Cover Photo by Daniel Ronnback. All Photos Courtesy of Armada
Brady Perron grew up a couple of miles from Mt. Sunapee in NH, and spent most of his youth there, until eventually moving to UT when he was 18. A year or so before moving west, Brady joined the 4bi9 crew after he meeting Andrew Holson through the Kennedy brothers. He spent his early ski career with them, as well as doing a grip of rail jams and shooting with Stept Productions. He's still friends everyone and looking up to the folks from both crews: "Shout out AJ, Napes, the Martini brothers, Scofield, Cam, and plenty more".
In your early career, with Stept and 4BI9, you were known for your style. I know you’ve given interviews about style, but do you think style or progression is more important? Or do the two things go together?
Haha, I'm not sure those interviews were so enlightening but to try to answer, it isn't so black and white... bringing a new style might be progressive in itself. I think having a style can more easily separate someone from others. It is good to be different and feel different. This might be how we choose our favorite skier... Parker White, Kieran McVeigh, Jerm Vei, Hornbeck, Casabon, Harlaut, Downey. I think I had a mind, body type and set of skills/interests that catered towards, "not what you do but how it's done"... but a lot just revolves around trick choice in general. I think the standing out is how we choose our favorite song, flick, athlete, artist. Your favorite style should make you feel something. It could just be one's control or speed or both.
Did you always have an interest/talent for making videos?
Not talent but I grew up making videos with friends and taking photos. I think my brother and I got inspired by our mom first. Big shouts to Kevin, and our folks for being so supportive of us both. I naturally had a camera with me in general by the end of high school, and heading west provoked that even more. I eventually phased out of being in front of the camera to get my release behind the lens. Feels great doing both. I'm mostly focusing on trying to develop a style in my shooting and editing these days though.
Was it a conscious choice to focus more on being a filmer? Would you now say you’re a filmer or skier?
I am a skier and video lover first, both hand-in-hand. It was a conscious choice to become a shooter only after Henrik had put me on for Be Inspired. It felt great like... Damn, I'm no longer pressing on myself, or someone/some brand to support me as a marketable ski figure that I wasn't. I get to press rec and try to give folks a decent view and contribute that way to the culture. My body got beat up from skiing, too. I also didn't have the means from sponsors or create a solid off-season gig to help push me through the winters, alongside student debt. I had hopes to make some strong waves, and have some unfinished ideas as a skier, but now feel comfortable with my path. It hasn't been an overly extreme change to focus on producing videos as we were already trying to do that with the ski life, shouts Hornbeck, Corey Stanton, Mski- now, I'm fortunate to get with some of the best in the scene, as well as experiment with projects outside of skiing using what I've learned. We all have lives and interests beyond the snow- that's a good thing! Hit me if you want to connect on a project!
When did you first meet Phil Casabon?
We met in Vermont when I was 15 and he was 14 at VTOpen. Special days caught by Stept. Salute to Phil!
You make great movies together and even been recognized with a couple of Gold medals, was it something you had to work on or did you just click and make great videos straight away?
Phil and I clicked easily. Making videos takes time, massaging and work. Phil and I got a real feel for one another during the Be Inspired years and tour. Henrik had put me on then, and we all spent a lot of good days together those two years. Thanks, HH! Making videos is a practice... learning what's best, what I like and what is reasonable as well. Phil has a great eye and also gives me the freedom to do whatever- always grateful for that, he wants me to flourish and explore! I think my next project will be better due to his open-mindedness.
Have you had any nightmares where you just couldn’t get the shot? Either from conditions, equipment or just bad luck?
Nothing too horrible, Nah- But I was in an awkward space once filming Henrik do this dub 10 in the backcountry. We didn't have the correct gear, was managing a bunch of people and distractions, and kinda blew his clip. It still ran in the video though- I hated not being able to give HH his best look, especially on such a good trick. I remember Phil was there and made me feel better about how the clipped looked in the cut, etc.
Do you have any ambitions or particular things you would hope to achieve? Both in skiing and outside? Have you ever thought about making videos with no skiing?
I'd like to keep working with the greats like Phil and HH. Hoping to do a project with Jossi, Will Wesson and do another one with Duncan Adams. Also, I am hoping to work with Jake Mageau and Taylor B Lundquist. They are good people, really impressive, likable, core and are going to continue having a big hand in the future of our community. Also, I want to continue contributing creatively towards Armada Skis' content. We have a great team and vision, and they let me represent them with full freedom. That is definitely my goal in skiing, make a variety of fresh videos that reflect the skier and myself. In regards to outside of skiing- I have a lot to do. I have done up some pieces and want to continue doing some branded content, music videos, art shows, installations and more (shouts Scott 'n Shan, Joseph Toney). Right now, I'm about to start working on cutting a doc piece. I hope my footage will provide for this little story. Hoping it will end up feeling okay!
https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/953670/Brady-at-Kimbo--19
Do you see any new trends in skiing videos/contests that’ll come this decade?
I got to help out with content and interviews for Wallisch's rail jam at Seven Springs. It was special to see and be a part of. Thanks, TW! I think this event will spark more of the traditional rail jams to pop up again. They create community, accessibility and shine for those outside of a points system. Often enough, it is the folks outside the competition circuit that set off what we end up seeing in contests. I think these competitions, and Real Ski as well, have helped put skiing on the map in a nice way, both the platforms surrounding them and the freedom they allow. Tough for judging though!
Brady's favorite:
Trip: Sierra Tahoe, Las Trancas, Les Arcs, Riks
Trick: wally, press, pop
Track: Daimi- Jeg Kommer
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