Wasatch Mountain Film Festival

Tag: Filmmaker

  • Q&A: Bhushan Thakkar

    Q&A: Bhushan Thakkar

    Bhushan Thakkar directed 2021 WMFF feature “Returning Home.” We asked him a few questions, see our Q&A conversation below:

    What is in your gear bag/kit?

    For “Returning Home” I needed something small but had the dynamic range to capture the beauty of the environment. In the end, we used the Black Magic Pocket 6k camera with small cinema lenses. We also used a GH5s paired with a NinjaV recorder/monitor (to record in ProRes 10bit) on a gimbal. The drone we used was the Mavic Air 2 and to get the first person POV look we used a GoPro.

    What item can you not live without?

     

    It seems gear is changing so rapidly now becoming lighter, more versatile but the one constant I would say is gaff tape.

    How do you choose music for your films?

    Music is so important. When I’m not working with an artist to create a song, the first thing I do is, decide what genre I want for the project. For “Returning Home” I spent hours and hours searching for each song on a platform we subscribe to for music in our productions. It’s not always that hard to find the right song for a project, but in the end, I have to feel something when I hear the right song. What that “something” is, is hard to explain.

    Most necessary character-quality for a director?

     

    Each project is different, with different crew, different talent etc. what is always content is that there will be challenges. So I’d say the most necessary quality for a director is being a really good problem solver with thick skin.

    Favorite on-set memory?

    Some of my most favorite moments have been in Utah. Watching a lightning storm at the Salt Flats will always rank up at the top.

    More About Bhushan Thakkar

     

    Bhushan’s love of visual art and storytelling drew him to filmmaking early in life. In 2 decades Bhushan, having produced,directed and shot for commercial corporate medium, nature based content, as well as films for U.S. and international audiences, exemplifies his diverse experience. He has an authentic style, is self-taught, innovative, and an organic thinker. In 2011, he co-produced and was second unit director for the award winning romantic comedy “When Harry Tries to Marry”. In 2014, Bhushan directed “Glass”. Available on Amazon Prime Glass is a short film about two glass blowers from Kansas now living in Kauai, and the unlikely story that brought them there. Bhushan also shot for the award winning documentary “Same God” and was the cinematographer for Caipira, a documentary about a Brazilian guitar maker.

  • Q&A: Mikel Sarasola

    Q&A: Mikel Sarasola

    Mikel Sarasola directed 2021 WMFF feature “The Tears of Shiva.” We asked him a few questions, see our Q&A conversation below:

    What is in your gear bag/kit?

    I always carry my gear inside my kayak during the expeditions, so I really need to be able to move light and that everything fits in the kayak. Watershed drybag with a Lumix GH5, 2 x GoPro 7black, DJI Mavic Air drone are essentials on my kit

    What item can you not live without?

     

    A kayak to get for the places I want to reach

    How do you choose music for your films?

    I first think of the atmosphere I want to give to the whole film, then split it in parts and think of the feelings I need for each segment. After that I just need many ours of listening to music and trying the songs on this parts…

    Most necessary character-quality for a director?

    Good planning skills with tons of adapability to all filming issues

    Who has been most influential in your directing career?

     

    Olaf Obsommer, Rush Sturges, Sebastián Álvaro, Stephane Pion, Jimmy Chin, Sender Films…

    Favorite on-set memory?

    I remember forgetting a camera in the middle of nowhere in Patagonia and realize it the next day after a long boat cruise and a long car drive. I wasn’t even sure if I forgot the camera on that place but the next day I rented a car, then biked on very shitty trails and kept trail running for ours to reach that place. After a very long day I made it to that place and luckily the camera was there with all the footage!! Then had to start the way back…

    Craziest on-set/en route to set adventure?

    We made an expedition to Greenland, to explore some new areas for whitewater kayaking. What we found was a place out of this world. Some of the best rivers in the world, but the hardest plaes to get to. Boat cruises and many days of hiking were required for good kayaking.

