While I was preparing to leave England, two years and eight months ago, an energetic pair of filmmakers called Ben and James were expending rather a lot of cash and effort on shooting, editing and promoting the beginnings of a video podcast series. The idea was simple - publish short and snappy video episodes of our round-the-world bike trip, with production costs paid for by per-episode sponsors.
It sounded like a worthwhile project, a good learning experience, and a lot of fun. Lo and behold, after a couple of weeks' riding we were chortling uncontrollably at our on-camera antics as they were published to the world. That was fun!
Thanks in part to our complete lack of filmmaking experience, the series ran out of funding after 5 episodes, and, as we rode out of Europe and into the Middle East, that seemed to be that. The videos didn't attract a particularly big audience. Or even a modest one, for that matter.
A lot of lessons were learnt, both by the guys running the production business and by us as we continued riding and filming - not least that what was essentially 3 lads on an extended holiday in Europe didn't make for particularly interesting viewing.
I've just been going back over these little snippets of my life as a novice bicycle traveller. It seems like a lifetime ago. To me, they're fantastic reminders of the glorious naivety of the newly-enlightened first-time traveller. Sentimental artifacts of something I began a long time ago and which has now mutated out of all recognition.
Trailer
Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Episode 4
Episode 5
I've never really had any idea what other people thought of these videos. I have no idea how many people watched them when they first appeared, or have looked over them since; nor have we really had much in the way of audience feedback. Since I'm in a nostalgic frame of mind, I thought I'd post this mini-series again.
(I cringe at myself in places, hot-headed and naive 23-year-old that I was, but seeing from someone else's perspective the way I sometimes acted was a really valuable, often humbling experience!)
I've also just discovered that there was a single audio podcast created at the same time. I've just heard this for the first time myself. Like looking back over my travel diaries, it's interesting to reflect on what I thought I was letting myself in for, and how the reality has panned out since then.
But that's for the next post...
3 Comments
At one point I got into bike touring documentaries and watched all of your episodes. It was one of the best produced ones I came across. The opening was top notch. I was quite disappointed when they stopped without much hope for episode 6. Maybe in the future you can take what source film you have and throw together some kind of ending?
I agree a podcast ‘ending’ would be cool! We’ll have to wait and see. Thanks for the feedback in any case — it’s good to hear you enjoyed it while it lasted.
Ah, nostalgia :)
Are there future plans for all that subsequent footage — I hope so?