A Documentary Student Looking For Company

[Ingevr]

Hi all!

I am a Dutch woman, currently doing a masters in Visual Anthropology in Manchester. For my graduation project I want to make an ethnographic documentary about the camino. I have in mind walking the camino Frances, for which I have the last two weeks of May up to the first week of July. I am looking for someone or a small group of people who also plan on walking this route during this period and who would want to participate in my documentary. It may seem a bit unclear right now, so for futher explanation don't hesitate to contact me and ask me for details.
Thank you in advance for any interest!

Best, Inge

 

[wayfarer]

Welcome Inge, wishing you well with your project and I hope you get many replies. You will meet plenty of pilgrims starting in St Jean so you should have plenty of volunteers.
Buen Camino.

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

Hi all!

I am a Dutch woman, currently doing a masters in Visual Anthropology in Manchester. For my graduation project I want to make an ethnographic documentary about the camino. I have in mind walking the camino Frances, for which I have the last two weeks of May up to the first week of July. I am looking for someone or a small group of people who also plan on walking this route during this period and who would want to participate in my documentary. It may seem a bit unclear right now, so for futher explanation don't hesitate to contact me and ask me for details.
Thank you in advance for any interest!

Best, Inge

Hi Inge. As Wayfarer already stated there will be plenty of pilgrims in SJPdP . Plenty of volunteers .
Wish you well from Holland and a Buen Camino, Peter.

 

[ScaryB4Coffee]

Hi all!

I am a Dutch woman, currently doing a masters in Visual Anthropology in Manchester. For my graduation project I want to make an ethnographic documentary about the camino. I have in mind walking the camino Frances, for which I have the last two weeks of May up to the first week of July. I am looking for someone or a small group of people who also plan on walking this route during this period and who would want to participate in my documentary. It may seem a bit unclear right now, so for futher explanation don't hesitate to contact me and ask me for details.
Thank you in advance for any interest!

Best, Inge

I'm leaving May 27 and plan to meet my husband (who is not walking) at Santiago around July 8. Let m.e know what you need. This is my first Camino, so I really don't know what to expect

 

[MillieMiles]

Hi all!

I am a Dutch woman, currently doing a masters in Visual Anthropology in Manchester. For my graduation project I want to make an ethnographic documentary about the camino. I have in mind walking the camino Frances, for which I have the last two weeks of May up to the first week of July. I am looking for someone or a small group of people who also plan on walking this route during this period and who would want to participate in my documentary. It may seem a bit unclear right now, so for futher explanation don't hesitate to contact me and ask me for details.
Thank you in advance for any interest!
I am walking from May 20 to July 5, 2016. Would love to meet you in SJPP.
Best, Inge

 

[zoebaker]

Hi all!

I am a Dutch woman, currently doing a masters in Visual Anthropology in Manchester. For my graduation project I want to make an ethnographic documentary about the camino. I have in mind walking the camino Frances, for which I have the last two weeks of May up to the first week of July. I am looking for someone or a small group of people who also plan on walking this route during this period and who would want to participate in my documentary. It may seem a bit unclear right now, so for futher explanation don't hesitate to contact me and ask me for details.
Thank you in advance for any interest!

Best, Inge

Hi Inge, as others have said, don't stress, you'll find people once you're on the Camino.

I did fieldwork for my PhD (Anthropology) in 2010 and 2011 along the Camino, and never had problems finding pilgrims who were happy to talk - even about my rather specific research interests.

I think one thing to think about, or the one piece of advice I can give you, is that everybody (and everything) has their own flow on the Camino - and the meetings, partings, friendships and connections that exist in that space are ultimately part of a more universal connection and openness and friendliness than a personal one (at least, that's my thesis argument). What I mean by that is that people walk faster or slower and meet and don't meet again along the way, and that's ok. They all remain part of a bigger Camino family, and the sense of being part of something comes through this sense of universal/Camino collectivity, rather it always needing to be with the same group of people (although you meet and care deeply for specific people too, of course).

