Who exactly is the Video Man? Well… they say he is a combination of many things. He is those of us living out our dreams, pushing ourselves, and pursuing our goals; the veterans in the industry or the young guns waiting to make their mark on the world. He is the years put in by those who strive to make the part, the progression of the snowboarding culture, filmmaking, and visual medium methods. He is the silent (and sometimes vocal) force driving us forward. Think Thank’s 2012 release “Mind The Video Man” (MTVM) gives us all a chance to take a step back from today’s exposed snowboarding scene and explore the progressive minds behind today’s mini-shred movement.

Shaped around the evolving future of freestyle snowboarding, “Mind the Video Man” redefines the term “creative” with a unique flavor set out to represent each of the riders and their personal style. The production masterminds have somehow figured out how to flow funky, soulful jams filled with ninja-like trick displays into sections of video–sometimes blasting with punk rock mayhem that fills you with an urge to break stuff and huck yourself off of a massive cliff. Laying the foundation for their fast paced, eclectic editing and obvious strange interests and quirky personalities, the crew pushes the limits of creativity as they tackle occasional pillow lines and spines, and find a tranny on everything (and anything) in sight: children’s playgrounds, family homes, concrete slabs and chain link fences.

It becomes clear early on that versatility is a grounding theme in the ninth movie presented by Think Thank; bringing the art, soul and passion of snowboarding back into our lives after the many long, dreary months of the “off” season. The riders and videographers alike strive to get the stoke turned back “on.” When snow is lacking, they take to the streets, combining modern day urban snowboard style with the emerging technologies and evolution in the film world. Lines are shown several times from different angles to give the viewer various perspectives on the same trick. And when the snow’s good, the crew is out in the backcountry, building booters and chasing powder, hiking and putting the hard work into those seemingly “effortless” pow turns.

“MTVM”, created by producer and rider Jesse Burtner, opens with commentary from a few of the crew’s veteran riders on their filming and snowboarding careers over the years: Pat McCarthy, Kurt Jenson and Burtner himself. Ten, 14, 18 years filming video parts; and most of these riders plan to do it as long as they physically can. Burtner himself has been producing snowboard movies for well over a decade. Since launching Think Thank over nine years ago, his creativity has evolved parallel with filming and the snowboard industry, clearly seen in the his latest creation.

One of the best of Think Thank’s productions to date, “Mind the Video Man” features exclusive interviews with Pat McCarthy, Ryan Paul, Kurt Jensen that help us gain an appreciation for the time and effort invested by each rider in their 3-minute-or-less segments. After opening with McCarthy/Jenson/Burtner, the crew pass the torch off to the veterans of the Think Thank crew like Chris Beresford and Scott Stevens, as well as a few rookies: Curtis Woodman, Ryan Paul, Nial Romanek, Jaeger Bailey and more. Get to know riders young and seasoned alike as they showcase their hard work; using their own intimate and personal goals to push the boundaries of progression and possibility. The new crew brings a unique flavor to the Think Thank cast, but stays in line iwth the tone Burnter has set over the years: ride what’s in front of you and never take yourself too seriously. Woodman and Jaeger Bailey, in particular, stand out as newcomers, with Woodman ripping easy-access lines around the Tahoe area and Jaeger Bailey putting a unique twist on the oldest trick in the book: the front flip.

The video man and his crew have worked to create a video that builds upon a legacy a decade deep and encourages all – riders, producers, and spectators alike – to Mind The Video Man.