It’s complicated by name, and has been further complicated by nature.
Blake Pickup, director of Pickup Media, will host the world premier of his new movie, It’s Complicated, at The World Bar tonight.
But the Aussie-born Queenstowner says it’s been touch-and-go getting it ready in time.
While he started shooting the park segment, featuring local snowboarders who ride at Coronet Peak and The Remarkables, about this time last year, he had to shoot the all-mountain segment at Coronet and a backcountry segment this year.
That, he says, created ‘‘a lot of stress, because you need snow for the backcountry’’.
Luckily, Mother Nature delivered the goods in time for Pickup, who’s self-produced and directed the movie, to get the job done.
The movie follows the love life of local riders, many of whom are sponsored by local shops like Quest and Boardertown, choosing between their relationships and their love of snowboarding and capturing the Queenstown boarding scene like never before.
It’s the second movie Pickup’s made in the Whakatipu — the first, Evolve, focused on the resort’s mountain biking scene, and premiered in
2021 after two years of work behind the scenes, interrupted by Covid.
Like Evolve, Pickup says he’s injected a fair whack of his own cash into the project.
‘‘I kind of just do projects like this to test my skills in filmmaking, production and directing.
‘‘It’s also for the Queenstown community as well, just to have something to entertain them.’’
He says tickets for tonight’s premier have almost sold out — if there’s enough demand, The World Bar will look to do a second viewing next week.
Pickup says It’s Complicated will be available to watch, free, on YouTube in about a month.
It’s Complicated, The World Bar, tonight from 6pm — tickets via eventbrite, limited (if any) door sales
