In response to the overwhelming popularity of the 2023 Creator Area and the associated Content Creator Panel discussions we held last year, Overland Expo is adding a new multi-purpose area called the Storytelling Pavilion sponsored by K & N. This space will include a teaching area tent that will host education on topics related to content creation, such as photography clinics with incredibly talented photographers, “how to” classes on everything from video creation to the legal terms involved with making money as a content creator, and stories from folks who are traveling around the country and around the world.
In addition, a select group of content creators will be camped with their rigs around this space, so if you’re looking to chat with or get an in-person tour of the rig of an overlander you’ve been following for a while, this will be your chance. Here are a handful of the many faces you will see in this area.
Harrison Schoen
Photographer, Navy Veteran, and adventurer Harrison Schoen originally went “viral” for his overland travel adventures in Porsche’s. He is very likely to be thanked for the movement of Porches being taken offroad and on expedition-style journeys, as he touted the affordability and reliability of the platform widely via his channels. After living in a Porsche Cayenne for three years, he has moved into a much larger Mercedes Benz Unimog, which is certainly garnering additional attention online. With the ultimate goal of traveling anywhere and everywhere while living life to the fullest, Harrison’s sights are set on Central and South America this year. Come by the Storytelling Pavilion sponsored by K & N to meet Harison, check out his rig, and hear his advice for success in content creation during the roundtable discussion on Saturday.
Don’t miss a single epic adventure by following Harrison @harry.schoen
Brittany, Eric & Caspian Highland
The Highlands are in the midst of driving their Jeep Gladiator around the world. Eric and Brittany have been traveling full-time by vehicle since 2014, and Caspian was born into wanderlust seven years ago. Since leaving the United States in 2021, they’ve traveled through every country in Central America, shipped their Jeep Gladiator to Colombia, and made it to Chile. They are pausing their journey to return to the US for the summer, and we are fortunate that they are stopping to spend some time with us at Overland Expo WEST 2024. Known as Hourless Life online, their family mission statement is “Love. Explore. Study. Share.” This spells LESS, as the threesome intentionally chooses experiences and relationships over material possessions. This mission will serve them well as they intend to be on the road for 10-15 years in total. They plan to ship their Jeep Gladiator and Alu-Cab Canopy Camper to Africa in 2025. The Highlands will share stories and advice from their journey down the Panamerican Highway.
Follow along on the Highland’s adventures @HourlessLife
Aaron King
Aaron King, also known as DeepSnap, is a filmmaker and adventure photographer with over 1 Million followers on social media. He produces content for several major brands and was highlighted in YouTube’s 2020 Super Bowl commercial.
Aaron is the founder of Grumpy Bear Coffee, a venture that merges his love for coffee with an outdoor lifestyle. He also dedicates time each week to authoring a newsletter that shares the practical wisdom he has gathered from two decades of adventure and entrepreneurship.
Whether capturing moments behind the lens or sipping coffee by the river, Aaron’s approachable style and commitment to his crafts resonate with adventurers and creatives alike. Overland Expo attendees will have an incredible opportunity to learn from this dynamic filmmaker during Aaron’s session: How to Make Your Travel Films More Cinematic.
Up your photo and video knowledge by following Aaron @deepsnap
Amanda Zito
Amanda is an adventure rider, artist, and full-time content creator (you can find her videos on YouTube Channel “As the Magpie Flies.”) She has been traveling solo and camping off her motorcycle since 2013. Amanda has visited every U.S. state in the lower 48 on a motorcycle. She’s currently exploring with the 2022 Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sport DCT, fully kitted out as a REV’IT! Adventure Ambassador.
As Amanda’s goal is to encourage more people to get outside and enjoy the world on two wheels, it’s fitting that she’ll be teaching in our ADV Skills Area during Overland Expo West 2024. She’ll be instructing on Motorcycle Camping Basics 101 and 102 and Motorcycle Camp Cooking (pssst: we hear her cookbook just came out!). She will also be teaching her extremely popular class, Making Money as a Content Creator.
