Why most climbing videos suck

ViperScale wrote:

Still one of my favorite climbing videos, it does have some jerkiness of a GoPro to the video but one of the best for showing pretty much the entire climb.

Actually pretty good for a GoPro video

Josh wrote:

Try watching a climbing video with a non-climber.  They find them completely unwatchable also, but for completely different reasons.

Yeah, I remember watching Warren Miller films as a kid and thinking that they were pretty boring after the first 5 mins, even though I like to ski...

Here’s more footage of Arturo the soloist. Pretty good no nonsense footage. 

https://youtu.be/eSYSp98A4yA

I found the episode of BDTV's "Sharing the Line" pretty cool. It's only 7 minutes long, and has the quintessential approach drive shots, but those shots help give you the scale of how big an undertaking Bellavista is. A good portion of it is climbing shots as well.

http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en/bdtv-episode-4.html

I think I've watched nearly everything on Youtube, and I'm the most saddened by Petzl discontinuing the Roctrip series. Those were always fun, especially the China trip. Not as much climbing as some might like, per statements made in this thread, but an excellent mix of good editing, good commentary and some epic climbers doing their thing.

Guilty admission, I've taken to watching the IFSC lead competitions to see people actually climbing. The problem is no matter how interesting the sequences are (and they can be incredibly complex), it's not the same as watching someone scale La Dura Dura or send a desert tower.

Hobo Greg wrote:

Watching climbing is like watching someone else eat a fine meal.

If that inspired you to grill a better steak, sure. If there was a technique to the cutting of said steak that you could learn from by watching others do it, sure.

Otherwise no. 

https://rockclimbinglife.wordpress.com/2014/03/30/how-to-make-a-successful-climbing-movie/

Marcus wrote:

Guilty admission, I've taken to watching the IFSC lead competitions to see people actually climbing. The problem is no matter how interesting the sequences are (and they can be incredibly complex), it's not the same as watching someone scale La Dura Dura or send a desert tower.

some great video has come from IFSC ;D  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6j-eEh_oXpE

J Squared wrote:

some great video has come from IFSC ;D  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6j-eEh_oXpE

But that isn't climbing that is campusing =/

Yawn

Committed 1&2, decent movies, before all the slow motion bulshit, close up and panorama shots

https://m.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=455&v=Bwu144guQyo

Just watched the China Doll vid. I was pretty disappointed: all falls were at or inches above gear, they never really mentioned or showed the “R” section(s), very few extended shots (but not nearly as bad as the Golden Ticket video, that one stands alone), and about half the 20 min video was about her relationship with her husband. Was also disappointed that the route appeared to end 20ft of “easy” climbing below the top of the cliff, but maybe that was actually a short 5.14+ section..

1. Matt T wrote:

Just watched the China Doll vid. I was pretty disappointed: all falls were at or inches above gear, they never really mentioned or showed the “R” section(s), very few extended shots (but not nearly as bad as the Golden Ticket video, that one stands alone), and about half the 20 min video was about her relationship with her husband. Was also disappointed that the route appeared to end 20ft of “easy” climbing below the top of the cliff, but maybe that was actually a short 5.14+ section..

The runout section is low down on 5.12 climbing. The fall would be fine but if the so so cam blew you’d be wrecked. I think my favorite climbing vid is the one of Mayan Smith-Gobat climbing the Salathe Headwall. 

I agree with your frustration. Here's a thread of good trad videos if you haven't seen it. A lot of good ones posted here.

https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/107466770/post-awesome-trad-movies-here

The definitive king of all climbing videos

https://youtu.be/Vipf0qlo8MY

Peter Beal wrote:

The definitive king of all climbing videos

https://youtu.be/Vipf0qlo8MY

holy shit i love that. I will probably be watching the whole thing...

Matt T wrote:

Just watched the China Doll vid. I was pretty disappointed: all falls were at or inches above gear, they never really mentioned or showed the “R” section(s), very few extended shots (but not nearly as bad as the Golden Ticket video, that one stands alone), and about half the 20 min video was about her relationship with her husband. Was also disappointed that the route appeared to end 20ft of “easy” climbing below the top of the cliff, but maybe that was actually a short 5.14+ section..

If you haven't already, subscribe to Lonnie Kauks YT page. Gopro on the head while he free solos scary ass john bachar slabs in tuolumne. I have to watch with a chalk bag. 

Obviously not a climbing "film" but I prefer raw footage, myself.