unscene: Filmed in the UK, with UK riders and a UK soundtrack

unscene is a new film from our good friends across the pond. Fed up of watching movies of riders launching themselves off cliffs, Nick Hawker and Tom Hodder decided they would rather be watching something that was slightly more relevant to the type of riding they do over in the UK. So the idea was born – pick up a camera and make their own UK-centric video! Filmed in the UK, with UK riders and a UK soundtrack. They started filing riders throughout the 2005 season and unscene was conceived..


Nick and Tom wanted to keep the whole thing down to earth, while still capturing some inspirational riding. They the decision to concentrate on the UK's best up and coming riders - the guys that go and ride the same woods as they all ride, just a load better. Many of those names might not sounds familiar if you’re not a UK local, but if you ride and race in the UK these names will be familiar to you; Rowan Sorrell, Duncan Ferris, Olly Wilkins, Dan Stanbridge, John Robson, Burg, Dan Critchlow, etc..



unscene has a great mix of downhill, street, trials, DJ’ing, 4x and BMX. Nick and Tom believe variety is the key to a good video. As you would expect from UK riders, the riding is top knotch – and so is the footage quality. Quality of the riding is apparent as soon as you start watching Chapter 2 (Chapter 1 is the info which features all the sponsors). Rowan Sorrell and Nikki Whiles are killing it at Valley Rampage, which I believe is some fast downhill trails located in south Wales? All I know it that is looks pretty damn fun and those guys make it look quite easy!


The editing is ‘pro’ without any meaningless filling. Most of the footage is all real time – e.g. no scratching (e.g. when the footage goes FF, then FR, then FF, then FF), no speed up footage and no annoying special effects. All the special editing effects are at the beginning of each chapter – but they are nice and short with no unnecessary filling. I also like the theme they used – e.g. naming many chapters based on Sunday. Like Four Up Sunday, Urban Sunday, Racing Sunday, Any Sunday, Extra Sundays, etc…


Okay now comes time to talk about the music used for this movie! Nick and Tom contacted Hamish Duff, a London club promoter, to source the tunes to match the riding. Again, they wanted to keep it UK and from the smaller labels. My hat comes off to Hamish – mate, you got great taste in music!! There isn’t any rap-metal or hillbilly music in this one. unscene features tracks from Aim, Skinnyman, Splitloop, Boca 45, Only Child, Foreign Beggars, Therapy, etc…In fact the soundtrack is so good that you could almost play the movie just to listen to the music, which isn’t something I can say for all MTB DVD’s.


unscene is loaded with great riders riding great tracks across the UK. Some riders you will recognize, such as Peat, Fairclough, Page, etc.. The Fort Williams footage is VERY good plus in the bonus footage they have a helmet cam of the Fort William track. Don’t think this movie is only about racing – it’s more about going out with your buds, riding your bike and having a blast doing it!


The movie definitely has a UK feel to it – I’m sure you’ve already read some the UK based magazines out there – well add motion to those pictorials and that’s pretty much what unscene is. Unlike the dry, open and dusty trails we have here in California, most the footage shows thick green/brown foliage and lots of damp & tacky trails.


Unfortunately they are not planning on distributing unscene in the US or Canada – but if you’d still like to get a copy, you can get purchase the DVD online at www.unscenevideo.co.uk. The DVD is not region coded so it will play fine on your computer – that is how I watched my copy.


Profits from unscene are all going to two charities. The World Development Movement and Fairbridge.


The WDM tackles the underlying causes of poverty across the world. By lobbying government, promoting positive alternatives and working alongside people in the developing world the WDM confronts this injustice and influences change.


Fairbridge offer young people from some of the most disadvantaged areas in the UK the chance to gain the motivation, skills and confidence to change their own lives.


Who made this video possible? Great sponsors such as DMR, Silverfish, Raceface, e.thriteen, Cove, Rocky Mountain, Wades Cycles, TF Tuned, howies, Burgtec, 5.10 and epic clothing.

1. intro
2. valley rampage
3. spring jam
4. four up sunday
5. club tropicana
6. urban sunday
7. mountain ash
8. craig jones
9. racing sunday
10. london
11. any Sunday
12. back on the horse
13. we went to scotland too
14. burgtec / 5.10 day out
15. shooting the breeze
16. a great sunday
17. bike show bmx
18. top to bottom
19. credits
1. extra sundays
2. fort william head cam
3. in joke
4. who's got the keys? Trailer
Thanks to Nick Hawker for the complimentary copy – very nice of you! Visit the unscene web site to view the movie trailers, get more info or buy your copy.

Cheers!