Video: Lee Jackson - The Valley

Jan 31, 2014
by Max Berkowitz  
Lee Jackson | The Valley

by MaxBerkowitz
Views: 49,776    Faves: 305    Comments: 23


Lee and I had been talking for a while about getting out to film a video, but school and work kept our schedules busy through the fall. Our original plan was to film in Vancouver, on Cypress mountain, but come the one weekend we were both available, Cypress was frozen over, and we were in a jam. Trying to think of a filming location that would be both somewhat unique and not poaching, I remembered Reuben Krabbe's fantastic Rule of Thirds photo essay featuring the trails of the Fraser Valley. Although both of us hadn't spent much time riding the Fraser Valley, we took a gamble, and spent the weekend filming both Chilliwack (Vedder) and Mission (Arduum) trails. Our gamble paid off, and we had a great time exploring another trail network.

new video dropping soon https www.facebook.com maxberkowitzvisual

Video and Photo by Max Berkowitz Visual
Riding: Lee Jackson



Posted In:
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91 Comments
  • 73 18
 The handheld tracking shots don't work well.
  • 20 10
 +1 on that. Almost had to stop watching. I like the concept, but not the execution.
  • 14 7
 0.38 is a camera nightmare.
  • 3 4
 I agree
  • 30 4
 To each his own. I thought that, taken as a whole, the hand-held shots worked beautifully. Like some wild animal suddenly and unexpectedly caught on video.
  • 7 0
 Cheers boys, I agree a good few of the shots are not my best work by any standard haha
  • 6 2
 I actually kinda liked it!!! And on the plus side it's good astronaut training Wink
  • 10 1
 And the chill music helps balance against the frenetic nature of the hand-held shots Smile Great job. I'll be watching this many times. Thanks.
  • 4 9
flag gossman (Jan 31, 2014 at 16:51) (Below Threshold)
 shooting a horror flick or a bike clip? I mean the concept is cool, but a little too much too often
  • 3 0
 As i was watching this i was thinkin i kinda like how its such a loose style but this is gonna get so much hate. 0:38 could have been executed a bit better but i like the way the whole piece had a floaty feel to to it. oh and speaking of floaty...jackson was hangin from strings at 0:58
  • 6 1
 Something new was brought to the table. I personally really enjoyed those shots! They we unique and added a new element! Good work man.
  • 13 3
 People on pinkbike hating in the comment section when they don't have any videos themselves?! I for one am shocked at this! Good video, I enjoyed it and the riding
  • 4 1
 I loved the guerilla style shooting...makes it feel manic..
  • 6 0
 ...discussion about how it's shot.... I just have to say nice Riding and an awsome Trail !
  • 4 2
 I thought the shots were just fine. Not everyone can afford a Steadicam.
  • 3 2
 I don't think he showed any intention of wanting one...? Looked absolutely deliberate to me. And that's why it worked.
  • 4 0
 Is it strange that I noticed more about his riding style than the actual camera work? I didn't think it was anything out of the ordinary until reading the comments, haha.
  • 3 0
 i liked the video. it was a nice change from some of the over produced videos that we see. looked like an everyday ride done by everyday riders.
  • 4 2
 I recant my previous statement. My words were overly harsh. I like the desaturation a lot and the riding is killer. The overall clip is topnotch, it was just a little hard to watch a few of the handheld shots. I repeat, just a few. (I hate PB, this is why I never comment.)
  • 4 3
 To all those who feel the need to share their criticism on the camera work, angle shots, editing etc...please post your comments at www.nobodycares.com. The rest of us will appreciate all videos that are shared by our fellow riders whether they be professional filmmakers with the best equipment or amateurs with only camcorder.
  • 2 1
 I agree with @joe-falconi, the guy made a video of his Buddy riding for us to enjoy, I couldn't give a rats ass if it wasn't perfect as some of these experts seem to think. it was a guy riding a bike, I don't think it was meant to be an entry for the Cairns film festival.
  • 2 0
 Is this a biking website or a filming one? Seems like it's a bit of both.
  • 5 2
 A 17 year old amateur film maker creates a video with a good enough vibe to break the 30K viewer mark and Pinkbike viewers need to trash on him to build their own self confidence. Way to go guys!
  • 4 0
 @eyun, you must be new to the pinkbike comment sections. Just a little hint, it is full of immature kids
  • 3 1
 @prestonDH, lol. I am aware of the high credentials behind most PB comments. We could run bets as to what gets the better golf score, a combination of users age/experience or their IQ.

