Learn more about the fast-growing slacklining community in the video above and check out Stephen Kraus’s, our Executive Producer, thoughts on the experience.
“When Dean Bog first called me about the Steel City Slackers, his words were something to the effect of “AHH!! You gotta check these guys out!! They’d be perfect for the doc!!”
For the last few weeks, Dean and I went back and forth about how we’d both love to create an outdoors adventure documentary, having been mesmerized by the films coming out of brands such as Patagonia, REI, North Face, and countless others.
However, we wanted to make sure that, whatever we ended up making the documentary about, was quintessentially “Pittsburgh.” (Does that sound like a cliche? I feel like it’s a cliche…) We really wanted to show the relationship between the city’s unique geography & infrastructure and the outdoor sports that utilize them. To us, nothing illustrates it better than to watch somebody high-line between a bridge support and a North Shore pier.
So, we got to work! We started to film different aspects of their organization, getting to know different members and piecing together how exactly we’re going to tell their story. We also wanted to make it interesting for a larger audience. Admittedly, just showing high octane high-lining wasn’t enough, but it certainly didn’t hurt.
Dean and I left with quite a few lessons. Through the process of making this piece, we learned how to create an ideal documentary structure, how to balance storytelling from an inside vs. outside perspective, and how to write voiceover we weren’t originally planning on including. We also learned how to high-line! I mean, Dean learned how to high-line. I learned how to dangle from a rope hundreds of feet in the air, flailing desperately trying to hoist myself up. You know. Extreme stuff.
Thanks Steel City Slackers for letting us be part of your crew and for being a living example of what an inclusive community looks like.”