FEATURED
AMERICAN NOMADS
PBS launched our new six-part Independent Lens series American Nomads. We spent the last year documenting the fast-growing and seemingly invisible world of van-dwellers across the country. Collectively, these short docs tell the story of our precarious future, the sustainability of an uncertain economy and the resilience and creativity of a community determined to fulfill their own American Dream. Some travel across the country looking for work while others never want to settle anywhere, happy to make a home for themselves in their vans, buses, and campers. None of them have given up hope that somewhere on the open road they'll discover their way.
Check it out here.
Episode 1 - Bob Wells
After a difficult divorce, Bob Wells found himself without much money or hope. With only $1,200 a month to live on, he resorted to sleeping in his Chevy box truck. This was a new low. Many nights he cried himself to sleep until he realized that his circumstances offered a new lease on life. He hit the road and his since reached near-celebrity status with his YouTube channel where he shares how-to’s for the van dwelling set.
Play Episode 1
Episode 2 - Crystal
Crystal left her old life behind to seek financial independence by living in her van. She's developed a significant following on YouTube as one of the few African-American van dwellers sharing her experiences on the site. As she heads north to Maine to meet a few of her followers, we'll get a glimpse of the joys, as well as the challenges, of being a single African American woman living life on the road.
Play Episode 2
Episode 3 - Kate & Ellen
Kate and Ellen spend their days traveling the US turning Airstreams into chic tiny homes. They share their life together on the road as a gay couple, working in a male dominated industry. Needless to say, there have been a steady stream of roadblocks and hurdles along their circuitous path as small business owners. They’ve managed to attract nearly all of their clients from Instagram. There you’ll find a high-gloss image of their work. The reality, however, is that there have been many scrapes, stains, arguments and misunderstandings along the way.
Play Episode 3
Episode 4 - Guisepi & Ally
Lost in the wilds of Los Angeles, Guisepi discovered the magic of spontaneous gatherings while cooking dinner in the back of his pickup truck on Hollywood Boulevard. He now lives aboard his mobile tea house, a converted school bus he shares with his partner Ally. After nearly six years on the road together, they compare their experiences and consider making a permanent home.
Play Episode 4
Episode 5 - Lovell & Paris
Living in a van is a tricky feat on its own - throw in attending college full time, and things get even more complicated. Lovell and Paris, a young African-American couple going to school in San Francisco, are doing their best to balance the two. Van life in a major city like SF comes with its own set of challenges, and Lovell and Paris navigate break-ins and restrictive parking regulations, while trying to have as much fun as possible.
Play Episode 5
Episode 6 - Rubber Tramp Rendezvous
Thousands of people gather in the Arizona desert for an annual two week rally for van and RV dwellers. With stagnant wages and rising home prices, many consider alternatives to the status quo. Committed nomads share tips and stories about life on the road and create connections and friendships with like-minded freedom seekers.
Play Episode 6
Additional Credits
Produced & Directed by
Ben Wu
David Usui
Editors
Ben Wu
David Usui
Drew Blatman
Series Producer, Indie Lens Storycast
Pamela Torno
Supervising Producer for ITVS
Clare Chambers
Consulting Producer for ITVS
David Casey
Production Coordinator for ITVS
Susan Cohen
Executive Producer for Independent Lens
Lois Vossen
Executive Producer for ITVS
Sally Jo Fifer
Sound Mix
Dan McHugh
PROJECTS
