Change in Lifestyle: Dreaming to Live Out of a Car

The Chevy Aveo Dream Machine.  Somewhere in Montana.
 

Woah! Dear Readers, I apologize for not writing in quite sometime… I hope I didn't mislead you to think that things stopped changing in my life and that I therefore had nothing more to write about… Actually, the exact opposite is true. So much has changed in my life in the last 2 months that I've hardly had time to catch up and write about it.

The biggest change in my life lately is my lifestyle. I'm currently living out of a car and tent with my partner Kelly.

Why?

Well, we're on a journey we call the Pan-American Dream: We're traveling by road to Alaska and then to Argentina! We're exploring national parks, different countries and people, making our own films/photography, while teaching free film workshops to youth in the majority of places we visit.

We're currently in Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada and making our way towards Alaska where we'll do our first workshop in Palmer, AK.

It's been a big change to move out of a small apartment and into a small car… and we're still getting use to it. Although we eat a lot of pasta and don't shower much, it does feel a bit like a dream: We wake up early to the sunrise without an alarm clock, pass through gorgeous landscapes, and stop a few minutes to watch baby mountain goats wrestle in the middle of the road. The past 2 weeks have been great!

There were two major forces that realized this adventure:

1. Kickstarter and the family, friends, and strangers that supported our project and helped us raise over $7000- THANK YOU SO MUCH! Kickstarter.com is a great community of people making change. Check it out. See what people are doing. Support them. Start your own project. Make it happen.

2. Attitude. Simply believing and acting like a trip like this would happen regardless of how possible it may seem.

One thing that disturbs me is the way some people may think about dreams. For example, have you ever heard the expression, "Ha! In your dreams!" Although it may be casual, the attitude behind the statement is that your dreams, or dreams at large for that matter, are unattainable. If you let any little idea or thought like this take root, it can cripple you for life.

If you want a simple way to make dreams or anything you want to do happen, then change the way you think and talk about them. Don't say you would love to do this or that, start saying you are going to do this or that. Don't try to do something, JUST DO IT (I guess Nike was onto something…). And sometimes don't think or hesitate too much… It's these simple attitude and thought adjustments that will help make the things you want to do happen. BOOM!

This philosophy of attitude is discussed in further detail by the book and film The Secret. I saw this film during an uncertain post-college time. I was working random freelance work, still showing up at college parties, and every other day wondering, "What the hell am I doing with myself?"

The main idea I took away from The Secret was that if you want to change, do, or be something… First, you have to really believe and imagine that you can do it. From a filmmaker/photographer standpoint, I practice visualization as a primary means to believing. If it's something I want, like a new camera, I imagine myself already having that camera. I really try to see myself holding that new camera, how it feels, and what I may photograph with it. If it's somewhere I want to go, like Alaska, I look at photos and videos and hang up maps in my room as a reminder of where I'm going (notice I didn't say where I want to go). So you see, even if you don't have the best imagination, you can use external resources like film, photographs, books, and more to help you visualize. The important thing is to create and imagine the details. The more detailed your vision is, the greater energy and chance you'll have of actualizing it.

Yesterday was my 24th birthday. I'm in Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada and I am driving to Alaska. It's been great to look back and see where I've ended up 2 years after college. Throughout this reflection, I found a Word document that I wrote shortly after seeing The Secret. Over a year ago, I printed this out and hung it on the basement wall above my desk in my sister's basement where I use to live. Everyday it was a constant reminder of my short term goals.

Goals for 2009
-Pay off my student loans [Done. Zero debt. Boom!]
-Go to Alaska in the Summer [delayed, but happening now]
-Make a new music video [Charlie Slick Music Video. Check my Vimeo.]
-Write a feature screenplay [Still working on it.]
-Make an animation [I kind of did one. But still need to do more.]
-Get my website up [Yikes… I'm slacking a bit…]
-Meditate 15-30 min everyday [Not as often as I should…]
-Eat less candy and processed foods [I've limited my processed foods… but I still have that sweet tooth!]
-Read more philosophy [Not enough…]
-Read more novels and biographies [Not enough…]
-Exercise and feel great [Pretty good.]
-Play my drum more and get more percussion instruments [Check.]

