Throughout our lives, we are told to set short-term and long-term goals for ourselves as a means of figuring out where life is going. Goals can be elusive, but sometimes they manage to find you and propel you forward into the next step in life. “Set Your Sights,” the second ski/snowboarding movie by local film company TSP, set out to do just that. The filmmakers debuted their second feature on Sept. 1, 2011 to nearly sold out crowds at the Emerson Center for the Cultural Arts.
The premiere’s high energy throttled the air: bass-ridden music pumped through the speakers as little kids and older adults waited in anticipation. The crowd donned itself in TSP t-shirts and hats, showing their support.
The movie captivated the audience as skiers and snowboards careened off jumps. The almost surreal style of filming transported the audience into another world: one where the only focus is you, the jump and the snow.
Toy Soldier Productions is a local film company comprised of Justin Brodin, Shane Dowaliby, Johnny Durst, Alissa Torvinen and Andy Hahn. Following the immense success of their first feature film, “Come Find Us,” TSP decided to create another movie. While initially they were going to focus on other ski resorts, their love for Montana gravitated them back to the place where “Come Find Us” started.
Their sights have shifted a little since then. “Set Your Sights” focuses on riders who have pursued skiing as a potential career, many of whom are on the cusp of becoming professional riders.
“Set Your Sights is about goals,” said producer Shane Dowaliby, a recent graduate of the MSU School of Film and Photography. “They’re close enough to having it in their sights and need to focus on it. They have the passion and the dedication, and they’re on the up and up.”
“As filmmakers, we are following the same path to create better films each year,” Dowaliby added.
Toy Soldier Productions is expanding its brand. With showings in over 15 cities, many of which are outside Montana, as well three upcoming film festivals — including the International Freeskiing Film Festival in Montreal — the group is more than ready to make its mark in the sport.
Despite their success this year, Dowaliby considers “Set Your Sights” a stepping stone. “All the pieces are in place. The first two years we were learning how to make a movie. Things are starting to come together now for next year,” he said.
Dowaliby also mentioned how much the community’s support means to them: “MSU has allowed us to do what we do. They’ve been supportive from day one. We were just blown away by the support from last year, and we’ve seen it again this year.”
“The people in Bozeman have made this possible for us,” he said.
For more information on upcoming showings around the state and the release of their DVD in October, visit www.toysoldierproductions.com.