    More About Mikel Sarasola

     

    Caminos de Agua (2014)
    Humla (2016)
    Una y ninguna más (2020)
    The tears of Shiva (2020)

  • Q&A: Jim Aikman

    Q&A: Jim Aikman

    Jim Aikman directed 2021 WMFF feature “Imperfect Advocate.” We asked him a few questions, see our Q&A conversation below:

    What is in your gear bag/kit?

    I’ve been shooting on the trusty Sony Fs7 since 2015 and it is still going strong. Hanging off the side of frozen waterfalls in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula for “An Imperfect Advocate” was definitely exciting with that bigger setup! I know there are plenty of newer cameras out there, but I love the ergonomics and functionality of the Fs7. My glass is a mix of Zeiss, Sigma and Canon.

    What item can you not live without?

     

    The ThinkTank Belt Pack allows me to keep three lenses and a bunch of accessories on my hip for quickdraw access. Plus I get to look stylish in a fanny pack.

    How do you choose music for your films?

    Music could not be more important for me as a filmmaker. I’m a drummer and bring a lot of that percussive rhythm to my editing style. Music is the fastest way to turn off a viewer if they don’t like the tone, and the easiest way to create an emotional hook to draw them in. For “An Imperfect Advocate”, it was really important to me that we create a fun and uplifting soundtrack, and drew on a lot of funk and motown vibes to create something that never stops moving. I’m really proud of the overall “vibe” of the film, a lot of which has to do with the music.

    Most necessary character-quality for a director?

    Confidence. Even if you don’t know the answer, you need to project leadership and keep things moving, giving everyone on set the same level of confidence that you’re on the right track. You also need to remember that your main job on a set is to draw meaning from a setting and the film subjects – tap into the human experience. So I always try to come back to that baseline.

    Who has been most influential in your directing career?

     

    There have been many influential director’s for me, but “An Imperfect Advocate” was highly influenced by the work of Steven Soderbergh.

    Favorite on-set memory?

    In 2008, one of my first shoots was Dean Potter’s “free BASE” ascent of the Rostrum in Yosemite Valley. Dean is no longer with us and is obviously a legend, but that was a formative time for me. I think the next shoot I did was Alex Honnold’s solo of Moonlight Buttress. Those two climbs definitely put the cutting edge in perspective for me from an early age.

    Craziest on-set/en route to set adventure?

    Oh man, there are a lot. Once in Italy, our drone pilot flew the craft into his camera operator at full speed. Luckily he was wearing a massive expedition down puffy coat which absorbed the props, but it exploded and feathers went everywhere. It was pretty dramatic, but the guy was totally fine and acted like nothing had happened.

    More About Jim Aikman

     

    Jim is an award-winning filmmaker, writer and commercial director with over 18 years of experience. He has directed feature and short documentaries, podcasts, web series, commercial campaigns and more for dozens of clients and distributors around the world. He specializes in character driven stories about adventure, natural history, science and the triumph of the human spirit, creating content for brands including National Geographic, AT&T and REI.

  • Q&A: Brian Olliver

    Q&A: Brian Olliver

    Brian Olliver directed 2021 WMFF feature “Dani Burt.” We asked him a few questions, see our Q&A conversation below:

    What is in your gear bag/kit?

    Red Weapon Helium 8K and classic Angenieux Optimo zooms. We did tons of MOVI movements to track Dani both at the beach and around town.

    What item can you not live without?

     

    iPhone for fun day-to-day stuff, both video and stills. But otherwise, the older i get, the more i appreciate a large field monitor, preferably a Small HD!

    How do you choose music for your films?

    I’ve worked with composer, Gregory Reeves, for over a decade. He’s phenomenal, and excels in electronic and abstract space. We’ve done so many projects together, including a feature film. It’s powerful to have a rapport with a fellow artist – we have such velocity with projects now and that puts us closer to something magical each time we partner.

