Filling the Void: Shaun White, After the Medals
Interview and words by Alba Pardo There is a familiar way Shaun
WORDS: ALBA PARDO
When you picture a snowboard movie being made, you probably imagine helicopters circling remote peaks, bottomless budgets covering production costs, and pro riders with nothing else to do but chase clips. For Seth Hill and his friends, the reality looks very different. Their latest films are produced between school runs, day jobs, family schedules – and a four-camera system held together by grit, creativity, and a whole lot of passion.
“We filmed forty days last season,” Hill says, almost casually, while I shake my head in disbelief. “And that’s with kids in school, full-time jobs, and everyone juggling their own lives. It’s not about money. We’re not doing this to make a living. We’re doing it because we just love snowboarding.”
Listening to him describe his self-filming setup, I couldn’t help but think of Mike Basich’s legendary action selfies. The same spirit is there: meticulous planning, absolute commitment, and a willingness to take on every role to make it happen, along with, a whole lot of creativity. Which, knowing Seth, comes as no surprise. From his pro years – traveling, filming, and competing – I’ve seen first-hand how much effort, work, and thought he puts into everything he does. It’s the kind of grit born from true passion. Not the casual “I’d like to try that someday” sort of dream, but the unshakable “I’m going to make this happen, no matter what.” Not because he has to, but because he wants to. Period.
Hill admits no one is knocking on his door to film anymore, and that reality could have pushed him away from snowboarding. Instead, these projects became his outlet. “This gives me the opportunity to stay in snowboarding,” he says. “Skill-wise, I actually feel stronger than I did when I was a pro. I’ve learned so much about the backcountry, about filming, about riding. I don’t feel like I’m slowing down at all.”
Seth describes his crew as “professional amateurs,” but that doesn’t do them justice. They may not technically be professional snowboarders, but every one of them is a professional in life.
Corbin Hladick is a Flight for Life helicopter pilot based out of Denver. His seven-day-on, seven-day-off schedule means his time in the backcountry is all or nothing, meaning he might not be able to ride based on the best weather days, but when he’s free, he’s fully committed. “On his off weeks, he’s all in,” Hill says. “He brings that pilot’s mindset – organized, precise, safety-minded. He’s the guy who makes us check the gear and sleds during the off-season and keeps everything well-maintained and on check.”
Ty Dewitt runs a tree company in the summer, grinding long hours so he can snowboard in the winter whilst teaching avalanche education and guiding. His relaxed attitude was at odds with Hill’s urgency in the beginning. “I’d be stressing about the time window, and he’d be chilling in the parking lot,” Hill recalls with a laugh. “But over time he saw why we needed to move fast. Now he’s a huge part of it. He picked up the drone and fell in love with it. That’s become his thing. ”Plus when we get it stuck in a tree he can climb up and retrieve it “which has happened more than once” Hill said with a laugh.
Then there’s Nicki Weiss, who might not get many days to ride but always shows up with everything to give. “Nicki only has a couple days a week, but he’ll do whatever it takes,” Hill says. “One day he spent six hours helping us build the biggest jump we’ve ever made. He couldn’t even hit it in the end because he had to work when the weather came together. But he was still stoked just to help make it happen. That’s the kind of dedication this project runs on, as well as the community it has helped bring together.
Contest veterans like Benji Farrow and Chris Corning have joined the crew as well. Farrow, who once competed in X Games, now brings his amplitude into natural terrain, as well as his sled skills to helping the crew get to new zones. Corning, one of the most successful U.S. riders on the contest circuit over the past decade, uses the project as a way to step outside slopestyle and big air and into the backcountry where his true passion lies.
Guillaume Brochu, brings his 90’s style and perspective. And Hayden Tyler, part of the Monster Army program that Hill manages, is learning it all for the first time. “I’ve known Hayden since he was six,” Hill says. “Now he’s avalanche certified, he’s getting his sled dialed, and he’s learning what it takes to film. It’s mentorship, but it’s also just giving him the opportunity to be out there.”
Seth himself works full-time as the Media Manager for Monster Energy’s Monster Army program, overseeing young athletes and content creation. It’s a job that keeps him deeply connected to action sports, even as he balances family life and his own riding.
