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Adventure Filmmaking Janapar (2012)

A Day In The Life Of An Adventure Filmmaker On Tour

As all adventurers know, it’s crucial to get a long day’s travelling off to the best possible start.

Which is why, whenever circumstances allow, I begin my day with a ubiquitous Full English:

Stupendous breakfast

Now, while I’d prefer to cycle to every film screening I attend, I all-too-often find myself on the train…

On the train to another screening

…once I’ve waded through a jungle of fares and tickets, that is…

Too many tickets

…though I do sometimes go further afield:

Welcome to America's bicycle capital

Public transport does at least provide an opportunity to brush up on my Persian…

Studying Farsi on the train home

…and there’s always time for a coffee en route…

Coffee stop in Manchester

…or a break in the journey to see somewhere new:

Stopover in Edinburgh

Cycling towards the venue…

Riding to the event

…I’ll be wondering whether the facilities will really do the film justice…

Janapar at MAK, Vienna

…or whether they’ll be more of the ‘make-do’ variety:

Manual venue setup

I’ll wonder whether my hosts will have arranged for me to sleep indoors…

Staying in MAK, Vienna

…outdoors…

Camping at ATFF

…or whether it’s up to me to find a place (my favourite)…

Wild-camp on Arran

…in which case I’ll perhaps seek company on the nearest hilltop…

Atop Scafell Pike with Al

…or just nip behind a convenient building…

Camping outside a conference centre

I’ll wonder if dinner is included…

Food

…or if it’s a strictly DIY affair:

Unglamorous dinner in Belfast

I’ll pedal furiously to avoid being late…

On the way to the Winchcombe screening

…only to end up arriving way too early…

Audience arrival at the Brewery in Kendal

…which at least allows me to experiment with book display styles (I call this “Podium ‘n’ Placards”)…

The "Podium & Placards" book display style

…as the audience begins to arrive:

CTC Birthday Rides audience for Janapar

Time allowing, I might head to my dressing room…

In the dressing room at the Belfast Book Festival

…get an ill-advised last-minute haircut at the local barber’s…

Bad choice of barber

…pose awkwardly for some sponsor photos with my host…

Product placement shot

…or hang out with some famous people…

Me and some famous people

…of the more or less reluctant variety:

Me and some bloke called Ted

Then I’ll head back to the cinema…

Janapar at #WDS2013

…theatre…

Setting up for Janapar at the Belfast Book Festival

…outdoor centre…

Janapar at Cycle To The Cinema in Sheffield

…village hall…

Janapar in Balerno

…school hall…

Janapar at Winchcombe Festival

…bike shop…

Janapar at Velocult, Portland

…café…

Janapar audience in Newcastle

…museum…

Janapar in Oakham

…or festival…

Janapar at HUBB UK 2013

…in time for the start of the show…

Janapar at ATFF 2013

…and to rearrange my book display (I call this “Lemmings Steps”):

The 'Lemmings Steps' book display style

Film safely up and running…

Janapar at Edinburgh University

…I’ll quietly disappear to minimise the psychological scarring that repeatedly reviewing the last 4 years of my personal life inflicts upon me…

Unremembered party, Portland

…before returning at the end to find a happy crowd of cyclists…

Janapar audience in Newcastle

…or more often non-cyclists…

Janapar audience in Balerno

…waiting to grill me with awkward questions (actually my favourite part)…

Awkward questions

…and force me to sign books (I’ve got really fast at this now):

Light-speed book signing

Exhausted, I will collapse into whatever bed I’ve managed to wangle…

Nice spot to stay the night

or, failing that, crawl into my sleeping bag…

2013-02-17 23.57.43

…wake up fresh and rejuvenated…

Unusual bedfellows

…and take the train…

BN Nook Simple Touch - Perfect Travel Device?

…plane…

Homeward bound from PDX

…or bicycle…

Tern Link P24h: Riding

…home.

Sunset over Ashlack

 

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