WALKING HOME-Part 1- Appalachian Trail Documentary

[RLfilmmaker]

First, thank you for the kind remarks. It's giving me much needed confidence to complete the rest of the film. Don't hold me to this, but my goal is to publish the rest of the film before Christmas. So I will be spending a lot of time in the editing suite in the next couple weeks!

[freys]

Really enjoyed it so far. Not sure if someone has already made a emoji of that trail sign or not but some should "On Purpose". You have done a great job of mixing the personal and trail on a individual basis bringing it together as a whole.

[pilgrimskywheel]

I'm struck again by how we seek a wild place where there is silence and solitude, and bring civilization into it with us. We talk endlessly there in the peculiar society we build about "Why", about what we left behind never really capturing the ineffable.

[pilgrimskywheel]

I'm struck again by how we seek a wild place where there is silence and solitude, and bring civilization into it with us. We talk endlessly there in the peculiar society we build about "Why?", about what we left behind never really capturing the ineffable here and now. There is something escaping the exploding pantheon of very fine films which attempt to capture the AT "experience". We are the only animals in the woods that talk, and talk, and talk. I'd like to see a plotless, whyless AT film. One where the characters don't talk because they don't have to - explanations are unnecessary. What they do is the story. What happens. The characters bring only their packs to burden them and leave all the psychic goo back in the cold places they escaped, and we watch them have a journey and an adventure just for that reason. For no reason. They meet, they love, they hike in amazing places, do amazing things together and then like they appeared alone in spring - disappear together in the fall. The journey tells the story. The story tells the story. The trail tells the story. You have made a lovely picture. Ever try watching it with the sound off? I took a hike in 12 and I'm still gone - FT, AT, TNST, PCT, CTD (Still sectioning!) I lived out of my bag - no BS - for 4 years. In that time I've read ALL the hostel books, seen a ton of trail films, and been in a few. (See: "Southbounders" - instant classic!) It's always a "why?" interview - lots of talking. Will I make it? What am I doing? I'm free! I went down through the YT queue of AT films and the collective sense I get is "shut up and hike already!" Bryson already sold the blue print - the next big trail film is not "A walk in the woods too" it's more like M.A.S.H., where Hawkeye Pierce and Co. don't tell us about their war, instead we are voyeurs who watch them experience it together - experience it then with them - with few if any insights about their pasts or futures to muddy their motivations in their present. The dialogue is hard to follow because the characters talk to each other - not to us, or for us. A documentary with a fourth wall, because when the camera starts rolling even the subjects in a documentary become actors. (See: "High on Crack St. Life in Lowell" with Dickey Eklund, best "reality" show ever!) The tired old themes are no longer working for the initiated: how hard it is, how different, how gross, how amazing, how unique, beautiful, culture shock, etc. Full disclosure: I found it hard to get past the blue print and into your film. This is NOT the kind of feedback you'll experience at trail kick off screenings, where everyone politely endures a film, claps, and says: "It was reeaallly good." I once watched a 3 hourish documentary on the CDT and it was like an all night dentist, when it was over I joined the ovation - primarily because I'd just reclaimed my life and could now get back to the party which was almost destroyed by someone else's home movies. Good luck!

[pilgrimskywheel]

Okay. You got a do-over. I watched your film over again front to back. It is indeed beautiful. I think you have made the best A.T. commercial ever! And, I'm saddened by how effective an advertisement it will likely prove to be. I am reminded of the ARMY ads that once helped compel me to join up. The focus leans toward the amazing and positive, toward what you get, acknowledges the challenges, and leans away from the "suck" - away from what you must give up. From the mind-bending days of slogging miserably on when everything is wrong. The group study is strong and touching, but there are several thousand people NOT in this movie - missing really - not the least of which are the 3000 some odd thru-hikers who are a month ahead of your crew. So while it was nice to revisit the trail, how you managed to be essentially alone everywhere is odd and fails to capture the essence and truth of the southern AT in spring. You visit all the great hostels, which are as empty as doll houses, and you seem to go out of your way to omit the great people who make those places great. What's Uncle Johnnie's without Uncle Johnny? Without a rowdy throng at beer pong? Just another empty building to crash in. People will be drawn to hike as a result of your film and discover they are in place they do not recognize. A place that is not flat and where there are lots of hikers. Thanks for sharing.

[ZsecHzia]

Well done! Watched the entire video - stayed interested. Suggestion: add a caption, listing the geographic name, to the first few frames of each location for us topography searchers (a.k.a., linking the event to a location on a map). Thank you!

[SawnieRobertson]

Don't move! I will be able to watch it in about 6 hours. All above who have seen it indicate that it is really good, really good. Keep this going, please.

