Obviously, you don’t have the budget of some of the bigger companies out there. What are the differences between the movies you make and the big-budget films?
We shoot digital instead of 16mm, which I’m sure is the biggest thing. 16mm is ridiculously expensive and I don’t know what the figures are, but it’s probably something like a $100 a minute. With digital video, I can get 60 minutes for $3.50. For Match 8, I had over 4,200 minutes of raw footage and that cost me two hundred bucks in tapes. Imagine what that would of cost if it was 16mm! Also, these other guys have to fly everywhere, and they are going to crazy places like Bolivia or wherever. I run more of a grassroots approach. I’m not opposed to couch surfing and the like.
What Camera do you shoot with?
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Sony PD 150 digital camera. (Don) Hampton shoots with a Canon XL2. I also use a Super 8mm camera from time to time. Film is expensive, but it looks awesome when it’s used properly.
What’s your relationship with Don?
Hampton helps me out a ton. There is no way Match would be going as strong as it is without someone like Hampton behind the scenes opening up doors and helping me out. Match has been in a transitional phase for the last few issues. For a while I was living out in Pennsylvania, now I’m in Oregon. We are doing our best to keep it focused. Between the two of us, though, we manage to put together some great content. I think we make an awesome team. Officially, Don handles all of the distribution and back-end stuff for the videos and I concentrate a bit more on the promotional side (like the Match web site: matchvideozine.com).
Is Match your baby then?
Yeah, Match is my baby but it’s a DH Productions title.
How do you choose music?
Music is a pain in the butt. Most of the music we use is donated to us. Music is really hard to get unless you want to pay for it. Most riders don’t understand how difficult it is to get music. I don’t have any connections in the music industry.
What is your take on slow motion?
Slow motion, to me, is on the short list of things best used in moderation. Other items on that list are fisheye shots and super8 film. They can add a lot of texture and interest to any sequence, but if you go overboard, people are going to be bummed.
Tell me about the Atomlab video Tough As Hell.
Our timeline was a little shorter than most videos, I usually get a year to do each issue of Match, but Mike [Flaherty] and I agreed that we wanted to have the Atomlab video ready for Interbike. That gave me about four months to shoot the footage and then a few weeks to edit before it would have to be shipped off and duplicated. The timeline was tight, but we definitely pulled it off. The reviews so far have been great and all the riders in the video are psyched, so we’re definitely happy about that.
Your web site, matchvideozine.com, does more than promote your latest video…
The Match Videozine web site started as a promotional thing to keep people informed about what we were doing, who we were shooting with, what was going to be in the next video, etc. Eventually I was traveling to every freeride/dirt/street event and shooting with all of the top riders, so the site morphed into an informational site about the scene and the riders in it.
What's your opinion on the current state of the MTB film industry?
The cinematography and planning that goes into the high-end films is amazing. I’m truly in awe of those guys on a lot of levels; they definitely have their program together. The only unfortunate problem I see is that they are so committed to their sponsors, the quality of the riding sometimes suffers as a result. I guess it’s a necessary evil, because how else would they afford the hours of film and international flights to film at all of these locations.
Who are the riders we are going to be talking about soon?
Adam Hauck is killing it. With good mentoring and proper opportunities there is no telling how far he can go. Peanut, Hacksaw’s son, as he comes of age, is another rider everyone will be after. Stephan Bafus is going to be huge. The new generation is coming up.
Are you able to pay the rent making videos, or do you have a real job, too?
Making bike videos definitely isn’t my main source of income; I usually pick up freelance video work around Portland to subsidize my lifestyle. I’m also using my knowledge from being at events and working closely with the riders to benefit marketing guys from a handful of companies. I’m starting to market my knowledge of the industry through acevisual.com, which is a little consulting service that I’ve been working on. I’m helping a couple companies out with their marketing stuff, writing press releases and getting some fresh ideas for sponsorships, ads and viral video stuff.
hey aaron its maggie i just wanted to tell you that your amazing and your really hot. oh by the way do u have a girlfriend?
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