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The VICE Q&A

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00000000
Posts: 11075 - Karma: 82,508
"FREE chronicles Freeskiing's ascension to sports biggest stage, the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. VICE followed four of the sports most promising young athletes as they fight to make the US Olympic Freestlye Ski team for the sports first ever inclusion in the Winter Games."



Here's how this Q&A works:

1) You post your question(s) in here
2) The VICE staff behind FREE will answer them directly in this thread.
3) Once there's a decent amount of Q&A's, I'll create a recap news article.

As always, try to keep it on-topic, and don't hesitate to ask the hard hitting questions. Do us proud NS!
Feb 5 2014 1:25PM
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S.Ki
Posts: 2220 - Karma: 3,630
Why the fuck did you let Devin Logan hate on THALL?! Hes a god damn legend.
Feb 5 2014 1:30PM
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nutz.
Posts: 3150 - Karma: 6,712
Why did you call it FREE when you only covered the competition aspect? (the least free part of it imo)
Feb 5 2014 1:33PM
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J.D.
Posts: 21362 - Karma: 5,142

1. How much creative control did Mike Rogge actually have on this project? Did he have a primary role in the message of the flick or was he basically there as more of an interpreter?

2. Any interest in doing a broader project that actually deals with the sport itself, its birth, growth and development rather than just providing a window into the Sochi preparations of a few US athletes?

3. Further to number two, was this originally intended to be a broder piece? If not, why was it packaged as such? A lot of the disappointment and negative reaction seems to me to be a result of the film suggesting it was going to be about freeskiing, and turning out to be a lengthy athlete profile. Was it just bungled marketing, or was the content you ended up with not able to fulfill the original vision?

Feb 5 2014 1:34PM
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Blurst
Posts: 13577 - Karma: 10,169
Why would a Canadian company completely disregard any of our athletes who will be skiing in Sochi?
Feb 5 2014 1:34PM
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funk~
Posts: 401 - Karma: 379
For a documentary about freeskiing, why did you guys only feature the stories of competition athletes? I understand it was about the journey to Sochi, but the recreational side of freeskiing had an equal amount to do with this as the competitive side.
Why would you not spend more time focusing on the "grassroots" movement of freeskiing, the guys who are pushing the creativity of the sport outside of competitions?
Excluding the cases of Thall and Wallisch.
Feb 5 2014 1:42PM
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nutz.
Posts: 3150 - Karma: 6,712
Vice isn't really known for filtering shit
Feb 5 2014 1:43PM
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fillup
Posts: 4904 - Karma: 568
How many spliffs did your staff blaze with T-Hall?
Feb 5 2014 1:46PM
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sugarloaf
Posts: 7866 - Karma: 299
to add on to this, how did you select which athletes to talk to/feature in the film?
Feb 5 2014 1:46PM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,635
What was the most fascinating thing you found out about skiing while in the process of producing this project?
Feb 5 2014 2:11PM
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will_powder
Posts: 3194 - Karma: 5,445
Whichever ones North Face paid them the most to talk to.

You guys know the Olympics aren't only for americans eh?
Feb 5 2014 2:20PM
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Schmaelzle
Posts: 272 - Karma: 547
Is VICE planning on doing a non-network piece on the other aspects of freeskiing, it's history, and past/present community divisions? Because that would be cool. And if you aren't planning on doing another piece on freeskiing, will you? Because that would be cool.
Feb 5 2014 2:20PM
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pompe
Posts: 874 - Karma: 124
How do you get to Chad's from the bottom of Alta?

Do you belong here?
Feb 5 2014 2:23PM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,635
Was the decision to do something about skiing based on interest, or a sponsor approaching you?

Feb 5 2014 2:51PM
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blazer258
Posts: 1101 - Karma: 646
How and why did you choose the athletes you did to interview and talk to?
Feb 5 2014 3:10PM
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GrandThings
Posts: 3127 - Karma: 31,551
There was a whoooleee lot of footy from Mutiny in there, any yet you failed to mention the filming aspect of skiing. Seeing as Martini is sponsored by North Face too, why wasnt he in the movie? Did you try?
Feb 5 2014 3:49PM
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Holte
Posts: 10740 - Karma: 7,814
How long was the production schedule on the doc?
Feb 5 2014 3:52PM
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Miomo
Posts: 4302 - Karma: 14,133
Would you suck Tom Wallisch's dick if it gave you the power to ski like him?
Feb 5 2014 3:57PM
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Alex_G
Posts: 11902 - Karma: 1,019
were you guys aware of freeskiing before the olympics came around?
Feb 5 2014 4:16PM
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Byron_tha_gr8
Posts: 4573 - Karma: 14,299
what sport does skiing remind you of the most?