Just wanted to call a spade a spade in defence of a 17 year old who did a banger job!
  • 2 0
 Personally, as someone who really liked the video and has watched it at least a dozen times, I don't think there's anything wrong with people offering up some criticism. Nothing said here was unduly harsh. I would agree that people who didn't like it could have simply said nothing, except that maybe Max wants to know how people feel about his film.
  • 1 0
 Credit to the rider, too!! Big Grin He's a big part of what makes the film fun to watch Smile
  • 23 2
 As a professional videographer, I would say the majority of the hand held shots did work in this edit. It's shot how we would see riders if we were there with them. We don't see in smooth tracking shots or see the slow mo of dirt spraying up in real time. A refreshing change.

(although it's another video where i had to scrub 15 seconds into it to see any riding)
  • 6 0
 i thought the intro was perfect. time to set up the mood and drop a riders name. you start your videos with riding in the first frame?....thats a bummer
  • 16 2
 As a professional human being, i would say that my head doesn't bounce around like a handheld camera when watching my friends hit lines.
  • 5 3
 dear videographers- i don't need to see another single intro of a guy - waking up, eating, getting dressed, driving, unloading, taking a dump, or doing anything but riding. the whole process of amateurs trying to make their edit look legendary with this type of wasted footage is generic and beyond boring at this point.
  • 2 0
 I'd say most people see things with the stability of a cineflex. Our eyes and head make things pretty rock solid. We see really smooth tracking shots. Not taking away from this edit, but the world looks pretty smooth and flowy except when I'm hammered.
  • 1 2
 Sure, if you're sitting there waiting for it. But you're in the woods on your bike, your buddy's on his bike, you're both jumping and zipping through the trails and hits, it's rare you get a good clean line of him. That video feels like I'm on a bike as well on the same trail.
  • 18 0
 I love this video. It's safe to assume the weather was not yielding the best riding/filming environment, yet they rode/filmed any way. And the footage turned out unique and inspiring. This flick got my IWR (I Wanna Ride) meter in the red line.

And the guy riding is obviously a very talented rider, but he's not sending 360 no-handers off a 30 foot cliff in Italy with a $30K octa-copter filming him. He's thoroughly enjoying the smaller jumps that most of us actually ride. I don't say this to slight the talent of the rider, he could probably ride circles around me, I say this because I can actually identify with this rider, his trails, and his skill level. And that identification is what makes us want to ride. I can't really identify with some pro kid half my age who has the time, money & opportunities that I will never have. Although those videos are impressive, they don't get me motivated to ride because I know I'll never be a 20-something fully-sponsored pro who has access to training that I will never have.

Nice video guys.
  • 3 0
 Best comment so far. Well said. Nice video.
  • 2 0
 I agree! Very well said! I enjoyed the video and the soundtrack.
  • 1 3
 Holy crap. There's someone sending 360 no-handers of 30 foot drops in italy? I need to see this footage! lol
  • 7 0
 Plug in is jacked on this one. On chrome, firefox, and my mobile it's just a black screen with sound. I know I have the latest drivers too. Fml.
  • 4 9
flag KUNTHER (Jan 31, 2014 at 15:43) (Below Threshold)
 Me too. Based on the music we didnt miss much.
  • 1 0
 seems like it was fixed.
  • 4 0
 You guys crazy? I though this was a great video! Just get a little bored with the typical self-important teenage Dukes of Hazzard driving, pointless skidding. Fresh, natural and fun to watch. Great video!
  • 2 0
 max good job a few shaky shots that are in there and you know it but you put them in there with the rest of the shots and made it work awsome hella impressed i think im gonna go ride ardumm today after seeing this very well put together on a side note i felt like i was watching porno with the music so i switched to some rage and it work pretty decently with the edit cheers
  • 9 3
 Such shake. Much filter.
  • 2 0
 I disagree with the haters... this is a really unique, raw, grainy video and watching it is sort of the way it feels to ride on a rainy gross day. Smooth riding by Lee as well which is a refreshing change from riders doing cutties in corners to make it look like they are riding faster than they really are. Nice work!
  • 1 0
 Very cool to see guys ride a virgin surface. Green, with out a pre-run. You Northerners have it made with babied surfaces and groomed parks. Are there any virgin ,Mother Nature DH parks up there? There was a little bit of roots and rocks.

