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Mike Douglas-hero
9
 mins read

How Mike Douglas transitioned from professional freeskier to adventure filmmaker

published
November 13, 2023
location
Canada
discipline
Skiing

How Mike Douglas transitioned from professional freeskier to adventure filmmaker

Mike Douglas-hero

How Mike Douglas transitioned from professional freeskier to adventure filmmaker

published
November 13, 2023
location
Canada
discipline
Skiing
9
 mins read
WORDS
11th Hour Racing
PHOTOS
Mike Douglas

Mike Douglas, or ‘The Godfather of Freeskiing’ as he’s affectionately known in the industry, is a filmmaker who’s seen and done it all over a breathless career that’s taken him from starring in major hit ski films to now making them.

 

A professional freeskier idolized for pushing the boundaries and who was pivotal in shaping the sport you see today, Mike launched his award-winning production company Switchback Entertainment nearly two decades ago and has been crushing it ever since; bringing films including The Freedom Chair, Eclipse, and Snowman to our screens.

 

In November of 2022, we knew we needed more footage of Jess Hotter skiing in pristine powder; with work bringing her North to Canada for the winter, we knew there was one person to call: Mike Douglas and his team. Having Mike come on board to shoot some epic  footage with Jess for Shaped by Water in Whistler was a huge thrill (and key to the story).  We recently had the opportunity to ask him a few questions to learn more about his career both in front of and behind the lens…

Keep exploring ...
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Mike Douglas
Having this feeling of gliding on the surface of the earth, you almost feel like you’re flying.
What came first – your love for filmmaking or your love for skiing?

My first passion as a kid growing up in Whistler, Canada, was always skiing. I wanted to do it as much as possible. The whole filmmaking and photography side came from trying to preserve the memories from days spent in the mountains in the winter, and being able to relive them through the summer.

 

What was it about skiing you instantly connected with so much? 

A bit of everything. Having this feeling of gliding on the surface of the earth, you almost feel like you’re flying. It’s a feeling that’s very tough to get anywhere else. There’s a speed and sensation that’s almost impossible to duplicate. It’s like flying without leaving the ground.

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Listen to Jack ...
 Did you always plan to go down the filmmaking route as well?

I always had a sense of adventure inside me and it’s still there to this day. That idea of looking around the next corner and wondering what’s on the back of that peak? What if we went up there? What can we find? This has driven me through most of my life. Filmmaking became a way to preserve that sense of adventure and ultimately became a vehicle to make some of the ideas happen. More recently, it’s become a way to challenge myself in ways that I no longer can on skis.

‍

How has the creativity, innovation, and inquisitiveness you developed growing up on the mountain been a benefit in your filmmaking career?

If I look at the innovation through my career as a skier it was constantly evolving. We were learning new techniques and for a time, literally inventing new tricks for several years and completely pushing the boundaries of what people thought was possible. In filmmaking, it’s looking for answers, ways to tell stories, and ways to try and make a connection with the people who are watching. You can see it when you’re in a theater, you can see it in people’s eyes and their reactions when you really make a connection and that’s an awesome feeling.

No items found.
Being a professional skier yourself, understanding what the athlete is going through must also help behind the camera?

100%. For example, with the type of filming we did with Jess, it’s not just her doing her  thing and you’re capturing it - you’re talking through lines together and safety aspects together. When we filmed with Jess we had some rapidly changing conditions and we had to work together to make sure the exit plans were in place. We all relied on each other. So, it’s very much a team thing. You can’t just walk into it, you have to earn that experience to a certain degree.

‍

How did you manage to overcome the conditions to still film amazing footage with Jess?

When you’re filming in the mountains, you’re a slave to the weather. We had to be patient. It was right at the end of the window that we eventually got the weather we felt we needed. We were up super early and were back down from the shoot by 10am. That’s how it is in the mountains. You have to be adaptable and let mother nature call the shots.

Mike Douglas
You’ve got all of these pieces that you’ve filmed and you sit for days on end trying to put the puzzle together. I enjoy that process.
Being a professional skier yourself, understanding what the athlete is going through must also help behind the camera?

