SHARE:
In March we introduced you to Inder Nirwan, a filmmaker whose passion project is making short documentaries about interesting people in Vancouver. Among the gems in his iNVANCiTY series is the video we share here about Gerald Situ who pursues the dangerous sport of highlining. Watch to immerse yourself in not only the riveting visuals but Situ’s words about life, risk and personal tests.
I conversed with Nirwan to gain some context for this three-minute mini-documentary. Here’s what he said.
The Tyee: Gerald shares a lot about his feelings in a very vulnerable way. How did you go about interviewing him and making him feel safe to open up?
Inder Nirwan: The story was co-written by the team at Kahani, which Gerald was a part of at the time. The story was originally developed as a silent film where we would see Gerald strive to succeed at highlining only to fail, but to do so humbly. In our initial edit, the storytelling felt hollow. The visuals were great, but the sequence made Gerald look like he was bad at highlining (which he’s clearly not). And the reflections about not being hard on yourself weren’t obvious enough.
So as a team we worked with coaxing out a voice-over narrative that fit the theme of the film but was still true to Gerald’s personal feelings about highlining.
In reality, Gerald teaches highlining to a growing local community of enthusiasts and he is very talented at the sport. He encourages new learners to just enjoy the experience and that’s the sentiment we aimed to capture.
Give us a few technical things you learned about highlining. I found myself wondering how he gets the line from one high point to another and secures it so that he knows it won’t give.
First, highlining is not tight-rope walking. It’s a completely different and very physically challenging sport as the give in the line requires much more strength and coordination to keep your balance with. Not to mention the amount of time you spend suspended upside down or in a crawl-like position (sometimes upside down) as you pull yourself back to the base.
Setting the line up is a feat in itself. Luckily, Gerald has professional rigging experience and is a rigger in extreme sports television shows. Getting the line across a ravine requires shooting one side of the line across with a bow and then crawling down the hill, then back up the other side to fix it and pull it taut.
Few of us likely have the nerve to highline across a chasm. What do you think Gerald has to say to all of us?
Gerald would encourage you to try, but not force it. He’s as gentle as he is daring. But highlining doesn’t have to happen across a ravine. You can tie a line between two trees at the park and start by practicing there. It’s all about giving something a try, you never know, it might become your new hobby.
Gerald mentors a growing community of highliners that are learning for the first time and it’s become a close-knit group. We’re all looking for ways to get offline and do something new and meaningful with a community of peers. You might never have thought of highlining as your sport, but now you might.
Are you continuing to make iNVANCiTY films?
iNVANCiTY is my love letter to the city and community of Vancouver. I will always look to create more films about the interesting people and phenomenon that happen to happen here. There is so much life and passion in this city, despite the naysayers, you just have to find it and give it air.
We’re currently working on stories including the burgeoning underground clown scene in Vancouver, the self-proclaimed world’s “best Asian Elvis,” and the story behind the individual that brought Black music (and Bob Marley) to Vancouver.
We’re always on the lookout for intriguing new stories to capture. If anyone feels like they have a story that could use a cinematic chef’s kiss, contact us at [email protected]. ![[Tyee]](/design-article.thetyee.ca/ui/img/yellowblob.png){kind=small}
Read more: Media
Tyee Commenting Guidelines
Please note that email notifications for replies are not currently working due to a software issue which may be resolved in a future update.
Comments that violate guidelines risk being deleted, and violations may result in a temporary or permanent user ban. Maintain the spirit of good conversation to stay in the discussion and be patient with moderators. Comments are reviewed regularly but not in real time.
Do:
Do not: