What is this thing? It's really that cool.
I’ve been doing this stuff for a good chunk of my life – the only career I’ve ever had. And so when I’m talking about the quality of a day–the light, the crew, the shots, the vibe–I’ve got a fair bit to compare it to. Thousands of days on set. That said, today ranks pretty high on my list of epic days. It’s so late right now that I can barely type, but stay with me for a few minutes if you can stomach it, cause I’m about to lay it on pretty thick…
5:00am wake up call. More fresh snow on the gound. Sky is crystal clear.
6:00am roll out. We’re 30 people deep in 5 or 6 suvs.
7:00am arrival at snowmobile rental – same place we scouted. 15 snowmobiles with drivers haul us deep into the woods, along ridges and through valleys and into one of the most beautiful mountain basins I’ve ever seen. Moon is setting over the Wilson range as the sun is rising. Epic views is an understatement….
Our fleet of snowmobiles.
8:30am arrive at location. Almost 12,000 feet of elevation. Pure blue sky. Not a lick of wind. Unreal location. Crew mood is over the top enthusiasm – we keep talking how few people get to experience something like this – we all wish we could share this more easily.
Scotty looking like a player. Pre-sunrise in the mountains.
10:00am. We’re shooting already. Today is entirely motion/video. We’ve got lots of toys. Stunning views. Epic snow. Hiking. At. This. Elevation. Makes. Flatlanders. Like. Me. Want. To. Pass. Out. But I love it.
10:00am – 6pm. We are crushing it. Stunning light. Multiple cameras catching every moment. We’re shooting handheld, on sticks, steadicams, cranes and jibs…and a helicopter. But not the big ones. This is the remote chopper that if you don’t know about you’ll be happy you read this post. My friends Tabb and Hugh at FreeFly Cinema are on set with us and we’re flying the AF-100 cine camera around like it’s god’s own eyes. Feeling like a kid in a candy store.
The boot pack we put in to access terrain. Managing the fresh snow tracks is mission critical.
6:30 – 7. We nail the sunset shot. I mean nail it. Can’t wait for you to see this. High fives, hugs, fist bumps, everything all around. I’m humbled to be a part of this hardworking and talented crew.
Crew setting up for the sunset shot on the ridge.
7 – 10pm. Moving all the people and gear out of the mountains is a gigantic task. It seems like the people and gear multiplied while we have been up here.
10pm. Back at our car. Driving away from an amazing day.
10:45. Catch one of the last restaurants still open in Telluride. Scarfing.
11:30 Stumble back to the hotel. Must write.
Hugh, yours truly and Tabb. Oh and that amazing flying camera. The FreeFly Cinema guys rock.
After the hero shot, playing with the chopper in epic light... That's yours truly.
12:00 midnight. Can’t do any of today the justice it deserves. Makes me feel lucky to be alive. Out.
You live an amazing life.
Thanks for the updates Chase!
What and experience, sounds pretty amazing Chase. I’ll be re-reading all these for a long time.
Chase, you are letting it “flow” big time! great stuff. Thanks for bringing us along this week.
Like everyone else, I can’t wait to see what the team comes up with. Hopefully you guys will be producing some behind the scenes videos.
Looks like the weather horseshoes have been falling out of your ass again. Isn’t it nice when that happens?
I’ve been reading all the blog posts this week waiting for each report to come out. What a great story, Chase. We are with you along the ride. I appreciate you taking the time to share your days with us. thanks for taking time out of your crazy schedule to share with us.
Mel
Doesn’t get much better that this. You deserve the weather God’s grace and are taking full advantage. Can’t wait to see the final product. The R/C heli’s are a great way to get aerials without a huge expense. I own and use to fly a lot. Takes much skill and practice. Get some rest and keep it coming!
Carl
Wow! Your day was better than mine.
Wonderful series of posts Chase. I’m really looking forward to see the end result of this production. Is there any way you can share it with us?
Now…how do you manage to protect you gear from all that cold white stuff and the weather. I do know that Nikon and B&H does support you well on that. For for amateurs like me who cant afford spoiling gear…anytips….precautions to be taken.?
Moreover do you or dont u think that if one has no particular experience in that helicopter stuff…thats a potential risk to gear?
Regards,
Abhi.
I live right in the middle of an unstable region (The Middle east – Lebanon), currently being fragmented because of political and religious absurdities, dragging us youngsters in an unprecedented, state of depression. Yet your posts never fail to bring me hope, inspiration, and a fresh outlook on life. And for that I’m beyond grateful! Thank you Chase (and the rest of the team)! Keep on the amazing work!!
Cheers!
M.
dude do you guys proces these images before they go up? the one of scott looks amazing if thats straight from cam
Awesome!!!!!
I can see your getting tired, but please keep it coming. I’m waiting every day for the next post, this is REALLY interesting stuff!!!!!
Thanks for finding the time to keep writing
Love it when a plan comes together.
Amazing one guys!!!!!! Really interesting and adventurous !!!
You are an inspiration. Any vacancies opening up soon??
The Wonderful Adventures of Chase Jarvis and his team !!! Supers !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Epic post about epic shoot, making epic piles of money selling rad gear and just tearing it up… Cool free flow but other than the epic days with the awesome crew I don’t get the value here — where’s the beef?. Plus–ok –I’m jealous! But still, maybe you should write when you have something tangible to share.