(other than snowboarding)
Feb 5 2014 4:27PM
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gotti
Posts: 4269 - Karma: 4,550
Does it surprise you that the majority of skiers do not care at all about the competition aspect of skiing?
Feb 5 2014 4:39PM
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Laughterbang
Posts: 215 - Karma: 728
If you could go back and re-make this project, would you consult with the Newschoolers community on who and what they would like to see featured in it?

Why did the doc focus solely on American athletes despite tipping its hat to guys like JF in the introduction?

If it was intended for an audience that knows little about Olympic slope/pipe then why was there no explanation of the competition format, rules, tricks etc?

Feb 5 2014 4:45PM
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castleskier
Posts: 232 - Karma: 285
If you were given the chance to re-do this documentary based on all of the negative comments coming from the ski community, would you? and who would instead be a part of it.

Also I don't know why you designated half of the film to girls skiing considering the level of tricks they're doing are unparalleled to the guys and their entire fight towards getting on the olympic team is a joke when comparing them to the amount of men who could have potentially qualified.


Feb 5 2014 5:14PM
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gbrunch
Posts: 115 - Karma: -7
In targeting the NBC viewer, why did you have to go in a fluff piece direction instead of keep it real and show them the truth?

Major blowback for the olympics amongst the community is generally centered around showing the world exactly what our sport is NOT about, and you made our worst nightmares become reality.
Feb 5 2014 5:34PM
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MNS
Posts: 5386 - Karma: 3,241
Did Tom Wallisch make any more comments about women's skiing that weren't included in the video? Also did Tanner end up saying why he was banned from the COE?

I'd like to hear it, those were the best parts/funny.



Feb 5 2014 5:54PM
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crawley
Posts: 605 - Karma: 729
Click for larger image
Feb 5 2014 5:55PM
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BROLF
Posts: 1598 - Karma: 5,098
Why did maddie bowman say girls are only four years behind guys when this is four years ago: http://
Feb 5 2014 6:11PM
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corona
Posts: 12795 - Karma: 32,749
Why do you claim it "chronicles Freeskiing's ascension to sports biggest stage, the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics" when it actually doesn't?
Feb 5 2014 6:24PM
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Byron_tha_gr8
Posts: 4573 - Karma: 14,299
Empire or Rebels?
Feb 5 2014 6:34PM
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Bagina
Posts: 849 - Karma: 2,888
One day, a person went to horse racing area, Instead of counting the number of human and horses, he instead counted 74 heads and 196 legs. Yet he knew the number of humans and horses there. How did he do it, and how many humans and horses are there?
Feb 5 2014 6:44PM
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J-Neal
Posts: 1545 - Karma: 172
What was your selection process in choosing the skiers that you did to be featured in this documentary? Were there any other skiers who you wanted to interview but they were unavailable?
Feb 5 2014 6:52PM
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a_burger
Posts: 5235 - Karma: 20,715
Would you guys ever consider doing a series on the history of freeskiing like powder and rails?


Feb 5 2014 7:22PM
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mski
Posts: 4791 - Karma: 3,803
What did you guys find to be the most fascinating/bizarre thing about freeskiing or the folks who live that lifestyle?

What was your overall impression of the competition scene, and how do you think that will differ at Sochi and with the future involvement of the IOC and FIS organizations?

Would you ever do a series like Epicly Later'd about freeskiing or another action sport?

