Art of Flight

Last night Red Bull Media House, Quiksilver and Brain Farm Digital Cinema showcased the world premier of pro snowboarder Travis Rice's long anticipated new film, The Art of Flight.

Held at the Beacon Theater in Manhattan, the event was attended by the world's best snowboarders, industry influences and even a few celebrities, including Justin Timberlake.

A large red carpet and a pre-showing assemblage of the cast and crew on-stage, greeted the 3,000 on-hand, including Travis and all the riders, Brain Farm's Curt Morgan and Chad Jackson, executive producers Circe Wallace and Ryan Runke, and Red Bull Media House's Werner Brell.

The production was the most ambitious yet from Red Bull. Combining 1000 frames per second slow motion, incredible Dolby Digital sound quality and the planet's most majestic mountain environments, Art of Flight indeed set a new bar in the realm of snowboarding cinema.

The main plot centers on Travis Rice, Mark Landvik and John Jackson searching for the the best snow in the best mountains in the world while pushing the progression of the sport through incredible maneuvers on terrain that had never been ridden. Rice narrates certain portions with enough insight to make it interesting while avoiding the pitfalls of stagnant voice overs. Additional appearances included Olympian Scott Lago, Pat Moore, brothers Luke and Jack Mitrani, Bjorn Leines, Nicolas Mueller, Mark McMorris, and Jake Blauvelt.

Particular highlights included a sketchy Patagonia mission that left Lando and Rice only 40 minutes to ride a narrow chute and cross a frozen river back to the helicopter or the entire party would've been stranded without fuel a hundred miles into the wilderness.

A surprisingly interesting park and pipe session in Snowmass shows that it's still possible to be creative on man-made features.

Of course the Alaska segment offered the most impressive visuals. Stunning  glacial formations, dangerous crevasse and powder laden peaks stretching to the horizon. All of which made more beautiful by Brain Farm's high-tech camera equipment.

The most fun section of the movie took place in Jackson Hole, Travis's hometown. In 2010-2011 season Jackson saw record breaking snowfall and Rice and Co. took full advantage. Deep pow lines, incredible kicker sessions and super fun montage of tree taps reminiscent of That's it That's All. Of note - a super stylish Jamie-Lynn-esque method tree tap that will no doubt be a cover of some snowboarding magazine.

In a hat tip to overall style was Rice and Nicolas Mueller dueling it out in Revelstoke. An area that almost claimed the life of Mark Landvik in a scary avalanche earlier in the film. Upon Rice and Mueller's return viewers witness two of the the world's most dynamic snowboarders carving creative lines down steep faces, between trees and over pillow lines. This was followed by a small section from big mountain legend Jeremy Jones who symbolizes more than any other the dedication to the mountain life and the graceful style that comes along with it.

Tying the entire film together was the soundtrack. Can't say who played but the music selection perfectly complimented the gripping scenes brought to life in super HD and garnished with tastefully done graphic effects.

All in all Art of Flight lived up to expectations. It was That's It That's All on steroids and truly inspires one to turn off Facebook and have an adventure of your own.

Link to photos: http://www.bnqt.com/blogs/detail/Travis-Rice-Premiers-Art-of-Flight/9590.html