Good video overall! Great new choices of music! For those of us who don't drink Monster, it's Hard to take the Metal shred crap all the time.
  • 1 0
 the video was awsome but the second trail they filmed is crazy gnarly ardumm is probably most natural gnar trail in the valley
  • 9 10
 THANK YOU!!!!!...Finally a video that didn't spoil the riding by over using slow-mo to showcase a bunch of lame kick-turns and side whips!!!!! If I see another retarded tire- scrub, washing all that freshly built berm dirt, I'm going to explode... Whoever started that trend, should have to own up to builders everywhere by getting tied to a tree and pelted with rocksFrown
  • 6 5
 Its ok man. Not everybody has steeze.
  • 2 0
 everybody started that trend when they were 5... it just happens to be really really fun. That being said, this video was awesome besides being a little over the top with poorly panned shots into mindbending camera angles. The chaoticness of it made the still shots refreshing, and the audio was really chill.
  • 2 0
 0:36
  • 1 1
 ^ I'm with you there for sure. Looking back that shot shouldn't have made the final cut, oh well.
  • 1 0
 I think its more problems with letting the shot go on for too long, such as at 1:20. The shots that were all over the place were at 1:28, 1:47, and 1:53. Overall, its clearly imperfect, with the rider sometimes not on the screen, but I'm happy the shots were included even though they were quite sellable movie quality.
  • 1 0
 Agree with Econoline.
  • 2 0
 @Max

That was a jab at OP's tire scrub hate, not your film.
Great job, keep it up!
  • 2 0
 Thanks for the kind words Matt, means a lot.
  • 1 0
 i dont mind the "hand held tracking shots" maybe its because i have lazy eye. i like the very drunk man perspective, its something different.
  • 2 0
 Yet another video that won't play on mobile. Let's get with the times PB....... please
  • 3 0
 Chilliwack is on top of the news those days !I love that !
  • 3 0
 Video is blocked watching from iPad.... Frown
  • 3 0
 nice..
  • 2 0
 I liked the handheld panning theme a lot.
  • 1 3
 Great riding. The handheld panning gives it a "creeper in the woods" feel to it, so skip that next time. Everything else was great, and I loved the music choice. Also, the colors in this video match the music very well - which is strange to think about.
  • 3 0
 so scenic and artistic
  • 4 0
 much wow
  • 3 1
 Sweet video Lee!
  • 3 1
 Good one Max and Lee!
  • 4 2
 Talk about HERO dirt!
  • 3 1
 This kid is fast!
  • 1 0
 Why can't i watch it on my ipad?
This has happened before...
  • 1 0
 If anyone has a YouTube link or something to this post it!!!
  • 1 0
 I like the majestic feel to it, no pun intended haha another sick vid man!
  • 3 2
 Another damn fine video From max!
  • 2 0
 Eye and ear candy
  • 1 0
 There is porn soundtrack so it's got to be bike porn.
  • 1 0
 Details on this trail would be fully awesome.
  • 1 0
 Vedder & Arduum
  • 1 0
 I remember a time long long ago when skidding around corners wasn't cool.
  • 2 0
 Won't play for me
  • 1 0
 Steezy Panda rides bike on Fraser Valley Trails
  • 1 0
 ardum3
  • 4 3
 Is that Enduro?
  • 1 0
 Sweet skidding!!
  • 1 0
 I'm Out!!!! Sorry Rider
  • 5 4
 Music?
  • 3 1
 Yeah I'd like to know the track, nice to hear this kind of music complimenting a bike vid, nice work Smile
  • 3 0
 Phil Gerus - Love Is Not So Frightening
  • 1 1
 blair witch mountain bike project?
  • 2 3
 In my opinion, this video is not ass good that it has a place on the main wall...
  • 1 1
 I had to stop watching... feeling nauseous and dizzy.
  • 1 0
 Need iPhone playback!!
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