Winters of My Life on Vimeo

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1. Winters of My Life

1 year ago

Winters of My Life is a portrait of Howard Weamer. For the past 35 years he has spent his winters as a hutkeeper in Yosemite's backcountry. He fills his days writing, reading, photographing, and being an ambassador to mountain culture. This is a brief look into his world and why he chooses to stay.

Directed by
Jonathan Burhop

Edited by
Marlon Singleton

Music by
Mike McCarthy

Credits

1,608 Likes

M Baranyay
2 days ago
Thomas Shim
2 days ago
Dane
4 days ago
Elliot Van Orman Productions
5 days ago
david lessard
6 days ago
Dani Berchtold
1 week ago
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1 week ago
Owen Somerfeld
1 week ago
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1 week ago

Tags

Blake Whitman 1 year ago

Lovely. Wish it was longer.
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Thank you! Howard is amazing. I would love to extend the project.
O'Ryan McEntire 1 year ago

Agreed, he seems like a very intriguing man. I would love to see more. Great job!
josh@firestorm 1 year ago

this MUST be made into a feature. this man has a story to tell, and i want to hear it!

great job jonathan
John Olin 1 year ago

I love this! I wish there was more! it felt like a trailer D:
MB Films 1 year ago

Great start, beautiful! What happens next! :)
Fred Rune Rahm 1 year ago

Fantastic portrait. Loved every second of your video
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Thanks. It was a blast to make. Howard is one of a kind.
Nathan Edwards 1 year ago

Everything about this is beautiful. What did you shoot with?
King Learie 1 year ago

That was very good but the soundtrack was intrusive - put it lower in the mix or try it without. What does heavy snow sound like?
Terrif!
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Thanks for the feedback. The mix is always a tricky balance.
goodie pocket films 1 year ago

I'd have to agree with Blake, truly wish it was longer. Sounds like a man with a very interesting story to tell. great work!
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Thanks! He is the real deal, plenty more stories of a life spent in the mountains.
Eric T. 1 year ago

How cool! It is amazing when we run across these kinds of people...the stories they have to tell, the experiences... I love the serenity of the piece and of Howard.

What caused you to do this? Did someone tell you of him?
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Thank you. Actually I'm a backcountry skier and met him on the mountain.
Scott Foley 1 year ago

Even though the place in which this was shot is oh so cold, the feeling taken from it is oh so warm. Well done, Jonathan.
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Thanks for the kind words. I am glad we were able to evoke those feelings.
Salazar 1 year ago

This is really great thank you for sharing
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Thanks for watching!
Brandon Knopp 1 year ago

I'd really love to see more of this. Great job!
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Seems like you are not alone. Thanks!
Brian Dickman 1 year ago

Loved it, but I feel like this should be the trailer to something longer. I want to hear more of his stories. After 35 years of writing in that journal, I imagine he's got a few gem entries in there.
Good work!
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Thanks! Yeah, I could listen to him read that journal all day. We decided to keep it short for now.
Robert K 1 year ago

Love these films! A random person telling his life story. Amazing is the right word.
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Thanks Robert. It was fun to make.
Karen Erbach 1 year ago

This video is like a refreshing glass of water. Thanks for sharing. Howard is wonderful - I bet there's a longer version of this in you....
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Thank you for such a wonderful compliment. Howard is amazing. And thanks for the encouragement, winter is just around the corner!
Bernard Rocca 1 year ago

JonnyB comes with a classic.
Looks like an extended shoot in the backcountry may be in order. Keep it coming!
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Thanks man. You ready to haul more gear into the backcountry this winter?
Rogelio Cordovez 1 year ago

What a great person Howard is. Truly amazing.
Great job expressing his life, for such a short video.