Things I Want
-A radical girlfriend [Check! Thanks Kelly!]
-A new Macbook Pro [Check. Thanks to a few good freelance gigs.]
-A Canon 5D MkII Camera [Teaching job.]
-Road Trip Gear [Thanks Kickstarter!]

Wow! It feels quite empowering to look at this list that I wrote during a somewhat pathetic, jobless and loveless part of my life and see that I've checked off most of it!

So there you go Dear Reader. I hope you visualize what you want, want to be, want to change. Let me know how it works.

I'll continue to update this blog from the road when things change. If you want to hear more about my trip, follow The Pan-American Dream blog.

Hearts,

-Marty

T

The end of a hike in Glacier N.P.

Change in Conversation: A Bernie J. Sighting

Sasquatch

Loch Ness Monster

Scientists + friends have long debated the existence of the Bernie J. This bipedal humanoid creature belongs to the scholar family and is said to inhabit Southeast Michigan where the majority of sightings have occurred. The Bernie J is primarily a nocturnal creature and can be identified by its unique hat-like features and its habitually long conversations. The Bernie J is known for surprises + hypothetical creations. They are only dangerous to those who don’t have time to talk.

This last weekend, I had the fortunate experience of a Bernie J encounter at my apartment. I conversed with this intelligent creature for 9 hours straight. We talked about film and the changes throughout our lives. We drank Bailey’s and ate multiple chocolate bars. It was almost 9am when the conversation ended. Before we went our separate ways, we lit some sparklers and I was able to snap a quick picture to prove my encounter.

He does exist!

Bernie J

[This inside joke may not be amusing if you've never spotted a Bernie J... sorry if that's the case.]

Change in Dreams: The Development of The Pan-American Dream

Our Kickstarter Page

I had just finished my second year of college while living a semester homeless.  It wasn't the experience I hoped it would be... lacking a certain sense of adventure... mainly because I became focused on passing all 18 credits that term and didn't seek out my original goals or ideas...

I was searching for a sense of freedom... that I didn't attain... so after later reflection on my homeless experience, I made a new plan in my head:  I would graduate from the University of Michigan, pay off all my student loans, and then get "lost" by backpacking throughout the 50 U.S. States.  Perhaps I would be gone a year... maybe more... maybe I could get a taste of this freedom I was looking for...

I graduate from school in May 2008.  I meet Kelly during Fall 2008.  Spring/Summer 2009 Kelly and I start dating and begin to fall in love.  Throughout the summer, my plans change as I realize Kelly would be coming with me on the journey.  It would be for the best as I would have someone special with me to share the experience.  Somewhere along the lines the route changes.  Instead of all 50 states, we decide to go to Alaska and from there, go all the way to Argentina.  And thus, the Pan-American Dream was born.

September 2009, I take a job through a grant at Eastern Michigan University to create and facilitate after-school filmmaking clubs at three high school sites including Wayne Memorial H.S. where I graduated.  The job is one of the most rewarding experiences I've had.  May 2010, I find a colleague to replace my position as Kelly and I prepare for our trip.  However, I want to continue working with youth in film and the creative arts so Kelly and I decide we'll teach free film/photography camps to communities we visit on our route.

March 2010, I pay off my student loans and I am debt free- a fantastic feeling.

May 2010, Kelly graduates from UofM's School of Art.

May/June 1010, Kelly and I continue to prepare for our expedition through research, networking, and fund-raising.

July 6th, 2010, We will depart Ann Arbor, MI and begin our journey.

So there it is: The Pan-American Dream!

Everyone can help make this dream possible in a number of ways:

1.  You can make a pledge or "Back Our Project" on Our Kickstarter Page.  A minimum pledge is $5 and if we get enough people to support, that $5 will go a long way.

2.  If you can't make a donation at this time, you can help us by following our blog, Twitter, Facebook, and Youtube while sharing with your friends.

3.  And one of the biggest ways you can help our dream is to simply believe in it.  Positive energy goes a long way.  This can be done with attitude and word choice.  For example, if you tell a friend about us, don't say, "Check out what they want to do," or "Check out what they're trying to do."  Instead, say something like, "LOOK AT WHAT THESE TWO ARE DOING," or "THEY'RE MAKING IT HAPPEN!"

