Thinking along the lines of Trek, Lion King's movies and videos, 2000 Miles to Maine, 5 Million Steps, and the like....

What do you like best about hiking movies?

What do you dislike about hiking movies?

examples - I hate when they talk.... or they should show more people.... or they should show more trail footage.... I like seeing as many hikers in them as possible... things like that.

I like when they capture wildlife. LK does a great job at it

I like when they capture wildlife. LK does a great job at it

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Capture ...AND RELEASE, of course :D

'Slogger

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Capture ...AND RELEASE, of course :D

'Slogger

No, that's how he feeds himself. :D

PS Who's at the Ruck. Names please on the other thread.

============================

Capture ...AND RELEASE, of course :D

'Slogger

Except the shelter mice, those are the days entree.:D

As far as the videos, LK's are good. Weathercarrot's PCT 2003 was also good.
More of the trail, with more actual hikers on the trail would be great if possible. But, I realize, that much of the time you are alone, or near alone. Capturing the time in camp is enjoyable to watch, also.
I think, all of the wildlife, that you can get on film, is great; but in hiking, you frequently alert the critters before you get to them and they vanish.:sun

What do you like best about hiking movies?
Good to show family what it's like.

Like pictures of places I've been to (Hey, look, Upper Goose Pond Cabin, that place was awesome .... Oh, I remember that downhill, killed my knees, had to take a zero the next day ..... So that's what it looks like - that ridge was fogged in when I went through .... Hey, I used that payphone!)

Like hearing people talk to each other unscripted.

Like to follow a hiker or two or three along the journey.



What do you dislike about hiking movies?Scenes out of sequence. Pick NOBO or SOBO and stick with it. Don't jump around. The movie SOUTHBOUND was terrific, but would have been better had they not shown shelters where they didn't belong. Okay for general public, but not for AT hikers.

Not enough of them.

Too short.

Interviews with the camera guy asking questions, or worse, some hiker expounding on why she or he's hiking.

Wise-guy joles or inside jokes the camera guy thinks are funny. They may be, and if you only watch the movie once, I suppose they are. But I like to watch more than once, and the second and third time through they are just stupid.

If you are thinking of doing one, my advice is: Don't try to emulate SOUTHBOUND. It was unique and one guy or two with a camera isn't going to come close. With SOUTHBOUND, watching the hiker start to ford with the hip bet buckled provided tension, and the scenes at Monson BBQ and Damascus PO were hilarious, but it was a movie-theater movie and had a different feel than home-done versions). What works for one won't necessarily work for the other.

I like a variety of AT "movies."

One thing I do not like is showing the same scene over and over. For instance, one of my AT DVDs shows the same hiker walking through the same puddle several times. That gets old after the second time, and even the second time I assume it's a mistake of poor editing. An author wouldn't put the exact same paragraph here and there throughout a book, so a videographer shouldn't do the same thing in video.

Otherwise, I enjoy all kinds of AT videos.

Rain:sunMan

.

If anyone's interested I have 6 AT videos listed for sale over on Trailplace.com. I had 8 but sold 2 of them the first day they were posted. I didn't want to bother with eBay or putting them on all the different AT sites. They're in one place, and you can PM me from there if you're interested.

I like a variety of AT "movies."

One thing I do not like is showing the same scene over and over. For instance, one of my AT DVDs shows the same hiker walking through the same puddle several times. That gets old after the second time, and even the second time I assume it's a mistake of poor editing. An author wouldn't put the exact same paragraph here and there throughout a book, so a videographer shouldn't do the same thing in video.

Otherwise, I enjoy all kinds of AT videos.

Rain:sunMan

.


I think your talking about "Appalachian Impressions" it was good, but it showed waaaaaay to much in town footage, it sends a message to the people watching it, that you spend all your time in towns. It would skip large sections of hiking and go straight to hostel locations and what hikers do it town, good movie, bad representation of the trail.

