Jill Adler, Author at Ski Play Live

Author Archives: Jill Adler

In Person Sundance Is Back!

The Sundance Institute today announced their initial plans for an in person Sundance for 2023, taking place from January 19-29, 2023.

First and foremost is their priority of bringing the film community back together with actual butts in seats to watch and experience next year’s culture-shaping stories. Therefore, the Sundance Film Festival begins in person, in Utah in Park City, Salt Lake City, and the Sundance Resort, on January 19 and runs through the 29th. The first weekend will be in-person only but then beginning the following Tuesday, January 24, the Festival expands to online with select films.

The digital side will offer an on-demand, curated selection of feature films from the 2023 Festival, including all competition titles (U.S. Dramatic, U.S. Documentary, World Cinema Dramatic, World Cinema Documentary, and NEXT), as well as other sections of the feature film program, alongside episodic work and short films.

Audiences globally can experience a regenerated edition of New Frontier that tunes to today’s times, emphasizing independent artistic practice and environmental engagement at the crossroads of film, art, and new media technology. New Frontier will feature a cutting-edge lineup of multimedia works and keynote discussions on a bespoke spatialized digital platform beginning January 24 when the online portion of the Festival kicks off.

“We are excited to bring the Sundance community together for the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, a celebration of independent filmmaking. After two years of being apart, our priority is reuniting in person, while still sharing bold new films with audiences across the country through online access,” said Joana Vicente, CEO of the Sundance Institute.

“The health and safety of the Sundance Institute staff, artists, volunteers, and audiences remain of the utmost importance to the Institute. We are continuing to work with our COVID-19 safety team and are following all CDC guidelines.” All staff and volunteers working the Festival will be required to mask and test weekly. Attendees will be encouraged to wear masks in all Sundance Film Festival spaces to keep themselves and other Festival community members safe.

Program Submissions are currently open. They close on the following dates: Feature film submissions close September 5 (official) and September 26 (late), 2022. Short film submissions close September 5 (late), 2022. New Frontier submissions close September 9 (late), 2022. Episodic content submissions closed August 26 (official) but late submissions have until September 12, 2022. Details on applications, including frequently asked questions, are available here.

Information on ticket packages and venues will be announced in late September. Stay up to date at festival.sundance.org, and visit lodging.sundance.org to help plan your stay at the Festival.

Sundance

Protect Your Flight Rights

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Most of us who travel bunches know that if an airline messes with your flight, you don’t have to bend over and take it. At its most basic, federal law makes an airline that cancels or significantly changes your flight give you a full cash refund. It’s your basic flight rights as a passenger who trusts these airlines with your money, time and safety. But so many of you don’t have the patience and will to fight these big guns….until now. The US Department of Transportation (DOT) is “proposing to codify its longstanding interpretation that it is an unfair business practice for a U.S. air carrier, a foreign air carrier, or a ticket agent to refuse to provide requested refunds to consumers when a carrier has cancelled or made a significant change to a scheduled flight to, from, or within the United States, and consumers found the alternative transportation offered by the carrier or the ticket agent to be unacceptable.”

Ticket Type Is Irrelevant

Whether it’s basic economy or first class, refundable or non; if you’re flying from the US to Europe or an American carrier or foreign jet; it’s the airline’s fault or an act of god; you personally bought your ticket or used Expedia; if the airline sends you fine print that you are only entitled to a voucher on their airline, the Department of Transportation will put its boot right up their arse. If your airline cancels or significantly alters your flight and you want to walk away, you’re entitled to your cash back.

It’s in the language

So how does an airline get away with keeping your money? Well, basically they get to decide what’s “significant”. According to Scott’s Cheap Flights, United Airlines quietly changed their policy to claim that any delay less than 25 hours was not significant. I don’t know about you but forcing me to sit tight for over a day when I have plans on the side other, might miss a connection to Bangkok or my bus group to Jordan, or a myriad of other complications, is definitely significant.

Or what if you booked a flight and a last-minute pandemic made you feel less than secure to travel. Cough cough. Usually, you’d only get a voucher for a future flight that expired before you had a chance to use it or before the air was clear.

Flight Times Are Changing
What airlines have been up to lately- cancelling, rerouting, no notice, saying whoops sorry, you’re SOL, is unacceptable. Time to speak up.
You have 90 days to let the DOT know you’re not cool with what’s been going on lately and that you want change. Here is the proposal – Regulations.gov
A public comment period has just opened up to get feedback on these latest airline regulations and when the 90-day public comment period ends, what the DOT decides won’t just be a rule; it’ll most likely be law.

