The Fine Line + 4 Avalanche Training Films (2008)

With the explosion in backcountry popularity this winter, we figured the time was right to revisit our first feature film—’The Fine Line’, from 2008—and release the main film and its additional training films for free on all of our social channels.

The film’s primary message of avalanche safety was inspired by the death of four of our close High School friends in a small, early season avalanche that could have easily been prevented with the proper safety precautions.

We wanted to take a new approach to avalanche awareness, one that would resonate with younger skiers and snowboarders and inspire them to start the lifelong process of learning how to move safely through the mountains. We did this by weaving the message into a hard-hitting, action-packed film that featured some of the top dogs in professional skiing and snowboarding at the time. And we worked with the Canadian Avalanche Foundation and a host of avalanche professionals to ensure that the educational aspect of the film met the industry standard.

Twelve years later, we’re still super proud of the entire project. But watching it again feels like we pulled some dusty old reels out of the attic to revisit a time in our filmmaking careers when we were learning the craft, trying new things and finding our creative voice as a company.

It’s shot on 16mm though. So that’s cool, right?

Either way, the project consists of a primary film and four training films. The primary film did the festival circuit and picked up a few awards along the way. And the training films are still used as a resource for avalanche education today. Of course some of the techniques, gear and snow science standards have been updated in the last 12 years, but the message will never lose its relevance.

Please feel free to send this website link to anyone you know who intends to wander outside the ski hill boundary this winter.

Stay safe, friends. //

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TRAINING FILMS

PLEASE NOTE: These Training Films are from 2008 and many of the techniques have since been updated, as has the gear. Please cross-reference everything you learn here with the current standards.

Training Film 1 – Understanding Avalanche Bulletins

Training Film 2 – Choosing Terrain 

Training Film 3 – Predicting Avalanches

Training Film 4 – Emergency Self Rescue

Original synopsis of Primary Film:

“The greatest snow sports athletes join the world’s leading avalanche professionals to bring you a new movement in avalanche education. “The Fine Line” is a cinematic journey that unites the cutting edge of winter sports with youth education about responsible backcountry usage. Along with massive avalanches, epic riding, year long time-lapses, crazy true stories, cable cam cinematography, and Alaskan heli to heli, educational materials are made clearly visible. This engaging, and inspiring film can save lives.”

DIRECTED BY

Dave Mossop

PRODUCER

Malcolm Sangster

CO-PRODUCED BY

Eric Crosland

Dave Mossop

ASSOCIATE PRODUCER

Evan Woolley

WRITTEN BY

Dave Mossop

Malcolm Sangster

Eric Crosland

Mike Nixon

PRINCIPAL CINEMATOGRAPHY

Dave Mossop

Constantine Papanicolaou

Alex Fostvedt

ADDITIONAL CINEMATOGRAPHY

Eric Crosland

Malcolm Sangster

Frank Desrosiers

Aaron Whitley

Anthony Vitelli

ANIMATION BY

Ryan Thibault

Callum Paterson

Nathan Gilliss

CAST

Vance Brews

Katie Elliott

Carson Graham

Jillian Rankin

RIDERS

Cholo Burns

Tom Burt

Shandy Campos

Shin Campos

Shane Carmichael

Kris Cormier

Dana Flahr

Will Gadd

Gary Hall

Tanner Hall

Andrew Hardingham

Eric Hjorleifson

Bryan Iguchi

Ian McIntosh

Scott Penner

Sean Pettit

Matty Richard

Travis Rice

Mikey Rencz

Chris Rubens

Skye Sheele

Dan Treadway

Dave Treadway

Dominic Melanson

Pete Then

Peter Velisek