What I've been up to?
The other day I talked about what I've been doing over of the past few months, or as I like to refer to it as "finding my way out of the wilderness." Today I wanted to share my first story from the road. Cause in all honesty, I don't think you want to hear about my countless hours behind my computer emailing, and making phone calls. So here it goes...
“I don’t really get caught up in the world of athletics, so in all honestly, I didn’t have a clue who this kid was. Yet, it sounded fun, and it was a new experience.”
FIRST THINGS FIRST
Ethan - Pine Creek Canyon, Bishop, California 2017
When I first lost my job I made a few calls to get the word out that I was going freelance. Not really expecting much from this effort, I was shocked when I ended up receiving a call within the week to go to Bishop, California to film for Mad Rocks Climbing.
The basis of the video was to document Ethan Pringle, climb a route that no one had ever done. In the climbing world, this is called a first ascent (FA). Now, although I love climbing, I don't really get caught up in the world of athletics, so in all honestly, I didn't have a clue who this kid was. Yet, it sounded fun, and it was a new experience.
Every story has something go wrong. That's what makes it good, right?
Ethan Pringle, working "Everything is Karate" 14c/d in Bishop California.
I arrived in Bishop late Tuesday night, we were to start filming the next morning. However, we didn't really get right to it. We met up with Ethan around 2:30 pm and then got to work. Although he came close to getting the FA, within the first day, he fell short. We went to dinner and called it a night. We planned to meet up the next morning and take a rest day.
Thursday morning, we met at the local coffee shop, grabbed some breakfast burritos, and discussed the game plan for the day. Some of the team decided they needed to run to the grocery store to grab some supplies, I decided to wait in my car. Once everyone was ready I went to start my car, only to have the "ah hell" moment, of questing on why my car wouldn't start. After checking the battery, as well as everything else I could think of I called a tow truck to take it to the closest auto shop.
Thunderbird Motel, Bishop, California, 2017
Come to find out, after spending the day at the mechanic, that whatever was wrong with my car would require me to make my way north the following day and leave my car in Carson City. Now there's a lot more to this story than just that, but to save on time, I'll cut it short, just like my first gig. How great...
Flash forward a week, I find myself frantically hitching a ride back to Carson City from Utah, with Bruce, my buddy who was directing the shoot. See, Ethan ended up not sending the climb within the week that the rest of the team was present. So they had all come home. Yet, the following week, he knew he had it, and was wanting us to come back down. It just worked out that I needed to pick up my car a few hours away.
“I feel it’s safe to say, that when all hell breaks loose, you begin to find your true self, and if this overall experience hadn’t already set me apart for the job, I don’t know what would have. ”
Upon arriving back in Bishop we raced to where the climb was located. Now, as I said I found myself frantically packing for this trip? Well, it turns out that I had forgotten all my batteries, tripod plates, and half of my SD cards. Making it very complicated to film with a Sony a6500, to which battery life lasts ruffly a half hour filming in 4k, and not even giving me the option to film on my Canon Mark IV.
THINGS ARE ON THE UP AND UP...
However, when there's a will there's a way. Once realizing that I had forgotten a lot of key pieces of gear, I begin to be resourceful. I feel it's safe to say, that when all hell breaks loose, you begin to find your true self, and if this overall experience hadn't already set me apart for the job, I don't know what I would have. I stayed cool. I begin to think outside the box. Finding some climbing tape I begin to tape a Voltaic Systems power source to my tripod. Making it to where I could film for the whole day. I was lucky Bruce had a tripod plate that could be adapted to my tripod, and work sufficiently.
Finally we were back in business. Ethan went on to climb a route he was soon to name "Everything is Karate" a 5.14c/d route that follows a crack system up, and out of a 14 degree overhang. On the first attempt of the day, he nearly nailed the climb. Only to be cut short by one ill move, in not completing a finger lock. Upon noting this, he went off into the mountains, only to come back a half hour later, look at us and say "Everything is Karate." He then sent it, in a sequence of beauty, and perfection.
In the end, everything worked out, and came together. I witnessed history! Made new friends, and got my car back. I also would have to say it was a pretty good first gig, and I'm glad I took it!
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