Andrew Stern, Big Cheese of Marketing for Bending Branches, the world’s largest manufacturer of quality paddles, wanted a canoeing film to promote the Black Pearl II carbon paddle.

What he didn’t want was a contrived film with excessive product placement. He was looking for something organic, peaceful, personal, and inspiring, something that would elevate the Bending Branches brand as well as raise product awareness. Stern was speaking our language.

We enlisted the services of good friend and outdoorsman, Ian Planchon, who just so happens to be a talented director of photography, and headed north to the Superior National Forest to tell the story of a Boundary Waters-style buddy trip.

Not only did we shoot the film, but we also stepped out from behind the camera as the subjects of this mini-documentary.

Producer: Ryan Borts
Director of Photography and Editor: David Poyzer
Aerial Photographer: Ian Planchon

A Bending Branches Film
In association with:  Granite Gear, NRS, Stormy Kromer, Stone Harbor Wilderness Supply