specific shoots planned; rather, we hoped to pick up some impromptu footage. The prospect had a freeing effect, and I for one hit the highway in high spirits. As we rode however, I began to grow disheartened. The routine of the journey was all-too-familiar: ride until our bikes or bodies demanded refueling; fill ‘em up; and keep going until nightfall forced a stop. We had an all-day ride ahead of us, and I was becoming increasingly worried that time limitations would once again trump the experience. It was during this stretch that I became aware of a cycle that would happen on long riding days. Inevitably, they had their ups and downs, and as the sun rose and the humidity grew, it looked like we were in store for a miserable stretch. By the time we rode into Galena, Kansas, Jeremy and I were dehydrated and overheated. We split with the crew in order to search for water while they set up for some quick pick up shots. A few bottles of water later, we were standing in front of the cameras once...Missouri: An Anecdote
As I less-than-coyly hinted at in my last post, my work life has been incredibly busy the last few weeks. Regardless, I wanted to make sure I squeezed in a post tonight. One: because I feel guilty when I shirk an obligation (I’m a proper American laborer in that way; blame it on the Puritans). Two: I feel reinvigorated whenever I get to relive the trip in my own way. Short on time or no, I’ll share a quick story from Missouri, which the crew and I still get a kick out of. We were doing a bit of camping and realized there wasn’t a whole lot of dead wood to be found around the campsite. Not having the means to cut anything substantially dead down, and being fairly close to civilization, Lauren and I headed out in search of a small town we passed a couple miles back. Rolling into a small strip mall that had seen better days, we split up. Lauren went in search for the truly important items we needed (water and beer), and I went looking for some fire wood. What I found was described to me as a cord. Now, if you’re at all familiar with cords of wood, they generally measures 4ft x 4ft x 8ft. I didn’t know that at the time and was just happy to have found some fuel to cook dinner with, so I bought two and headed back to the car. In my absence, it seems our van had become quite the topic of conversation, which Lauren managed to eavesdrop on. It went something along the lines of:...
Lauren Quirolgico
Producer / Director
Lauren Quirolgico earned her BA in Communication from Seton Hall University and possesses an MA in Media Studies and a certificate in Media Management from the New School in NYC. She is a native New Yorker and has been working in film, television and media consulting for over seven years.
The world doesn’t need mediocre, average and typical, Lauren is striving to be exceptional. Her interest in Broke Out West is academic, professional and personal, as she is interested in hearing how the Great Recession has affected individuals and businesses across the country.
Ryan Palmer
Director of Photography
Ryan Palmer studied, Communications at Penn State University and Marywood University, and also Filmmaking at the New York Film Academy in NYC. He has worked across the country on countless independent projects over the last seven years.
Ryan is best known for his role on set as a Production Sound Mixer and Boom Operator for which he has worked on a number of acclaimed projects including two films selected to the Cannes Court Métrage and one film which won the Cine Golden Eagle Award. Ryan is also a skilled Cinematographer and Photographer and has worked with Fox and Viacom.
Joe Dominic DeMuro
Unit Production Manager
Joe has a BA in theater, several Information Technology certifications, as well as certifications in fitness and nutrition.
Primarily an actor and filmmaker, Joe has had to utilize various means to support himself in the changing landscape of America.
Joe grew up in a small family owned business, and is concerned about the future for himself and for others. We live in a new America where the rules are different from that of our parents. Social unrest and the declining economy seem to be just a tip of the iceberg.
Jesse Christiansen
Intern
Jesse Christiansen is the young pup of the bunch. He is 21 years young and currently attending Caldwell University as a Communications major where he will be graduating in May of 2015.
He currently relies on the kindness of strangers, as his only source of income is pizza delivery.
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