Why Warren Miller is the “godfather” of the ski film
For many skiers, the yearly release of the latest Warren Miller film is an event. “We like to talk about the film tour as the ‘kick off to winter,'” said filmmaker Josh Haskins. “Get the audience fired up for skiing and snowboarding.”
Miller made his first ski film in 1949 and is often credited with popularizing the “stoke” film genre: movies designed to generate, or stoke, excitement about skiing and snowboarding. New films were released yearly, and Miller was known for his film tours where he would travel around the country hosting viewings. And while he stopped directing the films himself in the late 1980s (and passed away in 2018), his company Warren Miller Entertainment has continued to release films each year.
Josh Haskins is the director of the latest movie, “Warren Miller’s All Time,” the 74th annual film released under Miller’s name. Haskins spoke with “Marketplace” host Amy Scott about Miller’s legacy and the future of the ski industry. The following is a transcript of their conversation, lightly edited for clarity.
Amy Scott: So for people who aren’t familiar with Warren Miller, who was he?
Josh Haskins: Warren Miller could be considered the godfather of action sports. He basically brought the concept of ski films to a broader public audience. He was filming and producing and editing the films all himself in the early days, and then taking it on the road and showing it to audiences in theaters across the country. This was in the ’50s. So the concept was very new and there was a great appetite for it.
Scott: Can you talk about what these events were like? I mean, he went on tour with the movies. I remember seeing them every year at the beginning of ski season. Describe the scene.
Haskins: Yeah, we like to talk about the film tour as the “kick off to winter.” Get the audience fired up for skiing and snowboarding, and Warren, back in the day, that was his goal, too. He was up on the stage doing live narration and really building the brand himself.
Scott: Alright, so we have a clip from the movie “All Time” that we want to play. It gives you a sense of Miller himself and his style…
Warren Miller: This is a story of people, winter people. Because winter people we have a lot in common. We lavish untold sums of money on a somewhat vague emotional feeling of turning a pair of skis on the side of a hill somewhere. Winter people only think about three things: where we’re skiing now, where we’re going to ski next, or where we just finished skiing. Because we’re hooked. Hooked on one of the last legal turn-ons. Hooked on skiing.
Scott: One of the last legal turn-ons. I love it. What do you think this clip says about him? I mean, he’s affable. That was part of the fun, right, just listening to him talk about skiing. How did he pull that off?
Haskins: Yes. Warren is — it’s so nostalgic to hear his voice. And I think that’s what resonates most with people in this year’s film is that throwback to Warren’s voice itself. His writing style was very comedic. It was very straightforward. And he really did want to make the audience laugh.
Scott: Your film follows the history of skiing through the decades, starting in the 1950s. Miller made his first film in 1949. What are some of the biggest changes that you saw as you looked back through these years of footage?
Haskins: I think the biggest changes in the sport have to be definitely technology: ski shapes, and the technology of boots and all equipment that really has pushed the progression of the sport and allowed for people to push the limits on what is possible.
Scott: My favorite innovation is boot warmers.
Haskins: I love that.
Scott: I mean shaped skis are great. Snowboarding is great, but I like to not have cold feet. Going back to the clip we played. Warren Miller acknowledges that winter people spend untold sums of money on skiing. And of course, that’s only increased over time. I mean, skiing has just become very difficult to afford for many of us. And I wonder, can it survive? And how can more people have access to this amazing feeling of sliding down a snowy mountain?
Haskins: Yeah, that’s a great point. We as a company, and I think the industry in general, is starting to understand that we need more inclusivity to really help the sport survive. There’s a few ways to go about that. We’re working with organizations like Share Winter Foundation that bring people to the sport that may not have the means otherwise. And some of the pass products that have come out lately, Epic Pass, Ikon Pass, that helps at least spread the cost per visit if you intend to ski more than say 20 days per year. Now, however, there’s a downside to that. The amount of passes these companies sell really create a lot more day users, so longer lift lines, more problems with parking. Other frustrations that attribute to one of Warren’s classic lines: skiing messes your life up, basically, is what Warren used to say.
Scott: It does mess your life up for a few beautiful seconds of feeling like you’re flying.