In documentaries we listen to people tell their stories. To Journey Productions’ President and CEO Eric Saperston, this is both meaningful and business. Journey’s first feature length documentary, “The Journey” premiered at the South By Southwest Film Festival in Austin, TX and will also play at the Atlanta Film and Video Festival on Wednesday, June 13 at 7:30pm at the Carter Center. The film documents experiences of four ‘generation x-ers’ searching for wisdom and direction over a four year period.

Saperston describes it as a modern day Wizard of Oz. “After finishing college,” he says, “I had planned on simply taking time off to travel the country, tour with the Grateful Dead… My college mentor challenged me to make my summer vacation more meaningful. I decided I would ask successful people out for a cup of coffee to find out how they got there. Essentially, my summer vacation turned into a vocation.”

Accompanying him on his “vacation,” were Dave Murcott who handled correspondence and sought out sponsors; Paige O’Brien who wrote thank you notes and managed finances; Kathleen Kelly, a cinematographer from MTV who captured the trip in image form. The group took off in 1993 and since then has completed 176 interviews equaling 500 hours of footage resulting in an 86 minute documentary feature. Of course, “everyday” people were included, but the star-studded piece also includes interviews with the likes of Jimmy Carter, Jerry Garcia, Billy Crystal, U.S. Senator Max Cleland, Arlo Guthrie, Donald Keough, Alan Keyes, Olympic Gold Medalist Carl Lewis, Oz Nelson, Billy Payne, Horsetrainer Monty Roberts, Bernie Marcus, Horst Schulze, Bill Sessions former Director FBI, Henry Winkler the old Fonzarelli, and former Texas Governor Ann Richards who will attend the festival screening.

The generation gap, finding direction in life, sharing wisdom gleaned through experience, this is what Saperston intends to impart with his creation. Though it was originally conceived as a feature film, the final version lent itself to a documentary format with rough edges and a grassroots feel, which matched their budget. Saperston said, “We were producing reality based programming way before reality TV was cool…” His purpose? “[B]ringing the knowledge of ordinary people who live extraordinary lives to anyone looking for some direction in life.”

Seven corporate sponsors contributed financially and with in-kind services. Lending hands were Walt Disney Studios, Timberland Footwear, UPS, KOA (Kampgrounds of America), AAA (American Automobile Association), Panasonic, and True Grit Clothing Company. In addition to the help of Executive Vice President/Executive Producer Patrick Jones, Saperston helped finance the project himself by selling grilled cheese sandwiches at rest stops along the way.

And now the film may be in the right hands. During the festival festivities, Journey Productions, Inc. secured a distribution agreement with Los Angeles based Seventh Art Releasing. As for music, the piece will be accompanied by the soulful tunes of Edwin McCain. Of course, the production of the film is just the beginning in essence, even after such a long production schedule. The Journey team is already scheduled for the speech circuit, visiting universities throughout the country. There might be more of this story yet…