At age seventeen I performed my first lengthy distance bicycle tour down the California Shoreline. Two days after reaching the Mexican/American border, I began my first 12 months of school. 4 years after that I had a level in movie and tv and an emphasis in enhancing. I labored within the movie business for a couple of 12 months (mixing sound on brief movies and documentaries) earlier than deciding the manufacturing facet of the business simply wasn’t for me. However throughout all these years, I continued to journey by bike and my curiosity within the movie and tv by no means relented.
After ending my second 12 months of school I launched into my third lengthy distance bike tour – a month and a half lengthy journey up the East Coast of the US. On that journey, I made a decision to take my video digicam with me. My plan was to return dwelling, edit the footage collectively and create a brief movie about my bicycle adventures.
Sadly, as soon as I received dwelling I noticed there wasn’t sufficient materials to make a film. A lot of the footage I had shot was of barn homes, timber and wide-open areas. There was no motion, no interviews and never a lot to say. In the long run, I edited collectively about 5 minutes price of footage and known as it quits. The story was over and that was that.
Since that journey in 2003, I’ve been approached quite a few occasions about creating and/or consulting for a bicycle touring documentary or TV present. It’s an thrilling thought… and one thing I’d leap at if the therapy and other people had been proper, however such a state of affairs has by no means introduced itself.
The issue with every of the pitches I obtained prior to now was that the producers/administrators deliberate to go on the market, shoot some footage of individuals using their bikes and hope that one thing thrilling would occur. Sadly, they thought this could be sufficient to create a profitable program. I, alternatively, knew that this wouldn’t be sufficient. I discovered this lesson the onerous manner from my failed video above.
You Should Have A Plan!
The issue with a documentary or TV present about bicycle touring is that on most days of a bicycle tour, not a complete lot occurs. Most days are just about the identical. You get up, pack up your bike, and hit the highway. You then spend the subsequent 4-8 hours within the saddle, passing via cities, climbing up hills, and stopping often to eat a snack or take a sip out of your water bottle.
When one thing eventful does lastly occur, it’s surprising and certain gained’t be captured by the digicam crew. The one time something actually does occur is when the rider is off his bike, both within the morning or at night time after he’s completed his trip.
And even then, lots of the occasions that do occur on bicycle journeys usually are not exterior issues like automotive crashes and cougar assaults. As a substitute, they’re inside issues like the ideas and concepts that undergo the rider’s thoughts as he’s peddaling, assembly new individuals, and experiencing new issues. These inside processes are onerous to point out on a TV set or a film display screen and are one of many essential hurdles that producers must face when trying to create a present about bicycle journey.
Is A Bicycle Touring Present Attainable?
That being mentioned, I believe it will be attainable to create a present primarily based round bicycle journey. To make it work, the trip must be rigorously deliberate upfront. There must be actions to movie within the mornings and at night time. You would need to continually interview the riders and ask them what they’re feeling, pondering, and experiencing. You’d need to have a crew that was prepared to get soiled and riders who’re entertaining to observe. Most significantly, you’d need to have a plan!
Would You Watch A Present About Bicycle Journey?
I’ve spent numerous time fascinated with the potential of a bicycle touring documentary or TV present, however I’m curious about listening to what you must say.
If there have been a TV present on the Discovery Channel or the Journey Channel (or another channel for that matter) about bicycle journey, do you suppose individuals would watch it? If that’s the case, what do you suppose it will take to make the present profitable? What would you wish to see in a present about bicycle touring? Wouldn’t it be extra like Survivor the place forged members are voted off? Or would it not be extra like Huell Howser’s California Gold, a laid again take a look at new worlds simply outdoors the doorstep? Or perhaps it will be extra like Survivorman, the place we see our riders battle with the weather and attempt to get out alive?
What would you wish to see in a present about bicycle journey?
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