Photo/ Jonathan Finch
Willey Miller's webisode "ON SCENE" has been released by TGR (Teton Gravity Research). Episode 3 focuses on Ueki Shikaichi, who is based in Golden, Canada. The subtitle is "IN SEARCH OF SHIKA." It also has the kanji for "in search of deer," making him truly the star
of the show. It's quite an exciting development to see him jam with a top rider across the ocean and leave a legacy.
So, we asked Ueki Shikaichi himself to report on the filming that you can't see in the video. First, check out the essential footage!!
Ueki Shikaichi poses in the same pose as Wiley (left) with a slightly shy expression
A lucky encounter with Wiley Miller
"Shika! We are gonna film this winter Bro?"
It was October 2022. While visiting sponsors in Tokyo, struggling with unfamiliar train journeys and crowds, I suddenly received a direct message on Instagram. The sender was Willey Miller.
It was an invitation from a star I had always watched in movies since I first started freeskiing.
I first met Wiley in the spring of 2022. When I headed to a snowmobile parking lot to shoot in Golden, Canada, where I live, I found a crew already starting to prepare.
Among the crew, who exuded a sparkling aura that was a little different from the ski bum locals of Golden, there was one skier who stood out from the crowd.
Being a bit of a freestyle enthusiast, I immediately recognized him from the sponsored gear he was wearing. It's rare to find a rider like him in Golden. I mustered up the courage to talk to him, and he was very friendly
"See you on the mountain"
With that, I parted ways with him at the parking lot, but when we arrived at the shooting location, it seemed they had been aiming for the same spot, and they were already pointing their cameras at the slope. Wiley took a beautifully lit spur ridge, performed a flowing turn, and then a stylish nosebutter as he came down.
I was thrilled to see his butter tricks in person, something I'd always seen on screen, and he asked me, "Do you want to try it too?" and let me try it down the same slope.
It was a lucky encounter, but it was the only time I met him. Although I was half-skeptical of his invitation, I immediately said "YES."
The first time I saw a movie star
March 2023. I received word that Wiley and his film crew had arrived in Golden, so I put on my ski jacket and headed to the lodge where they were staying. Golden had suffered from a lack of snow this season, with a local legend saying it was the worst it had been in the past 20 years, but the past few weeks had seen consistent, good snowfall, making for the best conditions of the season
I was excited to head to the lodge in the morning to photograph powder snow, but they were in the lobby glaring at each other in front of their computers and cell phones, and even after an hour or two, there was no sign of them leaving their computers
Apparently, he'd made connections with a helicopter company the day before, and was busy raising funds and contacting the essential guides to make the helicopter shoot a reality. When it comes to using a helicopter for filming, the hurdles, including the financial ones, rise dramatically. It feels like they're several dozen times higher.
Skiers, as a species, are all bad at this kind of administrative work and sales, and it seemed that Global Star's Wiley was no exception.
In contrast to the lively expression seen in the video, we saw him frowning as he frantically typed emails. Even so, the fact that he was able to build trust with the helicopter company and guides, raise funds, and even get to filming in such a short amount of time was a feat made possible by his past achievements, relationships with sponsors, and determination to shoot good footage. In fact, the scale of the footage would have been completely different with or without helicopter filming
The kicker session took an unexpected turn
During the shoot, we had the opportunity to do a backcountry kicker session
The five-person team searched for suitable terrain for jumps, and spent time building them. They practiced their approach on their skis and then decided the order of their next jumps. Since each jump in powder creates a hole on landing, riders from second on down must adjust the angle and distance of their jumps to avoid getting stuck in the hole.
Therefore, riders want to be early jumpers. The order is often decided by rock-paper-scissors, but I thought this would be Wilie's chance to shine, so I let him take first.
"3, 2, 1 drop in!!" Wilie took off from a speedy approach and landed his signature wide-open tailgrab 720.
Thinking it was my turn next, I approached Wiley after he had finished, but he asked me to try again, as he wasn't satisfied.
If it were two Japanese riders, we would almost certainly take turns jumping, so even though I was a little embarrassed, I put him on the mobile and took him back to the start.
In the end, he jumped four times in a row, ahead of me, until he was satisfied.
I approached him after he had finished jumping and asked him, "Why did you jump four times in a row?" He replied, "Your success rate increases if you jump consecutively while the feeling is still fresh, and above all, if you don't land it properly, the footage won't turn out well."
There were a number of times like this during filming. Even if the rest of the crew was satisfied, he would try again and again to get footage that he was satisfied with. Of course. He had plenty of failures and falls too. But I felt that it was because he had tried more than anyone else and was so particular that he had been able to leave behind such good footage.
