[andy popp]

Disappointing, it doesn't appear to be about a dank and terrifying day out on Cloggy.

[cheque]

It is not all about hashtags @La Sportiva:


15 minutes well spend.

Really enjoyed this.

[haydn jones]

Definitely quality that video. Donald trump is such an inspiration. :D

[Danny]

I thought the route looked amazing, and it was well shot. The rest was cringe.

[teestub]

Awful. I’d much rather watch Slaydies!

[Fiend]

I really enjoyed the bit from 10:00 onwards. From flicking through the timeline bar, I'm very glad I skipped the first 9 minutes and have no idea what it's about.

[Will Hunt]

It's basically James Pearson taking the piss out of the Instagram generation of climbers. I think that deserves some credit.

[Fiend]

To be honest from what I've seen the #instagram generation take the piss out of themselves very well anyway??

[cowboyhat]

I wasnt going to watch Slaydies but the opinions on here piqued me.

The only thing i didn't like about it is that I wasn't the one being paid to make it. Its an advertorial film which is fine, girls got bills to pay etc.

But it reminds me that climbing for me and a lot of other people is about having fun with your mates. 90% of other climbing 'films', most of which are just skate/music videos that impart nothing but beta, are about grades, a struggle, personal significance etc.

I think, particularly female climbers I know, would find it enjoyable and inspiring, much like so and so's daughter above.

[Teaboy]

The James Pearson one sailed very close to being awful but actually was very enjoyable. Good effort for trying something different.

[scottygillery]

It's not the most cringeworthy thing James Pearson has done

unclesomebodylovesyou

[andy_e]

Heads up, that gets a little NSFW...

[petejh]

The route Power Ranger looks ace! J.P.'s acting skillz - HVS? Good message though.

[teestub]

Having just watched the end of the Pearson vid I'm left wondering, is there a counterpoint video with the actual story behind the route, or does he not actually have a story to tell about it, hence the large amount of time spent producing 10 minutes of filler and cod philosophising?

[user deactivated]

One of my favourite quality JP vids is the 'young james' section of hard xs - with the equilibrium footage being essential viewing. A route that's stood the test of time that's for sure. The climbing in the mostest vid was great and compelling to watch and maybe a bit diluted by the start, but it seems a shame to complain about the film for trying something different. Fiend's point about social media already doing a good job of parodying itself had me thinking. I watched the Slaydies vid with the volume off so don't know what was said, but apparently it's a sort of test of 'quality' or watchability doing that. Seemed ok apart from the split screen wipe transitions. Repetition can be good though and seemed to work well. Reading through some of the critical appraisal it makes me wonder what people actually want from a climbing video? More send footage, less send footage, more articulate, less talking, more talking, less philosophising, more stunning imagery, less drone footage? A good story honestly told?
Jonny makes a good point when talking about trying to balance the commercial aspects of 'best forgotten art' with his vision for the film. Maybe some of that is what's missing in the Sportiva vids.

https://m.epictv.com/media/podcast/james-pearson-on-sending-sketchy-climbs-in-his-youth-%7C-hardxs-from-slackjaw-film-ep-1/258877

[teestub]

As Cowboyhat notes Slaydies falls very much into the advertorial section, which accounts for a lot of films being produced these days (as the man says people gots to get paid). Hopefully the some of the better climbing footage from that trip will make its way onto Pretty Strong ( https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/nevernotcollective/pretty-strong-all-your-favorite-climbing-chicks-in ) in an entirely different edit, as I think it's the same filmers and producers.

I'm all for people trying something different, but 10 mins of 'acting' to make a point about social media, followed by 5 mins of footage of a good looking climb without any context (unless I missed this in the bits I skipped through) seems a bit much.

[user deactivated]

Crikey $79,000

[Yossarian]

I just watched Sladies and I thought that, despite the fact that quite a lot of effort probably went into it, it was just totally vapid piffle. Most climbers are shit at acting, and there are so many (shit) climbing films which try to inveigle the viewer with fake camaraderie, cringeworthy voiceovers, etc.

FWIW, I’m far more interested in the sort of stuff where watching feels like being given a privileged insight into a scene. Obviously it helps if the people involved are charismatic and / or things unexpected happen, or go wrong. As soon as someone tries to make it more interesting by adding some sort of story on top, my enthusiasm tends to wane...

[highrepute]

I'm all for people trying something different, but 10 mins of 'acting' to make a point about social media, followed by 5 mins of footage of a good looking climb without any context (unless I missed this in the bits I skipped through) seems a bit much.

So you criticising something you didn't fully watch (just teasing you are fully entitled to do this)? There is a back story that plays out through the first 10 minutes. It's something along the lines of "have I climbed a climb if I haven't sprayed about it on social media" coming to the conclusion that you should just "let the climb speak up itself".

I personally thought it was a bit bizarre but delivered something quite watchable. And bizarre has a strong history in climbing films - Stone Monkey, "E9 is out there on the streets" - although I wouldn't say this is on a par with some of the better bizarre offerings.

[mrjonathanr]

FWIW, I’m far more interested in the sort of stuff where watching feels like being given a privileged insight into a scene. Obviously it helps if the people involved are charismatic and / or things unexpected happen, or go wrong. As soon as someone tries to make it more interesting by adding some sort of story on top, my enthusiasm tends to wane...

I rewatched Consumed last night. It couldn’t be a more perfect illustration of your point Yossarian. (Although it definitely belongs in the quality thread)

[haydn jones]

something for the tor aficionados

[abarro81]

I though the first 2-3 min of the Pearson vid was decent, and made the point, then there was about 7 minutes of totally pointless junk, then about 4 minutes of shit footage, 1 minute of good footage, and a final scene which would be far more impactful if it weren't a full time climber telling us that we moan too much about not having enough time without any hint of appreciation about how that makes him sound like a self-rightous knob. But hey ho.
I couldn't watch Slaydies without skipping relentlessly because there was basically no climbing footage in the whole thing.

But I liked the Polish Dave one

[dunnyg]

Consumed is awesome.

[Danny]

I agree with all that, Alex, apart from the shit footage bit. As long as it's not shaky, and conveys the nature of the moves and position, I'm happy. Everything else is superfluous.

Consumed has always been top draw in my book.

This is a good bit of slaydy-ing:

[mrjonathanr]

Yes thanks for that - excellent.