    Most necessary character-quality for a director?

    The ability to leg to… Diligent pre-production almost always turns into best-laid plans with unexpected twists once you’re in the field shooting. The ability to let go of a shot or soundbite or setup when it’s just not happening is important. Forcing it makes things suck for everyone. As a doc (and even scripted) director, this is key!

    Who has been most influential in your directing career?

     

    Was always a Herzog fan, but as far as people in my network, my wife is really influential. She’s an athlete manager and brings a vigor and effectiveness to her work. She’s a monster. I’ve tired to tap into some of that energy to keep film projects going rather than sitting around and talking about them for years. So yea – motivated people are fun to be around.

    Favorite on-set memory?

    Following along during Dani’s prosthetic fitting was pretty amazing. She was there to update her equipment – the technology inside the prosthetics is profound (she taps her ankle and the knee joint freezes – in case she wants to do push ups, for example) and it was really cool to watch her nerd out. Its how I feel during camera prep!

    Craziest on-set/en route to set adventure?

    Dani had the case of the ‘there’s probably better waves at the next spot’ one early morning. And we traveled up down the San Diego coast for 90 minutes before settling on a location. My poor PA drove some 40 miles in her car before we landed at her home beach, just down the street from her house.

  • Q&A: Kjell Redal

    Q&A: Kjell Redal

    Palmer Morse directed 2021 WMFF features “FLOTSAM”. We asked him a few questions, see our Q&A conversation below:

    What is in your gear bag/kit?

    We shot FLOTSAM on a BMPCC 4K camera, Sony A7SII camera, DJI Inspire 2 drone with X7 camera, and GoPro Hero 8 Black. Light and fast was the name of the game. Flat color profiles and DaVinci Resolve were essential in blending all the footage together.

    What item can you not live without?

     

    Duct tape!

    How do you choose music for your films?

    I like to let a sense of place define the film’s music as much as the location within a storyline and tone.

    Most necessary character-quality for a director?

    Flexibility

    Who has been most influential in your directing career?

     

    I’ve found inspiration in work from Ben Knight, Ava DuVernay, Jake Michaels, Renan Ozturk, Emmanuel Lubezski, Jordan Manley, and many others. And my mom will always love everything I make!

    Favorite on-set memory?

    We got to a point in production with tons of underwater fish footage but no sailfish on camera. Josh the underwater DP was busy during a sailfish-focused tournament so I went to a tourist shop on South Beach, bought a $15 mask and goggle set, then went to Best Buy to get a GoPro.

    Craziest on-set/en route to set adventure?

    An angler hooked the first fish in less than an hour. I thought it could be my only opportunity so I jumped from the boat into a sea of jellyfish and towards the fish – socks still on. My snorkel broke off and sunk on impact, but I still had the GoPro and a sailfish was on the line. Little did I know the anglers would go on to land 22 more sailfish that day. I followed as many as I could – looking like an under-equipped, jellyfish-stung, drowning dog. All the underwater sailfish shots in the film are off that GoPro.

    More About Kjell Redal

     

    Kjell Redal is a director, cinematographer, and photojournalist whose work revolves around outdoor adventure and social issues. He was a photographer at The Seattle Times and studied visual journalism in college before pivoting to film production. Kjell works in the documentary and commercial space with past clients including the National Geographic Channel, NASA, and Netflix. He specializes in drone imagery, frequently incorporating the unique angles in his work. Kjell resides in Boulder, Colorado.

  • Q&A: Jordie Lepage

    Q&A: Jordie Lepage

    Jordie LePage directed 2021 WMFF feature “Leap Year.” We asked him a few questions, see our Q&A conversation below:

    What is in your gear bag/kit?

