The phrase 'Catching Out' describes the act of hopping a freight train. In the documentary film CATCHING OUT, several contemporary hobos dissent against mainstream American consumer culture by traveling for free on freight trains. The film features a seasoned eco-activist named Lee, a young nomad named Jessica, and a tramp couple known as Switch and Baby Girl. In three interwoven stories, CATCHING OUT follows these trainhoppers as they navigate between the constraints of society and the freedom of the road.
The trainhoppers in CATCHING OUT confront the tension between individual freedom and social conformity. Disenchanted with mainstream society, they value the camaraderie of alternative communities. Lee considers the indifference of crowds on the street. Jessica compares her experience as a traveling punk with that of a young yuppie. When Switch and Baby Girl settle off the rails, they say they feel threatened living in society because they are not the norm.
CATCHING OUT also juxtaposes the trainhoppers adopted lifestyle against the materialism and consumerism of mainstream culture. Jessica says: "I don't feel a big stress over money." Lee describes himself as being voluntarily poverty-stricken. Switch feels more freedom than the average person because he doesn't have to worry about bills. Baby Girl explains: "You don't need the world. You need the basics, and the basics are food, air, shelter, and love."
After premiering at the Seattle International Film Festival, the feature-length documentary has entertained audiences at over 50 theatrical venues including Film Forum in New York City, the Amtrak station in Tallahassee, FL, AJZ Squat in Germany, a castle in Poland, the temporary autonomous zone of Christiania, and many other memorable places. The film premiered on the Sundance Channel in June 2004 and will air on Free Speech TV throughout 2007.
More info at http://www.catchingout.com