If you have an idea, project, dream, or goal on your mind, I encourage you to create your own Kickstarter project and make it happen!

Thank you for reading!!!

Change in Facebook: The New Update + Apples

I Like apples, okay. I might even include my liking of apples as an Interest in my Facebook Profile, okay. Worst-case scenario, I may cry out for help when feeling blue with a Status Update that says, 'I like apples!'

BUT, I'm not gonna create a Page or a Group to express my Interest for apples.

The new Facebook update has destroyed my Interests in the simple pleasures of life: such as apples. I can no longer tell the world with my Profile that I simply like apples… I must have a Page on my Profile that says, 'I LIKE APPLES.' Then, I could gather Fans from all around the world who like apples too! Facebook could help me gather statistics from all other Fans of apples. And if I reach 1,000,000 Fans for my liking of apples, I would start planting apple trees everywhere…

I worked hard on my Facebook Profile, okay…

4 years of belligerent college photos, 2 years of ‘WTF I'm outta college what do I do with my life now’ Status Updates, and 6 years of acquiring hypothetical Interests and trying to figure out who I am and what the internets are... and for what? So Facebook can turn all my Interests and most intimate hobbies into Pages with its newest update! Come on!

You can say I'm not a Fan of the new Facebook update... But hey, things change… for better or for worse… But, I really don't care enough about it to spend my internet efforts rallying '1,000,000 Against the New Facebook Update.’ I could care less… I’ll settle for a new profile and spend the unnecessary time venting through this blog post.

So check out my Facebook Profile and meet the new me: One with very few interests, no political or religious views, no sarcastic profile responses, and my support for random Pages, half of which I don’t even know what they’re about.

Cheers!

[These are Faceapples.  They're prototypes for the next Facebook update.  I'm the apple on the right because I will not support this next update.]

Change in Detroit Public Schools: A Day of Alternative Education

I was at Central High School today, Detroit’s oldest high school, to participate in “A Day of Alternative Education.” Hundreds of students gathered in the auditorium for a screening of the feature documentary film Our School, an exploration of Detroit’s diverse education and institutions, the crisis they face, and the students and staff who suffer and thrive. The film interweaves the experience of one day in Detroit Public Schools, capturing the students’ frustration and anger with the present, and their hope for the future.

After the screening, students discussed the film in small groups tackling the core issues of the film, their own frustration at school, and possible solutions for positive change.

Following the discussions, students participated in one of several diverse workshops, including leadership training, entrepreneurial skills, sustainable gardening, music production, poetry, and more, all lead by volunteers from the community.  It was great to be surrounded by so many people concerned for their community and and see their passion and actions towards creating positive change.

My friend James and I we’re teaching a workshop on stop-motion animation.  We saw the students' enthusiasm grow as their animation progressed.  By the end of the day, several students we're voicing their desire for more educational opportunities like this, a need that must be met by the school systems and community. 

The event was organized by Oren Goldenberg, Director/Cinematographer/Producer of Our School. You can learn more about the film, organizing a screening, see the trailer, and get tickets to the premiere at: www.ourschoolproductions.com

The film premieres at the Burton Theatre
at 3240 Cass Ave, Detroit, MI 48201 on

May 5th, 2010 at 8:30pm

Additional Screenings:

May 7th: 8:00 pm

Ma7 8th: 5:00 + 8:00pm

May 9th: 2:00pm

Change at the Party: Move a Car with Your Bare Hands!

Wow! Look at this guy! Someone take a photo, quick! Okay World’s Strongest Man, say, “Cheese!” That was a Kodak moment for sure. Okay, you can put the car down…

Whew! As unlikely as it may seem, this guy and I share a few affinities: We both like acts that are ridiculous in nature and we both like moving cars by hand.

I’m going to discuss the latter…

It’s possible that this guy has wanted to move cars by hand ever since he was a little boy the size of his current bicep… It’s possible that he’s been training his whole life, devoting the majority of his time to the over development of his muscles so that one day, his dream of moving a car with his hands would come true…

When I was a little boy, I played soccer. There are two things I remember my coaches saying:

1. You’re white trash.

I was about 12 years old when I was playing on a premiere league in another, more “affluent,” suburban community. One day at practice, the trainer called me “white trash.” When my mom and I brought this up to the head coach, the trainer said he was only kidding. He may have been an okay trainer but he was a poor comedian. I quit the team a week later to spare myself the poor humor.