Wondering What Your Flight Rights Should Be?
Here are some the things to note:
1) Cash refunds when your flight is delayed by 3 hours (domestic) or 6 hours (international) no matter what your ticket type.
2) Meal vouchers for delays over 3 hours. Hotel vouchers when delays cause overnight stays.
3) Define “significant”. Three or more hours on a domestic flight or 6+ hours on an international flight.
4) Non-expiring vouchers. Whether it’s a pandemic, bump, cancellation or the pilots are drunk. You get a voucher that doesn’t expire. And if an airline goes belly up making the vouchers obsolete, you get a cash refund.
5) If you’re on a plane and it’s delayed takeoff for more than an hour, you get to get off and have them book you on the next available flight to your destination. No more holding passengers hostage. If it’s not until the next day that you can travel, they pay for food and hotel. If it’s on another airline, they use your money to pay for that new ticket and they cover any difference.
6) Fill in the blank. It’s your turn to speak up. Don’t waste it. Let’s make the skies friendly again.

Travel/Outdoors

The Mountains by Denis Barbas

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People are always asking me “Why are you always in the mountains? Don’t you get tired of it?” Hope this videos answers that question and explains why extreme adventurers do what they do and what the mountains mean to them.

Music from – https://bit.ly/3yhoLw6 Cinematic Luts – https://denisbarbas.gumroad.com/l/ZTBlX DJI Mavic 3 Cinematic Luts – https://bit.ly/3AQTov0 Vintage Film Overlays – https://bit.ly/34Sag93 Mobile Cinematic Luts – https://denisbarbas.gumroad.com/l/XewYR

Family Friendly

Utah’s Big Gear Show Concludes

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And that’s a wrap for the second annual (?) Big Gear Show. The outside off shoot that sprung up at Deer Valley last year after the Outdoor Retailer Show in Denver drove major outdoors brands to flee the Colorado Convention Center is starting to find its footing. Even more brands than last year turned out to appreciate the ability to connect with outdoor shop buyers and media.

Brands like Mountain Hardwear and Black Diamond joined more than 200 gear manufacturers in the lower parking lot of Deer Valley to showcase their 2023 lines to prospective and current retailers. It was an opportunity not only to see what will be in stores like REI and Sportsmans Warehouse but to feel them as well. You could demo trail running shoes from Adidas by jogging the singletrack above the Lodges, take eBikes to Main Street or float a kayak in the Deer Valley pond. Paddle brands like Aquaglide and Solstice settled along the edge of the water just like in days past when the Utah Outdoor Retailer Show hosted their “demo day” at Pineview Reservoir.

Attendees to this year’s BGS noted the relaxed atmosphere, the bigger selection of gear brands over the inaugural year and the congruency of hosting an outdoors experience outdoors instead of in a convention center. It certainly wasn’t busier than the ghost-like aisles of the OR convention but organizers are taking feedback and making changes to move in that direction. Parking, however, could be an issue in the future if that happens. This year, the lots of DV filled up by 10 a.m. and people took to the sides of public streets.

Several Utah-connected brands made a showing for the two-day event including Camp Chef, Petzl, Magnum Bikes, Uncharted Supply Company, Hydrapak, Goal Zero, Liberty Mountain, Scott Sports, POC, Klymit, Peak Refuel, Black Diamond Equipment, Chums. Missing from the roster though were Altra, Lowa Boots, Coalatree, Kuhl, Cotopaxi, Gregory Mountain Products, Lizard Skins, Lone Peak Packs, Cypher Climbing, and Salomon.

Like the OR Show demo day (which is coming back to Utah this January!), the Big Gear Show gives attendees that hands-on session with the brands. We took a sunrise trail run with Uncharted Supply Co’s Christian Schauf and Utah Olympic Nordic gold medalist Billy Demong off Guardsman’s Pass to test Uncharted’s Park Pack hip back and hiked to DV’s Royal Street Cafe with wearing Mountain Hardwear’s butter-soft Crater Lake Tank and Scarpa’s Ribelle Run trail runners.

No one’s pontificating on the future of the BGS now that the OR is returning but those who attended seemed to enjoy the slower pace, the less-hurried meets with buyer and the mountain breezes wiggling their tents. I do have to say that for an outdoor event I was sadly sunburned after expecting at least a dozen sunscreen brands to attend and not a one could be found. Really, Guys, how can you play outside without sunscreen? Perhaps next year.

Ski Play Live TV at the Big Gear Show

Let’s meet some of the brands who attended-

Adventure Like a Celeb in South Lake Tahoe

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Seen “Top Gun 2: Maverick” yet? South Lake Tahoe has been the backdrop for an array of blockbuster movies, sitcoms, and reality TV series that showcase Tahoe’s famous turquoise water, snowcapped mountains and towering pines. So when the production for Maverick wanted to build a military base that had a runway between mountains, the Lake Tahoe Airport came into play. Production built platforms on the side of a mountain for helicopters to bring in the equipment needed to shoot that epic military base/fighter scene three years ago.

