Mervin: The Mockumentary
by Mervin Manufacturing
[VIDEO CLIP]

	DJ Sureshot and Dave Lee Photo: Micah Shapiro

Seattle, Washington, Premiere
Since no party is complete without a little breakdancing, the Seattle-based Circle of Fire appropriately kicked off last month's premiere of the snowboard film, Mervin: the Mockumentary. I only caught the last few minutes of this entertaining - albeit sans cardboard - flashback performance, but it definitely got the groove going and the party underway.

Before the reels started rolling, Seattle snowboard retailer extraordinaire John Logic and his Snowboard Connection crew tossed a bunch of swag to the eager crowd, packed like sardines into the trendy club, Aro Space and pro riders Dave Lee and Jamie Lynn raffled off their signature boards (oddly DJ Sureshot won one — very suspect). And by the time Mockumentary hit the screen, the mostly inebriated crowd was already fully psyched by the prelude, Sessions team flick Viva Sessions.

Mockumentary showcases the talents of Mervin Manufacturing's Gnu and Lib Tech team riders - and starts with a bang, the first 10 minutes setting the tone with lots of freeriding, some freestyle and nothing stupid. The eclectic soundtrack, including selections from Supersuckers, DJ Shadow and one-time Alaska Extreme champ turned folk-rock singer, Greta Gaines, was on, and adeptly captured the breadth of the team's riding styles. The film's bonus skating scenes brought out the dry land talent of team members like Lib Tech rider Joey Maguire.

The film features Jamie Lynn and Dave Lee throwing down some stunning lines at Snow Summit, California and Mt. Baker, Washington. Their segments showcase both Lynn's artistic flair and Lee's bold riding style, proving that despite their veteran status, these guys are nowhere near retirement. Lib Tech riders since the day, they embody the genuine enthusiasm that makes Mervin so very cool. And filming didn't seem to get in the way. "I was enjoying the season and riding with my friends," Lynn said. "The filming was really secondary."

Gnu rider Barrett Christy's segment, filmed at Wyoming's Jackson Hole and Teton Pass, was my favorite. Christy is nothing if not ballsy and she choose lines with unfaltering confidence. Silence befell the crowd when she first graced the screen, save some barely audible hoots from female audience members. But riotous applause followed her exit. The male crowd had been schooled.

You could almost feel the summer-induced snow withdrawal saturate the room during the tribute to the '98-'99 season of all seasons at Mt. Baker. And this feeling of longing only increased as the Northwest crowd watched Temple Cummins and Wes Makepeace swim through what would become the largest snowpack anywhere ever. But Europe was also snow-blessed last year, evidenced by the power-packed segments of Kai Arne Lien and Jakob Wilhelmson riding in Chamonix, France.

For his first major project, self-taught cinematographer and Mervin employee, Micah Shapiro spent the entire season filming which resulted in a film that is fast, but not furious. I was left feeling pumped, but not exhausted. The riding speaks for itself - and for the riders. If Shapiro did do any of those long, boring rider interviews, in which the rider rambles on about nothing, none of them made the final cut.

Happy riding.

— Mary Catherine O'Connor, MountainZone.com staff