The Mother Road: Part 2

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

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...
Production Motivation

Production Motivation

The mission of Broke Out West is to observe and celebrate the evolving American Dream. I think a lot about the timing of this project and temperature of the audience. This show needs to be made now. People everywhere feel something, in the economy, in society, in the world is not quite as they expected it to be; somewhere out there people are making their unique circumstances work to their advantage. Broke Out West is speaking to an audience dubbed as the “The Poorgeoisie” which consists of well-educated but underemployed individuals with champagne tastes on a beer budget. We are hoping the pessimism surrounding the generation of recent college graduates will dissipate by revealing the struggle to find work. Key messages include: •             Americans are strong. •             Americans are resilient. •             Americans view challenges as opportunities. •             The spirit of optimism adventure and hope are very much alive in the country. •             Americans still yearn for journey, adventure, and the call to the West is an iconic American rite of passage.   We are seeking interviews with people and businesses that not only survived The Great Recession, but thrived and evolved. These stories of struggle and hardship will be told from the perspective that we all need to innovate and adapt. In finding these stories and celebrating the triumphs, as well as failures, we hope to share hope with our audience, and spark thoughts that will resonate and evoke some measure of inspiration....