John Safran is truly a major influence in my concept of film making. Aside from the controversial and mostly unusual topics that his shows tackle, what I consider to be his best works would be his earlier days when he started in Race Around the World.
I don't even remember how I eventually stumbled upon his videos. All I know is that after watching his first story, I didn't stop until I've finished all ten. And from there I've been a really big fan.
Race Around the World in the Australian network ABC was a reality show that featured aspiring documentary film makers. The idea was that the contestants would be making travelogues. John Safran instantly became a fan-favorite because of the unique perspective of the world that he is able to show in his films.
John Safran gets stuck in a subway in Japan
He started with the concept of being stuck in a subway overnight and make a documentary of what it is like when it is closed and when no one gets to see it. It's like showing something the most people don't get to see and overlook. During his attempt, he gets trapped in an even smaller space.
The fact that he was stuck in a small room did not stop his creativity from pushing through and making a film. And not only is this the most unusual and unheard of documentary portrayal of Japan, he was able to manage with very limited resources and still come up with a very entertaining output. Truly an inspiration. Be sure to checkout his other Race Around the World videos. They're even funnier like episode where he asks a shaman to put a curse on his ex or when he ran around naked in Israel!
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