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Shelley Osterloh ReportingThe Utah Office of Tourism is a sponsor of the latest Warren Miller Winter Sports Movie. It's the first time in the 57 year history of Warren Miller films any state has sponsored the film tour.
It's a great way to reach a very specific target audience of Skiers and Snowboarders. It's an industry that annually brings 800-million dollars to the state's economy. The state invested 350-thousand dollars in the Miller movie to promote Utah snow.
Warren Miller is the most well known winter sports filmmaker. Each year his movie has about 400 screenings in 180 cities.
Raelene Davis, Ski Utah Marketing Director: "Being associated with Warren Miller brand and being shown in all of our key markets and having the audience that will see that footage, we cant beat that."
In the newest Miller film, called "Off the Grid," Utah is featured in an eight-minute segment starring Utah skiers like Jamey Parks.
Film narrator: "Parks likes a lot of things about Utah powder, but his favorite is landing in it."
And Julian Carr.
Film Narrator: "A few winters ago Julian Carr kept a running tally of the height of every cliff he hucked, from February to May . he racked up 21-hundred feet."
Utahn Jeremy Nobis, an Olympic ski racer turned freeskier, has tackled the toughest, steepest most spectacular mountains in the world but says Utah's great snow and easy resort access are unique.
Jeremy Nobis, Freeskier: "You know, there's other great skiing around the world. Snow is everywhere, when you find mountains, usually; but consistently Utah has always provided me with the best platform to ski in and have fun."
In addition to Utah being featured in the film, for its 350-thousand dollar investment, a commercial for Utah Life Elevated will air before the movie. And there's more.
Tracie Cayford, Utah Office of Tourism: "We will own this footage for our film library, which we will use for commercials as well as media inquiries."
Just last season Utah reached a milestone with over 4-million skier visits. Tourism promoters hope things like the Warren Miller movie help grow those numbers.
Raelene Davis, Ski Utah Marketing Director: "Well considering that it's being shown over 400 times around the country, I think people are going to say, 'Wow that's Utah. I want to go there, I want to ski in that kind of snow.' It's the greatest snow on earth and they are going to see that."
You can see the film, "Off the Grid," this week here in Utah. Thursday night it will be shown in Park City at the Eccles Center, Friday night in Salt Lake at Abravanel Hall, Saturday in Ogden at the Peery Egyptian Theatre, in Logan Nov 9th and 10th. You can get tickets at the door, at REI, or Artix.
