Vid Interview - Jamie Houssian
The Collective Recalled
Words by Cam McRae. Photos by Sterling Lorence.
Date: 2011-12-09
It's hard to pinpoint what made each of the Collective films so compelling and memorable. The filmmakers pioneered techniques that helped communicate what it might be like to hit a fifty foot gap like Matt Hunter. They shot longer so we could see approaches and run outs and used unique angles to see what we hadn't seen before. We were given access to what was happening behind the cameras, allowed to see filmers and Sterling Lorence doing their jobs.
It was more than that though. Jonathan Schramm's shot of Thomas Vanderham ratcheting his pedals into place may have been a fluke, but choosing it to open a segment wasn't. It was as though we were there. We could hear Thomas breathe and communicate with the filmers. The sound of his chain propelling his cogs brought us into the scene. We could imagine lifting our bikes, swinging a leg over and preparing to drop in.
Jamie prepping for a shot back in 2003. Photo ~ Sterling Lorence
This was part of the genius of the Collective films, to invite us along. Instead of presenting the riders as rock stars living lives we could never aspire to, they were shown as who they are, as riders like you and I, with more raw talent and nerve, but with the same enthusiasm for riding bikes. Each detail, each unguarded moment between shots that revealed something real from the riders, made us pay a little more attention to the action. We got to know the riders a little better and that made us care.
The Collective is a line in the sand for mountain bike films, the moment they grew beyond action sports porn. There were several films I enjoyed before the Collective and got me fired up to ride, but none that captured what I experienced riding my bike in the same way. This was mountain biking from a rider's perspective, presented in a way that helped those on the outside understand what we are on about. You can sit down and watch The Collective, Roam or Seasons with people who don't ride mountain bikes and they are drawn in by the riders, by the riding, but most of all by the stories the films reveal.
Follow Me was the crew's first effort without Jamie Houssian. Anthill films made a fine film that looked beautiful and presented some amazing riding. It's clearly a film that can stand on its own, but for me something was missing. I was hoping for a continuation along the trajectory of the three Collective films, but that didn't happen. It appears that Jamie brought something unique to the films. Was it the narrative he drove or his editing that managed to identify and present iconic moments that, when put together, added up to more than the sum of its parts? How much did the music Jamie championed impact our experience?
The first part of our video interview, shot and edited by Matt Dennison, delves into Jamie's start as a mountain biker and filmmaker
Pick up the new Collective Anthology here...
Do you remember seeing The Collective for the first time? Does it stand out for you like it does for me? Tell it below.
Comments
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Nice work, lads. Great to get a little more background info on someone who has had a profound effect on the mtb film side of things, who happens to also be a really solid guy. Looking forward to the next segment!
The Collective came out right before I had bought my first downhill bike, and it was a game changer for me. I was always stoked with NWD and some of the smaller films, but the way these guys showcased a lifestyle was next level.
I still remember going to the Calgary premiere. It was down on Stephen Ave at the Globe Cinema, and was dreadfully cold. To be honest, I didn't even really know what I was going to, because at the time I was a park/dirtjump rat who still didn't have a driver's license, let alone a truck and DH bike. I saw a poster of a stunningly saturated, mossy green tree trunk in the local bike shop, and underneath it read "Movie Premiere". Tickets were $10, so me and some friends made the purchase. Who would've thought than $10 could have changed the entire outlook I had on riding.
Thank you guys, for being a game changer.
The Collective was a game changer for MTB films and it's even better when they are local. What is Jamie currently doing to pay the bills? Any more plans for a film project?
Great to hear what makes Jamie tick and a bit of background behind the collective. They were definitely a huge influence on pretty much every mountain bike video that has been released since, and the producers of possibly the best Whistler segment ever made in Roam.
What a great video and insight. Thank you Matt and Cam. I can't wait for the next sections.
That was awesome, just what i needed to watch after another epic day in Whistler. GTS!!!!! getting those shots, nice work
Nice Work Jamie! Gotta get you to autograph my Collective DVD. I still remember your Ski video from back in the day.
Three cheers for the new nsmb motion graphic. Looks sharp!
Wade's section really got me stoked when I first saw The Collective; I think it was the bassy music and that one nose manual off a log. Since then I've watched it so many times since then I appreciate all the parts for their details.
More Friday Night Beers! I'm gonna crack one now.
Honestly, I think this is the best thing I've ever seen on NSMB. Loved it. Nicely done.
Awesome work Matt. Very stoked on how this is rolling out.
Thanks a lot!!!
I still remember watching The Collective for the first time - soo beautiful, and it still is. For me, it felt like it was from riders for riders, including big balls and all that, but in a more "realistic" fashion that focused on more than just big stunt riding.
It still is so much more, and the series captured it in a way that gives me a lot of remedy for the soul if I cannot ride myself.
Loving this series guys. Can't believe The Collective is 7 years old, still one of the best movies ever. I think every mtb videographer owes a huge debt to his work. Really hope Jaime makes another film some day.
Great interview, would love to see another film from Jaimie when is part 3 up??
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