2013 Sundance Doc Lab - pt.1: Riding the lift. Hiking. Potguts.

I was invited to attend this year's Sundance Documentary Edit and Story Lab as an assistant editor. Each assistant is assigned to one of the five feature-length documentaries that have been invited to participate in the lab. Each project consists of its director(s) and editor. This is Part One in my Sundance Labs re-cap. To read the brief prologue, click here. Part Two. Part Three. Part Four. Part Five.

This was my second trip to the labs as an assistant editor. Two years ago, I never had an opportunity to go on the ski lift or go on a hike. This year, we had a little down time as the assistants were flown in a day early.

The entire AE team of five rode the ski lift into the mountains that overlook the Sundance Resort. From there we went on a brief, 20-minute hike. It was gorgeous day. Not too hot yet, before the so-called heat wave hit. 

I'm very glad we knocked this out on the first day. The rest of the week was too packed with lab activities to get away in the middle of the day like this. 

Riding a ski lift in the summer feels like riding a roller coaster in slow motion - minus the falls or the loops. You are keenly aware of how high up you are and how little more than a metal bar stands between you and two broken legs. This didn't seem to wear too heavily on other folks as I saw several people riding down with the protective bar up. I even saw one woman laying down across the bench listening to music on her iPhone, the bar high above her head. You know that could have made a great arm rest, don't you?

Once at the top we took in the view. We could spot Robert Redford's property clearly. Too bad he wasn't home this summer. He's known to take a peak into the edit bays from time to time.

We took a short hike along the mountainside. Apparently the other AEs don't subscribe to the traditional sedentary lifestyle of the editor as I do because none of them seemed as winded as I was. I mean, c'mon, this is a pretty gnarly hill, right?:

We hiked a ways above the ski lift, then took a slippery trail back down to catch the last ride to base. I made a few Hugh Grant references, but I don't think anyone recalls The Englishman Who Went Up A Hill But Climbed Down A Mountain very fondly, if at all.

Then again I could have been alone when I made these references because, like I said, I was the most out of shape and dragging ass. How I wasn't anointed the nickname of Drag-Ass I'll never know. My AE team were a bunch of sweethearts.

When we arrived at the ski lift stop to catch a pair of benches back down the mountain, we were greeted by these critters:

The best I can deduce is these are simply mountain squirrels. But we called them potguts. Someone nicknamed them that last year. I have no idea why, but the name sounds fitting.

It was a pleasant ride back down the mountain. This was a good start to the week.

AE Mark Harrison is king of the mountain.