Johnny attempting another double backflip and coming up a little short. Blake Campbell Photo
The first month of 2015 is almost over, and that means the TGR production team is hard at work filming for next year's as yet unnamed flick. Japan has always been the holy grail for skiers looking for bottomless pow amongst the hardwoods, so this year we sent TGR athletes Tim Durtschi, Colter Hinchcliffe, and Johnny Collinson to the island nation to ski some serious Japow. I was able to track down the principal cinematographer for the trip, Dutch Simpson, to talk avalanche danger, chest deep powder, and athlete antics at 2:30 AM.
This past week there has been several avalanche deaths in Japan. Does this factor into your decision making when choosing when and where to go film?
Group powder shred in Niesko. Blake Campbell Photo
We are still getting into the flow of Japan, and basically all we have been skiing is blower pow. That incident was actually three different avalanches in the same day, all on the main island of Honshu, which is a different region from us. Avalanche danger here in Niseko has been lower, so we went touring yesterday. There was a ton of settlement, not necessarily making for the most ideal conditions, and the winds have just been howling, so filming has been tough. The days we have been out have been super deep. It has been so windy, so we have been sticking to the trees, which have been cakey and heavy pow.
Everyone and their cousin is filming in Japan this year. What is your plan to keep it fresh?
Well for sure, it has all been done. Everyone has seen blower pow in Japan. What we are trying to focus on is Tim, Colter, and Johnny, and the personalities of these guys. Filming those guys doing their thing and being goofy, funny, and sometimes dipshits has been great. They have so much fun.
Anything specific?
Tim Durtschi throws a backflip. Blake Campbell Photo
Remember Colter in Italy walking around saying "Hola!" to Italians? It is like the same exact stuff except just in Japan. Walking around speaking different languages that don’t apply, accidentally breaking vending machines, trying to shop for food. I have just been trying to follow and capture the ridiculousness.
What are your plans for the remainder of the trip?
Colter Hinchcliffe getting inverted over the Japow. Dutch Simpson Photo
We are in Niseko, which is good, but we are moving to Kiroro tomorrow, which is closer to the ocean. It is going to be a little more productive for filming and there is more touring, with two mountain passes that you can access from the ski resort. We are traveling into the more cultural part of Japan. Niseko is a little too full gringos right now. A lot of Aussies, and not as many Japanese.
What is different about Kiroro?
It would not be a Japan dispatch without a picture of Johnny skiing neck-deep blower pow. Blake Campbell Photo
Kiroro is a ski resort with great touring access from the top. There is a pass to the south that has all kind of mini-golf and hot lappable stuff. There are these weird fluted spines for whatever reason, but only about 500 feet of vert. So the touring is super easy and accessible right from the road. There is a zone called Watermelon that is a little steeper and is more classically japan–white birch trees and deep snow. We're stoked to head there, too!
Does your approach to filming Johnny differ from Colter and Tim, who have such different styles?
Home base in the purple cabin. Johnny Collinson Photo
A little bit. Johnny is the man and such a team player, but not necessarily a jibber that is going throw a rodeo seven off of something. The dynamic between Tim, Colter, & Johnny is sick. Just content and personality wise, they all mesh so well. Johnny loves getting gnarly and climbing big couloirs, but fits in perfectly with the crew. This trip is really Colter and Durtschi’s baby. Johnny’s loving it, we are all loving it. It is a good flow.
What is the story behind the 'Johnny gnar' photo?
Blake Campbell: Basically we were riding at Moiwa (ski hill), and we came across this little kicker in the woods. So Johnny sent a backflip off of it. He got excited and went for a double on the next one. The jump wasn't really right for it, and he caught his tips on the second rotation, landing on his face. Johnny's goggles got ripped down and scratched him up pretty good. There was blood everywhere, but fortunately he didn't break his nose and was ultimately fine. The kid is tough as nails. When people ask what happened, he told them he was attacked by Hello Kitty, so we started calling the jump the Hello Kitty jump. We actually went back and retooled it a couple days later, and the boys got a shot or two, but he didn't try the double again.
What do Colter and Tim hope to get out of their first trip to Japan?
Tim sending it huge off of the same jump the Johnny took a spill on. Matty 'Moo' Herriger photo.
They want to hit all these weird features. We have been hunting for tree rides and mushroom drops. They are trying to hit really aesthetic features. Everyone who has come to Japan has shot blower pow, but they are trying ski different-looking stuff. Everything here has been done, including things like the avi barriers, but the boys wants to hit those features and it's Japan, so why the hell not? This place is living up to the hype. Our approach is that, even thought a lot of it has been filmed, before Colter and Tim haven’t skied it. So let's go for it and let them bring their own personalities and style to it.
From The Column: #TGROnLocation
About The Author
stash member Jonathan Desabris
Digital Content Producer at TGR. Jackson Hole transplant from the Green Mountain State. Contrary to popular belief I have never lived in New Jersey.
Sam Morse
January 26th, 2015
Great read Jon.
SRedfield
January 28th, 2015
You’re the man Dutch! Keep up the good work!