Embarking on a lengthy road trip across the United States, one is almost certain to stumble upon individuals or scenes reminiscent of a David Lynch film. This notion, whether intentional or not, finds resonance in the Interview Project, a venture endorsed by Lynch himself. The project was initiated by his son, Austin Lynch, in collaboration with filmmaker Jason S., known for the documentary David Lynch: The Art Life. Together, they journeyed 20,000 miles across America, discovering what some may call the true heart of the nation. Their venture led them to meet 121 uniquely fascinating individuals who spend their days at bars, work in local shops, or simply linger by the roadside.
In a 1990s profile of David Lynch, David Foster Wallace remarked upon the distinctive characters found in metropolitan bus terminals during the early hours: “a good 65 percent of the people…qualify as Lynchian figures—grotesque, enfeebled, flamboyantly unappealing, freighted with a woe out of all proportion to evident circumstances.”
The Interview Project gravitates towards small towns and rural locales—places like Camp Hill in Pennsylvania, Pigeon Forge in Tennessee, and Tuba City in Arizona. The project captures individuals who might initially seem unsettling or melancholic; yet, these individuals are rich with stories that they convey in just five minutes.
Being featured in an Interview Project video demands a level of candidness that might not be seen as typically American. Despite their struggles and ailments, the interviewees assert their beliefs without hesitation. While viewers might first be drawn to their peculiar views and regional accents, what ultimately emerges is a tremendous resilience. Be they young or old, homeless or not, all these individuals emerge as survivors.
Since its online debut in 2009, Interview Project remained exclusive to their platform but is now available on YouTube to celebrate its fifteenth anniversary. Today, all episodes can be viewed in high definition, offering a fresh perspective on this compelling project. This series even feels like a precursor to popular YouTube channels such as Soft White Underbelly, which also captures stories from society’s fringes. While extremity isn’t a defining trait of Interview Project‘s subjects, their experiences diverge significantly from the mainstream narrative. Instead of pitying their deviation from the “American Dream,” one might consider they are living their own version of that dream.
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Based in Seoul, Colin Marshall writes and broadcasts on cities, language, and culture. His projects include the Substack newsletter Books on Cities and the book The Stateless City: a Walk through 21st-Century Los Angeles. Follow him on Twitter at @colinmarshal or on Facebook.