100%. For example, with the type of filming we did with Jess, it’s not just her doing her  thing and you’re capturing it - you’re talking through lines together and safety aspects together. When we filmed with Jess we had some rapidly changing conditions and we had to work together to make sure the exit plans were in place. We all relied on each other. So, it’s very much a team thing. You can’t just walk into it, you have to earn that experience to a certain degree.

‍

How did you manage to overcome the conditions to still film amazing footage with Jess?

When you’re filming in the mountains, you’re a slave to the weather. We had to be patient. It was right at the end of the window that we eventually got the weather we felt we needed. We were up super early and were back down from the shoot by 10am. That’s how it is in the mountains. You have to be adaptable and let mother nature call the shots.

Being a professional skier yourself, understanding what the athlete is going through must also help behind the camera?

100%. For example, with the type of filming we did with Jess, it’s not just her doing her  thing and you’re capturing it - you’re talking through lines together and safety aspects together. When we filmed with Jess we had some rapidly changing conditions and we had to work together to make sure the exit plans were in place. We all relied on each other. So, it’s very much a team thing. You can’t just walk into it, you have to earn that experience to a certain degree.

‍

How did you manage to overcome the conditions to still film amazing footage with Jess?

When you’re filming in the mountains, you’re a slave to the weather. We had to be patient. It was right at the end of the window that we eventually got the weather we felt we needed. We were up super early and were back down from the shoot by 10am. That’s how it is in the mountains. You have to be adaptable and let mother nature call the shots.

How did you get involved with Shaped by Water?

The director Dean Leslie and I have been friends for many years now. Dean used to produce the Salomon Running TV series and my company produced the Salomon Freeski TV series. We’d bounce ideas off each other over the years. It came from there, and we did our best to make it happen!

 

What jumped out at you when you watched the final film?

It’s beautiful. The cinematography is spectacular. Using the water cycle as a way to show how immersed we are in the natural world, how critical it is to literally every single thing we do. It’s an example of how we can work with nature, using gravity and the power of the wind, to have a deep connection with the natural world.

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You’ve grown up on the mountain, tell me what environmental changes you’ve seen over the years?

Back in the 1990s I would train on the Horstman Glacier in Whistler, and I would ski all summer. That’s where I learned things and then in the winter I’d compete and put those things into action. On the glacier is where I’d really develop myself and progress the sport. Around the mid 90s I started to notice a real change around how the glacier looked. I knew it wasn’t just the weather that was changing, but the climate. I’d show up and the ice would have melted away in a way I didn’t think was possible. That woke me up to what the scientists were saying, and I felt I had a front row seat to it. I got involved and started to speak up about climate issues and got involved with Protect Our Winters. It’s all around us and unavoidable now, and more obvious than ever.

 

Tell me about Switchback Entertainment and the work you do… 

It came from the idea that you can’t be a professional skier forever. I was a fairly successful skier back in the early 2000s but I was heading towards the ceiling of 35-years-old. There were no professional skiers over that age back then. My birthday was coming up and I realized I had to do something else. The film side of skiing was something I was always intrigued in. I would ski in a lot of the big ski films but then always go and join them in the studio to do a bit of editing and behind the scenes work. I was also working in television as a commentator for the X Games, so I learned a lot about how television works behind the scenes. I saw an opportunity to start my own production company and Switchback Entertainment was born in 2004. It was very small and modest to begin with and we were churning out a short ski film or two a year. It was around 2010 that we started making films for the first time and The Freedom Chair came out in 2011, which was kind of our breakthrough.

QUESTIONS
11th Hour Racing
ANSWERS
Mike Douglas

Mike Douglas, or ‘The Godfather of Freeskiing’ as he’s affectionately known in the industry, is a filmmaker who’s seen and done it all over a breathless career that’s taken him from starring in major hit ski films to now making them.

 

A professional freeskier idolized for pushing the boundaries and who was pivotal in shaping the sport you see today, Mike launched his award-winning production company Switchback Entertainment nearly two decades ago and has been crushing it ever since; bringing films including The Freedom Chair, Eclipse, and Snowman to our screens.

