Episode 3: Australia
Behind the Scenes
The dinner scene at the end of this video marked a special moment for me. There is something very primordial about preparing and eating food together with a group of people. I imagine it reflects having to hunt, kill, and cook prey like our distant ancestors. By the end of the ritual, you are no longer strangers, but part of a clan.
After we shared the toast, that little group of Swedish and Dutch people were my family. The sudden feeling of closeness to them is indescribable, and akin to falling in love. As you’ll see in the next few episodes, we spent quite a bit of time together after that.
In regard to hostels: I highly recommend the experience. Truly, you meet immeasurably more people when you are sharing so much space with them. In addition, being forced into close proximity with a diverse crowd is good social exercise.
I’m now getting pretty close to hitting my mark of five to seven minutes per-episode. It’s my hope to start catching up to my current location, temporally speaking. I feel like it will be much easier to shoot and edit a little video each day than to cut-and-paste the massive historical chunks I’m carving now. Maybe I would be able to release more than one episode per week.
See you in Sydney!
Update
There’s no way I could make this blog happen without the help of loving, temporary camera persons. Forgetfully, I didn’t mention that this episode came together only with the fantastic help of Elizabeth Loggins and Susan Hartman. These super ladies not only shot some great film, but helped make me look significantly less weird for taking film at odd hours around the hostel. In fact, with these two in toe, people started volunteering to be in the blog.
Thanks, girls!
March 2nd, 20095:38 pm at
glad to see proof of life!
i love you.
March 2nd, 20097:17 pm at
…did you just drink that entire orange soda in one ‘filming’? I sincerely hope that wasn’t caffeinated…you wouldn’t be containable!
March 2nd, 20098:12 pm at
you can read my professional review in your inbox. i’m sure you just swallowed your own tongue knowing a film maker finally took you up on giving you a no-holds barred critique.
it’s all good, love. but did you at least contribute money to shopping, since you didn’t cook? and i’m wondering why no one wanted a timtam. i noticed you didn’t offer me one. thanks.
March 2nd, 20099:59 pm at
Dude. Awesome.
Wayne Brady is coming to Australia in May. Check the dates, see where you’ll be, and go catch that show!
March 3rd, 20094:44 am at
Glad to see another one of your videos is up! =3 Looks like you’re having quite the interesting time over there, after all, though it reminds me a lot of other large cities. I guess they all tend to look similar. X3 Anyway, I’ll be waiting to see your next ep! ^-^
March 3rd, 20093:30 pm at
now i’m hungry…
but why were you the only one drinking the soda? lol.
March 3rd, 20096:37 pm at
Hey Buddy! Just spent the last 30-40 minutes catching up on everything. Wanted you to know that you are in my prayers. I am very impressed with your film making skills by the way!!!!
Love, Heather (your cousin in case you know another Heather O…*wink*)
March 4th, 20097:36 am at
Umm . . . excuse me . . . but where was my name in the camera credits?!?!? I see how it is . . . later gator . . .
March 4th, 200910:12 pm at
Send me some Timtams!
March 6th, 20093:45 am at
I’ve been trying to reach you for like the last 2 years bro! Matt told me about your quest. Anyway bro, the wedding is still on, hope you haven’t forgotten! Email me so we can catch up!
March 7th, 200910:30 pm at
Great show Trent.
I want to see some Australians in the next video, and not just a bunch of US college grads! Get to it!
March 8th, 20091:44 am at
@Chase: For the record, no one in that episode was American. Still, you have a point; it’s actually been pretty challenging to meet Australians. I’ll have to write something about that in the next entry.
March 9th, 20091:43 am at
Hey Trent! I just caught up with your blog and it’s excellent. High quality, really. Congrat’s on the success of your adventure so far and hope to see you again soon. Hit me up.
March 10th, 20098:01 pm at
since when have you had a hard time meeting ANYONE? there are australians there, go get ‘em! at our CS meeting, i was challenged to meet and get my picture taken with this scary group of locals, in under 2 minutes. surprising how easy it was, and i still remember all their names. pictures were posted on our CS board. i’m so proud of the great filming work you’re doing. once you get back, i’ll line up a real filmmaking job for you!
March 11th, 20093:28 am at
hey trent!!! australia looks like a blast… can’t wait for your next installment… next time you should go to the beaches and show us all the surfers with rock hard bodies and bikini clad ladies
you need more eye candy in these.
March 11th, 20093:30 am at
oh by the way… are you going to find a room to rent? by my calculations.. if you constantly stay in hostels that will cost you around 1140 every month… surely you could find a room to rent for cheaper on month to month basis. good luck with everything… lots of love!!!