Turning a Lens on Electrified Travel

A coastal Maine road trip documented by two filmmakers

By Rivian

May 2^nd, 2024

Embracing the R1T as their production hub for the week, two friends set out on a creative quest from Brooklyn to coastal Maine — fully loaded with ideas, camping gear and a dozen cameras.

Cinematographers Carissa and Cassie capture mileage and moments in search of coastlines, blueberry pie and turning a lens on electrified travel, all in a Dual-Motor Max pack R1T.

FROM NEW YORK TO MAINE

Escaping New York City can be an adventure in itself.

After packing up gear, maneuvering through traffic and unexpected rainfall, the duo's first charging stop in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts became a much-needed regroup — allowing time to check ferry schedules and load up film cameras.

“Charging stops meant spontaneous side quests for us.”

Crossing state lines into Maine eased the pace of the journey and marked the beginning of many points of curiosity jotted down in the pages of a well-worn notebook.

First up? A ferry ride and pizza al fresco at Il Leone on Peaks Island.

FLAVORS OF THE NORTHEAST

Surrounded by fresh air, friendly hosts and flavors of Maine, the first food stop turned into a tailgate pizza picnic with fresh lobster and hand-tossed dough. Despite a brief rain shower, there were no complaints.

Back on the road.

Front seat conversations about new creative endeavors, the lively colors and textures of Maine seen from the passenger window, and the ease of adjusting to the visceral difference of driving an EV for the first time.

Self-described type A planners, Cassie and Carissa organized their roadtrip around the philosophy of "know the rules to break the rules." That meant carefully calculated trip planner routes, logistics and prep work were occasionally set aside to indulge in their curiosity and unexpected opportunities to play.

“We had a few set destinations we wanted to reach and followed our curiosity along the way.”

R1T AS A PRODUCTION PARTNER

Carissa and Cassie have spent much of their careers documenting and engaging with the world through the lens of a camera. Inviting the R1T along for the ride meant introducing a new element into their creative process.

A place to store, charge, prep, ideate, protect, rest, collaborate — the ultimate production partner.

Describing how the R1T merged with their journey and creative process throughout the trip, Cassie compares it to a new tool added to her swiss army knife.

“The R1T became a constant tool in our field production. Our gear was always plugged in and ready to go.”

As documentary filmmakers, Cassie and Carissa comfortably observe and engage with new people and new environments. The R1T, parked in an open an inviting way, served as a novel way to welcome people in.

“We often thought about capturing moving postcards of the vehicle in beautiful sitatuations. A farmer’s market, a festival, a sunset…”

SETTING UP CAMP IN ACADIA

Compared to a day in the city, there were many opportunities for reflection during the road trip. Time to watch the leaves move with the wind, time to get lost in a book, time to savor the small moments so often missed. In just a few days, this became the trip's natural rhythm.

“Everything has a place. We always knew where our bags, our cameras and our snacks were.”

At camp — the gear tunnel doors and front trunk open wide, outlets powering string lights hung above, dinner being prepping on the tailgate — the vehicle opened up, quietly integrating into the activity around it.

Their road trip was full of these moments. Moments where the R1T became one with its environment — an active participant rather than a passive bystander. Ultimately proving a friendly production partner for moments of both creation and recreation.