The crew dynamic is what keeps Hill motivated. “Corbin was the one who got me back into the backcountry,” he explains. “He pushed me, and now I’m pushing him. He hadn’t done a back seven in ten years, and being out there with us made him want to try it again. That’s what keeps the energy high–we’re all pushing each other.”
Hill laughs when he sums it up: “We’re the most professional amateur crew out there.”
The logistics of filming without a budget sounds almost absurd. Seth describes his setup: “I’ve got four cameras plus my action cam, and everyone else has action cams too. We’llI set up a tight shot, a wide shot, a DSLR firing on an intervalometer for photos, and then launch a drone from the top before we drop in.”
Once the cameras are rolling, roles blur. We hit features, then rotate into filming duties. “Tyler had never touched a camera before,” Hill says. “Now he loves flying the drone. Corbin’s learning camera basics. Everyone contributes. That’s the dynamic – everybody learns something.”
This system produces an enormous amount of footage. Every session generates hours of footage from all different angles, most of which is static. “It’s crazy how much we end up with,” Hill says. “Because all the cameras are rolling, I’ll have four or five different perspectives of the same hit.” But that comes with a creative cost. With no filmer tracking the action, the shots don’t have the same movement or precision as a professional production. “It’s the trade-off,” Hill admits. “We’re getting quantity and security – knowing the trick is captured from somewhere – but we lose some of the creativity and quality you’d get if someone was actually behind the lens. That’s just the compromise we have to make to keep it rolling.” Luckily this year Nate Cordero has joined the crew as our editor and filmer on occasion which has helped bridge that gap of lacking the quality. Nate is very good at what he does and is really the only cost to the crew. But with passion and past as a pro snowboarder himself he does it at a minimal fee.
Of course, things don’t always go smoothly. “I’ve had shots come back out of focus, or someone forgets to hit record,” Hill admits. “I had to check myself a few times, because I realized these guys aren’t media people. That’s why I set multiple angles – if one fails, another covers it.”
Editing is another beast. The first year, Hill cut the videos himself, spending long and endless hours at the screen. “I enjoy editing, but it’s not my passion, and I know it’s not my strongest suit” he says. “Last season we brought in Nate to edit, and that changed everything. He made it tighter and more professional. “It’s funny how an actual editor looks at the footage. I wanted to keep everything, but he cut it down, even some drone shots, which was hard for me. But in the end, its better because Nate has very high standards and wants it to be as legit as possible.” Don’t let the set up fool you into thinking that the quality of what they produce is average, because despite the hoops and hurdles, they still manage to produce world-class TV-worthy content.
The most valuable resource for the crew isn’t money or equipment. It’s time. “Everyone’s got jobs, families, lives,” Hill says. “Corbin’s a pilot and a dad, I’ve got my kids, Nicki works full time, Tyler runs his company. We can’t just film endlessly.”
That reality means they make use of every minute. “I’ll drop my kids at school and I’ll know that maybe I have four hours of riding before I need to be back,” he says. “So it’s go time. We unload sleds, set up cameras, build, and ride. There’s no wasting time at the trailhead.”
Preparation in the off-season helps too. “Corbin and I scout zones in the summer, stack logs, clear run-ins, even pre-build features,” Hill explains. “If we didn’t do that, we’d waste half the winter. This way, when the snow comes, we’re ready.”
Not every day is smooth. “We had one day where we knew conditions were sketchy but we got powder panic,” Hill remembers. “We built anyway, got excited, and when we dropped in, a little slide went. It wasn’t big, but it was enough to remind us to slow down. We’re all avalanche certified, but the learning never stops. That was a lesson.”
In an era where snowboard content floods social media and film budgets shrink, Hill knows he’s not competing with Red Bull’s helicopter projects. But that’s not the point.
“The smaller brands are the ones who really appreciate what we do,” he says. “The bigger ones aren’t going to use our stuff – they’ve got their own big productions and top ranked athletes. But for smaller, often rider-owned companies, this would cost a fortune. We are able to get them photos and video basically for free which is huge and a key value for what a rider can contribute.”
