“Roll Camera. Action!” – Winnebago Owner Feature: Marcus Stokes

“Roll Camera. Action!” – Winnebago Owner Feature: Marcus Stokes
Meet the Los Angeles director and proud Travato owner who commutes to set in his van!
By: Noel Fleming & Chris Miller

As part of our ongoing ‘owner feature’ blog series, we asked Noel and Chris to introduce Marcus (who they know from the very active Travato community) to the broader Winnebago family. Be sure to also watch the video below to hear why Marcus loves vanlife, in his own words.

Marcus Stokes’ storyline currently takes place on the west coast, where he works in LA in the entertainment industry. His story, however, originated on the east coast. He spent his childhood in Atlanta and later graduated from Georgia Tech with an architecture major.

Upon graduation, Marcus taught English in Japan for three years, and used that time to explore internationally. His love of travel took root and would later ripple throughout his professional and personal life.

He returned to the states to complete a master’s program at UC Berkeley. Although his focus in grad school was once again architecture, he had a growing interest in high-tech computer animation and 3D modeling. Silicon Valley fed his intrigue, offering opportunities for education and networking.

After completing an internship with Industrial Light & Magic, a division of Lucasfilm, Marcus worked for five years on a host of projects. In time, his resumé expanded. He performed a variety of roles, such as visual computer graphics supervisor on Matrix 2 and 3. 

Eventually, his dreams turned to that of directing. Through ingenuity and persistence, he paved an unconventional path to the Directors Guild of America.

How Marcus Fell in Love with VanLife

Likewise, Marcus’s path to vanlife had unique twists and turns. He initially decided to purchase a class B RV to support his career goals. The van would serve as his trailer while he shadowed directors and worked on sets. 

After considering a variety of manufacturers, Marcus landed with Winnebago, a company with a commitment to both hear and respond to the voice of the customer. The class B Travato also provided a floorplan that met his needs. 

As a bonus, and significant wooing factor, the Travato came with an active online community: the Travato Owners and Wannabees Facebook Group. This seasoned group of Travato owners shares knowledge with a generous spirit, creating a zone of confidence for novice van owners who are familiarizing themselves with systems and completing mods to personalize their vans.

The Travato, originally slated as Marcus’s worksite trailer, soon became his daily driver and eventually his living and work space. 

He discovered that the Travato made everything easier. It simplified his life, enabling him to be ready for any adventure, be it work or leisure. With all of life’s basic needs at his fingertips, spontaneous decisions were easy to make. He worked more efficiently and played more frequently. Vanlife had fundamentally changed the quality of his days.

Hear how Marcus uses his van to allow for more flexibility and fun in his own words:

Marcus continues to work as a director of TV and film, but most importantly he directs his own storyline. He prompts others to do the same by identifying their dreams, viewing them as attainable, and taking action.