Want to see more :)
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Thanks Rogelio. It was a really fun length to work with.
Michael Moeller 1 year ago

Jonathan, I can't add much more other than to say you must go back and capture his whole story. My father was a career National Park Service ranger, and I was fortunate to have gotten to know several guys like Howard. My one regret is that I never had the opportunity to do what you have started.
Absolutely beautiful. Please, please, please do what you have to to expand this project. He reminds me of a sort of modern day Muir.
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Michael, we are really considering doing something more after the response we have been getting. Please forward this on to your father and others in the outdoor community. Thanks, JB.
Michael Moeller 1 year ago

I'll forward to those I am still in contact with. Unfortunately, Dad passed away a couple of years ago. But I know he would have loved it. I wish you the best of luck on this project and I can't wait to see the finished product. Do you know if Howard is planning on publishing his journal at all?
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

I don't think there are any plans right now. That said, this short has sparked a lot of interest and a few magazines are talking to him. I'll post any updates.
Ric Serena 1 year ago

I first went to the Ostrander Ski Hut five years ago and have been back three times since. The hut continues to be one of my favorite locations I've visited in the world, and Howard is a big reason for that. Thanks for the mid-summer reminder of my winter escape.
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Ric, glad I could pass on a little summertime stoke. I am with you completely about the hut. Maybe I'll see you out there this winter!
Lucas 1 year ago

Wow, crashing vimeo with style! Amazing first video. Looking forward to more of your work.
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Thanks for checking it out. Hopefully there will be more soon.
Marcus O'Brien 1 year ago

Give it some fresh mountain air and let it breathe..... MORE PLEASE!
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Will do, thanks for checking it out!
Rachel Tomco 1 year ago

Beautiful! Thank you!
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Glad you enjoyed it.
SUSHI ADV. 1 year ago

Impressive. And beautiful too!
I'm talking about it on my blog tatami.sushiadv.com
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Cool! Thanks for posting.
Flemming Bo Jensen 1 year ago

Very moving, love how you keep it raw and low key, it is simply beautiful.
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Marlon the editor is to thank for that. No dissolves or zooms and very limited camera moves. Thanks for seeing the details.
jens 1 year ago

Good job! We want more! :)
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Glad you enjoyed it.
Marc Lis 1 year ago

Very nice. Just how it should be done... interesting character, nicely shot and you leave it at the point where people want to see more. Great :)
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Thanks Marc, that is what we were going for. Happy to hear we achieved it for you.
PernaBase 1 year ago

bitter contradiction in the end
Dima Emelianov 1 year ago

awesome movie, but i don't really like the editing at 00:19. its out of tune with the rest of the movie. a single shot would be better.
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Thanks for your input. We were trying to visually bring the viewer into the hut.
Preservation LINK 1 year ago

Johnathon, this video is incredible. The wonderful thing about people is our ability to experience life and be able to express the passions we feel through art - you as a filmmaker and Howard as a writer. People who can appreciate the gifts of the earth are very special people. I love the line, " thrust readers will forgive, close this record, and watch, somewhere - an analogy." Wow! Filmmaking and capturing the emotion and soul of a person is definitely a gift of yours. Good Luck man.
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Thanks for the kind words. I agree with you about the power of Howard's words, simply moving.
mmmorehart 1 year ago

Amazing work. looking forward to hearing more about him! You are gifted with your documentary and he is gifted in his writing!
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Thanks so much!
TFC 1 year ago

Excellent preview...I want to see more of Mr. Weamer
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

He has more stories to tell...
Laura Elting 1 year ago

Great film, enjoyed watching it! Only one thing to say: please let us see more :)
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Thanks for checking it out Laura!
Dropfair 1 year ago

You got the tone just right, which must have been hard to do. It is not too nostalgic but also not flip. You cut it in a way that the images never intrude on his voice.
Quality.
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Thanks so much. Marlon did such an amazing job in the edit using a modern style to tell a timeless story. Really appreciate you noticing the details.
Dorian Vasco 1 year ago

I liked it very much, calm pictures and a nice soundtrack. I really would like to hear some stories of Howard. And of course see some of his photos!

