Many of us feel challenged photographically if its starts to rain or there’s a bit of a trek to reach a good location, but what if you had to film yourself jumping out of a helicopter… or free diving in freezing Icelandic waters… or surfing some of the biggest waves in the world?
Long-term friends and adventure filmmakers Blake ‘BT’ Thornton and Matt ‘Gilso’ Gilsenan – a lifeguard and a carpenter in their other lives – have spent the last nine years travelling to extreme locations in Iceland, Alaska, Tahiti, Canada, New Zealand and, of course, Australia to shoot an epic 90-minute documentary they’ve titled Chase That Feeling.
The pair filmed over 300 hours of footage – most of it in challenging conditions of one sort or another – and, in the process, travelled by helicopter, boat, RV, jet ski, surfboards, snowboards, split board, and, at times, with parachutes on their backs. Recording their exploits was a selection of Sony gear – the PXW-FS7 and NEX-FS700R pro video cameras, an Alpha A7S hybrid mirrorless camera, 4K action cams and UHF lapel microphones. The action cams were fitted to snowboard helmets, skydive wrist mounts, chest mounts, and surfboards to record all the action up close and personal… as if you were right there, experiencing exactly what Blake and Matt were seeing. Their aim is to motivate others through their experiences, and the film is intended to encourage people to get outdoors, be active, and to push their own limits in the