I think your talking about "Appalachian Impressions" it was good, but it showed waaaaaay to much in town footage, it sends a message to the people watching it, that you spend all your time in towns. It would skip large sections of hiking and go straight to hostel locations and what hikers do it town, good movie, bad representation of the trail.

I completely disagree, it was more of a "how to" video and as such, it covered places where you could take care of stuff, give you an idea of where you can resupply, etc. The trail is the trail...I don't need someone to tell me that, that being said...different strokes for different folks I guess!:cool:

BTW, I just finished watching Flagler's newest film on the CDT, it was awesome, the scenery was absolutely breathtaking, and there are several people that I know in it, like Bald Eagle, SpiritWalker, Spur, Skittles, etc.

Neurosis you would be happier with it, as it is more about his hike and the trail, then in town stuff. A different type of film, and well done, he's getting better at making movies. It's 164 minutes, two discs, highly recommend!

Sounds good, Ive always been compelled to check out the CDT and PCT, just been to busy being obsessed with the AT. I'll definetly check it out though. Thanks.

Check out John Fegy's youtube videos of his 2007 thru-hike. F-ing excellent! Totally non-commercial, raw, from the heart.....

Nothing against LNT except that it appears possibly confused and misguided in
emphasizing an intent to remain segregated from nature while passing through it.

I'm not commenting on anyone in particular, or implying that the aforementioned videographers follow the LNT philosophy, or that I don't respect the LNT philosophy. I only mention this as food for thought because this thread has made me draw a connection for the first time between video-recording and leave-no-trace and that there might be a common origin with perhaps both being products of the television age.

Anyhow, keep the video's rolling, and leave only footnotes.



He indicated a metal path that struck off into green
wilderness, over steaming swamp, among giant ferns and
palms.
`And that,' he said, `is the Path, laid by Time Safari for
your use. It floats six inches above the earth. Doesn't touch
so much as one grass blade, flower, or tree. It's an antigravity
metal. Its purpose is to keep you from touching this world
of the past in any way. Stay on the Path. Don't go off it.
I repeat. _Don't go off._ For _any_ reason! If you fall off, there's
a penalty. And don't shoot any animal we don't okay.'
`Why?' asked Eckels.
They sat in the ancient wilderness. Far birds'~ cries blew
on a wind, and the smell of tar and an old salt sea, moist
grasses, and flowers the color of blood.
`We don't want to change the Future. We don't belong
here in the Past. The government doesn't _like_ us here. We
have to pay big graft to keep our franchise. A Time Ma-
chine is damn finicky business. Not knowing it, we might
kill an important animal, a small bird, a roach, a flower even,
thus destroying an important link in a growing species.'

Check out John Fegy's youtube videos of his 2007 thru-hike. F-ing excellent! Totally non-commercial, raw, from the heart.....

Yeah, OK. Have a link?

Yeah, OK. Have a link?
I know you weren't asking me, but I was just thinking it might have
been more appropriate to reference the video rather than the shortstory.

Love movies based on shortstories by the way. Much better match.
Perhaps the best hiking videos might be better based on day trips. :-?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0318081/

Perhaps even more appropriate link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnLZjBnVm38

Footnote: To clarify, I believe the shortstory was better,
but that movies are better based on shortstory, even if the short stories are still better. ;)

Earlier movie more true to the short story:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkLT57mVnGE&feature=related

Good hiking video by the way, ;)

I just watched that last one, 20 minutes total in 3 parts.
Highly recommended while still available on Youtube.

Part 1 = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkLT57mVnGE&feature=related
Part 2 = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kqd4Ol8FlGc&feature=related
Part 3 = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xuq3kOwGGw&feature=related

Dislike: Whining about the hardships, I'd rather watch people playing music than complaining about how tough it is.
Like: Scenes like Fording the Kennebec, traversing deep snow, enjoying a good tough climb, with good music. People having fun (not people swatting bugs or freezing their butts off in the rain).
Wildlife is great, so are above treeline views if it's a nice day.
People falling down steep slides is cool too!

