This week we have two campus celebrities, Isabelle LaMotte and Micah Berman. Together they are completing a two-year film project titled Last Tracks to educate individuals about the detrimental effects of modern environmental issues on skiing.
When did you first start skiing and what made you stick with it?
Micah: I started skiing when I was 2-years-old in my backyard in New Hampshire. My parent’s love for the sport and their tireless effort to instill that passion in me really pushed me to continue doing it. I guess what attracted me most to skiing was that it never got dull; there was always something new to try or something different to learn. It’s dynamic with really no limit to the boundaries that can be pushed- making it something I want to improve on for the rest of my life.
Isabelle: My parents always joke that I started skiing before I was born because my mom would make a few turns while she was pregnant with me. But in reality, I started skiing when I was 3 and haven’t stopped since. I grew up with my parents working at the mountain so it quickly became my home. When I’m skiing all of my worries disappear for those few hours. Honestly, I have stuck with it because there’s just nothing quite like it. Nothing gives me the feeling that skiing does.
What inspired you to take on this project?
Micah: Being environmental science/studies students and passionate skiers, we’ve seen first-hand a huge correlation between the impacts of a changing climate and the quality of skiing. Every year seems to have on average less snow and lower quality snowpack. We felt that we needed to tell the story of what we’re seeing as a way to insinuate change.
Isabelle: The inspiration came from the values that we both hold. Besides filming, skiing is both of our biggest passion. Along with this, we both feel most comfortable in nature. But that nature is changing so quickly. Some ski movies have had segments about climate change or have touched on the issue but no one has fully focused on it yet, and that’s what we want to do.
What do you hope to achieve by making this film?
Micah: By making this film we hope that people will become more aware of the real threats facing skiing and what we can do to mitigate some of those issues. Skiing itself is an extremely polluting sport and we hope to address the problem from the inside, suggesting ways that we can better our efficiency and reduce our carbon footprint. In order to preserve the future of skiing, the ski industry itself needs to become more sustainable.
How did your first season of filming go?
Isabelle: Our first season of filming went well! Originally this was supposed to be a one year project but we decided that in order to fully tell this story and get those really good shots we needed to take our time with this and not rush it. So we’ve turned it into a two-year project. It’s an important story to tell, and it’s worth taking the time to do it correctly.
What is your favorite aspect of making this film?
Micah: Honestly our favorite part about making this project isn’t necessarily the filming itself. Anyone can take a camera, some good editing software and throw together a cool looking movie. What we love about this process is developing a story; something that will move people and make a real difference. We feel that a good story speaks for itself, and if we can obtain captivating footage to make it real and awe-inspiring to the people, then we can make a lasting and meaningful impact.
Isabelle: Skiing, filming, and being nature are my three biggest passions in life. So being able to combine all three into one project is really special to me. There’s still so much to do on this project, that maybe it’s too early to have a favorite aspect. I’m not totally sure. All I know is that I’m loving every minute of working on it!
Micah and Isabelle recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to aid in funding their final season of filming. Click here to learn more about their project. Feel free to share the link with your friends and contribute if you can!
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1867757874/last-tracks-a-story-of-skiing-and-climate-change