10 mph

by mike

Nope, this isn’t a continuation of the scooter story saying I only go 10 mph. This is about a movie being done by some Denverites called 10 mph that will be playing here starting August 9th and going through the 12th.

The story is based upon a documentary by a couple guys who, basically, decided not to give up on their artistic ambitions for a regular paycheck. So they did what so many aspire to do and quit their jobs to go hit the road. Their method of hitting the road, however, may not be what many of you aspire to.

These two adventurous spirits set out to conquer the world, from coast to coast, on a segway. You heard me right (or read me right) that these two friends, Josh Caldwell and Hunter Weeks, carried on this quest at a mere 10 mph. They had a crew following them the entire way, sought out sponsors, and had both good and bad run ins with local law enforcement. From Seattle to Boston, their 200+ hour trip was documented and the best 90 minutes or so is making to a screen for your entertainment.
They claim that the movie will make you want to quit your jobs so maybe you should see the movie on a Friday night to give yourself time to reflect. Or not, its really up to you. Either way, it looks like a great story.

One point they make is that we just need to SLOW DOWN. Since we now cruise across the country at 70 mph in our steel boxes we have lost touch not only to the feel of our surroundings but even to the enjoyment of the details. I agree. Even just going from my car to my scooter or bicycle I suddenly notice more about everything. I see the neighborhood better, the little restaurants, shops, people. Everything. I also notice the person on the cell phone who almost runs me over but that is a different detail. It’s a good point that is based upon the premise that with the very first travelers across America their average speed was 10 mph and it was a better speed for living and, at that speed, for smelling the roses.

Hunter Weeks and Josh Caldwell met in college while studying abroad in Indonesia. This exotic adventure served as a precursor to the exploratory path the two friends would lead as business partners and eventually co-producers of 10 MPH, a feature-length independent documentary and their debut as filmmakers.

They began their entrepreneurial journey in Tucson, Arizona with the launch of a non-profit organization aspiring to explore the world through a web-based interactive experience rich with multi-media content including audio interviews, video, photography and writing. Throughout the next few years, they realized several periods of growth and transition until the time came for them to leave their nine-to-five web marketing jobs to pursue careers in film and multimedia.

They moved to Denver, Colorado to launch their production company, Spinning Blue, and soon after began production on a documentary following a whirlwind coast-to-coast 10 mph road trip that would solidify their passion for that thing they knew they were meant to do: filmmaking.

Their previous professional endeavors armed Hunter and Josh with the business knowledge, strategic sense and logic they needed to successfully undertake a feature-length production. Their sense of adventure, curiosity and passion for telling stories gave them the courage they needed to dive in head-first.

With virtually no connections in the film industry, no formal training and no financial backing from investors, Hunter and Josh whole-heartedly embraced the independent nature of this first production. Taking a grassroots approach to building a web of supporters throughout communities across the country, Hunter and Josh were able to create a qualified film while defying conventional means to filmmaking.

They used one Sony PD-150 with a 16:9 lens as well as some additional microphones during production, logging 180 hours of footage after an intense 100-day period of principal photography. They rallied a small post-production team, soliciting help from the Denver film community for special effects, sound engineering, and other postproduction needs. They edited the film using Final Cut Pro.

Interested in tickets, check out the film site at the Denver Film Society.

10 mph