Warren Miller’s “Children of Winter” premiere in Steamboat

Last night here in Steamboat Springs, Colorado was the premiere for Warren Miller’s film “Children of Winter.”

I’ve watched a few Warren Miller films over the years, a variety of skiing and snowboarding with Warren Miller’s voice until Jonny Moseley become the narrator.

The bummer about seeing it in Steamboat is that it promises lift tickets to those who attend and we even had it say that on the screen…but yeah we didn’t get that cool free lift ticket at the end.

The crowd in Steamboat was a bit older and it was clear by the entry form selections who the film is directed to (not young ski snowboard bums who ride more than 20+ days a year and make less than 60,000). I wrote up my critique at the bottom of this post…I was not impressed with the film and endorse TGR way over this film this year.

Upon walking in and getting my will-call tickets, Michelle greeting people with the Warren Miller Snoworld Magazine which held the entry form for the big contest.

People filling out the entry forms for the contests
Grand Prize is a new Jeep.
First place was a trip to Steamboat Springs…where I already live so that was a bummer.

Corona foosball table to play with

My friend Tara becoming a Utah snowflake

We took our seats and grabbed some beers for the film.

The big opening in Alaska

The snowboarders in the film were Seth Wescott, Mark Landvik, Mads, JJ Thomas, Ross Powers and Josh Dirksen with a couple other names.

So to be honest I wasn’t really impressed with the snowboarding, it was cool to see the Bachelor snowboarding because that mountain is just a huge playground of fun. But when Seth was riding Alaska, it wasn’t as fluid of style as when I watch Jeremy Jones and Travis Rice and all the other pros in Alaska riding I’ve seen this year. That style isn’t there and his riding looks stiff like he’s not comfortable out there.

By the time the film made it to the riding with Torstein, Landvik, Tazu, Mads, JJ…I was half paying attention and half ready to go home.
The film goes to Okemo in the 3rd section and this is where it lost me. Jason Bigg cameo, lots of music in Okemo…and this guy from the band learning to snowboard. I don’t really care to watch people learning to snowboard on a film that cost $17 to see…I didn’t pay but if I had, I would have walked out right then.
Last winter Warren Miller came to Steamboat and did some filming for the film. I knew it was coming and was stoked to see what it would be like. Especially because they filmed in our terrain park. So first thing…you come to Steamboat to ride the powder and trees…the terrain park is nothing to brag home about…and there’s a reason I ride summit county for anything park related.

They filmed from the heli for the mountain shots

I’m not usually one to brag…but the footage in Warren Miller of Steamboat’s powder isn’t just a lucky find the right spot kind of place and be there on the powder day only. Those powder shots have happened to all of us who live here, ride here and are lucky enough to get powder faceshots throughout the year.

Ah the terrain park of Steamboat. So they set up this sweet jump to rail for the Warren Miller folk in the video. Good job…now if only we can get the terrain park to become better for the people who ride here year round.

The film was too long and had an intermission. Normally I’d say snowboarding/skiing films can’t be too long…but this was too long with the wrong stuff. For every minute of skiing or riding, there was 20 minutes of BS.

I could just imagine the filming. Ok…run up the hill, run down the hill, give a serious face, give a happy face, laugh and smile in the snow, walk to the Jeep. All that crap is not snowboarding or skiing. It really took the focus away from the good stuff by dealing with that crap.

The one highlight was the Billy Poole memorial segment which showed his skiing and remembering his life (he passed away during the filming of his segment last January). And the girls in Silverton skiing…seeing them throw down on skis was great to watch in the midst of the other crap.

The film was like a magazine where there are more ads than actual content. Then you gotta deal with product placement, I get that sponsors pay and promote films…but if I see them surrounded by 30 product placements in one interview…it gets old quick. Not even subtle, just in your face. I love Corona and I got sick of seeing how much Corona was in the film…it definitely didn’t want me to go drink one.

There were parts where the sound was mixed and you could tell. I know what snow sounds like and I don’t need some sound studio to try to make is sound crackly…when the music is playing and the filming was 2 miles away.

The film didn’t get me stoked at all for the upcoming season. It really like was a magazine, having to sort through crap to find the rare good pieces of film. And all that crap just overwhelmed me as I waited for the film to end.

If you want a solid ski/snowboard movie this year, go watch TGR…it kills Warren Miller out of the water without even trying hard.