I have a couple on youtube and am working on putting more on there.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKs_u-7Pzx4

What's the cheapest way to get started?

Dislike: Whining about the hardships, I'd rather watch people playing music than complaining about how tough it is.
Like: Scenes like Fording the Kennebec, traversing deep snow, enjoying a good tough climb, with good music. People having fun (not people swatting bugs or freezing their butts off in the rain).
Wildlife is great, so are above treeline views if it's a nice day.
People falling down steep slides is cool too!

I have a couple on youtube and am working on putting more on there.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKs_u-7Pzx4I'll be honest.. fellas, it was sounding great. But.. I could've used a little more cowbell. So.. let's take it again.. and, Gene.
Really explore the studio space this time. I mean, really.. explore the space. I like what I'm hearing.

I would buy a digital video camera on ebay. Last one i bought was a canon ZR60 for about $70. I hear the little point and shoot cameras take decent video now but i think it's not in avi format (file extension) and THAT is what you need to edit.

Then you need an editing program. I use adobe premiere but i believe it is rather expsensive. (of course MAC final cut pro, is supposed to be better)
But if that's too much money, you can do a less professional job with "windows movie maker" you can't do slow motion, zoom, blending audio (mixing) etc. at least i don't think so. you could do it other ways and then import it i guess. not sure on the movie maker as i've never used it.

Whatever software you use is the one you will get used to of course and learn the tricks and shortcuts.
Lots of fun editing if you have a decent computer, lots of hard drive space and time.
You tube really knocks the quality down but the Canon ZR40 or 60 or 80 does take pretty good quality film.
Of course HD is coming out and those cameras are getting pretty cheap too but i am not sure about editing, showing it on an HD tv, and widescreen differences. I only use what i have a know. good luck.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEPxDtepd_8&feature=related

That.. that doesn't work for me. I gotta have more cowbell!
Babies.. before we're done here.. y'all be wearing gold-plated diapers.

I would buy a digital video camera on ebay. Last one i bought was a canon ZR60 for about $70. I hear the little point and shoot cameras take decent video now but i think it's not in avi format (file extension) and THAT is what you need to edit.

Then you need an editing program. I use adobe premiere but i believe it is rather expsensive. (of course MAC final cut pro, is supposed to be better)
But if that's too much money, you can do a less professional job with "windows movie maker" you can't do slow motion, zoom, blending audio (mixing) etc. at least i don't think so. you could do it other ways and then import it i guess. not sure on the movie maker as i've never used it.

Whatever software you use is the one you will get used to of course and learn the tricks and shortcuts.
Lots of fun editing if you have a decent computer, lots of hard drive space and time.
You tube really knocks the quality down but the Canon ZR40 or 60 or 80 does take pretty good quality film.
Of course HD is coming out and those cameras are getting pretty cheap too but i am not sure about editing, showing it on an HD tv, and widescreen differences. I only use what i have a know. good luck.Thanks for that. $70 gives me a good ballpark. That should leave me with enough for... you know... I gotta have more cowbell, baby!


Guess what? I got a fever! And the only prescription.. is more cowbell!

After watching '2000 Miles to Maine', I'm just curious if the two redneck stoners in the film ever made it all the way with their weed and Marlboro gear!?!? They were pretty hilarious in the film.

Check out John Fegy's youtube videos of his 2007 thru-hike. F-ing excellent! Totally non-commercial, raw, from the heart.....


Those are great - very cool!

After watching '2000 Miles to Maine', I'm just curious if the two redneck stoners in the film ever made it all the way with their weed and Marlboro gear!?!? They were pretty hilarious in the film.

Alas, I wish I knew what happened to them. I only kept in touch with Chad who's been doing well with Liz and his rock band. He recently moved from Washington DC (to Portland Or perhaps, I'd have to check) If I dig up Malice and Kentucky's e-mail address, I'll post here if I get some information.

