Living, Playing & Writing in the Outdoors
I have to admit that I’m getting a kick out of these blogging conferences. FREE STUFF! I’d be lying (and there isn’t a single friend who would believe me) if I said I didn’t like swag. One of the brands at the Build Your Blog Conference showed up to demonstrate how we could immortalize our Instagram photos.
You know all of those ski pics you shared on your last vacation? Turn them into a photobook.
Check it out:
It’s been an insane year for Emerald Expositions, LLC (“Emerald Expositions”), producer of Outdoor Retailer. When the largest conference for reps, retailers and manufacturers of outdoor goods (Outdoor Industries Association/OIA) recently took a political stand and bailed on Utah, it forced Emerald to hunt for new digs for the OIA expo when their contract expires with Salt Lake City in 2019.
Meanwhile, the nation’s leading show for snowsports gear- the SIA SnowShow– has struggled to find their footing as the line between winter backcountry and resort have blurred and the winter edition of the OR Show grows. The obvious solution and the one retailers have been vying to see for years is finally being realized.
Under the new ownership of Emerald Expositions, the January SIA Snow Show will merge with Outdoor Retailer to become the Outdoor Retailer + Snow Show endorsed and sponsored by both the SnowSports Industries America and Outdoor Industry Association (OIA). The conjoining creates the largest outdoor and winter sports industry gathering (and party) in North America.
“This is an incredible opportunity for our members and the industry as a whole,” said Nick Sargent, SIA President. “A consolidated trade show not only helps reduce the stress on our industry, but also provides a platform that offers more impact for our members to do business, while delivering a greater ROI.”
Unfortunately, the event stays in chilly, parking- and vibe-challenged Denver and may eventually usher the summer OR event to the Mile High City as well. Drat. Denver is just such a pain to get to; great for locals but it sucks the life right out of any visitor to have to give yourself three hours to get in or out of that airport; especially in winter.
Look for the combo to happen as quickly as this January. The acquisition and resulting trade show consolidation was finalized after months of discussions between Emerald Expositions and SIA as well as by a rigorous voting process, which included a unanimous vote from the SIA Board of Directors and an overwhelming approval by SIA Premium Members.
Chair of the SIA Board of Directors and Marker Völkl USA President, Mike Noonan, said, “The Board felt strongly that this acquisition was the right move for the health of the industry and in the best interest of the membership.”
As part of the agreement, SIA will continue to produce the On-Snow Demo portion of the Snow Show. Additionally, SIA leadership will sit on Outdoor Retailer’s Event Advisory Board.
Visitors to Park City, Utah, will have a rude awakening when they attempt to shop next season. No more plastic bags within city limits.
In a historic move, the Park City Council voted this week to ban the disposable parcels used to haul various sundries from market to condo. The new law limits itself to stores over 12,000 square feet and that sell groceries. However, it marks an action on something locals have been bitching about for years and hope will spread throughout the area.
It’s the first ban in the state but not the first to move through a ski resort town where green initiatives often test the political waters. Plastic is already banned in Aspen, Telluride and Vail, Colo. and California resorts. Others charge a fee for plastic in the hopes of discouraging lazy heathens.
The Market at Park City, Fresh Market and Rite Aid will swap plastic for paper starting in late June. Store owners are expecting shock and amazement during the coming ski season where bag distribution hikes to about 15,000 in a month and visitors use them for not only carrying groceries, but picking up poop, lining trashcans and parceling out wet clothes. Paper bags ain’t as versatile or durable. They’ll also cost you. The stores affected, plan to pass the expense to you in a “tax”. Expect to pay about .08 cents more if you don’t have your own bag on hand. But don’t worry, you wasteful consumers, you. Just a few miles north, Wal-Mart, Smith’s and Fresh Market have no qualms with sending you home with polyethylene. The ban is specific to Park City; not Summit County as a whole.
Parkites argued successfully that plastic bags increase litter and wreak havoc on our landfills. Oh, how the pendulum swings. Thirty-five years ago environmentalists rallied to replace paper with plastic to save trees, and stores saved time and money. It was much faster at checkout to dump items in plastic. Plus, they had HANDLES.
Today, most European countries ban plastic bags, along with the whole state of California. The state of Utah could conceivably override Park City’s ban and given the way they do things around here, who knows? For now, plan on packing your tote on your next vacation. You’re already spending a small fortune on everything else. No need to add to the bill.
Don’t get caught without a bag. This handy tote clips to your keychain. It’s on the small side (duh) but sturdy enough to carry a bowling ball.
Ikea 172.283.40 Frakta Shopping Bag
Man, are these things ugly and cumbersome but if you are a monthly (rather than weekly) shopper or you’re buying for a family of five you’re going to need something this size.
“I did something stupid,” a fellow actor friend confessed. “I’m being a film extra on Mosaic.” Mosaic is an upcoming HBO production and one of the several film projects that has made its way to Park City and the new Park City Film Studios; and “being an extra” basically means being one of the bodies in the background of said movies. Sometimes, those people are called “atmosphere.” Talk about dehumanizing.
