Why We Drive: A Personal Journey Behind the Wheel
Some stories start with a camera. This one started with a steering wheel.
When I set out to make Why We Drive, I didn’t have a strict storyboard or an end goal. What I had was a feeling. One I’ve carried with me since I first sat behind the wheel and realized driving meant something more to me than just getting from A to B.
This film became a way to explore that feeling—to ask why cars, roads, and the rituals of driving have woven themselves so tightly into my life. Not as an escape, but as a mirror. A place where I’ve found peace, reflection, adrenaline, clarity—and at times, myself.
A Film Born in Motion
Like any real road trip, this documentary didn’t follow a straight path. It curves through memories, landscapes, and quiet moments, always moving but never rushing. I wanted it to feel like a drive itself—sometimes smooth, sometimes raw, but always honest.
The visuals reflect that. Late-night drives lit only by taillights and street lamps. Still frames of hands resting quietly on a steering wheel. These weren’t staged—they were lived. And capturing them felt like building a visual diary, one I didn’t know I needed until I watched it back.
Under the Hood, Into the Heart
Driving, to me, has never just been about speed or machinery. It’s about connection.
Connection to the car, yes—but more importantly, to the moments that happen because of it. Long talks with friends on the way home. Silence that feels full. The satisfaction of fixing something yourself. The way your mind clears on an empty road. Every scene in this film came from that space—where motion and meaning overlap.
More Than Metal and Fuel
Why We Drive isn’t just my story—it’s a story about anyone who’s ever felt more human behind the wheel. It’s for the late-night cruisers, the early morning tuners, the ones who take the long way home just to hear the engine breathe. It’s for people who grew up in the passenger seat, watching the world fly by, and then eventually took the wheel themselves.
It’s also a reminder that passion doesn’t always have to shout. Sometimes, it’s quiet. Found in small moments. Captured in the soft whir of tires on pavement or the click of a seatbelt in the dark.
What Driving Taught Me
Looking back at the film now, I realize it isn’t just about cars. It’s about growth. Healing. Memory. Independence. Sometimes, driving was the only way I could process the chaos in life. Other times, it reminded me to slow down and just be present.
In a way, this documentary became a letter to myself. One written through visuals and sound. A reminder of where I’ve been, and why I keep moving forward.
The Road Ahead
We don’t always know why we’re drawn to certain things. But when something gives you peace, or purpose, or simply a place to breathe—you hold onto it.
For me, that place has always been behind the wheel.
And I’m grateful this film helped me understand that more clearly.
