So the rider list for Anthill’s new film got dropped yesterday and it’s corker with a few fresh faces to Anthill. As much as I love these guys there are no real shockers, although there is no doubt it will be sick to see Rene Wildhaber get a decent part that truly showcases his riding. If anyone will be able to encapsulate one of the world’s best all-mountain/over mountain/enduro riders then it’s Darcy and the Anthill boys. Speaking of which, the above Trek Scratch video (which I’m pretty sure Anthill produced) features Rene and fellow SIN rider Andrew Shandro shredding some BC trails. But about that list, it looks like this: Andrew Shandro, Brandon Semenuk, Cam McCaul, Danny MacAskill, Gee Atherton, Graham Aggasiz, Matt Hunter, Rene Wildhaber and Thomas Vanderham. Strength in Numbers will have a mix of established pros, up and comers and local riders, with Adam Billinghurst, Darren Berrecloth, Rachel Atherton, Ryan Howard and Steve Smith also appearing in the film.
Strength in Numbers will visually explore mountain bike culture, by documenting rider experiences in different bike communities all over the world. Following the community based concept the film will become a shared experience for all mountain bikers. In addition to a world premiere tour, limited edition DVD/BluRay and digital download, Strength in Numbers will be streamed online for free. The riders are stoked about the potential this represents, including Danny MacAskill, who will be working with Anthill for the first time. “I am really excited to be part of this film”, says MacAskill. “I have been watching the Anthill crew’s films for years, seeing a lot of the world’s top riders fly down trails that I could only dream of riding, captured in a way that only Anthill can produce. To be in a film with all these top riders is fairly mind blowing, it really is the next big step for me.”
Mountain biking has become a truly global sport. The Anthill crew will set out to capture the different places and ways mountain biking has grown, with film shoots planned in British Columbia, Nepal, Scotland, Austria, Verbier, California, Utah and the Whistler Mountain Bike Park. For the crew and riders, Strength in Numbers represents a way to give back to the sport. “It’s especially cool that this film is community based”, says Brandon Semenuk, “because you usually experience these cultures and get helping hands from the people within them while trying to put a segment together. But they never get the credit they deserve. I think this film will show how important mountain bike active communities are for the growth and progression of our sport.”
Working with the Red Bull Media House, Strength in Numbers will be presented by Shimano and Trek, in association with Contour HD, Clif Bar, PinkBike and PRO Components. This is Anthill’s most ambitious project to date and it would not have been possible without brands who have a true commitment to mountain biking, not just as a sport but as a lifestyle and culture. “At Trek, we don’t take on small projects”, says Michael Browne Global Brand Manager for Trek. “We look for partners like Anthill who can take big ideas and create meaningful projects to get people on their mountain bikes more often. With their trademark cinematic style and compelling narrative voice, we’re excited to help bring Anthill’s big idea to computers, smartphones, TVs and theatres
around the world.”
Learn more at:
anthillfilms.com
facebook.com/anthillfilms
twitter.com/anthillfilms
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Strength in Numbers is a new feature mountain bike film that will be released Spring 2012. It is made possible by the Red Bull Media House, Shimano and Trek, in association with Contour HD, Clif Bar, PinkBike and PRO Components. Additional support for the film is provided by the Whistler Mountain Bike
Park, Kona, Big Mountain Adventures, Verbier St. Armand and Bike Nepal.
Anthill Films is an award-winning action sport production company based in Squamish, B.C. Anthill is owned and operated collectively by Colin Jones, Darcy Wittenburg, Darren McCullough, Ian Dunn and Jonathan Schramm.