Supporting friends is equally important. “Our buddy Jordan runs Nerd Snowboards. He’s putting his own money into it, and I don’t want to take that from him,” Hill says. “If we’re already filming, of course he can use the shots. That’s just what snowboarding should be – helping each other out.”
To cover costs, the crew has some sponsors supporting them, and they also get creative by organizing raffles at premieres and product giveaways. Hill even considered Patreon but hesitated. “I don’t want to just ask people for money,” he says. “The biggest expense is editing. If we can cover that, we’re good. But even if we don’t, we’re still making the films.”
As for outside support, Hill shrugs. “Honestly, if anyone wants to help, the most valuable thing is just covering our editor’s fee. The rest – time, cameras, riding – that’s just what we love to do.”
Looking ahead, Seth is clear about the direction he wants the films to take. Right now, in the snowboarding scene, the edits are mostly montages – fast-paced mixes of everyone’s footage. “It’s a blessing and a curse with the attention span of society these days but does also mean there is so much great snowboarding content out there”. What he really misses is the format he grew up on. “I’d love to get back to classic video parts,” he says. “That’s what I remember – waiting for your favorite rider’s section. I don’t want it to be the Seth show. I want everyone in the crew to have their own part, their own spotlight.”
That shift would also give the riders something tangible they can share beyond the project itself. With individual sections, each person not only gets recognition for their work but also has a piece they can hand to their own sponsors. It’s another way the films can support the crew, both personally and professionally, while keeping the project true to its collaborative spirit.
“While I don’t look at snowboarding as an escape from my family or my career, I look at it as an escape from the daily routine. No day riding is the same, no trick is the same, and no movie is the same. This project shows what an escape to the mountains can look like.” – Seth Hill
Part of the motivation behind their projects is giving Colorado snowboarding some shine. “Over the last decade, Utah and Washington have become the centers of the snowboard scene,” Hill says. “But Colorado has incredible riders and terrain. We want to showcase that.”
We also want the films to resonate with snowboarders who don’t fit the pro stereotype. “People see me at the school drop-off and just think I go play in the snow,” Hill says. “They don’t realize what goes into these projects. When they see the film in a local premiere, it opens their eyes. It shows them you don’t have to stop. You can still chase your passion.”
Those premieres have become a key part of the project – not just a way to screen the film, but a chance to bring people together. Friends, families, and local riders pack into small venues, raffles and giveaways add to the vibe, and the audience gets a glimpse into what really goes on behind the sled trailers and cameras. For Seth, that’s as rewarding as the filming itself: creating a moment of community around snowboarding.
The reaction from his own neighbors has been eye-opening. “Parents see the sled in my truck all winter and think I’m just out playing,” Hill laughs. “Then they come to the premiere and say, ‘Holy crap, I didn’t know you guys did that stuff.’ They’re blown away. It’s cool to show that we’re late-30s with families and jobs, but we’re still kids out there.”
Producing a snowboard film on a budget takes planning, hustle, and compromise. But above all, it takes passion. Hill and his crew have it in spades.
Balancing snowboarding with family life is a constant effort. “Lacey, my wife, and I still try to go on dates, even with kids and projects,” Hill says. “It’s important to keep that time for each other.” He explains “I don’t think this style of life is for everyone but I love the crazy, I’m literally on call 24/7 for Monster handling producer phone calls on the drive to the mountains and emails in between hits. I’ve basically got it dialed where my week is often divided into three days at the office, two days filming, and two days fully for family. That’s how I make it all work. It’s a juggle, but it’s worth it.”
“Every decision shapes what comes next,” Hill says. “We’ve all worked hard to make space for this in our lives. And yeah, it’s not about money – it’s about keeping snowboarding alive for us, our kids, and the community. If we can do that with four cameras, a drone, and a whole lot of love? That’s enough.”
When asked if there’s room in his life for any other hobbies, Hill doesn’t hesitate. He laughs and shakes his head. “Nope. Between family, work, and snowboarding, that’s it. There’s no space for anything else.” If that doesn’t make him a passionate snowboarder, I don’t know what does.
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