“We do it for the fun of it and the rush. [It’s] scary, it’s all about the next big thing,” states Kyle Norbraten, on why him and his friends have such a passion for mountain biking. An alumni of Capilano's Mountain Bike Operations program, Norbraten is now seeking to bring the excitement and intensity of mountain biking to everyone, with his new documentary on the topic, From the Inside Out.
The film is a collaboration that brought together several generations of mountain bikers, a fact that Norbraten is particularly proud of. “A lot of the riders are actually some of our friends who we used for the film. We grew up looking up to those guys. Being able to shoot with [them] and ride with [them] was a huge deal for us.”
They set out, not only to expose the world of extreme mountain biking to non-bikers, but also to show the rugged natural beauty of British Columbia, where the entire documentary was filmed. On the website, the film is described as “our adventure to the places we've always wanted to ride, and our expression of the lines and styles that have influenced us.”
“[The film] is more behind-the-scenes of what goes on, so you get to feel like you’re a part of it. You get to see more than the average film shows you. You can feel what the riders are feeling and what the [filmmakers] are feeling,” said Norbraten.
The film is currently being premiered all over Canada and the US, and many locations around the world, including the United Kingdom, Germany, and South Africa. “The feedback has been super positive, everyone’s very stoked on the film.”
For those interested in the feats of athleticism presented in the film, Norbraten explains that a Vancouver film premiere is still in the planning stages, but will definitely happen. In terms of distribution, enthusiasts can anticipate a release date of Dec. 1. SecondBase Films is planning to have DVDs made available for purchase on iTunes as well as at local bike shops in and around the Lower Mainland.
One of the more daring feats on display in the film is a death-defying jump over a moving train that Norbratren performed himself, a personal goal that was ten years in the making for him. Some might question Norbraten’s sanity with regards to the stunt, but there is no doubt that much careful planning went into the execution of Norbraten’s leap of faith over a moving train. “With something like that, you pretty much figure out every risk, to avoid them. The scariest part was jumping it for the first time, once it was ready for the train it was all good.”
Norbraten believes his experience in Capilano's Mountain Bike Operations program as something that continues to be relevant for him. “I owe a lot to taking that program. A lot of the things I observed there I apply still to what I do.”
The filmmakers and mountain bikers are very excited to have their first film finished and ready to be presented. Norbraten says they’re planning to do “more films down the road. We’re going to keep the momentum going for sure.”
// Claire McGillivray, Writer
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