In 1997, expedition kayaker and cinematographer Scott Lindgren and a team of paddlers climbed 17,618-foot Pequeno Alpamayo in the Andes Mountains, then kayaked the Rio Camata into the Amazon. The resulting documentary film, Andes to Amazon, won Lindgren an Emmy. Not a bad way to start a career. Ten years, a dozen films, and a first descent down Tibet’s Tsangpo River Gorge later (see 国产吃瓜黑料‘s July 2002 article “” and ), Lindgren, 34, is still traveling to the back of beyond, logging first descents, and capturing some of the world’s most death-defying physical feats on film. For the past two years, he’s been perched on cliff tops, jet skis, and helicopters shooting his latest film, Burning Time II (which premiered May 12 at Nevada’s Reno River Festival and is available on DVD in mid-May), a 50-minute sequel to 2004’s Burning Time. The film follows kayakers like South Africans Steve Fisher and Dale Jardine from the perilous waters of the Niagara Gorge to a first descent of California’s Upper Middle Kaweah. But this time, Lindgren also includes river surfboarding, big mountain skiing, and a handful of first descents. MEGAN MICHELSON caught up with Lindgren between edit sessions to talk about the hazardous realm of adventure filmmaking, how to get the right shot, make it real, and be sure you come up for air.
Burning Time II
Watch an exclusive online trailer of Scott Lingren’s latest adventure film..