Mack Dawg Productions : Picture This

Review:
WOW! The Mack Dawg crew held nothing back this year when filming and producing Picture this. Truly an all-star cast of the most talented riders come together to showcase the goods in this film. Couple this with new camera equipment and a budget the Department of Defense would be jealous of and you have the 2007/08 snowboarding film of the year in my opinion!
The camera work is phenomenal with original angles, creative lighting and the use of wire-cams, track-cams and helicopters to get the shot. Additionally this is some of the cleanest, most thought-out editing I have seen from any snowboard (or ski) film to date.
With no shortage of content Picture This has everything from park, pipe, backcountry hits, steeps, urban jibs and avalanches. Highlights for me included Andreas Wiig’s backcountry segment/ close call with an avalanche and the Kevin Pierce/ Shaun White pipe dance. It makes me wonder what Mack Dawg has up their sleeves for 2008/09! How can this be topped?

Review:
A practical joke is always a catchy way to start off a video, Seth Hout discovers this just before launching into a memorable part that sets the tone for the whole film. What instantly puts this video apart is the quality of the filming. Top of the line video equipment puts the avalanche's millions of snow crystals into a new light.

After a stunning Adreas Wiig part, Willie Yli-Luoma’s section is drop dead gorgeous. Filmed at night in snow pillows that are lit up with colored lights and Ratatat as the soundtrack, it is perfect.

Shaun White and Kevin Pearce have a haunting duo performance in the half pipe on a cold, windy night. The pipe is lit with colored lights and what most stands out in the scene (besides their huge air and robotic precision) is a sense of true love for those steep walls. The camera angles and editing give the scene a feel of isolation; it’s just Kevin and Shaun and their spirit in the pipe. I watched this part many times.

And then there is Jussi, bombing down a hill and ready to launch off a jump; he's hauling, and the cinematography makes it seem like the helicopter is having trouble keeping up. Eero’s night rail sessions wins best edited section, hands down. The video surprise guest part is for you to see yourself.

Double wall rides, rocks, and the use of urban features adds some new variety as well. Extra Feature-wise, what is on there is a good addition and I felt that after such a strong video it doesn't really need the features. But all the same, there aren't many of them.

Review:
Yes this movie is as good as all the hype it's built up. Picture this: Afterbang. I'm just going to come out and say it, the last time I saw a video this tightly shot, produced, and edited was way back in 2002 when I watched Afterbang for the first time, every detail fits and pops into color and life.

MDP dropped a load of cash on new equipment, but the crew obviously put a lot of work into it as well, and it shows. So often it seems that there is a trade-off between budget and creativity, the higher the budget, the less exciting the film gets. Not so with Picture This, everything from the camera quality to the steady-cam shots, to the wire-cams, to the track-cams, speak to the class of the film, and yet it's artsy; shots aren't always centered, depth of field and perspective are played with, and the realm of reality is blurred into surrealism.

Seth Huot opens the movie with a steady barrage of quality shots, followed shortly by Willie Yli-Luoma and then Shaun White and Kevin Pearce with some of the most breathtaking night videography I've ever seen. Plus props for using ratatat in Willie's section. Darrell Mathes has a great section, but the standout shot is the best looking no-grab frontside 360 ever captured on film - it just happens to be over a cement death-gap. Jussi of course goes huge, and then, as if the movie isn't already dropping jaws left and right, breaks into Eero's aprt which has some of the best vide/audio choreographed editing ever. As always, there are few words to describe Jeremy Jones' skills, but it doesn't seem as heavy handed as usual, perhaps because he's surrounded by so many other incredible parts. Also, got to love the guest appearance at the end.

There's plenty of what I would normally call "fluff" in this film, filler bits that serve no purpose other than to kill time. However, in Picture This they're so well blended in to the film that they are a feature rather than a distraction, and add a feel to what's going on around the shots.

The biggest talking point is of course the new camera equipment they were using, and the answer is yes, it does make a difference. I'm not sure what other effects were applied to the film, but the end result is pretty incredible. Some scenes are totally surreal, Willie's last couple of shots for example could well be in-game video from a next-gen snowboard video game.

Review:
Uh...Epic? "Picture This" does everything a video should, entertain you and make you want to go out and shred. With its flawless cast of A-listers, perfect footage and editing, Mack Dawg Productions has done it again this year with one of the most original videos that they've ever produced. Honestly, if you're a fan of the older MDP videos like "Melt Down Project" or "Stomping Grounds", I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with the overall quality of "Picture This".
The style of cinematography is reminiscent of Robot Food's 3 films, with it's unique perspective shots, focus blurs, and cable and track cams, but in no way over does it. In fact, the direction and editing have hands down set the new standard for snow video production.
I can't bring myself to say anything bad about it, other than it lacks an 'extras' section that you'd expect for a modern snowboard movie, but in MDP's defense, I think they just blended it all into the feature, seamlessly.

Review:
MackDawg deserves all of the credit in the world for making the best snowboard video to date.  As you've probably read in previous reviews, 'Picture This' goes beyond the riding to offer you an unbeatable combination of clever camera work and a soundtrack that I now jam to on my iPod.  The pipe duet with White and Peirce is FIRE.  I must say, though, that DCP's short appearance is the best part of the film.  The editors did a brilliant job matching the climax of the song "Beautiful Things" with one of DCP's famous eye-popping cliff drops.  Wish I could write more but if you're looking for inspiration that is sure to drag you on to the slopes (night or day) buy this joint.

Review:
Fabulous. This is a great film. Snowboarding plus a creative presentation and you have some footage that is incredibly inspiring. The starting credits roll to an intruiging slow-motion chase scene and the same idea is echoed in its ending credits as each rider walks by to a moving camera. The cinematography is unique and interesting to watch. It's artistic and beautiful. As always, the pros rock their unreal talents, leaving you inspired. The footage is even more unreal due to the lighting, slow motion clips, and varying camera lenses. Some dialogue is interspersed to make it more real... you feel like you could be friends with these boys. It's fun.