Sammy Carlson- HARMONY
Peace amongst the chaos.
We’re back and beyond excited to share HARMONY with you.
Every diehard skier & boarder knows the feeling of harmony in the mountains. It’s that moment when you step your boots into bindings and everything else clicks into place. You’re calm in the chaos. Your body and mind are one, your skis/board an extension of self and soul. All those years of honing your craft have come to this. But you don’t force it. Instead, the mountains set the rhythm, inviting you in, and you oblige and dance, It's these moments that keeps bringing us back, year after year.
Of course, harmony is elusive, especially in Valdez, Alaska. Here, in the promised land of Big Mountain skiing, storms can ground the most motivated crew. Steeps can freeze the fearless in their tracks. Slough can take down the strongest skier. But if you pay your dues and get lucky with a bluebird window and a stable snowpack—and you do find harmony in this ruthless range, it’s more rewarding than a lottery jackpot. And harmony is exactly what Sammy Carlson and his skeleton film crew found in Valdez on a three-week strike mission with Black Ops Heli last spring.
This project is the definition of Harmony. It’s the result of Sammy’s body, mind, and equipment, all working together. It’s a testament to the tight-knit team behind the project, from the heli pilot to the drone operator and the guides, all working towards a common goal: elevate the culture by showcasing not just the artistry of backcountry freestyle, but also raw freeriding and envelope-pushing first descents.
“I was way more at peace this year,” says Sammy, looking back. “I felt in tune on my skis and with the mountains. I was confident when I needed to be confident, humble when I needed to be humble. The crew was solid and tight. As a result, we were able to strike, get in and out safe. Alaska is the ultimate freeride experience—powerful and humbling.”
We hope you enjoy the flick as much as we did making it. If nothing else, we hope it helps you find your own version of HARMONY in the mountains.
Thanks for watching and being part of the journey.
Many thanks to everyone who had a hand in bringing this project to life.
–Sammy and the crew.
Supported By:
QUIKSILVER
https://www.quiksilver.com
MONSTER ENERGY
https://www.monsterenergy.com/en-us/
ARMADA
https://www.armadaskis.com/en-us
OAKLEY
https://www.oakley.com/en-us
BLACK OPS VALDEZ
https://blackopsvaldez.com
Film Credits
Produced By
SAMMY CARLSON
Director of Photography
JUSTIN MAYER
FPV
PATRICK CONROY
LUKE BREDAR “LUKABEE”
Drone By
JUSTIN MAYER
NATHAN MCBRIDE
Edited By
CODY ROSENTHAL
JUSTIN MAYER
Sound/Color By
JUSTIN MAYER
MUSIC:
Part 1:
"At the end Of the Day"- Amon Tobin
Part 2:
"Spitting Off the Edge of The World"- Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Pefume Genius
Special Thanks
Black Ops Staff & Fam Josh & Tabatha Swierk
Heli pilot: Nick Matisse
Safety team: Peter Biskind, Steve Schumm, Keree Smith, Ely
Desription by: Drew Zieff @drewzieff
SAMMY CARLSON || HARMONY
This project is the definition of Harmony. It’s the result of Sammy’s body, mind, and equipment, all working together. It’s a testament to the tight-knit team behind the project, from the heli pilot to the drone operator and the guides, all working towards a common goal: elevate the culture by showcasing not just the artistry of backcountry freestyle, but also raw freeriding and envelope-pushing first descents.