 

In November of 2022, we knew we needed more footage of Jess Hotter skiing in pristine powder; with work bringing her North to Canada for the winter, we knew there was one person to call: Mike Douglas and his team. Having Mike come on board to shoot some epic  footage with Jess for Shaped by Water in Whistler was a huge thrill (and key to the story).  We recently had the opportunity to ask him a few questions to learn more about his career both in front of and behind the lens…

Keep exploring ...
4.17.2023
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8.17.2022
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Mike Douglas-carousel-1
Keep exploring ...
4.17.2023
The power of subtle storytelling - with Amory Ross
8.17.2022
How to become an adventure filmmaker with Jase Hancox
4.17.2023
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Listen to Jack ...
What came first – your love for filmmaking or your love for skiing?

My first passion as a kid growing up in Whistler, Canada, was always skiing. I wanted to do it as much as possible. The whole filmmaking and photography side came from trying to preserve the memories from days spent in the mountains in the winter, and being able to relive them through the summer.

 

What was it about skiing you instantly connected with so much? 

A bit of everything. Having this feeling of gliding on the surface of the earth, you almost feel like you’re flying. It’s a feeling that’s very tough to get anywhere else. There’s a speed and sensation that’s almost impossible to duplicate. It’s like flying without leaving the ground.

Mike Douglas
Having this feeling of gliding on the surface of the earth, you almost feel like you’re flying.
 Did you always plan to go down the filmmaking route as well?

I always had a sense of adventure inside me and it’s still there to this day. That idea of looking around the next corner and wondering what’s on the back of that peak? What if we went up there? What can we find? This has driven me through most of my life. Filmmaking became a way to preserve that sense of adventure and ultimately became a vehicle to make some of the ideas happen. More recently, it’s become a way to challenge myself in ways that I no longer can on skis.

‍

How has the creativity, innovation, and inquisitiveness you developed growing up on the mountain been a benefit in your filmmaking career?

If I look at the innovation through my career as a skier it was constantly evolving. We were learning new techniques and for a time, literally inventing new tricks for several years and completely pushing the boundaries of what people thought was possible. In filmmaking, it’s looking for answers, ways to tell stories, and ways to try and make a connection with the people who are watching. You can see it when you’re in a theater, you can see it in people’s eyes and their reactions when you really make a connection and that’s an awesome feeling.

Being a professional skier yourself, understanding what the athlete is going through must also help behind the camera?

100%. For example, with the type of filming we did with Jess, it’s not just her doing her  thing and you’re capturing it - you’re talking through lines together and safety aspects together. When we filmed with Jess we had some rapidly changing conditions and we had to work together to make sure the exit plans were in place. We all relied on each other. So, it’s very much a team thing. You can’t just walk into it, you have to earn that experience to a certain degree.

‍

How did you manage to overcome the conditions to still film amazing footage with Jess?

When you’re filming in the mountains, you’re a slave to the weather. We had to be patient. It was right at the end of the window that we eventually got the weather we felt we needed. We were up super early and were back down from the shoot by 10am. That’s how it is in the mountains. You have to be adaptable and let mother nature call the shots.

How did you get involved with Shaped by Water?

The director Dean Leslie and I have been friends for many years now. Dean used to produce the Salomon Running TV series and my company produced the Salomon Freeski TV series. We’d bounce ideas off each other over the years. It came from there, and we did our best to make it happen!

 

What jumped out at you when you watched the final film?

It’s beautiful. The cinematography is spectacular. Using the water cycle as a way to show how immersed we are in the natural world, how critical it is to literally every single thing we do. It’s an example of how we can work with nature, using gravity and the power of the wind, to have a deep connection with the natural world.

Mike Douglas-carousel-3
You’ve grown up on the mountain, tell me what environmental changes you’ve seen over the years?

Back in the 1990s I would train on the Horstman Glacier in Whistler, and I would ski all summer. That’s where I learned things and then in the winter I’d compete and put those things into action. On the glacier is where I’d really develop myself and progress the sport. Around the mid 90s I started to notice a real change around how the glacier looked. I knew it wasn’t just the weather that was changing, but the climate. I’d show up and the ice would have melted away in a way I didn’t think was possible. That woke me up to what the scientists were saying, and I felt I had a front row seat to it. I got involved and started to speak up about climate issues and got involved with Protect Our Winters. It’s all around us and unavoidable now, and more obvious than ever.