2. There is no “I” in “Team.”

I heard this from several coaches throughout my soccer years. Cliché as it is, the possibilities of teamwork are incredible. An individual has the potential to accomplish great things… like change the position of a car with their bare hands… But a good team can accomplish the same task much more efficiently.

This point was proven last weekend when I was at a house party. A friend was trying to leave but his car was blocked in by a large Taurus. We asked around the party to find the owner but no luck…

Now most people may have accepted defeat at this point…

I, however, have been fortunate enough to see the potential of a Group of People Vs. a Car. In the past, a friend backed over a curb during winter and the middle of the car body was hanging over a small ledge. She gathered 6-8 dudes, including myself, and together, we were able to pick one end of the car up and swing it back onto the parking lot. The moment the car lifted off the ground we were all surprised and thrilled with self and group empowerment!

Now I’m back at the party and I’m trying to gather 6-8 people asking everyone, “Who wants to move a car?! Okay, put that beer down and let’s go!” It was difficult to rally people up at first… There were several people who were doubtful… But, “One…Two…Three,” we lifted and the car started moving. Together, it took about 7 people 3 attempts to shift a Taurus out of the drive way far enough for my friend to get out. Every participant was thrilled- especially, those doubtful at first. Immediately after, I heard people on their phone, “Dude, WE JUST MOVED A FUCKING CAR! WITH OUR HANDS!”

Let’s summarize:

1. Both the World’s Strongest Man and Myself like to move cars by hand.

2. Both the World’s Strongest Man and a Group of People can move a car. I prefer the latter approach.

3. The World’s Strongest Man must train for years to prepare and accomplish this task. A Group of People can be ready in about 5 minutes.

4. The World’s Strongest Man uses drugs like steroids to help him achieve the task. A Group of People can be intoxicated with alcohol and other drugs and still move a car.

5. When the World’s Strongest Man moves a car, the accomplishment is only shared with himself and his muscles. When a Group of People move a car, everyone high-fives and shares the joy of their accomplishment.

It’s unfortunate how the media and our society focus so much on individual feats and accomplishments. Professional athletes get paid a ridiculous salary for their exceptional physical skills. In politics, it seems we expect one President to change the world for the better. As we watch abnormally strong individuals pick up cars, refrigerators, boulders, and other tasks lacking utility, we feel more powerless and forget that we too have great potential, especially if we work together.

Nearly anything is possible. Everyone has potential. Individuals can combine their energy to do amazing things. The power of teamwork is incredible!

If you’re feeling down and depressed, it is often from the result of feeling powerless. A great way to empower yourself is to simply pick up a car and move it with a bunch of your friends. It may be a little stupid... But trust me, you will feel empowered by the possibilities of what teamwork can do. Then, take that energy towards a more useful goal in the future!

Make Change. Just Do It!

-Lazer

Change in Environmental Film: Art + Poetry = Effective Message

[If you don’t read this blog post, I won’t mind. But please watch the short film Plastic Bag narrated by Werner Herzog. I’ve included it at the bottom of this post. It is incredible. Period.]

“Hey you! You wasteful consumer! Watch this film I made! I’m gonna show you a bunch of heightened or ambiguous facts about your unsustainable lifestyle! You are blowing it for the future of our planet! Change your lifestyle now!”

This is the imagined voice I hear when I watch several poorly made environmental films. You’ve all seen them: The PSA that you forget 30 seconds later or the awful post-apocalyptic feature film that you wish was only 30 seconds.

Or, it may not even be an environmental film. It may be Avatar in 3-D IMAX where you have a bunch of humans in robot suits destroying beautiful landscapes and its native people for a precious resource: UNOBTAINIUM!

Come on James Cameron! These generic scenarios lack effectiveness of an environmental message. But I guess that wasn’t the point. The point of the film was to spend $280,000,000 to make a bunch of cool looking 3-D stuff.

Anywho, as a filmmaker with a concern for the environment, I ask, “How do you make a good environmental film?” Several people, including myself, make environmental films but I see very few that are truly exceptional.