Looking forward!
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Thank you. Howard has a website if you want to see his work: Weamer Photography dot com
Dorian Vasco 1 year ago

Thanks!
Brian Van Peski 1 year ago

Awesome piece and a beautiful portrait. I'm jealous, as this is a life I wish I lived - one closer to the wilderness.
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for adding us to the Documentary Film Channel.
Craig Cannon 1 year ago

Awesome. I hope there's more to come. There's a certain serenity and wisdom to it all that is truly captivating.
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Thanks Craig.
Brian Biggs 1 year ago

Howard is a legend and hopefully this is just a great start of a tribute to a man who's done so much. It gives me the thought that I should do something similar for Dick Simpson of the Sierra Club Huts. Nice work.
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

I don't know Dick but I think you should totally go for it. This turned out to be a really great experience and the start of a wonderful relationship.
Adayak 1 year ago

Great Film! Would love to see this adapted into a 15-30 minute piece.
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Thanks!
Claxomere 1 year ago

Wahouch !! This is so great. I love this kind of video.
Thanks.
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Thanks for checking it out.
polpetta 1 year ago

Wow.
Really a good work. There's a lot of life blowing out of the screen! It's very emotional!
thnx!
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Glad you enjoyed it!
thiago 1 year ago

Hey jonathan!
awesome work .. really deep ..
make a longer version !PLZ !
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Thanks thiago.
Logan Robertson 1 year ago

Mr Weamer is instantly likable. Beautifully done. I have to agree with many above and say this deserves a longer treatment. What do the other seasons look like at the lake?

I disagree with one of the first commenters above; the soundtrack is fine in this short video. Obviously a longer form would allow space for more silence.

Keep up the good work.
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

I think the four seasons is a very cool idea. Thanks Logan.
Huibert Alexander Van Wijk 1 year ago

My compliments on a truly beautiful piece of film, Jonathan! I think I agree with Logan, would love to see a four seasons adaptation! Maybe kickstarter.com would be a good option!

Cheers, huib.
eskimofilm.nl
Davide Dall'Acqua 1 year ago

Woooow! Great work! What do you use to record the voice?
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Wireless lav to the camera.
Martijn Doornenbal 1 year ago

Beautiful! I like the part where he reads his journal. He knows how to write, that's for sure.
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

I agree, Howard is an amazing writer.
Vineet Parkhe 1 year ago

Hey John, great job on the video, its beautiful. He sounds like an amazing person. Definitely make a longer version, I would love to hear more from him
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it.
Paddy McCann 1 year ago

Hey John, this is such a beautiful piece and so watchable yet so simple - I am still trying to break down exactly how you achieved it (like a recipe) as I think most viewers would agree, creating something that connects like your piece is what we all hope to do when we break out the camera. I am thinking out loud here but what I can identify is:
1. Find an interesting & dynamic subject
2. Keep lighting as natural as possible
3. Ask the right question (what was it BTW)
4. Get a variety of shots for your B roll that transport the viewer into the subjects minds eye.

I know you could add to this list - would love your thoughts! Just beautiful!
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

I think an interesting subject is the most important thing. It's amazing how many technical flaws people will allow if the subject is stunning. As far as emotion in such a short video I thank Marlon the editor for crafting the pace and feel.
youknow whoiamson 1 year ago

Amazing work! I would love to see this as a longer documentary.
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Thanks!
Erik Spink 1 year ago

I see many people already said this, but I must accompany them in stating that I would love to see this as a longer short or even a feature. Beautifully shot, specifically the lighting. And it is soothing just to hear Howard speak about his winter home.
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Thanks Erik!
Brad Herring 1 year ago

Nice video, Jonathan! Have you read the book The Last Season? And if so, did you get to talk to Howard about Randy Morgenson? The story is worth the read for sure as these guys are awesome and what they endure for our parks is simply amazing!

thelastseason.com/
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Thanks for passing on the suggestion. I haven't read or heard about that book before. Can't wait to check it out!
Jeff Svoboda 1 year ago

Inspiring Video. Well done Jonathan
Jonathan Burhop 1 year ago

Thanks!