UKC

I really like climbing films but I often find I'm wishing there were more films less focused on elite grades. I'm not knocking films on Ondra's new project or whatever but wouldn't some films of stuff a few of us can climb be good? I'm thinking series on classic E5s in the UK or best sub 7s at font.

I'm interested if this is just me so please like this post if you agree and would like more films of lower grades and dislike if you think it's about right as it is.

(I know there are some films like this around already)

In reply to Greasy Prusiks:

Totally agree.

For bouldering, videos of problems in my grade range are useful for the purposes of beta - but otherwise not terribly entertaining. That said, I'm not that arsed about bouldering videos at all - when I find myself watching them, I'm not terribly sure why (unless it's a beta-quest).

My favourite videos on UKC are on routes I know - either ones I've climbed or aspire to. Stuff like the recent one on Fiesta de los Biceps, and Jack Geldard on the classic Almscliff routes.

In reply to Jon Stewart:

Yeah definitely. Even a comparatively easy route like three pebble slab could make a great little vid IMO.

Also plenty of mountain v diffs I'd like to see.

In reply to Greasy Prusiks:

Check out the Bald Eagles videos, often featured on ukc.

In reply to Greasy Prusiks:

Try this one then all below 7a in Font

vimeo.com/146370910

In reply to Greasy Prusiks: Why as high as E5s; I'd like to see films on much lower grades - routes I'm either likely to do or routes I can realistically aspire to.

Whatever their grade, I'm sure many people would like to see films about classic routes at about 1 or 2 grades above their current level to enthuse and inspire them. Routes more difficult than that may look impressive but will feel out of reach.

In reply to Greasy Prusiks:

I for one would pay for a video of grit classics being climbed - although it's a how to climb vid Get out on rock with Neil Gresham and Libby Peter is excellent - just wish the could do a part 2 with more routes and maybe a few more advanced tips and techniques

In reply to Greasy Prusiks:

I agree with you on this as well. I've always thought this would be a great idea with routes from dead easy grades upto the low to mid E grades. I have a good mate who is a professional film maker, from what he's told me films are very difficult to get enough money back on or break even, this seems to be mainly due to the sheer volume of free films available on the internet.

I think that the sponsors pay him to film high level climbers pushing their limits but wouldn't it be great to have that with low grade routes that we know of and can aspire to around the UK.

In reply to Greasy Prusiks:

Im always much more interested in films which show attainable routes and have a high production quality to them, but sadly they're few and far between.

From the top of my head the Marmot hand picked series was fantastic, as was Lakeland Rock (1985), but without having a good scout about i cant think of a lot more apart from the usual gopro and mobile phone youtube contenders.

Ive really been wanting to set it as a project for myself. Go around, film classic low grade routes around the country and put it together as a cohesive piece but i can only imagine it being an enormous task, from route selection to finding climbers and finding the time to edit the thing.

Still, if any companies out there want to pay me a pittance to do it, id be more than willing

In reply to Greasy Prusiks:

This Black Rocks one is brilliant if you've not seen it, and covers classics of all grades at the crag.
Very well made, and I believe they are working on a sea cliff one next......

http://tv.thebmc.co.uk/videos/stonnis/

In reply to Greasy Prusiks:

Although they are old now both literally and in style, I still enjoy occasinally watching Century on the Crags and Lakeland Rock. The former is really a one off documentary about the early history of of climbing in the Lakes and the latter is a series of short films about climbing in the Lakes presented by Bonners. Neither are dealing with cutting edge routes by today's standards.

In reply to Mike-W-99:


Thanks for the plug Mike! I have another vid of one of the truly great UK adventure routes coming out in a few weeks time so watch this space...
Cheers
Dave

In reply to Greasy Prusiks:



I can't think of anything more dull to watch - surely it would just look like someone is going for a stroll?

Hard climbs make films because they look impressive, and 99.9% of climbers can't climb them. 99.9% of the climbing population can just go and do a mountain VD - surely better than watching someone else do it?

In reply to Greasy Prusiks:


Rock Athlete.

In reply to Greasy Prusiks:

I was going to post something similar. What I REALLY would like to see would be 3 climbers - a novice, an intermediate, and a pro - going on a tour of the UK, and all doing the same routes. We'd get to see the differences between all 3 climbing the route, putting in gear, etc. If filmed well, it could be really interesting, quite funny - and a really good way to see subtle differences in technique and approach to onsighting, plus covering some classic routes.

In reply to Greasy Prusiks:
I found this one brilliant vimeo.com/83168734

In reply to ActionSte:

It was my friend that filmed the hand picked series,really enjoyed it but there was very little money in it so it goes to show that it might be a tall order to produce a big film of that kind of level.

In reply to ianstevens:


Agreed. And that would go for anything I'd perhaps be capable of climbing myself.

The only reason to watch films of routes I might do would be to get beta. But that seems a different thing than proposed here which seems more about entertainment.

Personally it's far more interesting watching top climbers climb at their limit - and likely to improve my own climbing more too.

In reply to Greasy Prusiks:

I bought a copy of 'Best Forgotten Art' from Mr. Dawes a few years ago. The production quality was not great but it was really interesting to see stuff like The File and The Rasp, but climbed so much more efficiently than I could.

So yes, more films about climbs that mere mortals can actually relate to would be a good thing.

In reply to Greasy Prusiks:

I like these two a lot:

http://www.ukclimbing.com/videos/play.php?i=872

vimeo.com/139647125

In reply to Fraser:

Couldn't access the second one.

This is quality:

vimeo.com/65371762