Episode 26: Peter Mortimer — Director of Psych

You may not know who Peter Mortimer is, and that’s fine by him. You’re almost certainly intimate with is filmography, however, an ever-evolving array of groundbreaking films three decades in the making. Peter and his partners Josh Lowell and Nick Rosen (among many others) have collaborated to define the climbing film medium. They have literally delivered more climbing psych than any other humans on the planet.

Peter, and his newly minted company Sender Films, launched his career with quirky turn-of-the-century features such as “Scary Faces,” “Front Range Freaks,” and “Return 2 Sender.” Although the films sold out theaters, “King Lines,” “Progression,” and the “First Ascent” series truly put Sender on the map. Noting the insatiable hunger for new footage and a theater experience, Peter and Josh joined forces to launch the Reel Rock Film Tour. The crew booked around 50 shows that first year. Reel Rock 14 will log 600+ in 2019, spanning the globe.

Somehow, amidst the chaos of building a global film tour, Peter found time to direct, produce, and occasionally helm the camera for “Valley Uprising” and “Dawn Wall,” films years in the making. His highly anticipated feature following the career of Marc-Andre Leclerc inches toward the finish line, currently in post-production.

It’s difficult to overstate the influence and impact Peter’s films have had on the climbing world. Where we once devoured DVDs of straight climbing porn (I mean, we still do), Sender’s movies have raised the bar in unimaginable ways, allowing global tours, Netflix features, and paving the way to mainstream success (and, you know, the random Oscar for his friend Jimmy Chin).

We’re so grateful we could sneak into Sender HQ for a quick chat. If you haven’t seen Reel Rock 14 yet, grab tickets right now. The films are as strong as any lineup in the 14 year history of the tour.

Have a question, feedback, suggestion, or pitch? Launch a missive at thunderclingpodcast@gmail.com or DM us at @thethundercling on Instagram. We read and respond to every note.

And cheers to Ryne Doughty for the great tunes. Reel Rock in Denver actually booked him to perform before each of the four showings at the Oriental Theater! He put on a helluva show.

Happy Turkey Day, you heathens!


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