Hitchhiking websites bring chauffeurs and hitchhikers together. Most have a system of control in place; creating a safer travel environment compared to traditional hitchhiking.
I find it an attractive way of travelling. One meets random people from very different backgrounds. Wanting to travel, I found a ride on hitchhikers.org. The driver and fellow passengers enthusiastically welcomed my idea of filming the ride.
Drawing from my hitchhiking experiences, I made a guide of conversation topics. Based on film analysis and knowledge gained in documentary courses, I created a list of angles to shoot from. Initially my focus was on interaction between hitchhiking-people from different cultures. Unexpectedly this ride resulted in a more interesting encounter and exchange between experienced hitchhikers and a person new in this digital subculture: local encounters within the hitchhiking community.
Challenges faced were mainly technical, and how to maneuver in a car’s limited space. Since the passengers knew beforehand about my plans, there were few ‘social’ constraints.
My dream and ambition are to use my fields of study, Cultural Anthropology and Environmental Science, through video, which is expressive and powerful. By making documentaries on socio-environmental issues, I want to strengthen the voice of local people in ‘developing’ countries.
