Small World
Go out into the world, they say… see it for yourself! But in an age where any destination is in the palm of your hand- just a click away, what is left to truly explore? Level 1 examines the universal dialect of moving down snow on two feet through a lens of fresh perspective- documenting the outer niches of a sport pushed under the rug by the modern day ski zeitgeist. From the secret valleys of Switzerland, the ancient cities of Estonia, to the rowdy rope-tows of Minnesota- follow us around the globe as we capture skiing in its purest form. It’s a Small World, after all.
Josh Berman
Also Directed by Josh Berman
Level 1 celebrates 10 years of production with Refresh, a visual and auditory tour through the history of freestyle ski entertainment. The most memorable moments from Level 1's past provide a background to the envelope-tearing stunts and butt-puckering big-mountain freestyle segments that make up the majority of this film. The Level 1 cast, as always, mixes familiar names with undiscovered talent for a sneak peek at tomorrow's superstar skiers.
No collection of jib flicks would be complete without Strike Three, a film which has undoubtedly become a cult classic in the years since its release. Credited for exposing the world of skiing to high-end urban rails and jibs truly for the first time ever, it features some of the gnarliest and most technical rails done to this day, Shot across North America and beyond and matched to super hip-hop influenced soundtrack, Strike Three features the riding of the prototypical Level 1 crew, including Crichton, Hibbert, Woods, Burke, Emil Coty, and others, as well as introducing you to future players Simon Dumont and Peter Olenick in their first video segments ever.
Spurred by the re-invention of twin tip skis in recent years, the skiing industry and culture had been at once revolutionized. Influenced by these recent changes in the perception of skiing, a new crop of riders is now pushing the limits and definition of the sport in ways never-before imagined’¦ they are, the Second Generation. Shot on location throughout North America, Europe, and Japan, Second Generation features the newest and most influential players in the new-school freeskiing scene, and follows them throughout the 00-01 season in their quest to push the limits of the sport. Featuring the most progressive skiing stunts and exploits ever caught on film, including Dave Crichton’s still legendary first movie segment, Second Generation will forever change the way you look at the sport of skiing.
The earth turns and the sun disappears over the horizon. Flip the switch, and the lights go out. Slumber begins and the mind awakens, taking us to places we’ve never been and witnessing things not yet seen or imagined. From the enchanted powder forests of Japan, the historic streets of Moscow, to the unthawed mountains of Western America, and everywhere in between – Level 1 invites you into our spectrum of reality to see a succession of images, visions, sounds, and sensations quite unlike those of the conscious world. Experience it for yourself – our dream, our vision of skiing. After Dark.
Forward, the fourth release from Josh Berman and Level 1, pushes the envelope of progressive freeskiing further than ever before, and takes you into the very heart of the sport’s culture and the lives of the athletes. Forward features the biggest names and best unknown talent from around the world and is set to a soundtrack of the best underground beats.
Six months of skiing action. Lots of snow. Weeks of rain. Sun. Clouds. Fog. Blue Skies. Unforgiving concrete. Untracked landings. Low Pressure. High fives. Triple kinks. Double grabs. Too much speed. Not enough gas. Underrotated. Overtweaked. A chronological portrayal of the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of the ’06-’07 exactly as it happened. Level 1 brings you, ‘REALTIME.’ Directed by award-winning filmmaker Josh Berman and shot in HD across the globe, Realtime captures the season as it unfolds for a crew of the biggest names and best up and coming talent in skiing. In a winter quite unlike any other to date, Level 1 throws down a fresh new format with their trademark style, and nothing short of the best cinematography in action sports filmmaking.
There are as many paths as there are people. Some choose to be carpet salesman, others choose to be skiers. These behaviors are part of life's routine, and consciously or not, we're all slaves to it somehow. But you can't have the result without the process- you must get up to go down. Let this be your field guide to the minutia, the frivolities and of course the addiction to pure, uncut, freedom. Go ahead, scratch that itch. Because after all, we are creatures of HABIT.
Turn out, tune on, and drop in. Skiing’s counterculture continues to buck the trends of what’s come before them- this is a worldwide documentation of ski action as you’ve never seen it presented before! Follow the Level 1 crew as they experiment with one of the largest gap jumps ever built in Sun Valley, Idaho, hit a record snowfall in Helsinki, Finland, and harvest the vast resources of Alaska… or perhaps it’s all just a lucid dream? Wake up, because Level 1 will take you on the visual trip of a lifetime. Come along for the ride! Shot on Location in: Sun Valley, ID Champéry, Switzerland Alaska Michigan Colorado Twin Cities, MN Quebec Utah Mammoth Mountain, CA Alpine Meadows, CA Eclipse Snow Park Alta, UT Helsinki, Finland Revelstoke, BC Mustang Pow, BC Whistler, BC
It feels good. Slamming into concrete walls, risking the backcountry unknown, being broke on the road… Some would call it hedonistic behavior, we call it living the dream, and this cast of characters delivers a vibrant depiction of this so-called sport of skiing.With a local tourist mentality, the simple joys are found near and far. From India, Switzerland and Japan, to British Columbia, Washington DC, and Alaska, it’s business in the front, party in the back, and no one is phoning it in. Level 1 continues to surprise with another must watch ski film in a lineage of classics, for your viewing PLEASURE.
The video that started it all! There existed an unrecognized balance between the level of skiing talent on the East Coast and the rest of the country, and for many years it was necessary for skiers to first make the pilgrimage out West before they were even given the opportunity to be discovered. Balance set out to change all that, as the first ever East Coast (based!) feature.