REQUIRED VIEWING | Déjà Vu

The second instalment of 'REQUIRED VIEWING' takes us back half a decade from our first mandated viewing material, but we don't stray far from geological area - let this be yet another testament to the creativity and skill that arises from the Quebec region. 

Déjà Vu is one of the most influential pieces of media within the scope of modern snowboarding films. It's an instant classic, one that maintains relevancy without sacrificing nostalgic feelings of snowboard films of the early 2000's. Despite being just over a decade old, the film has aged wonderfully, maintaining a position of widespread respect and admiration. It's referenced time-and-time again as the archetype of a proper full-length video. It's clear that the project was thought-out on both sides of the camera; the riders did their due diligence to strive for excellence, and the filmer/editors matched that energy. 

Déjà Vu seemed like the perfect storm. The riders all had history with each other, and were collectively operating at full capacity. Sponsors we're invested in this project (thank god), and that allowed them to travel the world, burn a lot of film, and really focus on making something magical. It's obvious that the riders fed off of each other, continuing to push each other to film better clips. The video felt serious, but not in a try-hard way. Tasteful moments of comedy and hyjinx (5:13, 11:31, 19:33, 24:53) offer the opportunity for the viewer to humanize these amazing snowboarders. 

Hayden Rensch also really got things poppin' for Déjà Vu. I would mark this as the beginning of his reign of terror within snowboarding; his next projects would be Déjà Vu: Encore and Beacon. The soundtrack for Déjà Vu was on point, and the mix of different film stocks and HD footage added incredible depth to the edit. 

All said and done, if you're thinking about getting out and trying to film some snowboarding, this is a mandatory viewing. As said above, the riding, filming, and editing is top-tier. Not to mention, a fully Canadian squad; you kidding me? These guys are some of the crown jewels of snowboarding north of the 49th. 

In light of some things just working out perfectly, the latest guest on the Airtime Podcast is none-other than Hayden Rensch himself. Once you're done spinning Déjà Vu, clear your schedule and get into some serious shit-talking with one of the goats - see below.