A winter sports cameraman from Hong Kong
Robin Lee
Like many others from the ski community we met Robin whilst filming for Level1 Film Productions. As an international film crew, we join trips and shootings from very different parts of the world. And we are all hooked to the movement of freestyle skiing and its manifestation in movies. Exchanging cultures Robin has one of the most extra- ordinary backgrounds for a filmer within the ski community: Robin grew up and lives in Hong Kong. Talking about lifestyles and realities during days of movie shootings in the Swiss mountains we asked Robin to write about himself and to tell us where he is coming from and how he ended up following some of the most talented skiers around the world.
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Ruedi Flück
Robin and Laurent de Martin checking shots.
Robin Lee
I saw my first ski movie ‘The Tangerine Dream’ by Teton Gravity Research when I was 16. If I had seen anything before then, it hadn’t registered, because it was definitely that movie that started my love affair with all ski movies. From that point on it was all-encompassing, I was collecting any movie I could afford, season after season. Not long into my addiction, the Level 1 movies came to the forefront, influencing me and my skiing more than any other company. Had you told me back then that I would up as a part of their cinematographic team for 5 years, I simply wouldn’t have believed you!
I grew up in Hong Kong, one of the largest metropolitan cities in the world, where my parents were sent from England in 1989, for my dad’s work. At the time it was considered a “hardship
posting” as it meant living in a foreign country, away from your family with minimal ways to communicate, but nowadays that term would be laughed at.
Most holiday periods we would travel out of Hong Kong exploring local areas or counties en route back to the UK but eventually ski trips to Canada became a regular feature. I was four when I was first put on a pair of skis; I am not sure it was love at first sight, but certainly by my teens it was the only thing that would get me out of bed before the rest of the family. I remember choosing to sleep on the living room sofa bed because it was more uncomfortable, the light would come in early so I was more likely to wake up and be out of the house in time for the first chair.
I think I am incredibly lucky to have become a cinematographer and to be able to make a living in this profession. I struggled a lot during the later years of school, not academically, but because there was a huge pressure to create a career path choosing subjects you wanted to pursue. To be honest, I wasn’t really interested in any of the subjects I chose, nor do I remember any other academic options having been attractive. Film- making wasn’t even on my radar and I was having a really difficult time trying to work out what the hell to do with myself.
It wasn’t until I was 21 that I took an interest in filmmaking. I was watching ski edits online and started to think that this was something I could maybe try. My parents bought me a camera for my 21st birthday and it took off from there. At the time I didn’t have much opportunity to film skiing, so the first video I made was a cliff jumping video in Hong Kong. It took me about a month to edit, but I enjoyed every minute. The more videos I made, the more I enjoyed it and the more money I would invest into gear. I never intended my filming to become a career but soon I had people asking me to film their events, make promo videos for their new business, even edit birthday and wedding videos.
My introduction to the professional ski film world is all down to Level 1’s FilmerUnknown contest. In Level 1’s own words: “The flip side to the original action sports talent-search contest [Superunknown], FilmerUnknown gives a nod to the talented up-and-coming film- makers around the globe, giving them an opportunity to get recognized, and get a foot in the door of the action sports filmmaking industry!” The format was simple. Round 1 - show us your best 90s showreel, 50% needing to be action sports. Round 2 - The chosen top 10 filmers are sent Sony action cameras and asked to create a new showreel only using that camera. Anything goes, best showreel wins.
Being from Hong Kong, I didn’t think I had any chance of wining. How could I compete with the countless number of filmers who had grown up filming skiing and living in the mountains? Up until that point it was just me and my brothers filming each other on our ski holidays. Luckily the week before submitting, I had the good luck of an insanely deep Japan powder day on holiday, which really elevated my skiing footage.
Ever since starting to film for Level 1 my ski sea- son has started earlier. It is definitely odd rolling up at Hong Kong airport early November, December in 25° heat, 80% humidity wearing half your ski gear because you’re trying to cut down on weight to bring more camera gear.
It’s funny, because whenever I film with a new crew, and tell them I live in Hong Kong the re- action is always the same; confusion! Most ski filmers live in a country where it at least snows, but the coldest HK gets is about 14°C, and then only for a few days. To many people living in a city with over 7 million inhabitants seems insane but for me it feels normal. Hong Kong is my home, it’s where I grew up, yet I still have a huge connection to the mountains and can’t see myself liv- ing without them.
For the past 5 winter seasons, I have spent a good chunk of time in Switzerland working with Level 1 athletes Laurent de Martin and Sami Ortlieb. These trips really stand out for me because this is the time when I get to stay with the friends and families of the skiers. I really get a sense of how different life is in Hong Kong, and not just because I get to stay in a proper house and not my compact 36 square meter apartment. The communities in Switzerland are so tight, every- body knows everyone. You walk down the street with the Ortliebs and they are saying ‘Hi’ to everyone on every corner. You get a sense that people are there to help each other out, and I think that is really special. Skiing is amazing in the way it brings people together regardless of their background, and I always feel so welcome whenever I go there.
Working for Level 1 has allowed me to travel to so many amazing places. Camping in the Icelandic highlands for eight days; skiing the Himalayas in Kashmir, India; road-tripping in a camper van though British Columbia, Canada. But one trip that will always stick with me is an urban trip to Moscow, Russia with Noah Albaladejo, Laurent de Martin and Keegan Kilbridge. On our very first feature, on I think our second day in Russia, Laurent had a rail break underneath his skis sen- ding his head straight into one of the vertical posts, knocking him unconscious and splitting his head open to the point where staples were needed to close the wound. He won best crash at IF3 that year, but I don’t think anyone was celebrating. In the same week, Keegan was attempting a crazy rail transfer. After multiple attempts, his ski came off early and shot straight through his lower lip. It was like a scene out of Kill Bill; blood everywhere. I remember Keegan asking me if it was bad, and needless to say we were back in hospital for a second time that week. Poor Noah felt so left out he accidentally cut his finger making a sandwich later on in the trip. Remarkably everyone bounced back, and even with a lot more ups and downs, being in such a wild city with an amazing crew will always stand out as a super memorable experience.
From what really started off as just a hobby, I have been able to branch out and work on various projects. Whilst mainly sticking to my roots and work in sport, shooting and directing multiple ultra trail running documentaries, producing rugby travel documentaries, and making surf edits, I have also directed commercials, filmed fashion videos, been a part of news productions; the list goes on. One thing I would love to do in the future is to film out of a helicopter. I wouldn’t even care where it was, although Alaska would be one hell of a treat. I just want to keep having crazy adventures, anywhere in the world, in places I can’t even think of right now.
Check out Robin’s Showreel, you might find some of the iconic Level1 shots from the past years.
Cut together from various projects and personal highlights I have either shot and/ or directed or over the last few years. BIG thank you to everyone that has helped me in my career to this date. From those who worked tirelessly behind the scenes, to the guys and girls in front of the camera and everyone else who hit play! Making videos is very much a collaborative effort and I wouldn't have been able to be in this industry without such support. To see more of my work, head to www.robinleevisuals.com and feel free to get in touch to work on something together in the future!