Snow on the Big Screen

Max Bervy on the job

When expert skier Warren Miller produced his first film in 1949, it was a labor of love. But Miller also realized that even though he just showed the film in friends' homes, people would actually pay to see it. And the money from these small screenings would give him enough to buy film and new camera equipment for the next skiing movie.

It's been a long time since the films have been shown in people's homes. Miller's production company, Warren Miller Entertainment is showing its 62^nd annual ski movie, featuring world-class skiers and snowboarders filmed spectacularly and performing at the top of their game.

"We show the films in some 200 cities in North America with distribution partners in Europe, the U.K., Australia and New Zealand," says Max Bervy, managing director for the company, which Miller sold to his son and partner in 1989, and was subsequently sold to Time Warner before ending up at Bonnier in 2007.  "We are always working to expand North American and International markets.  We typically show our films in auditoriums and historic theaters.  Our audience is made up of passionate skiers and snowboarders who kick off their winter sports season by coming to see the latest Warren Miller release each fall."  

The audience sees the screening as an event more than just as a regular movie, says Bervy. Athletes from the films are on hand to sign autographs and talk with the crowd and the press, an emcee hosts every screening and there are prize giveaways. Plus ticket holders get steep discounts from the company's partners.

This year's film, Warren Miller's... Like There's No Tomorrow premiered to a sellout crowd in October in Salt Lake City, Utah. "On the film tour, the biggest challenge is to sell tickets in all the markets where we produce our shows, coast to coast throughout North America," says Bervy.  "We have a database of our loyal fans and over 70 percent of this audience return to see the film each year.  We do our best to communicate with our fan base via e-mail and social media weekly to insure they know about the film tour."  

Editorial staff from fellow Bonnier Corporation Skiing Interactive helps create content for e-mail and social media. The editorial and production team for SKI Magazine also helps out in producing Warren Miller's SnoWorld Magazine, which is distributed to each audience member as they enter the theater.  "SnoWorld Magazine is our playbill for the annual film with behind the scenes stories and information related to the film," says Bervy. The magazine ultimately reaches over 230,000 unique Warren Miller fans.

At least as a big a challenge is the film production itself, says Bervy: aligning snow conditions, weather, athlete and film crew schedules to capture the film footage.  "The expertise and experience of our production team is the best in the business and this group puts their heart and soul into making the film what it is every year," he says. "But the biggest benefit is having a loyal fan base that makes the Warren Miller Film Tour there official start to the ski season.  It's a celebration with friends to kick off what is always an exciting time of year for every skier. It is very rewarding to be in the theater with a full house and listen and watch the audience respond to our work.  We have a small team that is very passionate about producing, marketing and distributing the annual film.  It is very gratifying for our whole team when we finally press play and the audience responds. This is what helps fuel the desire to raise the bar for the next film and the next tour."