For your work, I would suggest that you let go of hoping to follow a particular individual or group of people throughout their whole Camino, and let this more spontaneous and organic flow happen as it happens. The stories that you collect will likely just be stories of the Camino, rather than focusing on specific individuals. Don't worry about organising things before you arrive, or wanting a 'whole of journey' narrative by following people for their whole Camino - having walked myself twice and read on the Camino for many years now, our journey is the same journey as much as it is our own and very special, so you'll see patterns and repetitions emerge, and you'll no doubt bump into familiar faces along the way, or find people with whom you fall into step.

This approach will also allow your participants the space to do their own Caminos. This is incredibly important. Even if they are willing to be interviewed etc, it would be a shame if you and your subjects felt beholden to each other. A big lesson many pilgrims take away from the Camino is to do their own walk - listen to their own body and spirit and needs. It's hard to do that once the journey is part of someone else's timeframe or expectations, however flexible that is offered to be. There's a lot of bravery in setting off on the path that is right for you and not knowing who you'll know or see that day (but trusting you'll be welcome) but that bravery and trust is an important thing to find.

Anyway, just my 2 cents from the other side of fieldwork, hopefully it's helpful. I wish you a wonderful time doing fieldwork, and don't forget to enjoy your own Camino!

 

[mvanert]

I'm walking from SJPP June 2 to Santiago when I get there, maybe we'll meet along the way and I'd be happy to participate.

 

[Robo]

Hi all!

I am a Dutch woman, currently doing a masters in Visual Anthropology in Manchester. For my graduation project I want to make an ethnographic documentary about the camino. I have in mind walking the camino Frances, for which I have the last two weeks of May up to the first week of July. I am looking for someone or a small group of people who also plan on walking this route during this period and who would want to participate in my documentary. It may seem a bit unclear right now, so for futher explanation don't hesitate to contact me and ask me for details.
Thank you in advance for any interest!

Best, Inge

I met lots of lovely people who were quite happy to feature in my videos. No need to pre plan anything really. Just be courteous and not pushy...... Don't intrude on others Camino. Those who don't mind helping you will be obvious to you. And there will be plenty....

 

[DeadFred]

Ingevr .. Try this April/May/June thread

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/may-june-2016-peregrinos-camino-frances.36410/

 

[soozansings]

Fred...the closer it gets the farther away I'm starting. Still June 1st, but from Ponferrada to Finesterre, instead of Triacastela to Santiago. Thanks for the listing. I hope to bump into some of the others as our paths cross.

 

[Richard A Stead]

Hi all!

I am a Dutch woman, currently doing a masters in Visual Anthropology in Manchester. For my graduation project I want to make an ethnographic documentary about the camino. I have in mind walking the camino Frances, for which I have the last two weeks of May up to the first week of July. I am looking for someone or a small group of people who also plan on walking this route during this period and who would want to participate in my documentary. It may seem a bit unclear right now, so for futher explanation don't hesitate to contact me and ask me for details.
Thank you in advance for any interest!

Best, Inge

Hi Inge

I am 70 in February and will start walking on May 7th probably a bit to early for you. I'm not rushing so may be catch up with you on the way. Good luck and PLR&R. Richard

 

[Ingevr]

Hi Inge, as others have said, don't stress, you'll find people once you're on the Camino.

I did fieldwork for my PhD (Anthropology) in 2010 and 2011 along the Camino, and never had problems finding pilgrims who were happy to talk - even about my rather specific research interests.

I think one thing to think about, or the one piece of advice I can give you, is that everybody (and everything) has their own flow on the Camino - and the meetings, partings, friendships and connections that exist in that space are ultimately part of a more universal connection and openness and friendliness than a personal one (at least, that's my thesis argument). What I mean by that is that people walk faster or slower and meet and don't meet again along the way, and that's ok. They all remain part of a bigger Camino family, and the sense of being part of something comes through this sense of universal/Camino collectivity, rather it always needing to be with the same group of people (although you meet and care deeply for specific people too, of course).

For your work, I would suggest that you let go of hoping to follow a particular individual or group of people throughout their whole Camino, and let this more spontaneous and organic flow happen as it happens. The stories that you collect will likely just be stories of the Camino, rather than focusing on specific individuals. Don't worry about organising things before you arrive, or wanting a 'whole of journey' narrative by following people for their whole Camino - having walked myself twice and read on the Camino for many years now, our journey is the same journey as much as it is our own and very special, so you'll see patterns and repetitions emerge, and you'll no doubt bump into familiar faces along the way, or find people with whom you fall into step.