[pilgrimskywheel]

Soooo, this may explain a few things: The ATC was never consulted regarding this production, does not endorse this picture, and in fact never knew it existed until I brought it to their attention. They were very surprised to see the unauthorized use of their logo in the maps scenes. Had they been consulted the picture might be an accurate depiction of the southern AT during thru-hiker season - which it isn't. This is like making a film about American professional football and not seeking the consent or input of the NFL, then depicting games as played in empty stadiums. Additionally, making movies on-trail is a regulated, and heavily restricted thing. That's why the making of "Wild", "Southbounders", and "A walk in the woods" were extremely limited in their ability to show the characters in locales which hikers would actually recognize - and there's always a famous Fontana crossing shot. Because it's both the trail and a road, not subject to such restrictions. Why? So large groups don't go out on the trail and get in your way while filming.

[ScareBear]

Additionally, making movies on-trail is a regulated, and heavily restricted thing. That's why the making of "Wild", "Southbounders", and "A walk in the woods" were extremely limited in their ability to show the characters in locales which hikers would actually recognize - and there's always a famous Fontana crossing shot. Because it's both the trail and a road, not subject to such restrictions. Why? So large groups don't go out on the trail and get in your way while filming.

Commercial filming is regulated. Non-commercial filming, even if it has a crew is not. And, the regulations have not one freaking thing to do with large groups getting in your way. Its all about the Benjamins....

http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r5/pas...TELPRDB5349053

[ScareBear]

And the fact that you just can't bulldoze a road to and from shooting sets. You can't really even build a set. Its Benjamins and impossible logistics. Doesn't have anything to do with preventing large groups getting in your way...

[Storm]

Great film. Can't wait for part two.

[becfoot]

I loved it! Thank you. Looking forward to part 2!!!!

[pilgrimskywheel]

And now, thanks to some effective communication, the erroneously placed ATC logos are smudged and are set for removal from the film. Hopefully they'll figure out how to work with the ATC and chunk em some much needed ching. Donations do make the trail go round! Now that my work here is done I think I'll get on a Greyhound and take a hike. Flibity flarb and adios muchachos! Hope to see somma ya'll at the CDTKO17. PJS

[CalebJ]

Do you live your life to make others miserable? First you make wildly wrong claims about trekking poles in one thread, then you begin a bogus argument about the concept of stealth camping in another thread. Now you've begun a crusade against someone that documented the AT in a non commercial video, and even taken those complaints onto YouTube's comments section (as two different people) in order to force their hand into changing the entire video? Do you have any life at all outside of trolling?

[ScareBear]

Do you live your life to make others miserable? First you make wildly wrong claims about trekking poles in one thread, then you begin a bogus argument about the concept of stealth camping in another thread. Now you've begun a crusade against someone that documented the AT in a non commercial video, and even taken those complaints onto YouTube's comments section (as two different people) in order to force their hand into changing the entire video? Do you have any life at all outside of trolling?

He's getting on a bus to go take a hike. I am assuming he won't be using his phone to post from the trail...but....maybe the need is strong with this one...

The info is so universally erroneous and stated with such authority that it makes one wonder if it has ever even been on the AT or if that PCT/Whitney thing was for real. Because, I am still waiting to find out how he came to be under the distinct impression that crampons and poles were required to ascend Whitney and that Mountain Ranger will prevent your ascent based on lack of equipment. And, how he ascended without crampons if poles were such a necessity....how does that work, again?

One can hope that it doesn't change its name and register again....

[sfdoc]

Excellent! Want to see part 2. Now!

[pilgrimskywheel]

tobey.jpg
Thanks for the review! This thread was a request for feedback on a movie. I've provided mine. I don't think Spiderman man needs another remake either. Now let's agree to disagree and be entitled to our own OPINIONS - just like big boys. Now, did you have something to add to the discussion re: the film, or are you just going to critique me?

Do you live your life to make others miserable? First you make wildly wrong claims about trekking poles in one thread, then you begin a bogus argument about the concept of stealth camping in another thread. Now you've begun a crusade against someone that documented the AT in a non commercial video, and even taken those complaints onto YouTube's comments section (as two different people) in order to force their hand into changing the entire video? Do you have any life at all outside of trolling?

[rgarling]

Your film is really well done and I enjoyed it very much. Thanks, and I look forward to the second part.

[ATX-Dad]

Thanks for making this, Ryan. My daughter and I are section hikers, so seeing other parent/child experiences is particularly affirming.

[RLfilmmaker]

Thank you all for the kind remarks and feedback. To Pilgrim, I definitely appreciate your thorough feedback and would like to address your comments at a later time. In the meantime, I would like to inform you all that Part 2 of Walking Home will be premiering on March 19, 2017 in Maine. I will be distributing the film online two days later.

Best regards!

Ryan