Project Pivot, a film created by Charlie Vhooris, a local athlete from Leavenworth, is about sports, having grit, and overcoming fears. As part of a tour of community theaters in the US and Canada with its premiere in Wenatchee it played in the Snowy Owl Theater Friday March 3rd through Sunday March 5th. The film covers three athletes and their learning process in two new sports.
The movie starts with an introduction to the characters: Jessica Cambell is a local rock climber; Mitchell Bryan is a mountain biker and Sean Davis is a skateboarder. These three unique characters begin teaching and learning from each other, with each athlete spending a day instructing the others regarding their sport of choice.
The film's early section consists of Davis showing Cambell and Bryan how to make a board. He takes them to different parks in the Leavenworth area to teach them the basics. Bryan gets back in touch with his past skateboarding and progresses through his learning. Cambell works up to dropping into a bowl. She falls multiple times but repeatedly gets back up and tries again. The feature shows her perseverance and overcoming her fear of falling. “I thought it was very motivating when she repeatedly got back up and tried again even though she was out of her comfort zone, and it wasn't her natural sport,” said Avery Houghton (9). Bryan was optimistic and motivated when skateboarding, a hobby he had given up in the past. He started to remember what it was like and began getting back into the flow. Just like Cambell, he faces his fears and progresses through skills at his own pace.
The film crew, Vhooris, Davis, Bryan and Cambell, wake up at dawn to shuttle up the well-known Ranger Road in Leavenworth on the second day of their journey. When Bryan starts to teach Cambell and Davis, Davis discovers a newfound passion and begins to improve and get into a flow on the local trail “Ribbed.” All three athletes show their perseverance when struggling on an infamously steep corner. Even though Cambell is not as experienced as the other two athletes, she tries her best and keeps a good attitude throughout the experience. This was really empowering and inspiring for the audience, especially women and girls who participate in action sports. Campbell reflects on her experience and explains that Bryan and Davis are younger than she is but won’t let that discourage her. Bryan is excited that everyone is able to enjoy the ride and Davis and Cambell learned some new skills.
Finally, the crew heads up Tumwater Canyon, just outside Leavenworth to Castle Rock after hitting the Riverside Rock-Climbing Gym in Wenatchee to go rock climbing. Cambell sets the route, and the audience gets to see her in her element. Her clear flow and passion for the sport of climbing are evident as she gracefully ascends the rock face. She shows strength and grit as she climbs, using crevices and tiny ledges to top out. After reaching the top, she encourages Bryan and Davis to attempt the route. Bryan struggles up the climb but does not give up. Throughout his climb, he stays positive and is encouraged by the crew. Once he reaches the top, he is proud of himself, laughing, and joyful. Davis struggles a little more than Bryan. While he is not as positive and optimistic, he still does not give up and preserves through the climb. He knows he is not particularly good at rock climbing, but he doesn’t let that discourage him. The athletes then celebrate and show their support for each other, another part of Project Pivot’s theme; teamwork, and team energy.
The intended theme throughout Project Pivot is athletes' motivation to endure in action sports. In all three sports, each person had something that challenged them, whether it was physically, mentally, or emotionally, and each one did not give up. The repetition of this inspired members in the audience and CHS students like freshman Quinten Koch. “Because I mountain bike and climb, it gave me a new perspective on those sports. It inspired me to try to elevate my level and try new skills. When you try new things, you can find new memories and it will make you an all-around better person,” said Koch.
The purpose of the film was to show how athletes could overcome the things that challenged them and the courage they could show. "I wanted to create a film that explored a lot of the things that I've learned growing up in action sports that are hard to explain with words, I wanted to show it. I wanted to show how people go through the learning process in order to develop grit and perseverance, and process fear in a productive way," said creator Charlie Voorhis.
The characters were authentic. They were not acting or playing a role which resulted in the film being more raw and emotionally appealing. All three athletes had something that made them stand out, like Cambell’s drive to succeed and grit, or Bryan’s optimism and Davis's humor and lightheartedness. Because they were local and the film’s locations and experience were something Leavenworth’s community could relate to, the film made people feel less alone in the struggles they experience in action sports.
Cinematography is something Vhooris has been interested in since his early teens. His passion for photography and film making is shown in a big part of Project Pivot. Shots, angles, edits, and transitions kept the audience captivated and conveyed the theme and emotions of the film. The photography captured the athletes when they were most vulnerable; their highlights, and their success in their experiences.
Another amazing component of Project Pivot is the soundtrack. The film featured the local artist Lemolo. The music really tied together the film and amplified the emotions in the film. It also created an emotional connection for the audience. “I love Lemolo, she’s a wonderful artist,” said Kikkan Brine (9).
In review, Project Pivot showed athletes amazing traits of motivation and drive to succeed. Despite the characters' fears they carried through and built each other up a common trait in Leavenworth’s community. The plot was easy to follow and kept the audience captivated. The filming and cinematography highlighted and defined the film and its theme. With Lemolo’s music and the other local artists included Project Pivot conveyed inspiration which CHS students will remember when competing and being interdependent in sports.
If you are interested in this project or viewing the film, following this link for details about upcoming showings: https://www.voortexproductions.com/projectpivot
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