Art of Flight screening at PPU

A group of friends anxiously waited outside of the GRW Theatre for the chance to see some of the most remote places on earth during “The Art of FLIGHT.” Among them were Derek Kaufman and Carlos Jimenez. Both students were both anticipating the film after learning more about it.

“I saw the trailer and was very much interested,” said Jimenez, a freshman dance major who was also there to support his friends in the Action Sports Club.

“The Art of FLIGHT,” presented by the Action Sports Club and the John P. Harris Society this past Thursday at Point Park, follows snowboarder Travis Rice along with some of the best riders in the world as they challenge what’s possible on a snowboard.

Kaufman, a freshman musical theatre major, had been looking forward to the film for a while. He said what’s different about this film is that snowboarders journeyed to places nobody has gone before.

“It takes the boundaries that people have set and breaks them down,” he said.

The snowboarders were challenged by dangerous terrain and less-than-perfect conditions at times in areas like Alaska’s Tordrillo Range, Wyoming’s Snake River Range, Colorado, the Andes, Chilean Patagonia’s Darwin Range, and British Columbia’s Kootenay Mountains.

In addition to the beautiful landscapes and exceptional access the crew had, the filming is what really makes the film stand out. Unique angles and aerial views allow the viewers to immerse themselves in the action. Full DOLBY surround sound and the highest quality visual format also add to the viewing experience.

Michael Potoczny, president of the Action Sports Club, thought the viewing of this film “would be a good way to kick off winter.”

“It’s one of the first extreme sports films that has movie quality,” he said.

The film was presented by Red Bull Media House, which lets student organizations play their films on campus. The Action Sports Club plans to do another Red Bull screening next semester.

“The Art of FLIGHT” screening fits perfectly with the club’s mission of bringing together action sports, such as skateboarding, biking, skiing, snowboarding, with filmmaking and photography.

During club outings at skate parks, members shoot video and take photos. They also want to eventually put together a magazine with the material they’ve gathered.

“It’s bringing all these together and showing people that this is possibly a career that some people want to do,” said Potoczny.

With the winter season ahead, the club will also start skiing and snowboarding.

The screening ended up having a great turnout and the film captured the audience.

“My eyes were glued to the screen, every shot was riveting,” said Kaufman.

Published online at tothepointonline.net.