A price worth paying

Right before the season starts, snowboard films do their job of getting me pumped up and stoked for the upcoming winter.  Often the music they feature makes its way into my ipod so I can ride to it throughout the season.  While I may not be a film critic and have no intention of reviewing snowboard films, I do find favorites each year and these favorite films are what make it onto my bookshelf, into my laptop and are watched over and over.

So far this season I’ve been lucky to watch more snowboard films with friends than in previous years.  Currently I’ve seen At Once Productions “High Life”, Absinthe “Neverland”, TGR’s “Re: Session”, Think Thank “Cool Story”, Forum’s “Forever”, FODT “Hard to Earn”, Stepchild/Thirty-two “This Video Sucks”, Videograss, Standard Films “Black Winter”, Transworld Snowboarding “Get Real”, Alterna Film’s “Electro”  and clips from Burton’s “B” movie.

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My favorite flicks this year are:

• Absinthe “Neverland”:  Cale Zima is the most memorable rider for me, style, fun, crashes and dance moves that won me over.  MFM’s music was my favorite music of the year, I want that mix so bad.  MFR shows what girls should be doing in snowboard films, not missing a beat between the guys and showing how skills can be on the same level.
• Forums “Forever”:  Pat Moore, that’s really all I need to say.  He kills it and his film part was a standout favorite of all of them.  I wished Peter Line had a better section but that’s me, I grew up idolizing the guy at Ski Acres so I always want to see him ride more often since his presence and style blows you away.
• Think Thank “Cool Story”:  The Think Thank guys reminded me of the last Robotfood film but better, it was a documentary style following them through the season interchanging lives, people and travel stories.  Austin Hironaka was my personal favorite in the film but it was hard to pick one, all the guys that film with them are amazing to watch and unlike other films you felt like you got to know the riders (not just hey they stomp every trick known to man, they are real and human like us).
• Stepchild/Thirty-Two “This Video Sucks”:  Joe Sexton and JP Walker, it’s like a bromance going on there that saturated through my TV.  But seriously Joe was fun to watch and the whole getting him in backcountry clips were hilarious, I loved watching him on rails and then watching him in powder.
• Standard Films “Black Winter”:  Xavier DeLarue is insane.  I mean wow I had my mouth open in awe during his part.  The film was great which surprised me cause when I watched the teaser I thought the music was a horrible choice and in the actual film, it was better.

FODT’s “Hard to Earn” gets props because they had stellar music and good mix of riding, I watched it a couple times and each time enjoyed it.

Alterna Films “Electro” Matt Belzile’s part has the cam pointed straight down from above his head and a sequence of clips that are different to see from that angle.

I’ve started to slowly support the snowboard films with my first two purchases being Transworld’s “Get Real” and Alterna Films “Electro” at The Click so I get double the fun of buying local and supporting shred flicks.  Philip got me Stepchild/Thirty-Two’s “This Video Sucks” and I plan to buy Absinthe “Neverland” and a couple others from that list, still deciding on them.

I understand how easy it is to download films/music today but I also know that if we support snowboard films we are guaranteed to have snowboard films in the future.  It might take me longer to buy that favorite film and spend $30 to do it, but I know that I’m supporting the filmers, editing, riders and the music they include.  Without all of those fundamental things, what would be left?  Something on youtube that isn’t worth paying for.