Video: Jimmy Chin Talks Risk and Responsibility in Climbing

Last week I posted a video from the Nat Geo Live series that feature photographer/climber Jimmy Chin and filmmaker Elizabeth "Chai" Vasarhelyi talking about the making of the film Meru. In that clip they talked about the particular challenges that Jimmy, along with teammates Conrad Anker and Renan Ozturk, faced in capturing footage for the documentary. Today, we have another video from that same session, this time with Jimmy discussing the risks and responsibilities that mountaineers and climbers face when embarking on an expedition. As he says, it is a balance between pushing your own personal ambitions, while maintaining the safety of the entire team. It is an interesting look at where that line falls, from a man who has walked it on more than a few occasions.

Video: The Making of Meru

Earlier this year, the acclaimed climbing film Meru was released, giving us an incredible look at two expeditions by Conrad Anker, Jimmy Chin, and Renan Ozturk to climb the infamous Shark Fin on Mt. Meru in India, with the trio finally completing the first ascent of that massive rock wall in 2010. If you haven't had the chance to see this documentary yet, you should do so as soon as possible. It is simply amazing, with some of the best mountaineering and climbing footage you could ever hope for.

If you have seen the film, you probably have wondered how it was made. Obviously the three climbers, and in particular Jimmy, did most of the shooting, which was later compiled together to make Meru. But there was more to it than just that, as you'll see in this video which is part of the Nat Geo Live series.

In the clip, Chin and filmmaker Elizabeth "Chai" Vasarhelyi discuss how the film came into being, and the process it took to put it altogether. Truly fascinating stuff, particularly if you've seen the movie and want to know how it was made.