However... I was a little annoyed when he flew ahead using the approach I had stayed behind to widen the flight direction (wry smile).
A meticulous shooting style that doesn't waste time or effort
For this shoot, he flew in his private Cessna from Montana, where he lives, to Golden, Canada. He got his license about 10 years ago, and apparently uses his Cessna for work in the summer and to fly to Mexico on vacation. With
sunglasses and headphones on and holding the control stick, his profile looks as cool as when he's skiing. I also got to ride in the Cessna several times during this shoot. My goal was to scope the slopes.
When skiing and filming a single slope, the most important task is scoping to find a good slope and good snow. Doing this in a Cessna is extremely efficient. Walking 15km a day is exhausting, and even a mobile can't cover 100km easily. Helicopters are versatile but too expensive. However, with a private Cessna like the one we used this time, we can scope out most of Golden in just a few hours
"BE PRODUCTIVE" is a phrase often used in North American filming. In Japanese, it would probably translate to "highly productive." To make a ski movie, you need to get the required number of good runs within a set period of time.
Movie projects in particular are dependent on factors that are beyond your control, such as the weather and snow quality, yet they are made to order, with sponsors collecting money first. You have to somehow make something out of that. Having struggled under that pressure for many years and achieved results, the need to film as efficiently as possible is ingrained in him.
Not only was he scoping the Cessna, but he was also quicker than anyone else in the parking lot and preparing on the mountain, and the time it took to inspect the slope and then get up there was also quicker than anyone I've ever filmed with. Not a single second is wasted in the mountains. You can feel his determination to get great footage from every movement he makes
"I'll keep skiing until the sun goes down" - always hungry until the end of filming
Helicopter Day was made possible through a variety of efforts
The snow had been good and the weather was sunny, and we had already been filming using snowmobiles for three days in a row, so we were definitely feeling the lactic acid buildup as we headed into the day. Incidentally, filming on a snowmobile is several times tougher than you might imagine. If you're not used to it, I guarantee your upper body muscles will be exhausted after just one day.
On this day, a helicopter took off first thing in the morning, and we continued skiing nonstop at a high pace. Just after noon, as we were being picked up by the helicopter, our guide asked us if we wanted to take a short lunch break. We had skied a few big lines, and neither Wiley nor I had any crashes. We were feeling a certain level of satisfaction. The camera crew and I were exchanging glances, wondering if it was time to take a break, when someone interrupted us,
"NO!! Keep skiing till the sun goes down!!"
Wiley declared, demanding that the guide call a helicopter immediately
We quickly munch on some snacks in the few minutes we have before the helicopter arrives. Meanwhile, Wiley, holding a power bar, talks with the guide about the next slope.
In the end, Wiley and I continued skiing with almost nothing to eat or drink. Wiley recorded each and every one of his wide-ranging riding variations, from big mountain to pillow trick shots.
His concentration and enthusiasm were completely different from any rider I'd ever filmed.
Three days on the mobile and a full day on the helicopter. I assumed the next day would be a day off, but contrary to my expectations, the highlight was the next day. We
went heli-skiing again in the morning, and filmed using the mobile until sunset in the afternoon. We finally returned to the parking lot just as it was getting dark.
Everyone was physically and mentally exhausted, but everyone looked satisfied after having accomplished the feat as a team. From the preparations for filming, to the techniques for smoothly filming, to the dedication to each shot, to the passion for capturing good footage. I learned so much from skiing with him. He's a year older than me, and still active, and at 37 years old, he made me want to improve and work harder.
Thank you so much, Wiley!
PROFILE
Shikaichi Ueki
was born in Chiba Prefecture in 1985. He continues to travel the world, skiing in North America, Japan, New Zealand, and Europe in search of exciting slopes. In recent years, he has become particularly interested in climb and ride, which involves going deep into the mountains. He is passionate about the challenge of tackling even bigger slopes. In addition to his riding activities, he also serves as an organizer of the JAPAN FREERIDE OPEN (JFO) held in Hakuba Cortina, and is responsible for everything from planning to running the event.
Sponsor: @rmu.mtn.co , @sweetprotection_japan , @arcteryx_jp
https://www.instagram.com/shikaichiueki/
WILLEY MILLER: Born in 1984, Wiley Miller
is a professional skier based in Bozeman, Montana. Since being featured in Level 1 Production's film "Realtime" (2007), he has become a movie star who continues to be active in the film scene rather than focusing on competitions. He has released signature skis for 4FRNT and RMU, and has many fans around the world.
Sponsors: @rmu.mtn.co , @stio , @sweetprotection , @backcountryaccess
https://youtu.be/JGNNBg3_lBs