Brenna Kelleher’s Sneak Peak into Filming with Warren Miller
Keely’s Camp recently sat down with one of our coaches Brenna Kelleher to chat about her first experience filming with Warren Miller in British Columbia, Canada. Check out her interview!
“There are few times in life one gets to meet their childhood idol and learn from them.” -Brenna on filming with ski legend Glen Plake.
Keely’s Camp: Please tell us about your shoot with Warren Miller!
Brenna Kelleher: I was in British Columbia at a cat skiing operation called Mustang Powder. I was skiing with ski legend Glen Plake and a fellow Big Sky Resort ski instructor A.J. Oliver. The first couple days it snowed non-stop. Being in the lodge at night made it seem magical with the continual snow. The last few days it was sunny with some of the best sunrises I have ever seen. The snow was super light and deep. Everyday we skied a new area and had fresh tracks!
KC: Was being in a Warren Miller segment a goal of yours? What attributes and experiences allowed you to achieve this opportunity?
BK: It seems crazy to say this, but I never imagined being in a Warren Miller segment and I don’t think it was ever a specific goal. However, I think on some level every passionate skier plays their own Warren Miller segment in their head like, where you would want to ski, the music playing the background, and the kind of turns you are making. I feel on some level it is every skiers dream.
I work as a ski instructor at Big Sky Resort and I most recently made the PSIA Alpine Team. One of my jobs is to travel to different ski areas and get people excited about skiing. I give clinics to instructors and educate them on how to keep skiing fun and a learning experience for their clients. Being on the PSIA Alpine Team has opened more doors for me in the ski industry than I had ever imagined.
KC: Was it fun!? What did you like about the experience?
BK: It was super fun! I liked learning about the movie making process. Being behind the scenes to witness all the moving parts and thought processes was pretty amazing. Everyone there was there for a reason and has a role to execute. However, the portion of the trip I liked the most was being able to ski in a new area and figure out how to ski the terrain. One example would be how to ski pillow lines, and for the record still unsure on how to ski them, but it was fun to give it a go!
Brenna Kelleher ripping a bluebird powder turn in Canada for Warren Miller’s 70th film coming out next fall.
KC: What was the biggest challenge you faced while filming? What did you learn and did you grow as a skier?
BK: The biggest challenge was looking at all the powder and having to slow down and ski for a “shot.” I wanted to just go ski and found myself getting a little antsy waiting for my shot. I learned a lot about the filming process and the creative eye of Chris Patterson. Chris has been making Warren Miller films for a long time and it was interesting and exciting skiing lines a little differently than I normally would based off his vision.
As a skier I learned a bit more about skiing pillow lines and I loved it!
KC: When and where will we be able to watch your segment?
BK: Warren Miller showings will open next fall around the country. I would look at the Warren Miller website to see when and where they will be hosting showings. It will be their 70th annual film!
