So many heads. Photo: @think_thank
Think Thank did something very special with its newest film Methods of Prediction, which premiered at Sandy Cinema on August 10, 2015. Those in attendance at the 10pm showing bared witness to the most creative side of snowboarding showcased in a beautifully wrapped package. Hosting the world premiere at a real movie theatre in close proximity to Mt. Hood ensured a strong shred community turnout at both shows. But the very first showing, exclusively for High Cascade and Windells campers, was extra special.
The idea of presenting snowboarding in a long-form movie format may seem archaic in a time of instant video. We might see kids dropping full parts via Periscope next winter. But by giving the youth the first glimpse of their new full length film, Jesse and Pika Burtner proclaimed that not only do young voices and opinions matter, but that they also are deserving of involvement in our community.
Nial spreads the stoke! Photo @christinesavage
Prior to watching the movie, one of my campers, Will Tracy, was planning on going rafting the next day to give his body a break from aggressive snow sliding. After approximately 45 minutes of watching MOP, he was so inspired that snowboarding seemed like a better option. If a film can reach a grom and evoke such a reaction, then I’d say Think Thank was able to do one of the most essential parts of creating a great snowboarding film.
I was truly blown away by the contents of this movie. I could list tricks and try to explain what things looked like, but that would be doing the filmmakers, Sean Lucey and Paul Heran, an injustice. You just have to see it for yourself. Some of my personal favorites parts were Nial Romanek, Jesse Burtner, Max Warbington and Desiree Melancon. Seriously, Des is on one. But don’t let my standouts take away from the rest of the crew. The riding is good enough to keep a child out of potentially dangerous waters, which is vital in a time where snowboarding could use a good life jacket.
Photo: @pika_burtner
That said, stay tuned for a fill part-by-part review, but more importantly, make sure to download, buy a dvd, stream illegally, attend a premiere or catch Methods of Prediction any way you can.
