Video: [R]evolution - A Film About Down Hill Mountain Biking In Greece

I came across this great looking documentary about the mountain biking scene in Greece earlier today and thought that it was very well done. The full length film is just over an hour long, so you'll want to have some time to devote, but even if you can only take in a bit at a time, it is worth a look. The film is incredibly well shot and simply looks stunning. Plus, the Greek trails look pretty damn great too. Enjoy!

[R]EVOLUTION from Emmanouel Armoutakis on Vimeo.

Video: The Official Trailer for Planet Earth II

Way back in 2006 – when this blog was still in its infancy – a groundbreaking television show called Planet Earth was released. Narrated by the incomparable David Attenborough, it went on to capture the imagination of millions of viewers, and set a high-water mark for nature documentaries that has yet to be surpassed in my opinion. Now, the BBC is back at it and will release Planet Earth II in November. We recently got a sneak peek at what we can expect in the form of a 2+ minute long trailer, which you'll find below. When it was released a decade ago, the original series was filmed in high definition, revealing to the public just how stunning that format could me. Now, the show has been filmed at 4K resolutions, which is just as dramatic of a leap forward as HD. As you'll see, the team behind this program looks like they delivered on the epic heritage of the original. I can't wait to see it.

Adventure Film Review: 126 Degrees In The Shade

Over the past few years while writing this blog, it has been my absolute pleasure to connect with some truly remarkable individuals. I have met climbers, adventurers, exceptional endurance athletes, and a host of other amazing people. Amongst those people are Mikael Strandberg, a modern day explorer who continues to work tirelessly to fill in the remaining blank spots on the map.

In 2012, Mikael, along with traveling companion Tanya Holm, traveled 350 km (217 miles) across the Sands of Al Mahra in Yemen by camel. That journey took them into the heart of the desert and through a country that has had its fair share of turmoil in recent years. The expedition was as much about exploring a little known landscape, as it was the culture of Yemen, a country that receives very little positive press from the mainstream media.

Since he returned from that adventure, Mikael has been busy working on a documentary about his Yemen project. That film is called 126 Degrees In The Shade, and I've been fortunate enough to get a sneak peek at this amazing film. The 58 minute doc drops us right into the middle of the expedition, giving us a first hand look at what the Swedish explorer and his friend Tanya encountered while out in the desert.

Some of the challenges that they faced along the way included physical exhaustion, angry sheiks, logistical hurdles, and as the name implies, some insanely hot temperatures. But along the way, they also met some amazing people. The people of Yemen, who are not always what you would expect.

The film is enlightening, entertaining and a well crafted look at Mikael's adventure. If you have an interest in modern day exploration, Middle Eastern culture, or simply want to see an alternative take on Yemen, then you won't want to miss this film. It is a refreshing take on a part of the world that is largely misunderstood, despite some of the challenges that the Yemenis face.

The full version of the film will be released soon, and Mikael intends to enter it into some of the top film festivals. But until then, you can get a look at what it is like by checking out the trailer below. It is a bit of teaser for the full documentary, but you'll at least have an idea of what to expect from the full release. If you get the chance, you'll definitely want to see the final film.


Expedition Yemen - 126 degrees in the shade - trailer 1 from Explorer Mikael Strandberg on Vimeo.

Video: Into The Cave Of Wonders

There are two buzzwords we're hearing a lot about these days in terms of filmmaking (three if you count drones!). Those buzzwords include 4K and HDR. 4K shoots video at resolutions higher than HD, while High Dynamic Range video (and photography) captures colors in brighter, more saturated fashions. The result is an ultra-realistic looking video that has to be seen to be believed.

The filmmakers behind the video below used both 4K and HDR in the production of their short documentary entitled Into the Cave of Wonders. The results are pretty spectacular, as you'll see when you view the 9 minute clip. And before anyone asks, yes, the Cave of Wonders does exist. It is located in southern Spain near the town of Aracena. It is also open to the public, so start planning your visit soon.

Into the Cave of Wonders [4k HDR short documentary] from LovetheFrame on Vimeo.

Meet the First Men to Fly Over Everest

If you've seen the big Hollywood film Everest that came out last year, you probably heard one of the characters deliver a line about how the team would be climbing at the same altitude as a commercial jetliner. Today, aircraft fly over or around the mountain on a regular basis, and no one thinks twice about it, but back in 1933 that still seemed like an impossible height to take an aircraft, particularly in an age when pressurized cabins were not necessarily the norm just yet. But two daring pilots made that flight, and lived to tell the tale. And they did so in a biplane that is down right ancient when compared to modern aircraft.

Mashable recently posted a story and some great  photos from that epic adventure that was called the Houston Everest Expedition because it was sponsored by a wealthy British philanthropist known as Lady Houston. She put up the money that allowed RAF pilot Douglas Douglas-Hamilton (aka Lord Clydesdale) and Colonel Stewart Blacker to attempt to fly a Westland PV-3 biplane over the top of the world's highest mountain, something that seemed incredibly dangerous at the time.

The two men took off from an airstrip near Purnea, India on the morning of April 3, 1933. They were accompanied by a second aircraft flown by Flight Lieutenant David McIntyre and a photographer named S.R. Bonnett. The second plane was there to record the event for posterity and get some fantastic images of this daring flight. The photographer did not disappoint.

As it turns out, the mission was a test for both pilots and aircraft, as there was indeed no pressurized cabins. The four men who were aboard the two planes had to rely on oxygen masks to keep their wits about them and help them breathe at such an altitude. On top of that, it was rare for any airplane to fly at such heights at that point in history, and the small biplane struggled in the thin air just as much as her crew.

When the two planes approached Everest, high winds caused even more problems, forcing the planes to drop 1500 feet (457 meters). But in the end, they were able to climb back up to 29,029 feet (8848 meters) and pass over the top of the summit for the very first time. All four men were given high accolades with Lord Clydesdale earning the Air Force Cross for his leadership. Bonnett's photos and video footage were also used to create an Academy Award winning film called Wings Over Everest as well. You can watch that film below.

The story of this expedition is an amazing one. Today we take it for granted that we fly at such a height, but back in 1933 it was almost as if they were trying to go to the moon. Fortunately, they proved that aircraft are sturdier than was believed and that man can go to higher heights that was previously believed. It would be 20 years before Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay would actually climb to the summit, but this intrepid crew helped lead the way.