Model and Climber Eugenie Lee Takes the Pursuit for the Perfect Climb with Nike

Today, global production house, Stink Films and Dazed media proudly celebrate the launch of the new film, Elementary for Nike ACG x Dazed, directed by award-winning Stink Films director, Felix Brady. The 2:30’ film features Eugenie Lee, a Hackney born model and rock climber, as she prepares for the perfect climb, mentally, spiritually and physically. 

Nike ACG (All Conditions Gear), is designed for outdoor use, made to tackle any climate, conditions or extremity. Elementary aims to shed a new light on climbing and the intricacies around the sport. It challenges the traditional portrayal of climbing and brings it into a new space, and to a new audience. The conditions for climbing have to be right - mind, breath, strength, movement and friction all seamlessly combined to achieve the perfect ascent. 

The work maps Lee’s climbing process from the initial preparation to the summit, showing the various processes that the body and mind must engage with in order to plan and complete a successful rock climb. Throughout the film, the audience engages with the perspective of Lee’s own hands, body and experiences as she calculates her route from the bottom to the top of the rock face, and as she begins to climb. As Lee climbs, her world view becomes broader and more engaging; encompassing the various forces of nature and the beauty of the natural world, the experience is sublime, cathartic, and liberating. 

Shot on the UK’s Jurassic Coastline and in Portland, Dorset, the film makes use of some of Felix’s favourite climbing locations. With drone sequences that span the famous coastline and delve into the rock faces and caves, the footage brings a new depth to the art of climbing and the intensity of the natural landscape. The film was shot on an Alexa Mini, Panavision minicam with 4mm wide lenses and an FPV drone, a lighting drone was used to light the side of the cliffs which was a first for director Felix, producer Coleman and the DOP.

The location posed its own unique challenges, which were overcome by utilising Brady’s own climbing abilities; capturing some of the climbing moments by climbing adjacent to Eugenie high in the cliffs with the Alexa Mini strapped to his back, allowing the cameras to capture close-up, intricate shots. 

Shea Coleman, producer, Stink: “The film was commissioned by Dazed in collaboration with Nike ACG and features Eugenie Lee, a Hackney born model & climber. The aim of the film was to subvert the traditional way climbing is seen, bringing it into a new space and explores themes of preparation, journey and the pursuit of the perfect climb.“

The campaign consists of a 2:30” hero film, and four 20” cutdown films. It features on Dazed platforms, available here