The sixth installment in the "On the Pipe" franchise showcases even more freestyle riding than in previous films.
Filmmaker Jay Schweitzer
Jumping out of helicopters or over cliffs may not be something the average person does on the average day, but for the riders in Jay Schweitzer and Mike McEntire’s motocross epic “On the Pipe Six”, it is almost an everyday occurrence.
This will be the 6th installment in Santa Barbara director Jay Schweitzer’s “On the Pipe” series, started in 2004. “On the Pipe Six” will be premiering this Saturday at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art at 9:30 pm.
Grab a helmet, because this film is downright dangerous.
“Freestyle motocross in general is one of the most death-defying extreme sports out there,” Schweitzer said, “every time those guys get on the pipe and go for a trick, if anything goes wrong they could end up dead.”
The team of elite riders featured in this film includes Taka Higashino, Robbie Madison, and Cameron Sinclair among others.
“I only film with the absolute best riders in the world, the top 10%,” Schweitzer said. “I have a lot of respect for what these guys do.”
When asked how this film was different from the other five “On the Pipe” films, Schweitzer answered, “this year I focus a lot more on freestyle motocross. Usually the films are 20-30% racing, 80% freestyle. This year it’s 90% freestyle.”
“On the Pipe Six” also features stunts from across the globe; the film travels from the US and Canada to Spain, France, and even Australia. There are seven helicopter shots in all, and several riders were injured over the course of shooting.
Two years in the making, “On the Pipe Six” is a progressive, exhilarating look at the high-risk sport of freeride motocross, one of the youngest extreme sports currently out there. “But it’s already gotten to such a gnarly level that people are paying with their lives. I think that puts things in perspective. People who watch this film will see what it’s all about.”