    We shot Leap Year on a few different Cameras, the primary being a Red Gemini with canon zooms and the other main camera being the Black magic pocket 4k, we also had a DJI inspire 2 and a DJI Phantom 4. These types of shoot usually call for adaptable gear choices so Patrick Henry our producer and other shooter and I will pack my truck full of everything we have, cameras, lights, stands and gimbals to just be as prepared as possible so we can scale up or down…

    What item can you not live without?

     

    Other than a camera of any sort, one of the most important things I’d hate to live without is good set of ND (neutral density) filters. In documentary film making there often isn’t the luxury of controlling the light, sound or location but with a set of ND filters you can at least control your depth of field.

    How do you choose music for your films?

    I’ve always taken the approach of editing as much of a film as possible without music in the timeline. Along the way I’ll develop an idea of what the music should resemble but It’s important to not let the music drive the film. Your direction or intent should come through visually before the music can dictate it, you often will have a better rhythm to the film this way and won’t find yourself cutting to a new shot just because of a beat.

    Most necessary character-quality for a director?

    There can’t be just one. Different qualities make for different types of film makes. My co-director Chase White has a much different set of skills than I do and it’s the different qualities we each have that made our film unique to anything we’ve done individually in the past.

    Who has been most influential in your directing career?

     

    I honestly have only briefly worked for other people and I think I’ve taken something from every experience along the way. The biggest influence on any director or filmmaker for any given job comes down to the people on that particular project. If the crew works well together the film will likely show it.

    Favorite on-set memory?

    I feel incredibly lucky to be able to spend time in places like Northern BC and it honestly feels like every day up there is the best day I’ve ever had. One of the coolest moments of this film was while I was high up on a river bank, watching a steelhead come up and eat natural bugs off of the surface for the whole hour we spent at the spot.

    Craziest on-set/en route to set adventure?

    We did a lot of jet boating on this trip and some of the places the guides are able to squeeze those boats get your heart pumping. Those guys are truly masters.

    More About Jordie LePage

     

    Jordie is a cinematographer and director based in Squamish‭, ‬BC‭. ‬Jordie has been creating outdoor adventure films and commercials‭ ‬since 2014‭ ‬and prior to that worked as a freelance photographer and filmer in mountain biking‭, ‬BMX‭, ‬and snowboarding‭. ‬Jordie is‭ ‬a co-owner of Topo Films‭. ‬Jordie spends his free time exploring British Columbia’s endless network of mountain bike trails and searching BC rivers for steelhead‭.‬

  • Q&A: Mitja Legat

    Q&A: Mitja Legat

    Mitja Legat directed 2021 WMFF feature “Keep Busy.” We asked him a few questions, see our Q&A conversation below:

    What is in your gear bag/kit?

    Sony FX9 & DJI Inspire RAW

    What item can you not live without?

     

    SmallHD 502 Monitor

    How do you choose music for your films?

    I prefer alternative artsy melancholic and/or grimmey music, yet the score choice should always fit the vibe and content of the project.

    Most necessary character-quality for a director?

    Modesty

    Who has been most influential in your directing career?

     

    Greg Hunt, French Fred

    Favorite on-set memory?

    All the winter filming trips with Untouched project and Method Mag crew

    Craziest on-set/en route to set adventure?

     

    Skateboard shenanigans on each and every trip, major avalanche accident filming freeskiing.

  • Q&A: Adrian Ballinger

    Q&A: Adrian Ballinger

    Adrian Ballinger directed 2021 WMFF feature “Breathtaking: K2,” a short film on undertaking the second highest mountain on earth. We asked him a few questions, see our Q&A conversation below:

    What is in your gear bag/kit?

    Lucky for me on K2 without oxygen, not much! I filmed POV with a DJI Osmo, a GoPro, and sometimes a Sony RX100. Topo Mena, our main high altitude cameraman worked with pro level equipment

    What item can you not live without?

     

    Coffee

    Favorite on-set memory?

    Finally all returning to Base Camp after our summit push. That was the moment we could finally celebrate – the summit, but more importantly all being off the mountain uninjured.

    Craziest on-set/en route to set adventure?