This approach will also allow your participants the space to do their own Caminos. This is incredibly important. Even if they are willing to be interviewed etc, it would be a shame if you and your subjects felt beholden to each other. A big lesson many pilgrims take away from the Camino is to do their own walk - listen to their own body and spirit and needs. It's hard to do that once the journey is part of someone else's timeframe or expectations, however flexible that is offered to be. There's a lot of bravery in setting off on the path that is right for you and not knowing who you'll know or see that day (but trusting you'll be welcome) but that bravery and trust is an important thing to find.

Anyway, just my 2 cents from the other side of fieldwork, hopefully it's helpful. I wish you a wonderful time doing fieldwork, and don't forget to enjoy your own Camino!

Hi Zoe!

Thank you very much for taking the time to share with me your findings and expriences, I really appreciate it a lot and the advice is very valuable!

I have only very recently come up with the idea, so I haven't decided yet about whether I am indeed going to preplan following someone or just start the camino and see where I end up (maybe even make an autoethnography). I thought I might give it a try finding out what plans others have and what my options are.

Like you said, I keep reading in different sources how pilgrims enter and leave each others' camino and that the reasons for walking the Camino nowadays vary greatly. Exactly this is why I have in mind right now following one person's walk, documenting his/her encounters with others and physical and emotional struggles and developments. But as is my experience with anthropology and working with people (who think, feel and change) plans never really work out as intended. So I'm open for anything and really flexible and just exploring all the possibilities right now.

Again, thank you for your time and effort for responding and sharing your thoughts and advice! I most definitely take them into account.

 

[Robo]

Hi Zoe!

Thank you very much for taking the time to share with me your findings and expriences, I really appreciate it a lot and the advice is very valuable!

I have only very recently come up with the idea, so I haven't decided yet about whether I am indeed going to preplan following someone or just start the camino and see where I end up (maybe even make an autoethnography). I thought I might give it a try finding out what plans others have and what my options are.

Like you said, I keep reading in different sources how pilgrims enter and leave each others' camino and that the reasons for walking the Camino nowadays vary greatly. Exactly this is why I have in mind right now following one person's walk, documenting his/her encounters with others and physical and emotional struggles and developments. But as is my experience with anthropology and working with people (who think, feel and change) plans never really work out as intended. So I'm open for anything and really flexible and just exploring all the possibilities right now.

Again, thank you for your time and effort for responding and sharing your thoughts and advice! I most definitely take them into account.

Just some thoughts......for what they are worth Sorry, it's a bit long winded ...........

Planning

To pre-plan and follow someone could create problems, conflict and tension. You would need to know that person really well and have clear expectations of what you each hoped to gain. The danger; is that they won't to get to walk 'their' Camino. They'll just be your movie talent....

Even good friends walking together fall out, let alone those who have a joint purpose such as making a movie/documentary. Whilst walking the Camino is an immensely rewarding experience, it is also challenging. Being part of your documentary would add significantly to the challenge I think. Another thing the Pilgrim has to cope/contend with every day....

Personally, I wouldn't do that to someone. Even a good friend. Unless, making the documentary was also their reason for walking of course.

Another Option

I shot loads of video on on my Camino. A video director friend of mine asked me before I left. What is the purpose of your video? Who is the intended audience? I couldn't really answer that. You can of course.

So my videos were very ad hoc. Spur of the moment. Really only intended for my Blog, and the audience were just family and friends. They were of things that interested, challenged and inspired me along the way.

But it kind of 'developed' along the way too, as I started to understand the journey more, my fellow Pilgrims more and what the journey really meant. Regular 'themes' began to emerge.

When I got back, I found that I had about 400 short video clips! I think about 50-60 made it to the Blog.

I was very lucky, in that as part of my support team in my business, I have a very talented young lady who is really creative. (She actually maintained my Blog every day I was walking). All the 'creative' is her work. I just held the Camera....