Did you know that classics like “The Godfather Part II,” “City of Angels” and “The Bodyguard” were also filmed in the region? “We live in a magnificent place that translates well to the big screen and we look forward to sharing it with the world,” said Carol Chaplin, president and CEO of the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority. “News of the celebrity stays has inspired visitors to spend time here living vicariously like a star.”

BOOK YOUR NEXT TRIP!

CELEBRITY CRIBS IN SOUTH LAKE TAHOE

Living like a star begins with palatial accommodations. The Sherman Estate is a sprawling 15-acre property providing stunning lake views, hot tub, indoor pool, movie theatre, game room, fireplace, expansive kitchen, multiple outdoor lounge spaces, and wet bar with 17 bedrooms and 18 bathrooms that can host up to 40 guests. It’s no wonder that casts of Real Housewives and Kardashians stayed there as well as filming locations for the rose ceremony of the ABC’s The Bachelor. The property is in high demand and now requires a minimum stay of 30 nights with rates starting at $9,000 per night. In addition, Bliss Experiences/Lake Tahoe Yoga/ offered private yoga sessions for casts staying there.

ABC’s The Bachelor season 22 with Arie Luyendyk Jr. featured his accommodations at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Lake Tahoe, and the women were nearby in Stateline, Nev. at a Buckingham Luxury Vacation Rental. Preview of the episode: https://www.youtube.com. In season 10, Dr. Andy Baldwin, a navy lieutenant, used the Black Bear Lodge (at the time Black Bear Inn) on Ski Run Boulevard for a romantic date.

Bally’s Lake Tahoe (formerly MontBleu) Edgewood Tahoe, Hard Rock Hotel, Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Harveys Lake Tahoe, Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel, and The Landing Resort & Spa have housed numerous cast/crews during shoots. As the official host hotels for the American Century Championship during the annual celebrity golf tournament, Harrah’s and Harveys have welcomed hundreds of sports and entertainment stars.

WHERE TO PLAY & DINE IN SOUTH LAKE TAHOE

The possibilities are endless to create a memorable, romantic getaway like casts/crews did in Lake Tahoe. Here’s a snapshot of activities they experienced while filming during the fall, early-winter and late-spring seasons when more privacy calls:

Aerial Adrenaline: Catch a glimpse of the snowcapped peaks with scenes from “Top Gun 2: Maverick” via helicopter tours, which take flight year-round from South Lake Tahoe Airport. Feeling daring, try Sky Combat Ace and experience pilot-for-a-day with the Top Gun package, aerobatic maneuvers over the Lake Tahoe landmarks shown in the movie, including Emerald Bay and Maggie’s Peak.

Get over the water with parasailing at Zephyr Cove Resort like “The Bachelor” did on their date followed by a picnic at Baldwin Beach. Another iconic date included Arie and his suitor with a horseback ride through Camp Richardson Corral to Fallen Leaf Lake. Spoiler alert there’s not a hot tub along the trail but many accommodations do offer hot tubs for guests.Dinner at Hard Rock’s Park Prime followed by a concert inside the hotel was another special evening. Casey Webb, Travel Channel series, “Man v. Food,” recently visited Cold Water Brewery, Artemis and Fox & Hound. Other dining establishments for cast/crew included Edgewood’s Bistro, Brooks’ Bar & Deck, and Riva Grill.

south lake tahoe lake — Courtesy Tahoe Blue Wave

Tahoe Blue Wave mesmerized casts of both RHOBH and Kardashians. Camera crews utilized outfitters Tahoe Sports and Lake Tahoe Boat Rides to make scouting and filming possible. Camp Richardson Resort’s marina was the headquarters for “Modern Family” boats, jet skiing, canoeing, while the Marian Duplex and cabin were transformed for parts of the episode. During winter months stars were skiing/snowboarding at Heavenly Mountain Resort snow tubing and ice skating at Edgewood Tahoe.

“You can’t buy the kind of exposure these various films and shows earn,” added Chaplin. “Through the El Dorado County Film Commission and our local partners, we continue to generate buzz and garner millions of impressions of our incredible destination.”

For a guide to South Lake Tahoe film locations check out the El Dorado County Film Commission’s movie map.

The Sierra Rose was used in the filming of “Modern Family” with Camp Richardson Resort & Marina as the headquarters; the houseboat is actually up for action: here. Credit: Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority

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