    11 day walk to base camp with a heinous parasite along for the ride. I’ve rarely been so sick, and never before so sick while also at altitude, hiking 90 miles through rugged terrain, and with not a bathroom or shower in sight for hundreds of miles.

    More About Adrian Ballinger

     

    Adrian Ballinger has a list of alpine climbing accomplishments any professional alpinist would be happy to call their own. The renown and respect his peers in those places on the ceiling of the earth have for him also stems from his two decades of guiding experience. He’s successfully led more than 100 clients to the over 8,000-meter summits of Everest, Lhotse, Manaslu, and Cho Oyu. In 2004, Ballinger founded Alpenglow Expeditions, leading three trips on one continent. Now thriving, and a leader in the guiding industry for safety, ethics and education, Alpenglow annually runs over 30 trips on six continents, and each year introduces thousands of newer climbers and skiers to the backcountry through their local guiding in Lake Tahoe, CA.

  • Q&A: Heather Mosher

    Q&A: Heather Mosher

    Heather Mosher directed 2021 WMFF feature “Ocean to Asgard.” A film about four friends who travel to Baffin Island for a forty day human-powered adventure, featuring big-wall first ascents, whitewater paddle descents, and wild Arctic flamingos. We asked her a few questions, see our Q&A conversation below:

    What is in your gear bag/kit?

    Right now, it’s a mirrorless camera (Panasonic GH5) and an assortment of microphones. I love being super nimble when I shoot documentary work, and the Panasonic GH5 has been a fantastic camera for moving fast and light. I’m also really interested in capturing cinema verite as well as possible, so I have a small selection of wireless lav mics and PDRs that I can use to mic up the subjects and capture great audio with a small team.

    What item can you not live without?

     

    SNACKS! I always look forward to the treats I get on long days in the mountains – I often pack a hummus wrap, or a baggie of snacks with cheese, dried sausage, candy, dried mango or other fruit, chocolates, maybe some almonds, etc. There aren’t a lot of snacks I’d say no to.

    How do you choose music for your films?

    I love looking for tracks that are not quite what the audience is going to expect for that genre or that scene. I’ve picked big band tracks for big wall alpine climbing and funk for an approach scene. I also love to work in folk music, and use Canadian artists as much as I can. A lot of my music so far has come from inexpensive licensing sites, just for budget reasons, but I’m starting to get to work with composers, which is really exciting!

    Most necessary character-quality for a director?

    I think everyone is going to do the job differently – there’s no one right answer. I think someone who is really collaborative and empathetic is going to get great results – creating a strong team dynamic means that your crew is going to be engaged and bringing their whole skill set to the table. Having a good vibe with the crew also makes the subjects of your film more comfortable!

    Who has been most influential in your directing career?

     

    I’ve really appreciated watching the careers of other women in adventure film, which makes me appreciate the importance of representation. When I see women producing and directing, or on stage at mountain film festivals accepting awards for their work, it makes me think that maybe I could do that too.

    Favorite on-set memory?

    Sometimes it’s just having fun with a great crew of people! Last week I was shooting an ad, and for that shoot it didn’t make sense to trek a big slider into the woods. We got to get creative with gear: we had a sled, and skis, so we could put someone (me!) in a sled with a camera and then push the sled down a hill for a tracking shot – we did that with skis too, I operated the camera and the DP was running along pushing me for a remarkably smooth tracking shot (#shittyrigs). It’s so much fun to collaborate with a great crew of people and get creative.

    Craziest on-set/en route to set adventure?

    Last winter I was filming an ice climbing mission in the Canadian Rockies – we were coming out of a stretch of -35 Celsius temps, and the location was 8 hours round trip: 4 hours of driving and 20 km on foot or skis, and all during the shortest days of the year. We only had around 8 hours of daylight. It was a mission.

    More About Heather Mosher

     

    Heather Mosher is a documentary filmmaker based in Squamish, BC.