Kranked Revolve
Movies for people who ride
By Jennifer Smith – Kelowna Capital News
Published: June 09, 2009 10:00 PM
This could be their biggest event yet.
On Thursday, June 25, Mountain Bikers of the Central Okanagan will open the doors at the Kelowna Community Theatre to what they’re hoping will be a full house as Kranked 8: Revolve makes its Okanagan debut.
Produced by Sunshine Coast resident Bjorn Enga’s Radical Films, the Kranked series have become a litmus test for top riders and mountain bike film aficionados as each successive film tries to outdo the last.
This one promises to be no exception with 15 of the world’s top riders strutting their stuff.
“It’s kind of loosely based on the riders talking about their bikes, illustrating what they ride and how they ride and what they’re all about,” Enga explained in a telephone interview from the Coast.
With fans who demand the best he knows he’s got to stay on his toes, this time throwing a blind rider and a guy whose wearing spandex in the mix.
The spandex speedster is tackling a 27-km descent in a downhill race, using the otherwise no-go mountain Speedo look to cope with the demands of such high volume performance pedalling, Enga says.
The movies are made for people who ride by people who ride and Enga confirmed he did spend a portion of this last weekend on the trails himself, even riding through a year of intense shooting.
He worked into this end of the mountain bike business after running a magazine in Nelson called The Freak Radical. Now more than a decade into the industry he can say he’s never spent a lick of time in film school, but has logged countless hours “on set.”
Shooting a mountain bike movie is a rather unique experience which involves an editing process that runs down to the wire. He’s often editing right up to premier day and trying to meet the fan’s expectations.
Call Enga’s line and his answering service announces he’s “deeeeeep into Revolve” polishing up the last of the epic scenes.
For this movie, it is that very last scene he’s really happy with, shots done in the lush green forests of his home turf, Mount Elphinstone.
Kelowna’s hometown hero Steve Romaniuk, whose known for his cowboy persona, also has some pretty gnarly footage in the film, though his scenes were shot in France.
With the promise of those ridiculously amazing moves hanging in the balance, Mountain Bikers of the Central Okanagan hope they’ll sell out the community theatre this time around.
Last year some 450 people showed up for the event, but this time around they’re aiming for a full 700 capacity. While MTBco host several movie nights throughout the year, the Kranked openings are always their top draw.
President Johnny Smoke describes the events as a perk for current members, but said they also help attract new members and new riders to the scene.
And there are other groups now trying to follow this successful path.
Last week the local cycling advocacy group, Kelowna and Area Cycling Coalition, tried a similar tack screening several short films, mostly UTube clips, of cycling themes in an effort to attract prospective members to their group as well.
Proceeds from the mountain bikers events will go toward building out local infrastructure, helping with the city’s new mountain bike skills park being built on Hollywood Road and negotiating access rights to Crown land.
Tickets for Kranked 8: Revolve can be purchased through local bike shops.
jsmith@kelownacapnews.com