She is far more creative than I am ........

So one day I said. Maybelle, how about you take all those video clips and make a mini Camino movie? 5-7 minutes long. I'll leave it up to you.

OK, now here is the relevant bit to your documentary! Finally....

Maybelle sorted through all the material and suggested the 'movie' should be in 7 core themes. Great. She then edited all the clips, added music, captions, the whole works. I didn't change anything. I loved it.

So..........

Instead of making your documentary about one Pilgrim's journey. Make it about the journey of many Pilgrims. All those around you. (If this will work for your study needs of course).

In this way you are unrestricted in what you shoot. You don't have a specific journey to document. Shoot what emerges. What fascinates you. What inspires you. What surprises you. All in the context of your topic of course.

In this way you'll amass an amazing 'bank' of materials. Key themes or sub topics will clearly emerge. Key questions will emerge. And once you finish your Camino, you will have a very clear idea of the 'story' you want to tell, and how it should be told..........

Of course a lot of that will emerge as you walk. You might come up with questions maybe, that you want to ask of 5 or 6 Pilgrims. Or specific 'themes' that need a selection of clips....

Just a thought.

Of course I could be way off track here. It happens a lot


Above all. Don't intrude on the Camino of others Those who are happy to assist will be obvious......

I hope you'll share your work with us when you get back!

 

[zoebaker]

Hi Zoe!

Thank you very much for taking the time to share with me your findings and expriences, I really appreciate it a lot and the advice is very valuable!

I have only very recently come up with the idea, so I haven't decided yet about whether I am indeed going to preplan following someone or just start the camino and see where I end up (maybe even make an autoethnography). I thought I might give it a try finding out what plans others have and what my options are.

Like you said, I keep reading in different sources how pilgrims enter and leave each others' camino and that the reasons for walking the Camino nowadays vary greatly. Exactly this is why I have in mind right now following one person's walk, documenting his/her encounters with others and physical and emotional struggles and developments. But as is my experience with anthropology and working with people (who think, feel and change) plans never really work out as intended. So I'm open for anything and really flexible and just exploring all the possibilities right now.

Again, thank you for your time and effort for responding and sharing your thoughts and advice! I most definitely take them into account.

Inge,

You are most welcome, glad my input was helpful, along with all the other replies. It sounds like you're still thinking about how you want to do it, trying to confirm your fieldwork plan, and I imagine you also have ethics and administrative paperwork you'll need to complete before you can enter the field.

A thought on that fieldwork plan element: I lied through my teeth on my ethics submission! Not in the ethical approach to my participants or how I would manage participant consent, but in order to get approval to go in the field, I had to produce an interview schedule (all my questions), a timeline, detailed plans. I knew that that is not the kind of ethnographic research I wanted to do, so I complied and produced these wonderfully detailed plans, which I pretty much threw out the window as soon as I arrived, and simply *did the camino*. I asked the questions that were triggered by my own experiences and had the conversations that pilgrims just have (as you can see by the forums, we are by and large a very open and sharing bunch!).

The camino is all about letting go of your plan and doing the camino as it happens. If you have to produce a plan for administrative purposes, then do so, but be more than willing to surrender to the camino and "it's plan" for you (or just whatever happens once you're there).

Secondly, I strongly agree with Robo, following one person, or even one group, feels very unfair to those pilgrims, and the opposite of the ethos of the camino. I can't reiterate enough - you WILL see those same emotional shifts, those same stories, even if you're talking to lots of different people, and you might even end up getting to interview people multiple times! But let people do there own thing without any implicit or explicit obligation to your project.

I guess I just want to say: YOU'LL BE FINE. You'll get interesting data/footage. You'll have amazing participants, they'll tell you amazing stories and you'll eat, sleep, walk, laugh, cry and have moments of awe with them. Just do your own camino, and you'll meet the right people to participate at all the right moments. People may even seek you out to tell you things! Do your own camino and you'll also know the right questions to ask. Do your own camino so you are speaking pilgrim to pilgrim, not 'researcher to objectified-subject'. It seems like you're interested in the way people experience the camino, which is something pilgrims are really very happy to talk about (whether they're in front of a camera or not) .

