Warren Miller (director)

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Warren Miller is an acclaimed filmmaker, entrepreneur, and author. His credits include over 750 sports films, several books and hundreds of published non-fiction stories. His annual films on skiing and other outdoor sports are renowned for their stunning photography, witty humor, and exhibition of incredible talent showcasing olympians and celebrity athletes. He is considered by many as one of the most important figures in modern skiing for the exposure and promotion of the sport his films have provided for over 50 years.

1 Early years
2 The birth of Warren Miller Entertainment
3 Warren Miller Entertainment today
4 Well known quotes
5 Notes
6 External links

[edit] Early years

Warren Miller was born in Hollywood, California on October 15, 1924. As a young man he took up the hobbies of skiing, surfing, and photography. At the age of 18, with the U.S. ten months into World War II, he enlisted in the Navy and served in the South Pacific.^[1] Upon his discharge from the Navy in 1946 he bought his first 8mm movie camera. He and a friend moved to Sun Valley, Idaho where they camped in the parking lot of the Sun Valley ski resort, living out of a teardrop trailer and earning money as ski instructors. In their free time, they would film each other skiing to critique and improve their ski techniques. During the summers they shifted their lifestyle to the California coast where they filmed each other surfing. ^[2]

[edit] The birth of Warren Miller Entertainment

Warren Miller would often show his skiing and surfing films to friends, making jokes about their exploits throughout the showing of the film. When he began to receive invitations to show and narrate his films at parties, it occurred to him that he could turn this hobby into a business. In 1949, Miller founded Warren Miller Entertainment and began a long standing tradition of producing one feature-length ski film per year. He rented out halls and theaters, usually with borrowed money, and charged admission to his shows. He booked show halls near ski resorts so that he could film the next year's footage during the day, and show the current film in the evening. Before long he was showing his films in 130 cities a year. ^[3]

[edit] Warren Miller Entertainment today

Miller continued to head the company both creatively and executively until the late 1980's when he sold the company to his son, Kurt Miller. Kurt later sold the company to Time, Inc., and the company still produces a new film every year, which is then taken on a screening tour near the end of autumn. The screenings of the annual films are elaborate events designed as celebrations of the beginning of each skiing season.

While phasing out of his executive role, Miller still maintained his creative role as director and narrator for the films into the 1990's, but due to his age (now over 80 years old) and ailing health, Miller has distanced himself from production in recent years. The makers of the two latest films, Higher Ground (2005) and Off the Grid (2006), opted to use Miller's narration from previous films rather than recording new narration.^[4]

Recent films have been criticized as a departure from the traditional Warren Miller films. Miller himself has indicated that he is not content with recent productions. Still, the films get mostly positive reviews and continue to garner a loyal fanbase of both skiers and non-skiers.

Warren Miller currently resides with his wife, Laurie, in Seattle, WA, and is officially retired from filmmaking but remains an active writer. He has announced plans to publish a book about life in retirement called, "What Are You Doing with the Rest of Your Life?"

[edit] Well known quotes

Warren Miller's movies are known for his wry narration and one-liners. Some of his one-liners are simply jokes, while others are profound life-statements. Many of his best lines have been used in several films, and a few have been used in nearly every film. The following is a list of some of his better-known quotes.

If you don't do it this year, you'll just be one year older when you do.
Don't take life seriously, because you can't come out of it alive.
Adventure is the invitation to common people to become uncommon.
You want your skis? Go get 'em.
On the other hand, you have more fingers.
If you saw your dog doing this, you'd take him to the vet and have him fixed.
If your parents didn't have children, odds are you won't either.
See you next year, same time, same place. Thank you, and goodnight. (Warren Miller's signature sign-off at the end of a film)