Gifted - DVD Review - 6/15/2009
The waterski DVDs that I love most generally fall into two categories: movies that total slalom addicts/geeks like myself particularly appreciate and those that I would show non-skiers in order to get them into skiing immediately. The latter category is the rarer of the two and is the category I'd assign to Gifted.
Each waterski DVD that comes out generates a good variety of buzz and chatter on the web, and after watching Gifted it's obvious that somebody has been listening. That somebody is Brad Priekulis of Ski-HD. This DVD is jam-packed with audio and visual stimulation that gives your mind one hell of a 66-minute ride. Slalom? Yep. Jump? You betcha. Crashes? A whole chapter of them. Trick? Sure, a little. Interviews? Hell yes. Music? Awesome. What Gifted brings to the table is balance. A little bit of everything. Lots of different scenery. Lots of different skiers. Lots of different music.
The DVD opens with a high-intensity intro, followed by an awesome montage of crashes, wipeouts, and yard sales. Right off the bat you realize that this DVD means business, tuning in your senses for what's about to follow.
Ian Trapp, Damien Sharman, and Ryan Fitts follow in the next scene, killing it in Jump and Slalom with Bennett's Tri-Lakes facility providing the backdrop. The three of them are interviewed on the Lake #2 dock with the lake in the background. I couldn't help but think of how many times I've stood right there waiting for my next set- many times. That whole place is sacred ground and I was really excited to see it featured so much in this film.
The next scene features Trent Finlayson (T$), Billy Susi, and Thomas Moore (T-Mo), with interviews and buoy-slaying a-plenty. Maybe I should think about a nickname with a "$" sign in it? I'm starting to think about it. Tom and Will Asher follow, with Karina Nowlan— again, interviews, music, skiing. Brad uses translucent overlays heavily in this movie, showcasing skiing action with an interview layered on top of it. This keeps the interviews interesting, giving you plenty to watch during each interview piece. Freddy Krueger wraps up the film with an interview and plenty of ski footage. What I've described here is just a fraction of what and who is on this DVD. You'll have to buy it to find out what else it has to offer!
Overall, the camera angles are excellent and shift often, highlighting the action perfectly. Lots of effects are used, including overlays, a grainy sepia film-like filter, and title slides with interesting quotes from accomplished athletes. Extra bonus tracks on the film include a montage of Brad's ski buddies skiing, including just about every staff member at Bennetts including the mechanic. I enjoyed that bit since I recognized just about every one of them. This movie tells our story. It expresses the scene, the culture, and the love of water skiing perfectly.
So when do you need to order this DVD? Right now, that's when. Gifted completely delivers. The next time I have to explain what we do every weekend and early weekday mornings to someone who doesn't ski I'll just throw this DVD in and have them watch it. A picture is worth 1000 words, but in this case it's worth many more.
Gifted is a film by Ski-HD. Click here to order your copy today.