Doug

Director, 2000 Miles to Maine
www.grandfatherfilms.com

After watching '2000 Miles to Maine', I'm just curious if the two redneck stoners in the film ever made it all the way with their weed and Marlboro gear!?!? They were pretty hilarious in the film.

They weren't hilarious...they were a$$holes!:mad:

Malice was arrested at the Fontana Hilton for trying to sell weed. His brother hiked on ahead. Malice was in the jail at Robbinsville for 6 days and then was released and returned to Fontana to continue his hike. The first night in the Smokies at the campsite just over Shuckstack, Malice built a campfire...with 20' high flames! It was huge and he totally ignored everyones advice to keep it small. When we all went to bed, he was still feeding it fuel.
The next day, I think at Mollies Ridge Shelter, he was feeding a bear goldfish crackers by hand through the shelter fence...again he totally ignored everyones advice about feeding the bears. The next night I intentionally slowed just to get away from him. I was staying at the shelter about 6 miles before Newfound Gap when a ranger hiked in in the dark looking for Malice. Everyone in the shelter complained to the ranger about Malice's actions on the trail and the ranger informed us that they had recieved alot of complaints passed down the trail about Malice and that is why he was looking for him...to remove him from the trail. The ranger ate supper, packed up and headed back out into a driving rain storm to find Malice.
I talked to a southbound hiker the next day that had just come out of Gattlinburg and had spent the previous night at a motel with Malice and his brother. They had run out of weed and were awaiting another shipment from friends. That was the last I heard of them...I don't know if they ever got back on the trail or not.
I LOVE TO PARTY...I DON'T MIND WEED SMOKERS AT ALL BUT THESE TWO WERE HORRIBLE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE HIKING COMMUNITY. What you saw in the film was the VERY BEST behavior that either of them exhibited in the week that I was around them.
Sorry for the hostile attitude but I also own that film, it was the last year that I thru hiked yet I don't watch it anymore just because of those two a$$holes!:mad:

geek

Good to show family what it's like.

Like pictures of places I've been to (Hey, look, Upper Goose Pond Cabin, that place was awesome .... Oh, I remember that downhill, killed my knees, had to take a zero the next day ..... So that's what it looks like - that ridge was fogged in when I went through .... Hey, I used that payphone!)

Like hearing people talk to each other unscripted.

Like to follow a hiker or two or three along the journey.


Scenes out of sequence. Pick NOBO or SOBO and stick with it. Don't jump around. The movie SOUTHBOUND was terrific, but would have been better had they not shown shelters where they didn't belong. Okay for general public, but not for AT hikers.

Not enough of them.

Too short.

Interviews with the camera guy asking questions, or worse, some hiker expounding on why she or he's hiking.

Wise-guy joles or inside jokes the camera guy thinks are funny. They may be, and if you only watch the movie once, I suppose they are. But I like to watch more than once, and the second and third time through they are just stupid.

If you are thinking of doing one, my advice is: Don't try to emulate SOUTHBOUND. It was unique and one guy or two with a camera isn't going to come close. With SOUTHBOUND, watching the hiker start to ford with the hip bet buckled provided tension, and the scenes at Monson BBQ and Damascus PO were hilarious, but it was a movie-theater movie and had a different feel than home-done versions). What works for one won't necessarily work for the other.good movie but they bounced around on the trail to film.(out of sequence) i like when there sitting in hotsprings, talking to his girlfriend saying "only 600 miles to go. the best is when the girls talking on the pay phone in monson, and you can see the reciever is taped down

[quote=Jim Adams;578411]They weren't hilarious...they were a$$holes!:mad:

