[cheque]

Fuck’s sake Chris, I nearly died less than three months ago!

I’d planned to do a more extensive promotion campaign with a bigger venue in Sheff and possible dates elsewhere to really put the film on the map and hopefully recoup some of the money I put into making it, but smashing myself up got in the way of that! A lot of the appeal of having the premiere at Outside was that they organised it all- I didn’t get any of the nominal entrance fee and I’m cool with that as I only had to turn up on the night with my computer and talk for a bit. I will be submitting the film to every outdoor film festival going though. 

I’m not making a sequel to this film- a sea cliff film has been the focus of my life, often to the detriment of other things, for the best part of three years and I’m psyched to not have my head full of that specific thing any more. Short term I’m going to focus on stills (probably of bouldering and non-climbing things given that I’ve a long way to go, mentally and physically, before I can abseil or jug up a rope again) and let inspiration for my next film form organically. I’ve no doubt it will and my enthusiasm for filmmaking is totally unabated. Just before my accident I invested in a very nice video tripod (that I can’t even lift or carry currently!) and I haven’t even used it yet...

Also going to get Stonnis available online again with a directors commentary in lieu of the extras that I’d love to offer with it but simply don’t exist!

As far as the sea cliff areas I failed to cover in this film (you’re not the only person who’s mentioned Scotland, but I didn’t end up shooting in Devon or any non-mainland crags either ) then someone else will just have to pick up the baton. Scotland seems to to be home to a disproportionate amount of British climbing filmmakers and Finalcrux Films has a film about Scottish island cliffs coming at some point.

Thanks for all the positive comments everyone. I was more confident about this one than I was about Stonnis but the reaction’s still better than I’d hoped. Very, very keen to unleash it on a wider audience- a week today if all goes to plan. 

[Falling Down]

Looking forward to seeing this Mike.  I hope you are healing well and that this helped the process.

[Fiend]

  basically.

Duncan don't be too put off The Range, the film might be using a bit of artistic bias for effect There's a lot of nice, gentle stuff there.

[lagerstarfish]

*British piss take banter*

Fuck’s sake Chris, I nearly died less than three months ago!

"nearly"

it's not like actual dying

come on Cheque, we want 21st century blood sucking consumer satisfaction

*banter ends*

I'm looking forward to watching this - the fact that my BMC tax has contributed to this makes me happy

 

[SamT]

Likewise Cheque,

Been eagerly awaiting this and was gutted to not be able to make the prem at Outside, (a stunning forecast and a pass out for a weekends climbing in the lakes took precedence, I'm sure you understand).

Can't wait to sit down, crack a beer and immerse myself.  Its been too long since I've climbed above the briny.

[cheque]

"nearly"

it's not like actual dying

come on Cheque, we want 21st century blood sucking consumer satisfaction

I tried my best, OK? 

I'm looking forward to watching this - the fact that my BMC tax has contributed to this makes me happy

Every time I’ve seen Sport England funding being bashed as being to do with the Olympics and evil competition climbing I’ve thought “I’ve had some of that money and I spent it all on making films that are as far from comps as you can get”

[Will Hunt]

I'm looking forward to watching this - the fact that my BMC tax has contributed to this makes me happy

Every time I’ve seen Sport England funding being bashed as being to do with the Olympics and evil competition climbing I’ve thought “I’ve had some of that money and I spent it all on making films that are as far from comps as you can get”

Indeed. Anybody who has used that most sublime and beautiful of guidebooks - the Cheshire sandstone definitive - has also benefited. And probably the new Lancashire Rock guide also? And Over The Moors?

[cheque]

Should be online a week on Monday. 

This should have read two weeks on Monday- July 9th is the date.

[SA Chris]

Something to look forward to when I get home from holiday. on Jersey..

[cheque]

Now online.

[highrepute]

Yay! Ellie will be pleased.

Is Stonnis not online anywhere Mike?

[cheque]

Is Stonnis not online anywhere Mike?

