Whistler Blackcomb officials are calling on local artists to
help celebrate the joining of Whistler and Blackcomb mountains by designing a
commemorative poster to mark the grand opening of the Peak 2 Peak Gondola.
“We hope that the endless possibilities that the Peak 2 Peak
Gondola offers will inspire community artists to create and take part in this
historic launch,” Dave Brownlie, Whistler-Blackcomb’s President and CEO, said
in a recent press release. “In many ways, the opening of the gondola signifies
a new birth, a new era in mountain access, and the beginning of a new chapter
filled with the hundreds of stories that Whistler Blackcomb mountains inspire
each season. To capture all this in a piece of art is true genius, and I would
be very honoured to showcase the winning artwork to all who take part in the
launch.”
Artists are invited to submit a photo of their original design,
which focuses on the theme of “connection,” no later than Oct. 24 at 5 p.m. The
winning artist will receive a Whistler-Blackcomb 2008-09 season pass, a $500
gift card for Whistler-Blackcomb retail outlets, and 100 copies of the poster.
Copies of the poster will be given away to guests who attend the Peak 2 Peak
grand opening event on Dec. 12, and the original artwork will be auctioned off
at the 2009 Telus Winter Classic/Whistler Blackcomb Foundation Gala on Jan. 25.
The entries that are not selected for the commemorative poster may be used in
an art exhibit at the Roundhouse Lodge on the weekend of the Peak to Peak grand
opening.
For full submission guidelines, visit
www.whistlerblackcomb.com/poster.
Ski films galore
First, we had Matchstick Productions’ newest film, CLAIM: The
Greatest Ski Movie Ever! premiere here in Whistler. Then, just last Thursday, the
Rocky Mountain Sherpas came to town with their new educational film, The Fine
Line: An Avalanche Education Film. Well, it looks like local ski junkies are
being treated to yet another high-def movie prior to the start of the winter
season.
Under The Influence is the latest offering from Teton Gravity
Research (TGR). The 16 mm ski and snowboard film predominantly features the
people, places and moments that are integral to the winter sport realm,
following the adventures of today’s best riders as they travel the world in
search of new territory to conquer.
The Jackson Hole-based TGR crew scoured the top ski
destinations for the best locations to shoot this film, eventually setting
their sights on Alaskan virgin spines, park jumps at Grand Targhee, pristine
pillows and powder in the northwest and Jackson Hole backcountry, and as close
to home as Pemberton.
Featured riders include Seth Morrison, Dylan Hood, Jeremy Jones
and Kye Peterson. To check out a teaser, visit
www.tetongravity.com/undertheinfluence
.
Under The Influence hits the screens at MY Millennium Place at
7 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 2.
Homegrown horror
This isn’t your typical Whistler film fest — instead of
fresh lines and epic tricks, the films in the seventh annual horror film
festival feature zombies, ghouls and blood galore.
Heavy Hitting Films, the producers of the underground ski
movie, Parental Advisory, Volume 1, are once again holding their B-Grade Horror
Fest, which showcases local independent horror short films.
“Last year was amazing,” said Feet Banks, co-owner of Heavy
Hitting. “All the movies ruled. Each year the filmmaking talent pool gets
deeper. This event is about getting out there with your friends, covering them
with blood, and having fun.”
B-grade horror films originated in the 1950s, with independent
filmmakers pumping out double-billed, cheaply made films riddled with sinister
mayhem and gore.
“What we’re hoping for once more is budget B-grade horror
movies, not Hollywood academy award winners with cookie-cutter sentimentality
forced in,” said Banks. “I’m talking zombies and aliens, monsters and
murderers, blood, guts, token nudity, whatever. Anything goes, just make it
scary, gory, funny, short and just give’r.”
The film festival takes place on Thursday, Oct. 30 at MY
Millennium Place, and the deadline for submissions is Oct. 15. Contact Banks at
feet@heavyhitting.com
or 604-902-2666 if you’re interested in participating.
Creepy crawly creative writing comp
Halloween is right around the corner, and Pique is looking for your more horrifying, harrowing tales for a short story competition. Submit as many of your original, unpublished scary stories, poems or scripts as you like (up to 2,000 words each). The winner will take home $300, the runner up wins $100 (that’s a lot of candy!), and both will be published in the Oct. 30 issue. All entries should include a short biography of the writer, and be sent to andrew@piquenewsmagazine.com by Monday, Oct. 20.