Don’t miss your chance to miss great travel tips from Amanda @BlindThistle
Sam Manicom
Adventurer, author, and presenter Sam Manicom has been traveling since he was 16 years old, when he completed his first solo trip outside of the UK by bicycle. He subsequently traveled using various forms of transport, including sail, bus, and train and has hiked and hitchhiked in many parts of the world. He is better known for his motorcycle journeys. His planned one-year motorcycle ride the length of Africa turned into an epic eight-year, 200,000-mile journey across 55 countries around the world.
Returning from this motorcycle adventure, Sam now works full-time in the world of adventure travel. He’s a keen advocate of motorcycle travel in particular. When not on the road, Sam is often writing books and magazine articles or conducting multimedia travel presentations at businesses, clubs, and at major UK and US Motorcycle shows.
He says, “Travel is one of the most invigorating things a person can do. When you are out there on the road experiencing, learning, making mistakes, discovering, facing challenges, and being surprised, all your senses are alive and singing. Every day will be an adventure; this world of ours literally is awesome.”
Sam will regale attendees with stories from the road and will share tips and tricks for how to get your travel stories published in magazines.
Stay up-to-date on where Sam is off to next @SamManicom
Cara and Matt McClellan
Cara and Matt McClellan are full-time YouTubers with a goal to be living on the road and overlanding full-time by the fall of 2025. Between now and then, they will be living the best life they can— creating as much content as they can and growing their YouTube subscriber and support base. What started as exploring the beautiful Ozark National Forrest on a weekend adventure with just a Jeep and some camping gear has turned into a passion to see and experience as much as possible.
As Cara and Matt explore more and more, they want to pass on the adventure to others by inspiring them to get off the pavement and experience these amazing places firsthand. Check out their class, “So You Want to be a YouTuber,” where they will share advice on how to get started, realistic expectations for growth and finances, cameras and computer hardware, and general tips and tricks to help you get started.
Follow along on Cara and Matt’s adventures @OzarkOverlandAdventures
Michael Emery
Michael Emery is an intrepid adventurer, driver of vintage vehicles, and podcaster on all things Baja. To celebrate his fortieth year of Baja travel, he launched Slow Baja Adventures to provide world-class, immersive, slow-travel experiences. Before launching his tours, he led the epic Slow Baja Safari Class for NORRA. Named after his 1971 Toyota Land Cruiser and podcast that extolls the slow life, the Slow Baja Safari shared the thrill of Off-Road Racing with the everyman 4×4 driver. Emery has completed the grueling 3000-mile-no-support BajaXL Rally three times using only a paper map. He was an early employee creating community for Bring a Trailer Media and worked for many years as a professional photographer. His 1994 documentary on the 50th anniversary of D-Day was exhibited internationally and published in the book “From Dry Dock To D-Day: The Return Voyage Of The SS Jeremiah O’Brien.” For attendees interested in starting a podcast to document their adventures, we invite you to come have a chat with Michael and attend his class, So You Want to Start a Podcast.
Keep up with Michael’s Baja adventures @slowbaja
John Weatherby
John is a Florida-based photographer who discovered his passion for photography while working at a restaurant during college. Managing the company’s social media, John began to learn how to take better photos, eventually investing in a DSLR and learning lighting. John eventually began to take photos around his hometown and during his travels, which immediately gained the attention of his community and affirmed that he could turn his passion into a successful career.
John started his company, Weatherby Photography, in 2015 and has since worked with clients such as Hilton, Pepsi, T-Mobile, and the Home Depot, to name a few.
John is most known for his vivid landscape and cityscape shots, accentuating depth and perspective. Aside from his fine artwork, John’s specialties also include commercial travel and architectural photography. John will be teaching several photography classes through the weekend and will also advise attendees on how to build a social media following.
Follow John’s adventures and photography @WhereIsWeatherby
Don’t miss your chance to learn from the pros of content creation.