Not currently- the BMC had it on their website for a year then I was going to make it downloadable with a few extras (45 minute festival cut which has never been online but is in some ways better, plus a “director’s commentary” of me telling the multitude of stories I have about the film over the top!) but that was delayed by making this film then by smashing myself up. Now would be a very good time to sort that out so I’ll get my act together, hopefully this week.

[Falling Down]

Loved it Mike - great job.  Sweaty palms.... what a logistical effort to film!

(A bit of trivia.  Malc Smith has climbed the Bardsey Ripple.  Me, GME, him and Pete Bukowski were down there in June 1996. I’ve got some slides somewhere...)

[Will Hunt]

The bit with Fiend is just so good. That little drop in that music that he likes and the speeded up footage of him chucking lumps off the crag, like he's sorting through books in a library searching for the volume that he wants. First loose bit comes off The Complete Works and, under his breath, he utters "and so it begins". I love it!

Pentire Head looks fantastic. And there's Duncan with his key jumper placements. What a hero.

[csl]

That was fantastic Mike, brought back some great memories. I think I better dust off the trad rack...

[Fiend]

(A bit of trivia.  Malc Smith has climbed the Bardsey Ripple.  Me, GME, him and Pete Bukowski were down there in June 1996. I’ve got some slides somewhere...)

That's an ace bit of trivia! I honestly would never have guessed that. It's a great route. I've got to go back and do more there....

[Falling Down]

I thought your bits were great Matt... the chute thing looked terrifying!

[Fiend]

Cheers! It was about HVS climbing.....I use the term "climbing" loosely. But yeah!!

I'm so chuffed to be part of this, the two long weekends I had doing it in Wales and Cornwall were really good and I'm glad it worked out for the film.

[mrjonathanr]

.....I use the term "climbing" loosely.

Boom-boom!

[galpinos]

Can I just say I was massively disappointed. Fiend was nothing like the tiny orc painting, techno obsessed, camo wearing nut-job I had built him up to be from his online persona. To find out he seemed quite like-able was devastating.......

Apart from that, fantastic. Makes me think, 'why haven't I been sea cliff climbing yet this year?'. Falling Down, Path to Rome is still callling......

[Fiend]

There were hideous fake Billabong rusty camo 3/4 length shorts??

Still haven't bloody done Path To Rome....

[steveri]

I'm going to save that for the big telly. First couple of mins looked ace, congrats. Was chatting to a guy this weekend who'd been diving by South Stack and came up with all sorts of gear ...a story attached to every fumbled wire no doubt

[Falling Down]

Falling Down, Path to Rome is still callling......

10 years this year since we went to do it the first time and had that fun long weekend going nowhere near the sea cliffs. Not much chance of me doing it this year I’m afraid.  I was scared watching the film last night...

[SamT]

Watched on't big telly last night.

Brilliant.  Now longing for that sensory overload. the salty smells, the wildlife, the fear...  This is the weather for it too!!.

Loved the Mousetrip edit.

[cheque]

So glad everyone’s enjoying it. For the majority of the process I felt like the end result couldn’t possibly come out well enough to justify what I was putting in but it seems like it did. 

Particularly glad you like Mousetrap Sam- I put so much effort into filming that route in completely inhospitable circumstances and working out how the hell I was going to get the resultant footage to work in the film.

The trip to North Wales with Fiend was absolutely brilliant- driving over with Wil to meet someone we only knew from the internet and feared would be absolutely crazy, immediately getting on weird routes then heading to climb even weirder ones in almost completely unknown stunning locations on the Llŷn, picking up a poor unsuspecting Aussie visitor that Fiend had found on the UKC forums (who really just wanted to climb classic HVSs in the Pass) and Fiend trying his best to kill her in the Range (he was on The Complete Works for more than an hour and I felt sick with worry the whole time ), it was all amazing. I knew I had dynamite footage before even looking at the files on the computer.  We also went to some mellower crags and had a lovely peaceful time but, like all the footage of that ilk that I shot, it didn’t make it into the final cut.