The video that was not supposed to happen
The video that was not supposed to happen
Do you remember when you really wanted to do something and so many obstacles are being thrown in your way that you start thinking “Hey, is there a message to be heard? Should I better stop here and now?”
Like for my other videos as well, there are few stories to tell about the making of this video.
Reading time: 4 minutes
About the set-up
Nathaniel. He is born with the gift of a connection with the world above us. He is a spiritual guide and healer. A very special person who I have the luck to have met. He also runs a YouTube channel on metal detecting! It was an easy filming: as with all my movies I just asked the actor to be himself, so the movie is fully aligned with who he is.
Then there is the Indian. Comfortable, cool, easy to ride, a beauty. A great bike, with a spirit. Wings on the gas tank, a great heritage – what better connection to this movie could you wish for. Nathaniel also liked the bike which was important.
Finally, the story to make this movie.
Gosh, where to start. Actually, with an earlier movie:
When I filmed Sylvain, the project was doomed as it seemed impossible to get our agendas, the weather and many other variables aligned. I was about to let go. But I persisted, feeling it would be worthwhile. You need to judge by yourself for the result, but I am very happy. And Sylvain is as well 🙂 Here the link to the movie.
For the movie with Nathaniel, we had a very narrow time window of about 30 minutes for filming as we planned for a sunset … that already did not work out as you can see … the weather was very tricky that day. Plus, we could not move the date as Nathaniel was about to leave for work for quite a while. On the day of the filming, Nathaniel was then stuck in traffic, and we started already late.
Emilie, my wife who for the first time accompanied me for a full fledge movie. She was supposed to drive the car with the equipment up the mountains and also take some shots. Unfortunately, just before leaving she was hit by a disturbing migraine.
I was getting the bike from my friends at Indian Mulhouse in France just before filming. If you follow a bit my blog, you know that I have seen quiet some bikes in my life and spent some hundred thousand kilometers riding. Nevertheless, in one roundabout the distance holder under the footrests got stuck in a tiny, small hole in the street, invisible even at slow driving speed. And then it was like Thor’s hammer hitting me. I had no chance of reacting as the bike just flipped away under me. After going through the roundabout separately, I picked up the bike on the other side and did a quick security check of both of us. I decided it was safe to continue.
I met the other two for filming and Nathaniel with his special abilities immediately saw that something happened. He recommended to slow down and check-in before taking decision. He also knew me enough that I would not easily give up. I felt well enough to do this movie and so it happened. The filming went well as was the ride back down from the mountains.
We had dinner together, some vine and good laughs and things looked ok, even better after quickly screening the shots.
When I went to bed and as the adrenaline stopped, the shoulder started to hammer. The result after a doctor’s visit next days showed that biking is over for me for a few weeks as are most other activities. Nothing broken, but a few ligaments in bad shape, at least most bones snapped back where they belong to. Those who did not immediately were convinced to do so after one memorable osteopath session.
The title of the movie describes how Nathaniel felt standing up on this mountain with this incredible view and energy (both mountain and Nathaniel): free as a bird. But it is also a story about how you connect with the spirit. The spirit of the bike, the spirit of biking, nature and the spirits that guide us in live that were definitively with us that day.
Like for Sylvain (and everything else in life) I do not regret a second that we filmed this movie that evening and left us stories to be told and laugh about for a long time. I feel a bit stupid to have damaged the bike though (sorry again Indian Mulhouse and thanks for all the support!).
I guess I will not be able to use my camera plus gimbal for a while but will explore alternatives to continue filming before the season is over.
Stay tuned for some more movies … maybe a bit shaky footage then 😉
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