UKC

This week's Friday Night Video is the premiere of David Petts' award winning documentary about Emma Twyford's ascent of The Big Bang at Lower Pen Trywn. Join the BMC TV live stream in a 'Facebook Watch Party' at 8pm, then chat to Emma and David afterwards.

is this a 'watch live only' gig, or once its up is it publicly available? you might be about to decimate my 'pub quiz' attendees!

Bloomin' brilliant film!! So well put together.

What a journey!

Congratulations Emma!!

Not a criticism of the film, but I'm sure I saw this at Kendal last November so how can it be a Premiere?

Not trying to detract from the film or achievement there in, which are obviously very impressive. 🙂

Do you have to be on facebook in order to see this?

Is there a way (even if paid) to watch again for those who missed it yesterday?

The fella said it’ll be on Vimeo in demand at some point soon.

Nicely shot film. Maybe as a millennial I'm hyper aware of this sorta turd but it seemed glaring to me that a film about the first British woman to climb 9a was full of men validating that 9a is hard. Very generous to screen it for free for us. Thanks. 

Oddly, I watched about 10 minutes last night. Reopened it in Facebook this morning and watched another 10 minutes. I just went back to watch some more - having left it open in a tab - but when I clicked on it to play again, it disappeared! So I guess I need to wait to see the rest of it now.

I'm sure it was all discussed when she did it, but does anyone know why she didn't clip an extended piece on the Big Issue? You can see the 60 cm sling attached to probably a nut, swinging in the breeze next to the piece Emma does clip. And I guess the "ascent" is edited together from the actual send and some other attempts but you can see bits of gear pre-placed in some shots. Does the Big Issue get done with some bits of gear preplaced? I remember reading about Dunne doing the FA back in the 90s - did he place some pegs?  I can't remember now, but I was wondering if a preplaced nut or similar is "allowed" where there used to be a peg or similar...?

Enjoyed it. Thought it a shame Neil Carson didn't get a name check or credit as far as I could see. 

Great film and very inspiring, despite the fact all of the routes were grades I'll almost certainly never climb!

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2017/05/the_big_issue_e9_6c_by_ali_kennedy-...

Some backstory in the link above. But I guess the answer is that there's no reason why it needs to be done with preplaced gear.

From the bit about the stuck jumar in the link below I would assume she did it without preplaced gear on the final send. [Edit: and the box at the bottom confirms...]

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2018/08/the_big_issue_e9_6c_by_emma_twyford...

Caff, Ryan, Maddie and Emma were all trying the Big Issue ground up the previous year, using each other's gear. I think Caff and Ryan then returned a week or two later having left the gear in place (or abbing and replacing it). So gear was placed on lead, but possibly from previous attempts. The following year I think Emma's was placed on her actual ascent, but I might be wrong.

I noticed. It's fairly obvious if you pay any attention to identity politics. More noticeable as it's a film revolving around the first female 9a, so has gender front and centre.

But given they're only talking about a climbing grade, isn't it only a problem if you think that gender played a role in who was filmed for comment? Rather than experience, availability, willingness and other factors not related to gender. Although I think only Steve McClure has climbed 9a (Neil and Jerry maxed out at 8c+ think).

If I'm getting picky it wouldn't be gender, I think it would have been preferable to hear more specifics on the whole route from Emma. I think we all know 9a is really frickin hard. Harder than 8c+, easier than 9a+.

I completely agree that you can't argue they were only interviewed because they're men, but I would've expected a token interview from Hazel Findlay, since they were in Llanberis and even spoke to Angus Kille. It was more noticeable in its absence.

I suppose I feel I came away from watching The Big Bang: The Emma Twyford story knowing not much more about the big bang or Emma Twyford than before but was left feeling that anyone who complains climbing media is male dominated would be disappointed by a film about the first British female 9a.

Anyway I'm sounding a little negative. It was nice climbing eye candy and generously screened for free. I missed it at Kendal and thought I'd miss it in Bethesda! 

Any response on this?

There's going to be an upload on Vimeo soon. Not sure if it's pay per view or donation. Keep an eye on their social media.

Cheers

Hi Ian - I’ve done on online interview with Neil for UKB. 

https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,30594.0.html

I've watched the first few minutes, looks really interesting. I had asked about Neil on here before and it was interesting that no one seemed to know what he was up to, so I'm intrigued at least as what he did after making such a 'bing bang' in UK and world climbing!

I find it hard to imagine being so immersed in the sport and then virtually dropping out of it altogether, even if taking up a new life abroad.

Maybe there is a life outside climbing...

Enjoyed that and a useful rebalancing. Massive grade, few suitors!

I know! Strange thought isn't it?!   There are other people who are in the climbing media spot light for periods of time and then they seem to decide to step out of it, or perhaps the spotlight is pointed elsewhere. I guess for me the 90s and into the 2000s were a time where I was pretty obsessively read and re-reading the magazines to name's like Neil's loomed pretty large. I really enjoyed the Factor 2 podcast with Patch Hammond a few months ago because he was another one who was everywhere in the magazines for a period before disappearing. I'm vaguely aware of some people who were big names at that time still climb actively but I suppose once you are not sponsored and not always trying to do the hardest routes, get coverage, get your image used in adverts, do competitions etc. that you might continue climbing at high standard but the rest of us don't hear about it anymore. I remember Fliss Butler being in every edition of OTE for what felt like a good few years before disappearing from the media. Someone was telling me recently that they still climb with Fliss: was it you? Or Alan perhaps? Anyway, nice to hear that your climbing heroes of the past still climb! Does Seb Grieve still climb? It crossed my mind watching Jim Pope's film with Meshuga in it last night. Another regular cover star of OTE for a period of time! 

I've only got 25 minutes through your interview with Neil so far, so no spoilers!

Yes Seb still climbs. In fact never stopped. He put up a new 8a at Kilnsey last year - a continuation of Pantomime but doesn't seem to be on UKC logbook.

Wasn’t me who mentioned Fliss Butler though reportedly she’s been seen climbing regularly at the Foundry

Nice interview. I moved out to Tarbes, France August 2004. With no job & no car, between my battles trying to get French health insurance, I used to walk over an hour out to the small wall on the edge of the town / city. Eventually I got to know a few of the locals & heard talk of a quiet but really strong English guy who was occasionally seen at the wall with his wife / girlfriend but no one knew who he was. A few months later, I was just leaving with one of my new French friends who'd proposed me a lift when he pointed to a guy walking in & said "That's the strong English guy". I looked & stopped disbelievingly then tried to explain in my limited French "But that's Neil Carson, the only English guy to climb 9a!" ("Hubble" being graded a mere 8c+ at the time). My French friend said "Who's he? Never heard of him" and walked out. As I followed him out for my lift, I swore that next time I saw Neil I'd get over my awe & speak to him. Sadly, despite living there for another 2 years, I never did see him again. But it's nice to see what became of him..........& to have confirmation that I wasn't imagining seeing a lost legend