“That’s not stupid,” I told her. “You get to be on set with the talented Steven Soderbergh directing; you’re featured so we’ll be able to see your face, you get a free lunch, snacks and money for doing next-to-nothing all day.” If you are not a professional actor and have a flexible work schedule, in other words a seasonal employee, film extra work is anything but stupid.
“It’s not every day where you get an opportunity to be part of something that can become big,” said Utah’s G and G Casting Director Gumby Kounthong. “You’ll meet interesting people and take away an experience worth sharing. Plus you get paid for it.”
All you need to be a film extra for a day (or even more) is the right attitude and a normal level of professionalism. You don’t pay to sign up for an agency; you don’t need those acting headshots or an acting resume. “Reliability, being on time, listening to directions and having a flexible schedule are what count,” said Kounthong. “You need to treat extra work like a job. It’s fun, but you’re working.” Your job is to blend in, not stand out. Being a film extra, however, can stymie an actor’s chances of an actual role which is why my friend thought it was “stupid”.
I did a day as an extra on the ABC/Don Johnson series Blood and Oil. I had auditioned twice without landing anything so I figured it was my only shot at getting an inside (and insider’s) peek at the new Studios before the show ended. I worked five hours, sitting on a bar stool at the No Name (aka Tack Room), made $101.50, was treated well and had lunch with the writer of that particular episode. We had a ton in common- law graduates, lived in the San Fernando Valley, had kids the same age. I thought we had a connection. Turns out the writer complained about me because “an extra” dared to talk to him. Whaaat?! Can you say jerk? But such is the Hollywood mentality. It doesn’t mean Utahns are stupid to choose to play all day in Park City and get paid for it. It means some Hollywood asses are stupid to think we are subhuman.
Inside the PC Film Studios
There are three tiers of background work:
There is absolutely no acting here. You won’t put this gig on your resume nor will anyone “discover” you. You walk past a door, sit in a bar, silently mingle at a party. You will be an unrecognizable body milling in the background. Your day could be one hour; it could be 12. You will sit in a holding area that may or may not have heat, chairs, or wifi. You plan accordingly- bring a chair, jacket, a book, your wifi hotspot. There will, however, be food. Lots of snacks and nibbles; lunch fed to you after the all other cast and crew have gotten theirs. You also might get rad hair and makeup like I did for Mythica. $101.50/day.
The waiters who pour coffee for the lead actors or open a car door or play dead for the CSI team. You have no lines but you play a meaningful part. These parts usually go to those with a specific “look” or talent. You’re a 20-ish ethnic ballet dancer. A casting job ad might look like this one from Netflix’s Deidre and Laney Rob a Train filmed last August in Salt Lake:
D&LRAT | 2 days left | Women’s Prison Scene | Thurs. 8/4 | Looking for a featured extra ($150) Heavily Tattooed Woman.
Featured is a lot cooler than being a plain ‘ol film extra. Your friends will notice you if 1) your scene isn’t cut and 2) they don’t blink. You still won’t be discovered but if you are recognizable in a scene, they can’t use you in any other scenes at different locations. You get more money and often a shorter day. $150/day. Bonus, if you do stunts like I did in Ice Spiders.
The crew uses look-a-likes to help position the lighting and cameras for the next scene or “take” while the stars take a break. No one will ever see you as a stand-in but you get treated better than the two above. You get to hang with the lead actors as well as spend time with the director and crew. Plus, you eat before the other extras. $150/day.
If you are interested in getting on set in Utah go to gandgcasting.com, follow posts on Utah Actors (http://utahactors.ning.com/forum) and Yun Casting on Facebook, and check in regularly with the Utah Film Commission to see what’s coming.
It’s time again to set your kids up with the Epic SchoolKids program in Utah and Colorado. The Vail Resorts’ plan to get hundreds of K-5th grade students out on the hill is one of the best deals in the industry but don’t wait too long. They do tend to pull the registration before summer.
Enroll kids online for five free days of skiing and snowboarding at Park City and Canyons during the 2017-2018 winter season.* “It is incredibly important that we continue to find ways to make snowsports accessible and sharing the experience of skiing and snowboarding with the next generation continues to be a top priority for us at Park City,” said Bill Rock, Park City’s chief operating officer. “Our hope is that this program will help foster a lifelong connection to the outdoors and the mountains we love.”
The SchoolKids program was launched in 2015 at Park City when Vail Resorts took over operations. All Utah students (in school or home-schooled) are eligible regardless of their ability level. Kids get five free direct-to-lift days, and one free first-timer ski or snowboarding lesson with equipment rental used in December and January.
The registration process couldn’t be easier. Go online, fill out the parent info, and info for each of your kids, click submit and that’s it. You’ll get an email confirmation in 2-3 weeks. Take your kids to the season pass office at PCM, Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, and Keystone for their pictured pass anytime after August 2017. You can even wait until your first day skiing. If this is your first time registering, make sure you bring a copy of the student report card/transcript/school ID from a local school or birth certificate. Parent should also bring a local state driver’s license.