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< September October 2006
	Hotline
In his own words Chris Emerick

When you ask today’s whitewater filmmakers to name their biggest influences, most mention Chris Emerick. The 34-year-old lensman has been producing paddling flicks since the days of the Wave Sport Frankenstein (he joined the company’s first professional kayak team in 1996). His films Dashboard Burrito and Full Circle helped to define the whitewater video genre, and now the biggest names in paddling seek his filmmaking prowess: This spring, Emerick and Eric Jackson released Playboating Basics and Playboating Advanced, and he and Ken Whiting are working on a

kayak fishing video for release next year. —jc

On the Name Dashboard Burrito

When I’d go boating with [former Wave Sport owner] Chan Zwanzig, he would make these burritos in the morning and wrap them in tinfoil. He’d put them on the dashboard and crank the heat all the way to the put-in. The burrito was ready to eat when we got there.

On Not Making a Whitewater Action Video since 1999’s Full Circle

There’s just so much competition. Your video only has a shelf life of one year. I couldn’t get Full Circle to sell the second season it was out. I really want to make videos people remember and appreciate; pieces of history, sort of like Dashboard Burrito.

On Separating Work from Play

I try to separate kayaking from work. I get burnt out on boating if I spend all my time trying to get that perfect shot. When I come back home (to Hood River, Ore.), I love to go kayaking, but I always leave my camera behind. Sometimes, it’s just better to boat something straight through from top to bottom.

On Kayak Fishing

Ken Whiting, Joel McBride and I just got back from Texas where we were shooting a video on basic fish kayaking. It’s actually a really cool sport. The video is geared towards fisherman who don’t paddle but want to get into it. That’s the thing about fish kayaking: A lot of different people can get involved. Getting people involved in paddling is something I’ve always tried to do. Next year, Ken [Whiting] and I are doing a recreational paddling video.

On Living in Hood River, Ore.

Hood River has the whole package. I wanted to learn to windsurf and kiteboard, and the Columbia River Gorge is world renowned for that. Plus the creek boating here is stellar with the White Salmon and Little White. The playboating isn’t that epic, but what can you do?

On Future Projects

I’ve been so busy doing other people’s stuff I haven’t had time to do anything for myself besides remodel my house. I’ll continue doing paddling movies, and I worked on some kiteboarding and windsurfing shoots last year. I try to keep things fresh and new.

On Being a Role Model for Other Filmmakers

I think it’s awesome. I’m in this business to inspire people so when people say they’ve seen my stuff and it’s inspired them to go get a camera that’s a huge compliment. I had a guy tell me he loved Dashboard Burrito but got sick of it when he was in Mexico because this outfitter kept playing it over and over again. It’s weird to think there’s someone in a random town in Mexico, or anywhere in the world, playing your videos.