Malice was arrested at the Fontana Hilton for trying to sell weed. His brother hiked on ahead. Malice was in the jail at Robbinsville for 6 days and then was released and returned to Fontana to continue his hike. The first night in the Smokies at the campsite just over Shuckstack, Malice built a campfire...with 20' high flames! It was huge and he totally ignored everyones advice to keep it small. When we all went to bed, he was still feeding it fuel.
The next day, I think at Mollies Ridge Shelter, he was feeding a bear goldfish crackers by hand through the shelter fence...again he totally ignored everyones advice about feeding the bears. The next night I intentionally slowed just to get away from him. I was staying at the shelter about 6 miles before Newfound Gap when a ranger hiked in in the dark looking for Malice. Everyone in the shelter complained to the ranger about Malice's actions on the trail and the ranger informed us that they had recieved alot of complaints passed down the trail about Malice and that is why he was looking for him...to remove him from the trail. The ranger ate supper, packed up and headed back out into a driving rain storm to find Malice.
I talked to a southbound hiker the next day that had just come out of Gattlinburg and had spent the previous night at a motel with Malice and his brother. They had run out of weed and were awaiting another shipment from friends. That was the last I heard of them...I don't know if they ever got back on the trail or not.
I LOVE TO PARTY...I DON'T MIND WEED SMOKERS AT ALL BUT THESE TWO WERE HORRIBLE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE HIKING COMMUNITY. What you saw in the film was the VERY BEST behavior that either of them exhibited in the week that I was around them.
Sorry for the hostile attitude but I also own that film, it was the last year that I thru hiked yet I don't watch it anymore just because of those two a$$holes!:mad:

geek , i believe its in the north to katahdin video.it shows a couple people leaving a shelter in a downpour and you see a guy bend down and lets his cat jump up on his shoulder. we talked about this once, i hope i have the right movie

[quote=Jim Adams;578411]

geek , i believe its in the north to katahdin video.it shows a couple people leaving a shelter in a downpour and you see a guy bend down and lets his cat jump up on his shoulder. we talked about this once, i hope i have the right movie

Crumb,
I've never seen that movie...thanks for the tip. The only movie that I know of that has a shot of Ziggy is Lagunatic's movie Trail Magic. There is a shot of me waving goodbye to the camera on the porch at Fontana and when I turn and walk away, Ziggy is on my pack.
I have quite a few still photos that people had sent me but it is nice to see video...I really miss that cat!:(

geek

I really don't like all this judgemental stuff. It's not supposed to be a nazi death march.

Let's try and restrain all the judgemental stuff until after I am finished my thru-hike? ;)

[quote=CrumbSnatcher;578434]

Crumb,
I've never seen that movie...thanks for the tip. The only movie that I know of that has a shot of Ziggy is Lagunatic's movie Trail Magic. There is a shot of me waving goodbye to the camera on the porch at Fontana and when I turn and walk away, Ziggy is on my pack.
I have quite a few still photos that people had sent me but it is nice to see video...I really miss that cat!:(

geek
sometime today i will find out which one of my videos has that clip. i also like the 2000trailhicks video. i just purchased walk,and walk some more,still walking a 3 dvd set about the P.C.T. i hope thats good. anyway geek i'll let you know later today.

i like when i am caught off guard by something i didnt expect......for instance

i thought "southbounders" would be a documentary of sorts..to my surprise it was a screneplay, which made it that much more entertaining...kinda like going to see the South Park movie not knowing it is a musical.

"one more mile to go"

Crumb,
'squach's videos of the PCT are great...he's a pretty funny dude face to face. I watched 1 of the videos then hung out with him for 4 days....I understood his filming alot better then...he has soooo much potential. I think you'll like the vids.

geek

[quote=CrumbSnatcher;578434]

Crumb,
I've never seen that movie...thanks for the tip. The only movie that I know of that has a shot of Ziggy is Lagunatic's movie Trail Magic. There is a shot of me waving goodbye to the camera on the porch at Fontana and when I turn and walk away, Ziggy is on my pack.
I have quite a few still photos that people had sent me but it is nice to see video...I really miss that cat!:(

geek
geek sorry to get your hopes up,i found out the year of NORTH TO KATAHDIN video was 1984 a cat named buttercup who rode on his owners shoulder the whole way,in the group also a blind woman her dog and her 81 year old mother.