Road tripping, American style

When Eric Saperston graduated from San Diego State University, he did not want to end up in a boring office job. He took a job as a ski instructor in Aspen when he wasn't following the Grateful Dead. But that's not why he'll be speaking at 7 p.m. tonight at the Buskirk-Chumley Theatre, 114 E. Kirkwood Ave. \nThe main attraction of the event is Saperston's film, "The Journey," which documents a cross-country road trip and the people he met along the way.\nOn the heels of being named as one of the top 10 memorable films in the 10-year history of the south by Southwest Film Conference and Festival, Saperston's film has embarked on a 30-city, 41-college tour. And Bloomington is one of the stops.\nThe film focuses on interviews with various important and successful people with whom Saperston and three friends talked. \nThe film's idea came to Saperston when he was still in college. He realized that getting to know someone over a cup of coffee or a beer was much more insightful than just hearing a person speak to a large group. He thought he'd call up some of the most powerful people in the world and ask them out for a cup of coffee. \n"I figured I'd meet one person if I was lucky," Saperston said. "But what unfolded for me is beyond my wildest dreams."\nSo Saperston and his dog Jack piled into an old Volkswagen bus and set out on the journey that would change their lives along with the lives of three others whom they met on the way. Some of the famous individuals Saperston and his team talked to include former Texas governor Ann Richards, author Ken Kesey, comedian Billy Crystal, actor Henry Winkler and former Coca-Cola president Donald Keough.\nSaperston recorded the interviews on a small digital camera he bought before he left. The group filmed over 500 hours of footage during their 1,865 days on the road. They used this footage to make "The Journey," which premiered at the SXSW in 2001. \nUntil the road trip, Kathleen Kelly, who joined Saperston on the trip, had never used a digital video camera before. But she learned. \n"Not knowing how to do something has never stopped me," she said.\nAnd the camera, however small it was, proved to be useful, the filmmakers said that they could do more with a small camera because it fit into weird angles easily and they could review the footage right away. \nBut the film's technology wasn't the important part. The important part was the people Saperston and his team met along the way.\n"From a creative standpoint, I'm less interested in technology than I am in the people who are involved in the project," Saperston said. "I believe in people. And I believe in their ability to execute odd dreams."\nSaperston and his team talked with "extraordinary people about the values they live by, the struggles they've endured and what advice they would give to our generation," he said.\nFor the Buskirk-Chumley, this screening is an opportunity to go back to its film-showing roots. After a December agreement between the Kerasotes movie chain and the Buskirk-Chumley Management Inc., the BCT is back in the business of showing films. Previously, Kerasotes insisted that film screenings at the BCT would jeopardize the economic status of the Kerasotes-owned movie theaters in the area. The agreement stipulates that the BCT may show any theatrical film that has been out for at least a year.\n"I think it's important that the film is coming here; it highlights the Buskirk-Chumley's ability to show films," said Danielle McClelland, the theater's director. "This is the ideal type of film for us to show -- independent, bizarre idea taken to fruition by a young filmmaker. This is the type of thing that will appeal to both students and community members."\nThe screening and filmmaker's talk before it are free and open to the public. For more information about the film, visit www.thejourneyfilm.com.