Beauty Beneath The Dirt - An Exclusive Q&A With The Ringleader

The following is a DustyOnMovies.com exclusive Q&A with Katherine "Ringleader" Imp. Kate is the executive producer, director and a subject of the new documentary "Beauty Beneath The Dirt". It follows an unlikely trio of thru-hikers on their quest to conquer the Appalachian Trail.

This is the first Q&A for the blog. I can only hope I didn't disappoint with the questions because the responses were golden. But this isn't about me, so let's get on with it.


This project is a real grassroots, indie production. To this point it seems to have been funded mostly by ambition, but you can help! Join their fundraising campaign on Kick Starter.

The lovely Kate.

Photo by Chris Little -----------------------------------Photo by Anushila Shaw--------------------------------------Photo by BBtD LLC

Other links for "Beauty Beneath The Dirt"

Homepage Blog YouTube Sponsors including Superfeet (as pictured)

SWVA Tour dates.

Roanoke, VA*
The Shadowbox
Tues, June 12, 7pm
Details
Blacksburg, VA*
Blue Ridge Mtn Sports
Wed, June 13, 7pm
Details (NOT a film screening)
Blacksburg, VA*
The Lyric Theatre
Thurs, June 14, 7pm
Details | Tickets
Pearisburg, VA
Woodshole Hostel
Fri, June 15, 8pm
Details Reservations

First off, thanks for taking the time to do this. I know it must be hectic having produced, directed and now marketing the film. Where did the idea for this ambitious project originate?

I’ve always had a love for film, Survivor, and adventure- documenting my experience on the AT seemed like the best way to combine all of my interests before beginning my legal career.

I’ve learned from National Geographic that all AT hikers have nicknames before they finish the hike. Are yours really Ringleader, Monkey, and Lightning? If so, what are the stories behind those names?

"Documentaries, schedules, bios, blogs? Is this a thru hike or a traveling circus? Most people hike the trail to get away from these kinds of things... I think this little party will dissolve after a few days on the trail.” – 37, Male

Before we began our hike, we started a thread on whiteblaze.net entitled, “What happens when you put a lawyer, an Ivy grad, and a city chick on the Appalachian Trail?” – this was one of the first comments we received and we turned that “attack” into a compliment and became known as The Traveling Circus. Ringleader is obviously derived from the group name, and my role as director, producer, cast, cameraman, sister, friend, leader … etc. Monkey … you always need a Monkey in a Circus. And my brother is the comic relief so it makes sense. And Emily was the fastest hiker on the trail … thus … Lightning.

Being highly educated and urban, I assume that the three of you had little or no experience hiking. Did you consult guides or seek any training?

People told me to do a “test run” before beginning a thru-hike, but my response to that was, “I’m already going to be in the woods for 5 months, why would I add another week?” You don’t need experience to complete a thru-hike, you just need a reason to do it. Mine was this film, the adventure, and the desire to learn something new about myself … and I figured, if I kept that in mind, all the little stuff like learning how to cook in the woods ..would just fall into place. And it did.

It’s funny you mention the educated and urban thing though. I think a lot of people thought we were destined to fail because of our backgrounds- we don’t fit the thru-hiker stereotype. But we love beating the odds, and knowing that people we’re betting against us only made us want to complete this journey even more.

One mistake hikers often make is taking too many provisions. I’ve heard most thru-hikers end up ditching many of their supplies early on. Did you all have this issue? What kind of provisions did you pack? Other than cameras, did you have any technology with you?

As to camera equipment, we had one camera, 5 batteries, 10 SD cards, a battery charger, a small tripod, and a harddrive. We had 2 cellphones between the three of us but never really used them. We had ipods, but I stopped using mine halfway through because it was too much noise, ha. Hikers ditch a lot of stuff early because you don’t realize how heavy a backpack is until you wear it everyday. You really start to realize what you need and don’t need. And it almost seemed stressful getting home after the trail and having to figure out what to wear, ha. On the trail I only had one outfit!

What was the greatest physical danger you encountered on your journey?