 

Tell me about Switchback Entertainment and the work you do… 

It came from the idea that you can’t be a professional skier forever. I was a fairly successful skier back in the early 2000s but I was heading towards the ceiling of 35-years-old. There were no professional skiers over that age back then. My birthday was coming up and I realized I had to do something else. The film side of skiing was something I was always intrigued in. I would ski in a lot of the big ski films but then always go and join them in the studio to do a bit of editing and behind the scenes work. I was also working in television as a commentator for the X Games, so I learned a lot about how television works behind the scenes. I saw an opportunity to start my own production company and Switchback Entertainment was born in 2004. It was very small and modest to begin with and we were churning out a short ski film or two a year. It was around 2010 that we started making films for the first time and The Freedom Chair came out in 2011, which was kind of our breakthrough.

Mike Douglas
You’ve got all of these pieces that you’ve filmed and you sit for days on end trying to put the puzzle together. I enjoy that process.
What aspect of your work do you enjoy the most?

I’m a bit of a jack of all trades! I enjoy the full process. I love being out in the field filming, that’s everyone’s favorite part I think, but there’s a part of me that loves sitting down and trying to put the story together. It’s a puzzle. You’ve got all of these pieces that you’ve filmed and you sit for days on end trying to put the puzzle together. I enjoy that process. Some days it feels tedious but other days you have a breakthrough that feels really good. I was worried that when my ski career ended, I’d never have those feelings again and now I’ve found them when I’m making films. When something comes together, it’s a similar rush.

Mike Douglas
In filmmaking, it’s looking for answers, ways to tell stories, and ways to try and make a connection with the people who are watching.

Mike Douglas, or ‘The Godfather of Freeskiing’ as he’s affectionately known in the industry, is a filmmaker who’s seen and done it all over a breathless career that’s taken him from starring in major hit ski films to now making them.

 

A professional freeskier idolized for pushing the boundaries and who was pivotal in shaping the sport you see today, Mike launched his award-winning production company Switchback Entertainment nearly two decades ago and has been crushing it ever since; bringing films including The Freedom Chair, Eclipse, and Snowman to our screens.

 

In November of 2022, we knew we needed more footage of Jess Hotter skiing in pristine powder; with work bringing her North to Canada for the winter, we knew there was one person to call: Mike Douglas and his team. Having Mike come on board to shoot some epic  footage with Jess for Shaped by Water in Whistler was a huge thrill (and key to the story).  We recently had the opportunity to ask him a few questions to learn more about his career both in front of and behind the lens…

Mike Douglas-carousel-6
Mike Douglas-carousel-5
Is that some advice you’d give to aspiring filmmakers? To get involved in all stages of the process? 

I think it’s good to have a basic understanding of how all aspects of the process work because without understanding the full flow, you can’t do your job as well as possible. Having the holistic experience helps bring all the shots together.

 

What are you working on now?

A film that’s called The Impossible Journey. It’s about Thor Pedersen, a Danish adventurer who just became the first person to visit every country in the world without flying. He arrived home three months ago after leaving Denmark in 2013, initially expecting it to take four years. It took a decade. It was much harder than he expected, and he suffered a lot. We’re sitting on well over 100 hours of footage. There’s a lot to put together!

Previously unseen
ABOUT THE PROJECT

To highlight the connection between water and sports, we’ve brought together an internationally renowned freediver, a world champion freeskier, and professional offshore sailing team. Like water, these athletes move in unison with their mind, body, and the present moment. Together, these athletes bring to life their fullest expressions– like water, they flow.

ABOUT THE TEAM

We chose athletes who are not only the best at what they do but also align with 11th Hour Racing’s mission to protect and restore the ocean. We hired local storytelling teams who are also some of the best in the world. Each part of the production was carefully considered to come together as one holistic story.

Behind the Scenes

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