After years of delivering seemingly easy bike stunts, it’s simple to take Danny MacAskill’s expertise as a right.
His means to persistently make jaw-dropping movies has develop into an accepted a part of trendy tradition, like Stephen Spielberg filming one other blockbuster or LeBron James sinking one other three-pointer.
The grace and creativity of MacAskill had been on full show when he dropped his “Postcard From San Francisco” vid final month, which has predictably racked up over one million views in lower than 10 days.
Like most of his vids, it’s concerning the size of a single music and sees him, amongst different issues, driving the highest of a tennis internet (due to course he can try this).
However what truly goes into crafting one in all these pearlescent Danny MacAskill movies? Effectively, within the case of San Francisco — greater than we ever imagined.
The tireless biking star has launched a seven-episode collection detailing the behind-the-scenes work of simply that one video. Every of the episodes is at the very least 10 minutes lengthy, cumulatively amounting to a feature-length documentary concerning the making of a five-minute edit.
The teachings gleaned from these movies may seemingly be utilized to any of MacAskill’s work: the numerous hours spent scouting areas, the therapeutic from accidents, and the required rehearsal of the identical stunt time and again — typically for follow and typically for the cameraman.
The teachings gleaned from these movies may seemingly be utilized to any of MacAskill’s work: the numerous hours spent scouting areas, the therapeutic from accidents, and the required rehearsal of the identical stunt time and again — typically for follow and typically for the cameraman.
But the San Francisco vid clearly resonated deeply with each MacAskill, who has a protracted private historical past with the city, and with viewers.
“Instantly, remark sections had been crammed with positivity and stoke and all viewers agreed: Danny had created one thing entertaining, artistic, and galvanizing — this movie introduced a terrific vibe that rippled properly past the mountain bike group,” a information launch stated.
“In ‘Postcard from San Francisco,’ we see Danny blowing minds with unbelievably easy and well-executed road trials driving,” the discharge continued. “The one or two falls within the edit appear to be there simply to make Danny appear human.”
However evidently, MacAskill is extra human than his expertise suggests. In reality, the San Francisco edit was something however simple. To show it, he and his devoted workforce have launched this collection, which they’re calling “Again of the Postcard.”
The collection is supposed to “present us the unbelievable quantity of labor, crashes, blood, sweat and tears put into this venture which took over 5 years to make,” the information launch stated.
This deeply private documentary offers new perception into the challenges confronted by MacAskill and firm. They really tried to shoot this edit again in 2017, but all of it disintegrate when MacAskill fractured a kneecap whereas stunting in Alcatraz.
These fascinating “postcards” present how Danny approaches these methods, how he faces his self-doubts, and the way he repeatedly shatters the boundaries of what’s attainable on two wheels.
As a location, San Fransisco offered distinctive challenges, like battling towards the clock, as many setpieces got here with time-limited permits.
These “Again of the Postcard” docs additionally introduce us to the technical workforce, which spends large quantities of time in manufacturing — each pre and publish — to carry every thing collectively in a neat package deal.
That features Movie Director Robbie Meade (Peny Movies), Producer Todd Barber (Hi5 Occasions), Photographer Dave Mackison, Stunt Coordinator Duncan Shaw and Safety Guard Preston.
That safety guard delivers one of many spotlight moments of the collection. In the beginning of Episode 6, a workforce member asks him to explain MacAskill.
“Half-crazy and half like a Zen Buddhist,” Preston says. “So like he’s half like a loopy man and half Buddhist — you recognize they mix properly.”
Nonetheless can’t get sufficient Danny MacAskill? We perceive. We’ve had the identical illness for years. To binge all of this famous person’s clever and awe-inspiring vids, try his YouTube channel.