We averaged 20 miles/day. We became really strong but we still had to constantly worry about slipping on a wet rock or board. I actually broke my big toe 3 weeks before the trip was over from slipping on a wet board over a marshy area on the trail. We were so close to the end though, that I decided to just splint the toe with popsicle sticks and keeping walking, ha.

It seems obvious from the trailer that drama followed you to the mountains. Was this expected or were you hoping for a peaceful respite from the daily grind?

You expect to leave the real world when you hike the Appalachian Trail, but it’s just not possible, especially when you bring the real world with you. Most people hike alone, but I knew this would be one of the biggest adventures of my life and I wanted to share it with the people I loved the most. Doing this trip in a group of three, with a camera, was by far the hardest part of the experience and really tested the bonds of family and friendship.

Other than promoting the film, do the three of you still have a strong personal relationship?

A trip like this either makes a relationship stronger, or tears it apart. That’s the risk you take, and most people aren’t willing to take that risk so they hike alone. We took that risk, and it’s up to the audience to decide whether the risk was worth it.

What were the nicest people you met on the Trail and what were the meanest, and why? Did you run into any prejudice among other hikers?

Everyone on the trail and in the trail towns is nice. That’s what makes the Appalachian Trail so special. People will help you out of the kindness of their heart with absolutely no hidden agenda. I can’t tell you the number of times we were taken into people’s homes, given a shower and a home-cooked meal, and then dropped off at the trail again. Those are memories I get to cherish for the rest of my life.

Did you find yourselves going through the normal daily hygiene routines even though you were isolated? Did you wear makeup at all? Did you abandon any vanity rituals during your long journey?

I can tell you right now that Emily and I were the only women out there with makeup on. Ha. I don’t see why hygiene has to be ignored simply because you’re in the woods. You can still floss and wash your face. We both had a pair of earrings that we put on in town, not to impress anyone, just to have fun. Almost like we were kids again, playing dress up.

What did you do for regular entertainment?

Between filming and hiking 20-25 miles/day, our entertainment was really each other and a few scenic overlooks. We preferred to take days off in towns rather than taking breaks on the trail. Town time gave us a chance to explore a new part of the country, meet people we would otherwise never meet, and eat every hour on the hour. For us, towns were a place of pure happiness. We got along, we were well fed, and we met people that sincerely wanted to help us finish the journey. Once our spirits were boosted, and batteries charged, we’d get back on the trail again.

What are your ambitions for the film? Have you found distribution? If so, how widely distributed will it be and through what format?

We don’t yet have distribution, but we want it, we believe the film will do well on television, and we’re using this G2M Tour to prove it. We’re just a bunch of over-educated kids from Chicago and Jersey. We didn’t know anything about film before this

trip started; but what we did know- is that if we were truthful about ourselves- let our flaws and triumphs be put on camera- we’d have a story to tell. And that’s exactly what we did.

What kind of and how much documentary equipment (cameras, lights, tripods) did you have?

See above. One JVC hi-def camera, $15 tripod from Target.Headlamps as lights. It sounds rudimentary, but you’d be surprised at how many people have asked me who did the camerawork at these screenings. They can’t believe we did it ourselves because it looks professionally done. By filming 80% of the film on tripod it looks as though we had a 4^th person on the trip that was there solely to capture our lives on film. I knew we didn’t have time to capture an experience from four different angles, so instead I pretended as though I was taking a picture. I saw the picture I wanted, set the tripod down, turned the camera on, and then got in front of it.

No rest when you're the cast and crew.

What lasting effects has the experience had on you? What sort of permanent effects do you think it will continue to have?

Our tag line, “There is more to us than we know.” Is derived from a quote by Kurt Hahn, the Founder of Outward Bound. He said, “there is more to us than we know. If we can be made to see it, perhaps for the rest of our lives we will be unwilling to settle for less.” I didn’t think I had anything to learn, but on the off chance I did, I wanted to know what that was. We were all transformed in different ways but despite the ups and downs, I think we all came out for the better.

Here’s one last question, which you can choose not to answer if you wish. Were there any sexual encounters during your thru-hike? If so, will they be alluded to during the film?

Yes and Yes. All good films have drama, romance, and comic relief. Get ready for all three.

"Beauty Beneath The Dirt"