Outdoor Central Oregon January/February 2020 | Page 35

JAN/FEB 2020
FILM|
DRAWN FROM HERE
BY ERIC POLLARD & NIMBUS INDEPENDENT
WRITTEN BY CHRIS EDWARDS
Since interviewing Eric Pollard for our feature last year, I have been filled with
anticipation for the film project he had mentioned would be dropping, “Fall 2019”.
My prayers were answered in early December when Pollard released “Drawn from
Here”, a short film produced by Nimbus Independent. Nimbus was started by Eric
Pollard over a decade ago and the production company has been churning out
vibey, powder-filled ski films ever since. The latest film is a true return to form,
picking up where we last left Pollard and taking us even deeper into the ineffable
artistic expression that makes his style and designs so unique.
The film starts with a collage of studio/process shots, surfy ski footage, and archival
snapshots that quickly draw the connection between Eric Pollard’s inspiration and
his expression. Add to this gentle piano keys and soundbytes describing creativity
and design and the viewer is transported into Pollard’s artistic mind, experiencing
each pow slash from a visceral perspective. It becomes immediately apparent that
this is not your typical ski film.The adrenaline and stoke that are normally found in
ski porn has been replaced with perspective and a type of inspiration that is inde-
scribable and breathtaking. That being said, there is still plenty of amazing skiing.
After a brief montage that takes us through the trials and tribulations of Pollard’s
injuries over the last several years, we dive into the juicy ski shots. While there
may not be double corks or high risk urban features, there is plenty of skiing and
snowboarding that everyone can enjoy; however those that have followed Nimbus
and Eric Pollard since “Idea” (you know who you are) might appreciate it more than
anyone. From Japan to Mt Hood Skibowl, night pow to tree taps, this movie will
electrify the shredder in anyone.
While some of you young guns might find this movie a tad slow, for those of us that
have slowed down, this is a reminder of why we continue to do what we do. It isn’t
necessarily about pushing yourself to try new tricks, it’s about using your imagina-
tion and expressing yourself in a way that no one else can. You can tell that every
frame in this movie was carefully selected by Pollard himself, creating a cohesive
narrative of his process; from the elements that inspire him on the mountain, to
his paintings, to his ski and clothing design, and then back to his expression in the
snow. For me this film was a needed reminded to create, because everyone’s per-
spective is worth sharing and you can express yourself in so many different ways,
even just a powder slash.
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