Check it out, I have started a new project for 2012 together with Blueblood here in Japan. WE WANT YOUR FOOTAGE of snowboarding! Shoot yourself, your friends, your dog snowboarding whatever, then post it to YouTube or Vimeo and send us the link. If selected your footage gets used in a new movie called “Jack the Movie” to be released next year. Check out the details on the flyer below then get out there with your camera and get some shots over the New Year holidays!
Car Danchi 5 getting more coverage internationally! Big thanks to Colin Whyte for this nice interview and feature for the ESPN website. Please click here (ESPN Snowboarding) and read the whole interview.
Has there ever been an entire issue devoted to Japan of any international Snowboarding magazine? Ever? I think this may be a first! Snowboarder magazine has pulled together a classic collectors edition magazine, unless you have some kind of grudge against Japan, this is a must have issue.
Chief Editor Pat “the Eye” contacted me about a month and a half ago to see if I would be interested in writing a story piece about Car Danchi for the issue. My answer was a very quick yes. So I knew the issue was in the works, but I never thought it would be this big. Obviously the 3/11 earthquake and all that has happened since has brought the level of awareness about Japan and Japanese snowboarding to the forefront of the North American consciousness, hence the special treatment with this issue. It could not have come at a better time. Last season certainly ended on a bitter note, this issue is the starter fuel we need for this coming season!
On behalf of the snow industry here in Japan and all Japanese snowboarders I would like to say a big thank you to Snowboarder for making this happen! We appreciate the attention and devotion you continue to show to this country. Big up!
From me personally, I have to say I never dreamed that I would get my face plastered over two pages in Snowboarder magazine! My jaw hit the floor when I saw that layout. That plus 5 pages devoted to Car Danchi and the story I wrote. The fact that a simple movie about some dudes sleeping in their cars to ride the best powder possible, has grown to be this big of a deal… well it continues to amaze me.
I guess we have a lot to live up to now, the bar has been raised for Japan and certainly for me. I look forward to welcoming the snow world back to Japan this coming season! Feel free to get in contact and I will do the best I can to help you out!
Most Famous Japanese snowboarder ever, Kazu on the cover, I think his pants are sagging a little, somebody should call the Japan Olympic Committee and let them know!
The Blueblood Funday bowl made it into the mag. I spent close to a week helping dig that bowl and the tunnel. It was hot and back-breaking work, so I’m stoked to see this get in the mag.
Key photo got his first shot in Snowboarder. Nice shot of Yamauchi Kazushi in Tokachi area!
My spread
What the hell is Car Danchi!
The Elements photo section is all Japan location and Japanese rider shots! Great to see so many local spots make the mag!
If you can’t find the magazine near you, try to get the digital version for iPad, etc.,!!
Check out this video.
Then watch this a classic history of snowboard interview with Jake and Tom.
Then watch this to see how far we have come since 1939
Then watch this again to mellow out a little bit!
The first snowfall set a new record here in my little village of Jozankei. We got about 30 plus cm of snow by yesterday morning! My 74 year old neighbor said that has only happened two or three times in his life! I remember getting about 5 cm on November the 3rd five years ago. Maybe this is the mega season we have all been waiting for. here are some shots from yesterday morning about 7 am. I walked around the neighborhood for about 30 minutes in the morning trying to capture the magic of the first snow.
Although it is very pretty and everyone is excited about the first snow of the season, I have to make a note here. The tree population took are hard hit with this storm. Due to the fact that most of the trees at lower elevations still had leaves on the branches the combined weight was too much for some. At night in my office I could here the sound of branches snapping and the thud of trees falling over. Just in my neighborhood I would say at least a hundred trees were down by morning. The electric company was having a field day trying to cut branches and trees that had fallen on power lines all day today.
Red leaves on a maple tree with snow, unusual scene for this area.
The One Films mobile studio is ready for action! Let it snow!
9月17日 @ Booty!
Sapporo Ski & Snowboard movie Premiere!
Director Neil Hartmann (One Films)
“Roots & Tweets”
Start 10:00 pm
Director Daigo (Realive Films)
“Build 2”
Start 11:00 pm
With special Directors commentary and DJ battle in Booty lounge 2F
Neil plays LOVE SONGS
Daigo plays HARDCORE
Please come check out these new and old snow movies! 2011 season is coming sooooooonnnnnnnn!!!!!
Once a year for the last six years there is a certain day when a box of my new DVD release arrives. Usually a hundred DVDs direct from the factory and usually about four or five days before the on sale date. Today was that day! A box of freshly pressed DVDs came to the house today and made my day a good one.
There is always the fear that there might be a mistake with the package printing, or maybe something went wrong and the sell date will have to be pushed back etc., Not this year, everything went smoothly and I am stoked on the end result. I am also very happy that I will now be able to watch my first two films on DVD rather than dragging out the old VHS player. In fact I did not even have a single copy of “Escape” here at the house. So it is with great pleasure that I take the wrapping off and pop one in the DVD player.
The first 1000 copies come with the One Films official sticker.
The front and back
For the first time I use a clear package. This allows printing on both sides of the jacket. More fun for the designer, more work too, but I am very happy with the way it turned out. I actually scanned an old VHS laying around the house. Masato my designer this time added all the fonts and graphics and came up with the concept of linking the DVD with the graphic in the back ground. There is a little twist behind the DVD, but I will save that for those who actually buy a copy.
Roots and Tweets goes on sale at your local shop from the 17th, this coming Friday. If you don’t have a shop close by, check the internet or call the distributor Visualize Image for more info. 03-6273-2686
Well we are less than three weeks away from the release of Roots & Tweets so it is time to share this press release with you all. I will be announcing a series of events and showings with in the next few days, stay tuned.
On Sale in Japan from Visualize Image 03-6273-2686
¥3990 Including tax
The Roots & Tweets teaser #1 is on line for your viewing pleasure! Thanks to Kei for filming and editing this funny interview!
Masato, my designer for the “Roots & Tweets” package, has been working late nights putting together this masterpiece. I just gave him a bunch of photos, some scans of old VHS tapes that I had laying around the house and some general guide lines on the style I wanted. After that he was on his own to come up with something, and here is what he came up with!
I like it, and hope you do too. “Roots & Tweets” will be coming to a snowboard shop near you around September the 17th!
Please ignore the spelling mistakes in the English below, caught it and fixed it!
Never before released on DVD, the rare and hard to find “Introduction” (1999) and “Escape” (2000) are now coming to the digital age. Through these first two films, director Neil Hartmann created the style and concept that would become the now infamous “Car Danchi” series. Introduction captures the spirit of snowboarding in the late 90’s with super 8 filming from Hokkaido to Alaska. Don’t miss the legendary halfpipe session with Terje Haakonsen at the Nippon Open. Escape continues with the theme of “escape the city, head to the mountains.” Niseko, and Rusutsu are featured along with classic backcountry locations. By including the full director’s commentary, you can now take a trip back in time with these two classic features from One Films and Neil Hartmann. Pure powder, pure freeriding, pure roots! Purity at its best.
The Neil Hartmann Weblog 