Q&A: ‘Cyclocross Meeting’ director Brian Vernor
I caught up this week with the director of “The Cyclocross Meeting,” Brian Vernor. It’s part of the Bicycle Film Festival and is playing tomorrow, Sunday, at 6. Go here for all the details. Here, an excerpt of our chat.
Daniel McMahon: Brian, what struck me viewing the trailer first was the beautiful images, scenes, perspective, and the music. How did you choose these and why? What makes up the style of this film, and why tell your story this way?
Brian Vernor: I find beauty in people, performance, and place. The story is always about those elements, and if you start a film looking for the right combination of those then at least you get going in the right direction. I love cycling and my films are a celebration of it. I may call this a documentary, but it’s not an investigation, or I’m not trying to tear anything apart. I have a very clear idea of what I love about cyclocross and the music, composition of shots, and the editing are intended to support that.
DM: Why Barry Wicks? He’s a great, well-known cyclocrosser and all, but any reason in particular to feature him? I think he’s amazing, by the way.
BV: Barry is an amazing athlete, first, and second he sees his participation in cycling as a way to experience more places and people. He is curious about the world and other other people. For a professional athlete he is incredibly un-self-centered.
DM: Why Japan? How did that tie in to the story you wanted to tell?
BV: I see both the US and Japan as outsiders in the cyclocross world. As such there are similarities in the racing, scene at the races, and the fandom of cycling. I think Belgium cyclocross is killer, but I thought it would be more interesting to draw a parallel with the US to another country that is trying to break in.
DM: What is the story you’re telling in this film?
BV: Beyond trying to make cyclocross look painful and fun at the same time, it is also about cycling opening the door to a lot of life that isn’t about bikes. I’ve traveled a lot and whenever that travel involves bikes it inevitably allows me to meet amazing people I’d never know if I wasn’t with my bike.
DM: Which films influenced you in the making of this one? And do you ride?
BV: I grew up mountain biking in Santa Cruz, CA, and did my first cyclocross race in 1993 while I was in high school. I think my participation in cyclocross has always informed my photography and films. I definitely hope people see a photo or a film I made and understand how hard but weirdly fun cyclocross is.
DM: What challenges did you face doing this movie?
BV: Funding is a problem for any film, especially in the US. As far the bike industry goes there is little hope. I am simply not interested in making a brand commercial and the cycling brands simply find no value in a film that celebrates and promotes the thing that they provide equipment for.
DM: I have not seen a ton of CX vids but from what I have seen there definitely seems to be some cliched stuff that, frankly, gets a bit old. Were you consciously aware of these potential traps?
BV: The food, drink, dress, of people at races is interesting, but you don’t have to make a knee-slapping har-har moment out of it. It can be funny but I don’t want to be obviously telling the audience to think it’s funny.
DM: Did you ever think in making this film, “I’m rejecting this idea” or whatever from previous CX movies, or “I’m accepting this tradition and developing it” or anything like that?
BV: When Willie and I did “Pure Sweet Hell,” we wanted to focus on the entire American cyclocross scene. We showed amateurs and pros alike, and the film speaks a lot about the community that so many people find welcoming and appealing. “The Cyclocross Meeting” is more about the professional side of things, but the pros in the film were chosen because they could appreciate so much more about their jobs than just the racing.
DM: Why the title? Or is it something I have to watch to get?
BV: Some cyclocross races in Japan are called “meetings.” There is also the fact that representatives from two cultures meet in competition and training and building bikes.
DM: Who is your audience?
BV: This film has a lot to offer people who aren’t complete bike nerds, but it definitely speaks to people who understand a little about racing.
DM: Is the film based on a script or text of some sort? Where did the ideas or themes or images come from?
BV: Six years ago I traveled to Japan to compete in a road stage race, and I did it on my cyclocross bike. Some Japanese racers told me about cross in Japan and from then on I was hoping to go back for a cross film.
DM: Why should anyone see this movie?
BV: I hope it reaffirms peoples’ love for riding and opens some eyes to how rich the world can be when experienced from a bike. In less grand terms, it’ll get you psyched for CX season.
DM: Thanks, man. Good luck with the film. And see you in the fall.
BV: Thanks.
