Dos Gringos | ChrisTatsuno.com

Video: LINO’, an Animated Surf Flick

Check this video out...I've watched it ten times already. The music is super mellow, vibing well with the impressive stop-motion animation that makes those little Playmobil figurines look like they're just shredding some epic waves. Lino', made by Karim Rejeb of KarimRejeb-SurfArt.com, is a masterpiece fit for anyone who has played with plastic toys. His vision of the world of surfing, a...

Friends of the TatsVan: Scott McBrayer – Bull Rider

Scott McBrayer, better known on the Freeskiing World Tour as McSlayer, just rode his third bull at the Carbondale Thursday night rodeo. Known for tossing frontflips to a stomped landing off of 40 foot cliffs, it's his background as a hunting guide and cowboy that makes Scott really stand out. He didn't make eight seconds (the minimum time for a score) in this ride, but as any cowpoke knows...

Mobile Lifestyle: The Mobile Office

Come the latter half of the summer, most of my days are spent shuttle driving for Blazing Adventures as the water on wild rivers gets lower and lower, and operations shift to other, more dam-controlled rivers. With the local trips on the Roaring Fork River on the wane, thanks in part to a rapidly melting snowpack and only a few bursts of precipitation since Memorial Day, we have started buss...

Pingu Goes Skiing

This is a funny viral video that has hit the winter audience. Stop-motion animation is so fun! (WARNING: some adult language and themes) For those who haven't been following ski design innovation over the past few years, rocker technology is an ancient design that has found a new life in current ski brands. Ski companies are adopting the early-rise tips and tails of the old carved, wood...

Friends of the TatsVan: Leo Ahrens

It's not very often in the skiing world that the major ski media promotes the up-and-comers of the freeskiing world who don't hail from the superpipe or slopestyle scene. Yet the competitive Freeskiing World Tour (read as gnarly cliffs, manky venues and sometimes, billowy powder) has had its share of stars emerge from the ranks of ski bums and college students alike. (more...)

Tatsuno's Ski Movie Review: 'Signatures'

Posted By: Tats on September 24, 2009 in All New Posts, Ski News, Video - Comments: 1 Comment »

Sweetgrass Productions: Signatures

I had the opportunity to catch the most recent release by Sweetgrass Productions in Carbondale a couple of nights ago. Dos Gringos (my favorite burrito place in C-dale!) offered up their fine establishment to accommodate the over 80 people that showed up to watch some pow riding delight.

Now, I should mention that I have been aware of this project since its early filming this past winter. Many of my close friends and skiing buddies made the trek out to Japan, where the producers/filmers posted up for over 7 months. That being said, I was excited to see the action my friends got into while in the land of the rising sun.

Luckily, good news came just hours before I set off with my girlfriend in tow to catch the show, as reports of ‘Signatures’ winning the Best Cinematography award at this year’s IF3 ski film festival in Montreal came in across the intraweb. Facebook , the TGR boards , and Twitter were all abuzz about this beautifully shot film and its unique approach to winter riding.

Lest the film disappoint, I was already stoked on my ‘Spud Luv’ potato filled burrito, but no worries. ‘Signatures’ opened in classic Sweetgrass style with a cool narration reflecting on seasonal change and shots of rivers, ocean, and snow falling. If you are a powder fan, then this is the film of the year for you; there are more slash turns and pillow drops than a bag of marshmallows.

The segment that really caught my attention and will keep me coming back is the night shots. I have seen night skiing/riding in action sports films before, but these guys really know how to keep your eyes dancing across the screen. The creative editing allowed each skier’s slash or drop to intermix like a choreographed dance. Awesome, just plain awesome. You’ll have to see it to really understand what I’m trying to get at here.

In summary, if you’ve been feeling a little burnt out on the regular ski flick offerings each year, check this film out. It’s not an MSP, or TGR, or even Level 1 for that matter…but that is exactly what sets it apart and makes it stand out. And if the judges at IF3 aren’t good enough for ya, just trust this ski bum, I even snaked a poster of theirs to hang in my van for some added stoke.

Tatsuno’s Movie Review: ‘Signatures’ gets a 5 ski rating!!