You guys do killer work
Feb 5 2014 7:51PM
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msndotwav
Posts: 807 - Karma: 4,473
Why did you let me down, Vice? You guys have made some really good and interesting documentaries of other subjects, with a much wider/deeper aspect than this. How come you didnt dig deeper for a better understanding of what Freeskiing really is and how it evolved? IMO you could've called this "The Competetive Skiing's Journey To Sport's Biggest Stage"


Ps. Thanks for reminding me of what a boss THall is.
Feb 5 2014 8:22PM
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AwR
Posts: 5147 - Karma: 1,880
Thanks for all of your shows on North Korea they are amazing.
Feb 5 2014 8:25PM
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MNS
Posts: 5386 - Karma: 3,241
Dude, are you deaf? She said 40 years..
Feb 5 2014 8:26PM
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c4t_l0ver
Posts: 5485 - Karma: 810
what's the best food to get you prepared for urban?
Feb 5 2014 8:26PM
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squashmosh
Posts: 632 - Karma: 565
Why would you even bring up CR Johnson's death (and barely feature the mere mention of Burke and McConkey) without showing more deeply (they all have epic footage to draw from) how they are all founding members of this sport and gave their lives for it?

You take a few seconds to mention them, but devote 40 something minutes to cliche answers from barely pubescent kids (excluding the Wallisch/THall parts, two human's you barely did justice to).

This doc was the least FREE thing I've seen in FREEskiing in 15 years.
Feb 5 2014 8:31PM
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Amarino
Posts: 218 - Karma: 2,417
Why was the majority of athletes featured/interviewed North Face athletes?
Feb 5 2014 8:52PM
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blindside
Posts: 5619 - Karma: 1,199
So like, what's the deal with Aaron 'airbear' Blunk's coach/step-mom/lover situation? And will Maddie ever break out of her shell?!
Feb 5 2014 8:57PM
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DrZoidberg
Posts: 5675 - Karma: 4,268
Why skiing in the first place? Is it because it is rising in popularity among the youth, if that's even true? Is is because it's not as well featured as similar events snowboarding and therefore an ideal subject for VICE? What made VICE choose skiing over something else?
Feb 5 2014 9:06PM
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~bagelz~
Posts: 1105 - Karma: 1,067
what inspired you to say you were making a documentary but then go make what resembled more a soap opera?
I had never heard of that kid who lived with his milf lover/coach and honestly didn't give a single fuck about his story.
Feb 5 2014 9:07PM
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busterburns
Posts: 485 - Karma: 539
Do you think if past vice documentaries were on sports / otherwise which had the same dedicated and thorough fan base, they would have the same reaction?


Feb 5 2014 9:07PM
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STAUSS
Posts: 8232 - Karma: 3,311
did you realize that doing a piece on the competition aspect of park skiing was quite possibly the worst aspect of skiing to do it on?
Feb 5 2014 9:08PM
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hippy.
Posts: 3106 - Karma: 14,364
From an outsider point of view what interested you the most? Jumps or rails? Could you wrap your head around the skill level of some of the skiers you filmed with?
Feb 5 2014 9:15PM
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humpty
Posts: 1190 - Karma: 3,162
How come you didnt interview henrik?
Feb 5 2014 9:29PM
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KRAMPUSNTROLLZ
Posts: 2715 - Karma: 355
Why does Devin Logan not have a brain ?
Feb 5 2014 10:04PM
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bakedpow
Posts: 8770 - Karma: 10,467
why is it ok to die for skiing? why include that? im sure families dont want their children to start skiing if theyre willing to die. in reality only people who are at the kind of risk are the professionals. regular jo shhmo isnt gona be throwing a nose butter trip.


why the fuck did you let devin logan speak? definitely not someone i want representing the olympics if she doesnt realize there would be no olympics without thall.

why have tanner in it at all actually? didnt benefit it, he was playing devils advocate and i completely agree with him. this vice episode really just seems like more olympic bullshit.

i was actually really stoked for this. rogge working on it made me have high hopes. guess i shouldnt expect anything less though.

2/10
Feb 5 2014 10:19PM
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broto
Posts: 9039 - Karma: 25,662
why did you have to make skiing into a drama? it is pretty clear that that's what happened. can't you produce something controversial that doesn't actually follow the lives of several very likable athletes?

where was the "journey" you guys talked about? the video failed to talk about pioneers of our sport, those pushing for it to make it this far, i.e. burke's role, simon and tanner's role in popularizing halfpipe skiing, people like candide, jp auclair, and other pioneers. the video left a taste in my mouth akin to a sellout hip-hop song on the radio.

i don't know if i should have expected a video that wasn't about the history of freeskiing and how it got to where it is today, but i did, and i was disappointed.
Feb 5 2014 10:27PM
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whoa-dere
Posts: 10596 - Karma: 7,103
why did you only interview US skiers?
Feb 5 2014 10:43PM
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