Fort William Mountain Festival showreel

For the past wee while, I've been doing a lot of work for the Fort William Mountain Festival - managing the content on their website and cutting their showreel, which I've just finished recently.  It's made up from all the best bits of the films submitted to this years International Adventure Film Competition, taking place on March 10th.  Hope you like it!

Echo Wall (the film) is complete!

Dave looking scared for good reason on Echo Wall (video still from the film)

I know its been a shockingly long time since I’ve posted on my blog. It’s not been for lack of interest of laziness I can tell you. It’s just that the production of our film about Echo Wall has taken over life as I know it for the last two months. Our days of editing, producing, and arranging all the other things that have to be ready to release a film have ranged from 12 hours at a maximum to 25 as the record (the final night). Yesterday, we handed all that work and effort over to the DVD manufacturers in two tiny tapes. A weird feeling.

But a huge, huge relief. We are really happy with our little creation. If you’d like to see it, we’ll have a trailer up on this and Dave’s blog later this week and DVDs for sale from Dave’s webshop in time for it’s premiere at the Edinburgh Mountain Film Festival on Sunday October 19th. We can’t wait.

From all our prescreening and feedback sessions with friends and fellow filmakers, it seems that the beauty of the landscape of the places we filmed around Ben Nevis and Lochaber is what has grabbed folks attention, as well as the story of Dave’s effort to climb Echo Wall itself.

Dave on Echo Wall, just before the final crux (video still from the film)

The first time we showed the film to a gathering of about 20 friends in Fort William, both Dave and I felt physically ill with nerves. Both of us have a new found massive respect for all filmakers, not just because of all the effort involved, but mainly because we didn’t realise how much you really lay your creative self open and leave yourself so exposed.

But, people seem to have been inspired by the places we filmed, by Dave’s determination to climb the route, and really interested in the story of making the film itself. For me it was just something we knew we had to do - normal. But looking back it was really frightening and exhausting at times.

But the process isn’t over yet. We have so much to do to get ready for the film’s release.

It’s going to be great to be cool to be working on Velvet Antlers winter range this week too. Shortly I’ll be uploading all the winter products with some rather lovely new additions to my hampers. I could even do the sampling guilt free this summer because I was walking up Ben Nevis so much. Making a mountain film has it’s uses.

Glen Nevis River Race

Pre-race nerves

Yesterday saw the return of the legendary Glen Nevis River Race, where hoardes of mad folk race down the river with only a helmet, a pair of sensible shoes and any form of floatation device you care to mention for company. After all the rain we've been having lately, the river was running really high which some felt was a bonus, others not so. The water was so high, that the race organisers No Fuss had to chop the start of the course off. Apparently, one of them jumped off the spot known ominously as 'The Leg Breaker' in the morning to test it and he popped up fine. His airbed, however, didn't pop up for 10 minutes. Hmm, not my cup of tea but everyone else looked like they were enjoying it; some in it for a laugh, others taking it VERY seriously.

The lower falls of Glen Nevis - not for the feint hearted. One or two got to the edge and thought, "Actually.......I think I'll walk round!" I don't blame them, it's higher than it looks!

Before...

After!

Looking remarkably cavalier whilst holding onto an inflatable lobster for dear life.

Fort William wall opening night

Last night saw the official opening of Alan Kimber’s new bouldering wall at Calluna, Fort William. For the past couple of months, Dave has been setting all the problems on the wall, built by Scott Muir. I even had a shot myself of setting some problems but we don’t have a telly at Chez MacLeod and the lure of the flat screen in the kitchen of the wall was too great most nights and ended up watching Taggart/Eastenders/Bear Grylls para-motoring about the place instead of unpacking holds.

Insert your own comedy caption in the comments!

Tom utilising his visualisation techniques.

The motley crew that made it happen - Scott, Alan and Dave.
Visualising a full brass band?

The entire Extreme Dream team came over from Aviemore for the opening and I’m amazed to say we staggered home at half twelve and most of them were still bouldering strong. That’s keen.

It’s great that there is finally a decent wall in Fort William itself and I’m pretty sure that there is going to be a brilliant scene there.

Slacklining DJs

The music that was playing at the comp seems to have gone down a storm with tons of folk commenting on how good it was. I must admit, I kept that part in the family as the DJs were Dave's sister and her partner Ronin. Katy's myspace is here. If anyone wants a free mix CD, PM her and she'll send you one.

UK Slacklining Masters results

Michael Aschaber (Austria)

• Best International: Andy Lewis (USA) - £500 and a quaich (he looked a bit confused when I handed it to him and had to explain to him later that is a 'cup of friendship' and not, in fact, an ashtray...)
• 2nd International: Michael Aschaber (Austria) - £300
• 3rd International: Damian Cooksey (USA) - £200
• Best effort International: Nils Daimer (Germany) - Tensioning system

• Best UK: Jon Ritson (Lakes) - £500 and a quaich (also equally confused by the quaich/ashtray...)
• 2nd UK: Frank Kroner (Glasgow) - £300
• 3rd UK: Andrew Marshall (Belfast) - £200
• Best effort UK: Rupert Ollinger (Edinburgh) - Slackline kit

Andy Lewis (USA) winning Best International

Check out Andy doing the splits on the line in the clip above - one of the highest scoring tricks you can do on a line.

Well, there were a few twists and turns in the run up to the event but I think I can safely say that the day was a real success. A big 'Thank you!' to everyone that made the day possible.

Fort William UK Slacklining Masters

Jon Ritson on the first highline in Scotland? Correct me if I'm wrong!

The good news is that the entry forms are now available to download here for the very first UK Slacklining Masters and the really, really good news is that there is now even more money to be won. The cash prizes for the comp are now totalling a whopping two grand.

UK Champion = £500

UK 2nd place = £300

UK 3rd place = £200

International Champion = £500

International 2nd place = £300

International 3rd place = £200

If that's not a hefty incentive to book your ticket to Fort William, I don't know what is.

The comp will be kicking off at 12pm on Saturday 23rd February at the Lochaber Leisure Leisure Centre playing fields with the Grand Final at 4pm.

Remember, entry is totally free, so there's no excuse not to enter.

Keep an eye on my blog for updates on the comp.

Fort William Mountain Festival Launch

A couple of months ago The Fort William Mountain Festival asked me if I wanted to get involved with the festival. I said sure, naively thinking they would ask me to turn up during the week of the festival and collect tickets or something, but I began to think something was amiss when Mike Pescod asked me to come to the next committee meeting and before you know it I was on the committee and I’d been given the task of organising a massive slacklining competition. Oh dear. Never having stepped on a line, this may be quite a massive undertaking. So step forward Jon Ritson.

Once I heard that I was going to be organising this comp I quickly emailed Dave’s slacklining guru contact to find his address didn’t work anymore as he’d moved jobs. After a bit of underhanded cyber stalking (creepy, I know, but it worked) I tracked him down and he has very kindly been helping me out with the intricacies of a new and rapidly developing sport that I knew nothing about.

Jon and his friend Charlie also came up from the Lakes for the press launch of the festival on Tuesday. Driving rain did nothing to deter him though as he rather impressively managed to walk the line repeatedly on cue with a bank of photographers and film crews doing their level best to distract him. Is this the first highline in Scotland?

You wouldn’t believe the amount of cajoling it took to get him in that kilt. Never having worn one, he stepped out his van with it on back to front –it was very funny to this Scots Lass!

So the first British Slacklining Masters has been born, come along to Fort William on 23rd February and try it out – you never now, you might win something! Like £500! And I won’t make you walk across a waterfall….not unless you want to…

Check out the video: