Filmmaking 101

Or, more like "How NOT to create a film" - the gang and I have been talking about filming our kooky adventures with dogs for YEARS and we finally did it. This is the result, not of the actual film itself (we still have to figure how to get it off the camera!), but of a behind-the-scenes peek at our first attempt. I can assure you all that the most entertaining part of this was definitely behind the scenes. I'll paint the picture before you watch the video/slideshow:

First off - picture about a foot of slushy and soft snow on the ground. Picture more gravel and mud in spots than actual slushy soft snow. Picture two very excited dogs and a "my-patience-is-wearing-very-freaking-thin" skijorer after a few(5? 12?) falls on sub-par trails. Picture two novices working the camera and quad while navigating soft snow AND moguls. Picture dogs who want to chase and catch up to said quad ASFASTASPOSSIBLE and thereby scaring the beejeezus out of the camera-person hanging off the quad (it was seriously freaky while looking through the camera lens - like being chased by a shark! A couple of very happy sharks, but still, you get my point.).

Anyhoo, I like to think that we all learned something from this latest escapade.

Mistake #1: taking the 4-wheeler instead of the snowmachine. It turns out it's not easy to hang on to the quad WHILE filming without inducing the vomit response in your potential audience (which consists of the three of us, our friends we force to watch it and my mom. If I make my mom puke, I'm done.).

(Interesting side note: did you know that rats can't vomit?? Fascinating!)

Mistake #2: heading out on the new Copper Haul Twister trail which is FULL of mini-moguls. Mini-moguls that Never. End. We should have stuck to the lakes.

Mistake #3: Not wearing bunny (or rubber) boots. It's spring! There's puddles, no not puddles - more like ponds! Argh. Oh well, the hikers will dry. Eventually.

Mistake #4: Forgetting (countless times) that the camera was recording. At least we got some entertaining footage and honest commentaries. During our previews of the footage, we also learned how callous we could be while Jon was falling repeatedly! The trail ran out and the dogs ran on the road.. oops. But it was... kind of funny... :)

Mistake #5: Not wearing an ass-protector (otherwise known as a... pillow) for sitting on the back rack of the quad.

Mistake #6: Not having someone to help skijorer and crazy dogs who were physically incapable of stopping for more than 3.5 seconds at a time (hence the shark attack).

Ok, let's stop there even though I'm sure I could come up with a dozen more mistakes!

At least we had fun! :)