First, let’s start with a simple definition:

Environmental Film – A film/video whose primary subject is the natural environment, or an issue concerning the environment.

(For this discussion, an environmental film includes PSAs, films, videos, television, and online media of any length.)

In most cases, if you figure out what is bad first, it is much easier to figure out what is good.

So what makes an environmental film bad?

1. The presentation. The subject (content) may be important, and may be interesting too, but the material’s presentation (form) is poor. A lot of filmmaker’s engage with their subject but fail to engage creatively with the filmic medium itself. The result: A film lacking originality or interest.

2. The tone. Environmental films can have an overbearing tone. Instead of presenting a subject to the audience, the film turns the audience into the subject, attacking our guilt for the issue at hand. Even if our actions are at fault, this is an ineffective way to promote change. A film can try to tell us what to do, but it cannot hear our response. So instead of responding, we quickly dismiss it.

3. The audience. Both presentation and tone influences the audience of an environmental film. If the presentation is too dry, scientists may be the only ones who will bore themselves. If the tone is too strong, environmentalists may be the only ones who can tolerate it.

4. The message. I believe the purpose of environmental films is to raise awareness and promote positive change for the issue at hand. But if the film has already failed in its presentation and tone, and failed to find an audience, then the message, no matter how important, has failed to make an impact.

Okay, so it seems that environmental films have at least four components: presentation, tone, an audience, and a message.

And a good environmental film should successfully convey its message to an audience. It should promote awareness and encourage change.  Now how do you do that? Well, that’s tricky. If there was a formulaic answer, I’d be off making excellent environmental films and not thinking of it.

Instead of an answer, let’s look at 2 case studies of successful and exceptional environmental films…

1. Planet Earth.

This 11 episode television series premiered in 2006. It was the most expensive environmental documentary to be commissioned by the BBC and took 4 years to complete.

The presentation of Planet Earth is incredible. It’s subject: 11 different habitats from all over the globe. The photography (form) may be more fascinating at times then the habitats themselves (content). High-speed photography and complex camera moves provide unique views of landscapes and wildlife.

The tone of Planet Earth is casual and objective. The narration is merely descriptive. There is no address to the viewer, or guilt tripping of any sort.

The message of Planet Earth is also subtle. After watching 11 breathtaking episodes, the viewer has a greater awareness and perhaps appreciation for the global environment. At the very least, it is an entertaining and unforgettable document of nature.

You may not volunteer to protect marine life after watching Planet Earth… However, I believe that if one wants to get stoned and watch a great white shark eat a seal in super slow-motion… that is still one step forward. Appreciation must come first.

2. Plastic Bag. A short film.

This film is the reason for this post. I saw it a month ago when it made its online premiere and I haven’t been able to get it out of my head.

Plastic Bag by writer/director Ramin Bahrani is a poetic triumph. The film personifies a plastic bag that wanders a long existential journey in search of its maker. It starts with its “first breath” at the grocery store and ventures all the way to the “Vortex,” a plastic utopia in the middle of the ocean. The plastic bag’s voice is narrated by none other than Werner Herzog. Bahrani’s regular collaborator, cinematographer Michael Simmonds, creates powerful images that strike an emotional cord with their raw simplicity. An elegant score from Sigur Ros’ Kjartan Sveinsson accompanies the visual beauty. Moments of light humor ground the film from any pretension. 

First and foremost, Plastic Bag succeeds as a short film and a work of art. Furthermore, it succeeds as an environmental film. Its message is clear and direct: We live in a disposable society that is creating a serious problem of plastic pollution. But Bahrani never attempts to address this issue directly. Instead, he turns the issue into a character, a plastic bag, and seeks to tell a great story of that character with every element of the filmic medium. He creates a great film first, that happens to appeal to a broad audience, and coincidentally carries a strong environmental message.

I believe making art and poetry is one of the most effective means for change and that this film creates a new direction for environmental film. Enjoy!

Plastic Bag is one of eleven short environmental films that make up the online series Futurestates presented by PBS’ ITVS (The Independent Television Service). I’ve only started watching a few of the other shorts. After Plastic Bag, my expectations were high and could not be met. One of the other shorts fell into the cliché post-apocalyptic scenario and I stopped watching.