Over the past two decades, film has fundamentally changed the world of flyfishing. It has introduced anglers to far-off destinations, inspired countless adventures, elevated conservation issues, created new fishing heroes, and transformed the way we see and experience the sport. From 1992's A River Runs Through It, to the early days of The Drake Video Awards and the Fly Fishing Film Tour, and now to YouTube, social media, and an endless stream of digital content, moving images have become one of the most powerful forces shaping modern flyfishing. Few people have had a better front-row seat to that evolution than filmmaker Chris Patterson.
In this episode of Waypoints, Jim sits down with his longtime friend, traveling partner, and Confluence Films co-founder to explore the stories behind the stories — and the incredible career that shaped Chris as a filmmaker. From three decades shooting Warren Miller ski films and working on Hollywood productions like Inception, to creating the flyfishing classics Drift, Rise, Connect, Waypoints, and Providence, Chris has spent his career capturing people, places, and moments that make us want to explore. Together, Jim and Chris look back at the rise of flyfishing film, the adventures and personalities that defined an era, and the profound impact film has had on the sport — for better and for worse. It’s a conversation about adventure, creativity, conservation, changing technology, and ultimately the power of a great story to make us see flyfishing — and the world around us — a little differently.
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