(Interview by Ryan Dunfee, BroBomb Magazine: http://www.brobomb.com )

-How did it all come together between you and JP to do that segment?  Were there other skiers you considered as well?

I came up with an extremely loose segment-concept dubbed "the creative seggy" and attempted to involve 3 of the most creative people I know: JP Auclair, Rory Bushfield and Andrew Hardingham.  This was to be my first urban segment shoot...ever.  I picked JP up at the airport and asked him "so what have you got buddy?"

He replied "What have I got?!?  What have YOU got!?!".

"Well, you're the urban guy."  I said.  

"Well, your the creative guy!" JP replied.  

Then he proceeded to inform me that his epic urban segment in PBP's Revolver had taken him 10 years to scout.  D'oh!

Turned out Bushy and Hardingham couldnt make it, so JP and I were left to our devices.  But as we drove to the interior JP started reminiscing about how, as a kid, he would look out the car window and visualize a skier hitting every little patch of snow and jibbing everything possible.  The it was like - presto! I think a lot of people have shared this fantasy at sometime in their life, and I think thats why this segment has turned out so powerful.  It was an incredible pleasure and honour to work with JP.  We got along so well that he ended up co-directing the whole movie!  The world needs more people like JP!!

-How did you decide on the location?  Where there others you considered?  

-How extensive was the planning?

-How many days did it take to shoot?

14 days and we worked our asses off.  There was just the 2 of us (with occasional help from kids walking home from school;). Ive never shovelled so many poo particles in my life.

-Did you guys not film on sunny days on purpose or did it just come out like that?

It was really bizzarre, I think we were the only 2 skiers on Earth hoping for rain clouds.  If it started to snow or the sun came out, we were choked.  To maintain continuity we could only shoot in the grey, so we spent the "nice" days scouting and digging.

-Did either of you have any close run-ins with cars or anything?

We had scouters watching for cars, usually local kids who wanted to hang out.  Turns out they were quite good at their job went wrong.

-Where did you find that awesome jump that JP did the 3 and the 7 off of?

We knocked on some "adults" doors and asked if we could "play" in their yard.  We dug the 360 driveway-gap into the snow behind an old Chrismas tree, and the 7 was done over a gap between these 2 huge snow piles that the snow-plows had left behind.  We were stressing they were gonna come back and mutilate them while at night...but they didnt;)

-Was that bus at the end there by itself or did you have to rent it or something?

Yeah, thats a real bus in Nelson, I had noticed it on one of our scouting days and thought..."whoa, thats perfect".  Its funny cause it really was the last shot of the shoot, and totally accidental.  It was dusk and we had just finished shooting clothes-line. I heard the bus coming up the street and I ran and dove with the camera, placing it on the ground and hitting record.  JP played it out perfectly, casually getting on and convincing the driver to take him to the next stop.

-What was the most difficult or interesting build?

I think its really cool style to hold a long shot without editing, like they do in "Children of Men" and old Tarkovsky films.  The long-line on Cedar Street in Nelson is one I am very proud of (about 30 seconds long, which is big for an action sequence), and it was the first shot we did.  A bunch of kids came out and helped us build it.  Everyone came out of the woodwork and watched as JP backfliped the hedge, grinds the street, gaps the alley, slides the rail and then drops the steep rail at the end.  It was super fun to do, a great creative process, and an amazing vibe in the community.

-How did it work with all the people's property you were skiing through?

We ended up hanging around so much that people started bringing us out plates of hot-dogs and chips.  For the most part people were very friendly and if we asked nicely enough they would let us do anything.  The whole trip was really an amazing social experience, and we met some amazing people who we would never have met otherwise.  

This one guy Joey from Trail was the best (he rides his bike w/ trailer through one shot).  He just walked up to us and was immediately our best friend.  He'd just reach into a bag of chips we were eating and start munching away, asking us how everything was going.  "Hows it goin' big boy?", he'd say.  Most people have this inhibition when you first meet them, and act with a slight guard up, y'know?  But not Joey, we hung out with him for a week and it was legitimately sad when we had to leave him behind.  I wish everyone could be that friendly right off the batt.

-Did anybody give JP any weird looks being some 30-year old skiing through the streets?

Oh ya.  The both of us looked wack to many passers by.

-Some of those lines looked pretty bare.  Did JP ever eat shit onto concrete?