If you're not already familiar with this paper, you might get something from Tim Ingold's writing on anthropology vs ethnography - he kind of talks about the 'knowing-via-being and doing' vs the 'ethnographic text/collection of data' (in your case 'footage' I guess) which might be interesting for you? link here:
http://www.haujournal.org/index.php/hau/article/view/hau4.1.021/665

Ha, another long reply, sorry! I'm deep in methodology at the moment so it's all on my mind
Wishing you good luck, and buen camino! xx

 

[Ingevr]

Inge,

You are most welcome, glad my input was helpful, along with all the other replies. It sounds like you're still thinking about how you want to do it, trying to confirm your fieldwork plan, and I imagine you also have ethics and administrative paperwork you'll need to complete before you can enter the field.

A thought on that fieldwork plan element: I lied through my teeth on my ethics submission! Not in the ethical approach to my participants or how I would manage participant consent, but in order to get approval to go in the field, I had to produce an interview schedule (all my questions), a timeline, detailed plans. I knew that that is not the kind of ethnographic research I wanted to do, so I complied and produced these wonderfully detailed plans, which I pretty much threw out the window as soon as I arrived, and simply *did the camino*. I asked the questions that were triggered by my own experiences and had the conversations that pilgrims just have (as you can see by the forums, we are by and large a very open and sharing bunch!).

The camino is all about letting go of your plan and doing the camino as it happens. If you have to produce a plan for administrative purposes, then do so, but be more than willing to surrender to the camino and "it's plan" for you (or just whatever happens once you're there).

Secondly, I strongly agree with Robo, following one person, or even one group, feels very unfair to those pilgrims, and the opposite of the ethos of the camino. I can't reiterate enough - you WILL see those same emotional shifts, those same stories, even if you're talking to lots of different people, and you might even end up getting to interview people multiple times! But let people do there own thing without any implicit or explicit obligation to your project.

I guess I just want to say: YOU'LL BE FINE. You'll get interesting data/footage. You'll have amazing participants, they'll tell you amazing stories and you'll eat, sleep, walk, laugh, cry and have moments of awe with them. Just do your own camino, and you'll meet the right people to participate at all the right moments. People may even seek you out to tell you things! Do your own camino and you'll also know the right questions to ask. Do your own camino so you are speaking pilgrim to pilgrim, not 'researcher to objectified-subject'. It seems like you're interested in the way people experience the camino, which is something pilgrims are really very happy to talk about (whether they're in front of a camera or not) .

If you're not already familiar with this paper, you might get something from Tim Ingold's writing on anthropology vs ethnography - he kind of talks about the 'knowing-via-being and doing' vs the 'ethnographic text/collection of data' (in your case 'footage' I guess) which might be interesting for you? link here:
http://www.haujournal.org/index.php/hau/article/view/hau4.1.021/665

Ha, another long reply, sorry! I'm deep in methodology at the moment so it's all on my mind
Wishing you good luck, and buen camino! xx

Hi Zoe, and others for that matter

I realised a couple of days ago that I asked for help and info for my graduation project and never came back to you explaining what I actually did.
I just read your pieces of advice with a smile, realising I have found the same sort of experiences during my Camino. I could not have planned meeting the wonderful people I met along the road. Some of them were delighted to share their ideas and feelings on camera, others gave me lessons I didn't know I needed to learn off camera. My method was to go with the flow, listening to my body and sticking to my own rhythm, and it worked out wonderfully. Walking El Camino has been one of the best experiences of my life.
If anyone is interested, here's a link to the short documentary I ended up making for my MA final project, with which I succesfully graduated.

Thank you all for the help, I hope you enjoy the video and Buen Camino!

 

[Robo]

Nice work Inge

 

[Bala]

Enjoyed it very much, Inge. Halfway through reading the posts this morning, I realized the thread was a few years old. So what a nice conclusion, to end with your final documentary posted. Congratulations on your work and your degree.

 

[Tincatinker]

Inge, thanks for coming back and sharing.

 

[donalomahony]

Wonderful. Thank you for sharing. Just shows how “old posts” are never old.

 

[Levi]

Lovely video - moving. Thank you so much.