Beyond the Wall: Think Less on the Human Drama Behind Competitive Climbing in ‘The Crux’ for National Geographic
Sports documentaries often find themselves at the centre of cultural conversation – they have this particular knack for offering a thrilling mix of athletic achievement, human drama, and personal triumph that feels personal – even for us couch-dwellers, somehow. ‘The Crux,’ is the latest creation from Think Less for National Geographic, and takes this formula to new heights – quite literally – by delving into the world of competitive climbing.
Filmmaker and Think Less founder, Cole Sax, along with executive producer, Phil Hessler, are the creative forces behind the series, who took on the challenge of turning this niche sport into a captivating narrative that resonates with a broad audience. In this interview, they reveal the intricacies of balancing personal stories with larger-than-life competition, drawing inspiration from popular sports documentaries like Drive to Survive.
From building trust with climbers, to navigating the unpredictable nature of real-time competitions, ‘The Crux’ showcases how strategic storytelling can be elevated by verité filmmaking. Collaborating with top-tier partners like The North Face, Little Monster Films, and the International Federation of Sport Climbing, Think Less delivers a series that not only spotlights the athletes but captures the heart, soul, and pure essence of the climbing community. As Phil and Cole reflect on their creative process, it’s clear they’ve only just begun to explore the potential of this dynamic sport on screen.
LBB> What was your initial vision when you encountered the brief for The Crux? And to what extent does it line up with the finished show?
Cole> Our vision for 'The Crux' was to elevate the sport of competitive climbing into a narrative that captivates a broad audience. As an in-house brainchild at Think Less, we sought to blend strategic storytelling with impactful content creation, aligning closely with brand missions and genuine human experiences. Partnering with the International Federation of Sport Climbing lent us authenticity, while collaborations with The North Face and Little Monster Films ensured high production standards. The final series not only meets our high expectations but stands as a testament to our comprehensive in-house capabilities — from concept to delivery.
LBB> When it comes to balancing the individual stories of the climbers with the overall narrative of the show, how do you achieve that? What’s the secret to making these documentary shows feel cohesive?
Cole> Achieving a cohesive narrative in 'The Crux' involved a meticulous balance between individual climber stories and the overarching series theme. We grounded our approach in thorough pre-interviews to unearth relatable personal details, setting the stage for authentic storytelling. The real magic happened in post-production, where our seasoned editors and story producers at Think Less expertly wove these individual threads into a compelling collective tapestry. This approach highlights our dedication to creating documentaries that resonate deeply on both personal and universal levels.
LBB> Did you look to other popular sports documentaries for inspiration? If so, which ones and how did they inform The Crux?
Phil> We definitely drew inspiration from other embed sports docs that have been successful in the streaming space. Most notably would be the Formula 1 Series on Netflix Drive to Survive that has spawned that format being applied to other “traditional” sports like Tennis and Golf. We were always motivated to know what it would look like to apply that format to more of these “culture based” sports like skateboarding, snowboarding, or climbing. Once we started to dive into these worlds more, climbing felt like the best option because of the personality of the characters, structure of the competitions, and the success of other climbing projects in the entertainment space. We already had a relationship with the IFSC that organises the world cup circuit so it felt like the pieces started to fall into place pretty quickly. Once we met all the athletes, we really felt like it was worth pursuing!
LBB> How much did you know about the world of competitive climbing before beginning this project - and what’s surprised you most about the sport?
Cole> My familiarity with competitive climbing was significantly deepened by our previous project, 'World Debut,' a comprehensive feature documentary co-produced with YouTube Originals and the International Olympic Committee, and executive produced by skateboarding icon Tony Hawk. That foundational experience was invaluable as we embarked on 'The Crux.' Delving deeper into the world of climbing, what surprised me the most was the sheer intensity of personal and competitive stakes. The climbers’ profound dedication and the delicate balance between fierce competition and deep-seated community bonds were truly eye-opening. These insights enriched our storytelling, allowing us to portray a more nuanced view of the sport and its athletes.
LBB> Is there anything that you learned over the course of putting this documentary together? Whether that be about climbing itself, or simply how best to film it?
Phil> What’s both really special and fun about these types of shows is there’s only so much you can plan. The story is happening in real time so you really need to be immersed in the moment and the action to capture how the arc of the character unfolds. Since the dramatic structure is based around the competition, the story is structured around how our athletes perform at the world cups. But once you know that result, you can produce scenes that lead up to the competitions in a more creative way. So it was a really fun mix of full verité filmmaking with creative story producing. What was interesting for me to learn about climbing was just how supportive and open the community really is. Of course, as the stakes get bigger and the sport grows – tension and rivalries develop but all in all it’s still an incredibly supportive community. That’s a really special aspect of these sports like skateboarding, surfing, snowboarding, climbing, etc – it’s such a communal based sport and it’s all about feeding off the energy of your friends. And that all bleeds over into the lifestyle of these sports.
LBB> Why do you think these series – like Drive to Survive, Welcome to Wrexham, and countless others – are proving so popular? What is it about real-life sports stories that striking such a cultural chord?
Phil> I feel like the competition for many of these sports provides a very strong dramatic arc for unscripted storytelling. Every character that we follow in these series wants to win in their respective sport and that inherently creates conflict as they go up against other athletes who want to win. So the storytelling is straightforward for a viewer to wrap their head around and get invested in. Additionally, people already love these sports. So if you're even a part time fan, having the ability to peer behind the scenes and see the more intimate aspects of athletes' lives is fascinating for a viewer. It adds a whole other dimension to the characters that you might only know as these super athletes and another way for an audience to connect outside of the broadcast of a sport. In a lot of ways these shows can be more interesting than just watching the broadcast of a Formula 1 race or football match.
LBB> What was the most challenging aspect of putting this documentary together, and how did you overcome it?
Cole> One of the greatest challenges in producing 'The Crux' was gaining intimate access to climbers during competitions, especially in secluded areas like the isolation zone. We prioritised building trust with the athletes and competition organisers, ensuring our presence was unobtrusive yet effective. This delicate balance improved over the series, highlighting our team's adaptability and respectful approach to documentary filmmaking in sensitive settings.
LBB> Is there anything that you’d do differently if you had your time again?
Phil> A lot of it just comes down to the amount of time and resources that we have to invest in these shows. I feel like we just scratched the surface of what this series can be and I would really love to spend more time with the athletes outside of the competitions. We’d love to show more of the outdoor aspect of climbing and then contrast that with the dynamic of the competition world. Additionally, being able to have the edit going while we are shooting would inform key scenes that can be captured based on competition results. There are also other athlete stories we would have loved to weave into the show – we were just constrained with the amount of episodes and time. All in all very proud of what we were able to accomplish! Huge props to The North Face for supporting this vision and National Geographic for hosting the series. Hopefully we get to do it again!
