My First Film
When I took on the daunting challenge of riding a mountain bike with a team of riders with type 1 diabetes in a 24-hour race I was desperately lacking a few key items:
1. A rideable mountain bike
2. Teammates
3. The desire to park my running shoes for awhile
4. Ability to ride
These issues while being possible deterrents were not going to stop me. Ok, they could stop me dead in my (tire) tracks, but I decided to give it a crazy whirl.
Underneath, I had another idea, buried within my creative spirit that had nothing to do with athletic ability or to not kill myself on my newly clutched mountain bike. Yes, I had conquered #1 on the list of deterrents. And a stupendous greenish color sparling new bike gave me a special feeling invulnerability, at least until I actually got on the bike.
During the 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo
Tucked away in shredded, distant memories, I did have a semi-healthy background on a mountain bike. My brain does not serve me well to those reflections but I had an obsessed riding roommate and negotiating obscenely difficult trails was on our list of things to do since neither of us could define anything better to do.
Oh, and that creative notion tossing about in my brain? I wanted to create a film out of the 24-hour experience. Why not? Or shall I ask myself, why so? This desire or goal had it's own list of challenges. Seems like most things in life do.
1. I did not quite know how to make a film
2. Newly acquired software that indicated I could make a film, but I was just learning how to not crash my computer system with it.
3. Would the team be ok with filming, questions, and sharing about their diabetes?
I am creative and have been a photographer by trade. I started pulling out the video camera when I would run into desert life, such as a rattling rattlesnake, tarantula, gila monster, etc. I began seeing the beauty of video, capturing unique moments in life and the ability to share more of a story by combining photography, video and writing.
The icing on the sugar-free chocolate cake was being involved with the Banff Mountain Film Festival. A number of years ago my diabetes adventure group, No Limits received funding to produce our first film "Sugar Free Ocean". I would join the Banff Film Fest Sitka (Sitka, Alaska) as a board member. The funding was from the group which was generated from the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour and their stop in Sitka. They would donate all of their profits of the film evening to one or more non-profit organizations.
I would eventually become the director of the BMFF in Sitka until life moved me off of the island (One week before the BMFF!!!!!!!!!). I was inspired by the outdoor and cultural films that BMFF traveled the world to present. I had the good fortune to spend a lot of time with the touring 'road warriors' from Banff and heard some of the inside stories behind the films. The inside stories are often better and more interesting than what is in the film.
Amy, camera in hand during "Sugar Free Ocean"
I was able to watch and assist Amy piece together the story and media to create the film. Not much of a role but I was glad to have pushed some buttons to make the effort happen. On the next No Limits kayak expedition the following year I would step into the role of filmmaker for the first time.
L to R - Me, Scott (guide), Trever
What a learning experience it was to craft a story, inserting two incredible characters (Trever & Scott), abundant wildlife, solid weather (for Alaska), and the Alaska terrain, which never fails to amaze. And then, there is the humor that Trever bestows to the film "Alaskan Waters". Insanely funny and there is also a very deep angle of emotion that plays out. Watch and see! I just posted the trailer and I am almost done with this project that is now many years old. Although, I had started on "Alaskan Waters before "You Only Live Once", I shifted focus as the mountain bike film seemed a little more timely to complete soon. The tales from the wilds of Alaska could wait.
I do not know what is next for me but I enjoy a new perspective and avenue to share stories involving diabetes, adventure, No Limits, living life to the fullest and encouraging and inspiring the watchers.