Chase, respect for how you’re keeping these blog posts coming in between all this production madness! Enjoying every single one of them
These posts are so great! Good to hear that the weather was working in your favour and that this day was epic. Epic days are epic. Therefore, epic days win. Can’t wait to see some of this stuff!!!
Amazing stuff man thanks for blogging this its been great to follow!
Great stuff Chase, and very well writen. A joy to read. Seemed like an amazing day. Would have been something to be part of it!
Sweet heli, how fun! Livin’ the dream. Can’t wait to see the end results.
The whole series are amazing …
Man, amazing stuff. Inspiring work ethic, great creative energy, really really cool.
Loving it Chase, sounds sick! Will we get to see the finished article?
Excellent, Chase! I’ve really enjoyed following this production. Thanks for your behind the scenes views. You and your team are really something. I’ll be interested to see the finished work. You guys rock!
Nice one bro, your energy is infectious.
Upcoming NZ winter looks to be……………..Epic. You must visit again.
Great Diary
Sweeeeeeeeet
Thanks for sharing…Very motivating
Awesome summary – I have had my eye on an RC helicopter for a while now…you may have just pushed me over the edge. Also nice to see everyone is a slave to nature. I just completed a shoot at Jay Peak in VT which involved 2 days of rain, 2 days of wind and snowy rain …oh well c’est la vie…I shouldn’t complain about skiing and shooting. Cheers.
Awesome.
Keep it goin`…
It´s amazing!!!!
Thanks & I bow down because of your passion and the fact that you share everything without any secret… You are a gift for the (photographic)world =)
High five,
Markus
Chase,
Thank you for sharing your amazing experience with us. I look forward to reading about it every day. Can’t wait to see final product having known all it took to get there.
You kick ass!!
Honest to God Chase, this gets me more motivated to take pictures than just about anything! The special moments do happen and you do get the shot, if you’re prepared and work hard for it! Very deserving my man! Congrats!
You just became my biggest photographic hero. What an amazing story, I can’t wait to see what else you come up with!! Really fantastic work, I am utterly blown away.
Great post again, Chase! Maybe a few weather fairies are having a Telluride fly-by…showing their way of winking at you!
…meaning magic beings with weather control!
You are an absolute inspiration.
And that shot of Scott at the top of the post is one of the best images I’ve seen from you. Totally wicked.
Winning! (i mean the real $hlt here, not the chuck sheen type)
YOU.LIVE.LIFE!
amazing work and wish I was able to see some of these in person!!!
Thank you for sharing!
It feels like if we could all be up there with you and your crew, taking a glance at how beautyful nature is.
Isn’t so gratifying when so many people work toghether real hard to make things happen and nature helps out and gives you the perfect day and the perfect spot? Makes you ware a big smile all the way along.
I’m really happy that you could expirience that! And grateful that you decided to make us part of it!
Sweet!
Sounds amazing! Again thanks for the posts, looking forward to seeing the results!
This is crazy! Tons of respect Chase. Immensely inspired by everything you do Chase.
Cool stuff but I must say.. It is really sad when one reads the fan base wishing they had Chases life…I love my life and all that I do and am..I am amazed that people will go through life wishing for all time to be another person or live another’s life. Life is for living and if anything I can say for this forum is that people should take example from Chase and CREATE the life they want. Use him as a personal inspiration and go make it happen!…Take great pics if that is your life goal but be epic about it! I get the feeling that Chase would not sit around reading all this saying ” Wow, my life sucks compared to this guy or gal”…Really sucks the life force out of this forum which is JUST FUN and nothing more…Yes you can learn here but for Pete’s sake let it breath!
Quiero hacer fotos y video con estos helicópteros… alguna sugerencia para los equipos…!
I take pictures and video with these helicopters … any suggestions for equipment …! or a website where they are and what controls are needed
Do you can this work? I can this play!
Great series, Chase. Thanks very much for taking time out of your long days to post these. It’s a fascinating look at production behind the scenes, something many of us amateur shooters rarely see.
As always so inspiring! thank you for the series! hope tomorrow will be even more awesome than today!
Luck has nothing to do with it, if you aren’t prepared to grab it. Nice post.
c
For whatever it’s worth, the weather over here on this side of the Divide – in Boulder – hasn’t been terribly different than yours, in terms of unpredictability. Save for the awesome snowfall you got.
So close, yet so far away. LOL
Scott certainly looks like a playa’ in that image. Great pictures and that flying camera looks so amazingly awesome. VERY curious regarding the sunset image!
Pretty epic stuff! Thanks for sharing Chase! I just gotta ask though: what are those white sunglasses you rocking at the 2nd to the last photo? (yep I’m quite into sunglasses)
Thanks!
Diego
Brilliant!
sounds insane…
Man, I hadn’t read your blog for about 2 days (life got on the way;) and I felt like I was missing out. I had to rush to come to the blog stat and start reading, I couldn’t wait.
Even though you write ” It’s so late right now that I can barely type, but stay with me …” the emotion of the blog is the same and the excitement maddening. Thanks for one more day!
I’ll add this site to my bookmark and tell my friends about this blog.
If you ever start thinking you’re getting a tiny bit burned out, let me just give you a teensy bit of advice:
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGE CAREERS
it doesn’t get better than that, amigo
got it?
’nuff said.
chase, you always in adventures…