Edge of the Earth

Production
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Post-production
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Color
Credits

Post-Production Supervisor:
Dan Olsen

Colorists:
Dan Olsen
Russ Lasson

Online Editor:
Dan Olsen

Cosmic was ecstatic to work with HBO and Teton Gravity Research on post-production for the four-part documentary series Edge of the Earth. The series follows four groups of elite athletes around the globe as they take on incredible challenges that test both their physical and mental toughness.  

Our team was responsible for supervising all elements of post-production as well as performing the color grade, online edit, and final delivery to HBO. With all four episodes working through post-production simultaneously after delays due to COVID-19, both the task and the reward were enormous. Challenging conditions during production such as blizzards burying camp and navigating dense, uncharted jungle put colorists Dan Olsen and Russ Lasson to the test. Reviewing complex 3D maps, a custom music score, and sourcing archival footage from a variety of sources made management of all things post a round-the-clock job. When all was complete, Edge of the Earth was one of our favorite projects to date and is a major source of pride for our team.

Edge of the Earth was nominated for two Sports Emmy Awards–for both Outstanding Camera Work (Long Form) as well as Outstanding Promotional Announcement. The series is currently streaming on HBO Max.

In Episode I: Into the Void, big mountain snowboarders Jeremy Jones and Elena Hight along with big mountain skier Griffin Post head into Alaska’s Glacier Bay National Park with sights set on a first descent of 10,204-foot Mount Bertha.

Mount Bertha is a glaciated mountain summit rising over 3,000 meters, located in the Fairweather Range of the Saint Elias Mountains in southeast Alaska. Captured on Teton Gravity Research’s GSS Camera System using a RED HELIUM.
Access to base camp was no easy task, requiring multiple flights, a boat ride, a weather window, and a long approach by foot. The light conditions and landscapes of Alaska made this project particularly rewarding during the color grade.
Ten-time Big Mountain Rider of the year Jeremy Jones is no stranger to the alpenglow of Southeast Alaska.

In Episode II: Raging Torrent, kayakers Ben Stookesberry, Nouria Newman, and Erik Boomer voyage into Ecuador’s Llanganates National Park to attempt the first whitewater descent of the Chalupas River.

Our team was blown away by the variety of Ecuador's landscapes–and Teton Gravity Research's impressive ability to capture it.
The Chalupas River descends nearly 11,000 feet over 50 miles and is one of the most technical whitewater descents on the planet.
With some sections of the Chalupas River proving impassable, athletes and crew were forced to portage through the dense jungle.
The athletes and crew were truly on their own–making their journey and the footage they brought home all the more impressive.

Episode III: Reaching for the Sky, climbers Emily Harrington and Adrian Ballinger traveled with the crew to Kyrgyzstan’s Ak-su Valley to attempt a free ascent of the 4,240-meter Pik Slesova.

The journey to base camp was long but breathtaking, offering incredible opportunities to capture aerial footage of the trek.
Adrian Ballinger plans his route hundreds of feet above the valley below while TGR's production crew documents.
Weather in the Ak-su Valley was constantly on the mind of the crew and athletes–threatening to move in with little notice.
Shots like this led to Edge of the Earth’s Emmy nomination for outstanding camera work.

Episode IV: The Great Unknown took the production crew and big wave surfers Ian Walsh and Grant “Twiggy” Baker to the west coast of Africa in search of the next landmark surf destination.

Only athletes with intuition based on decades of surf exploration could lead this mission.
Largely undeveloped and unexplored, the setting for the fourth installment of Edge of the Earth was rugged and beautiful.
Ian Walsh and Grant "Twiggy" Baker watch the swell come in as last ligh fades into the ocean.
The reward is that much sweeter after so many hours of travel, waiting, and watching conditions change.

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