What It's Like to be a Nomad at 60 | Pop-Up Magazine

At 60, Jo Lynn Decker found herself trapped in a failing marriage and cramped apartment in Idaho. Inspired by YouTube videos of senior nomads, she left it all behind to live out of a van and start a radical new chapter of her life. Filmmakers Vanessa Carr and Josh Gleason went along for the ride.

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VANESSA CARR has worked as a director of photography for a decade, filming documentaries and series for PBS, HBO, Disney+, Showtime, FX, and others. She holds a master’s in journalism from UC Berkeley. Nomads is her first feature documentary as a director.

JOSH GLEASON is a documentary filmmaker whose work has been screened at festivals across the country and featured in The Atlantic. He’s directed and produced programs for PBS, including episodes of American Experience and Finding Your Roots.

CREDITS

NOMADS
By Vanessa Carr and Josh Gleason
Original Music by Minna Choi

FOR POP-UP MAGAZINE
Story Producer
Haley Howle

Video Editors
John Woo
Rachel Shuman

Music Director
Minna Choi

Audio Mixer
Albert Schatz

Additional Production
Elise Craig

FOR VANESSA CARR AND JOSH GLEASON
Directed and Produced by
Vanessa Carr
Josh Gleason

Cinematographer
Vanessa Carr

Sound Recordist
Josh Gleason

Assistant Editor
Jennifer Stamps

Special Thanks
Phyllis Bickford
Big Sky Documentary Film Festival
California Film Institute
Suanne Carlson
KC Colter
Joni Cooper
Jo Lynn Decker
Doreane Downing
Joanne Feinberg
Allecia Gordon
Homes on Wheels Alliance
Louise Levy
Lynn Neidorf
Bob Wells

Additional footage courtesy of Bob Wells, Cheap RV Living