Advice For Girls is a feature length ski film, comprised of an all-female cast and production crew, that will premiere October 22nd in Salt Lake City, Utah. The film is based on producer Addy Jacobsend’s experience as a young woman in the ski industry.
Up-and-coming skier Addy Jacobsend knew that it was time to move forward from the “one woman is enough” mindset. She dreamt of the supportive words she wished she’d heard, penning a journal entry filled with advice for her younger self. The desire to share those words with as many women as possible grew from a journal entry into the Advice for Girls film. “One of my friends started encouraging me to turn those words into a short film. I loved the idea and decided to reach out to Sara Beam Robbins, who then became the director and filmmaker for the project. Shortly after starting the pre-production process, Sara and I got Sierra Schlag involved. The three of us realized we wanted to do something bigger than just a short film.”
Robbins’ philosophy on filmmaking was the perfect fit to help bring the project to life.
“For me, it’s always been about telling unique stories and creating outdoor media that is different, story-based, and more than just the best skiers skiing the biggest lines in the world,” said Robbins. Her filmmaking career started back in 2016 when she began working on an indie documentary. In 2018, Robbins’ company, The Road West Traveled, produced their first film called Abandoned, which won awards and toured internationally. “I’ve always wanted my work to get to the heart of human emotion and why it is that we pursue adventure,” she added.
Atomic Ambassador, Sierra Schlag, is no stranger to the film-making process, as she produced her very own film last year, Bloom. When asked about working with an all-female cast and production crew, Schlag said, “I have never been on an all-female production crew and coming on set for Advice for Girls completely changed my experience with skiing for a camera. We created a space that was so supportive, and I felt that I could say whatever was in my head and feel completely supported by the team whether I was nervous about a feature, had an opinion about a shot or giving my insight for how I saw a segment going.”
“I am most proud of the environment we had amongst our team. It is something unlike anything else I have ever experienced. We created an environment where everyone knew their voice could be heard. An environment where everyone could show up as their authentic self and constantly be shown respect and gratitude. Because of this, we have all been able to accomplish far more than we ever thought we could. It is amazing what is possible when we all work together to lift each other up,” said Jacobsend. “A fully female crew was INCREDIBLE. We wanted to prove what a full team of women is capable of - in front of and behind the camera. We ended up finding the most ideal crew who I can now say have become life-long friends,” Robbins chimed in.
It should also be noted that this past winter was one for the books, with record snowfall across the west. Each of the women attested to the obstacles of mother nature when filming this past season. “I can say there is a thing as too much snow!” said Robbins. “We were filming at Grand Targhee, and the sheer amount of snow was almost too hard to shoot in. We had to take a break midday and dry out camera lenses in the bathroom using the hand dryers! And that happened often. We began to pray for sun instead of snow (which was unlike us!).” Jacobsend shares that a lot of the obstacles they faced had to do with weather. “We had to pivot our plans many times. However, since we have such an incredible team, we were always able to solve problems quickly,” she said.
It's safe to say that Schlag, Jacobsend, Robbins and the rest of the crew took full advantage of the crazy snowfall. Schlag’s go-to ski choice for filming were the Bent 110s for resort days, Bent 120s for backcountry powder, and the Backland 107s for a ski mountaineering segment in Crested Butte. She had a full Atomic quiver that proved to bode well in the variety of terrain she skied.
Other than shredding lots of powder, the three women had many moments throughout the season that brought lasting memories and eternal smiles to their faces. One of Schlag’s favorite moments was when they were in the Grand Targhee parking lot, it had just snowed more than a foot, and they found a massive snowbank and proceeded to jump (and disappear) into the snowbank for the next half an hour. Luckily, photographer Katie Cooney was able to capture the moment. “It felt like we were kids again playing in the snow – a very wholesome and funny moment,” said Schlag.
For Robbins, some of her favorite moments included, “Watching the sunrise bundled up with the crew on top of a ridge line, loading up the Storyteller Overland van with enough food from Costco to feed twenty women, or packing the crew into one bed to have a Love Is Blind marathon.”
Jacobsend’s favorite moment was at Snowbasin, when the film crew and athletes got first dibs after a rope drop, and they all shared turns on the most amazing, untouched powder run. “There is nothing that quite beats the feeling of a party shred with a bunch of incredible athletes on a powder day,” she said.
Advice For Girls will be a film for the ages, and will without a doubt, inspire many women in the outdoor and skiing communities. We asked Jacobsend, Schlag and Robbins what they took away from this whole experience and this is what they shared:
Jacobsend: “This production has taught me so much and has absolutely changed my life. One of my biggest takeaways is that we are all capable of so much more than we think. When you are fueled by passion, there is nothing that can keep you from accomplishing your goals.”
Schlag: “This film has taught me that there are so many avenues to show up in the ski industry. Whether you're crushing competitions, creating beautiful stories through film, or engaging with people on snow and social media - there is enough space for all of that. I feel like I would lose myself in comparison to other women coming up in the industry, but I've learned that we all have that special something to bring to the table and it doesn't have to look a certain way. I hope that this film can show the next generation the representation that they want to see in ski films while also educating the industry and ski community of the experiences of women in skiing.”
Robbins: “We approached every shoot and process for the film with open communication, mutual respect, and genuine care for one another. I think in turn, that made for a safe space for feedback, creative ideas to flourish, and a team approach to all challenges. During the production and postproduction process, I have witnessed many members of the crew pass along other work and opportunities that are elevating us all in our careers. It was really special team to be a part of and I will forever be grateful for each woman involved.”
Schlag: “This film has taught me that there are so many avenues to show up in the ski industry. Whether you're crushing competitions, creating beautiful stories through film, or engaging with people on snow and social media - there is enough space for all of that. I feel like I would lose myself in comparison to other women coming up in the industry, but I've learned that we all have that special something to bring to the table and it doesn't have to look a certain way. I hope that this film can show the next generation the representation that they want to see in ski films while also educating the industry and ski community of the experiences of women in skiing.”
Robbins: “We approached every shoot and process for the film with open communication, mutual respect, and genuine care for one another. I think in turn, that made for a safe space for feedback, creative ideas to flourish, and a team approach to all challenges. During the production and postproduction process, I have witnessed many members of the crew pass along other work and opportunities that are elevating us all in our careers. It was really special team to be a part of and I will forever be grateful for each woman involved.”
The Advice For Girls film tour has been announced with links below. With lots of stops across the lower 48, be sure to get out there and support them, their crew, and women in the outdoors!