How Warren Miller Changed Our Lives

After a year of working in the voice over industry, I’ve learned a lot about famous voice over artists (I speak to many every day – just yesterday I was chatting with this guy) and can identify many of the names behind commercials on television and radio. However, there is only one voice that causes me to stop whatever I am doing, wherever I am, and listen intently.

It’s the voice of Warren Miller.

Warren Miller is probably the most well-known ski and snowboard film writer, director and narrator in the world. If fact, he was one of the very first snowsports filmmakers, ever. He began making ski films over 50 years ago – if your parents or grandparents were skiers, they probably know about Warren. Warren’s experience in the ski industry has given him so many stories to draw upon that you rarely hear the same one twice. Every story is injected with Warren’s perfectly ironic sense of humor as he narrates.

In my opinion, a Warren Miller film changed our family’s lives.

Lauren and Dad

We saw our first Warren Miller film – Snowriders II – as a family, at the New Yorker cinema here in London (now, sadly, torn down) in the winter of 1997/98. The images of this film and our outing to see it are burned into my memory. Snowriders II opened our eyes to the new wave of skiing that was approaching: twin-tip skis; snowboarding; SKIERS hitting big jumps and doing tricks; GIRLS snowboarding! Seeing a Warren Miller film on the big screen is an amazing experience. After watching that film, it was obvious to me that our family was meant for the snow.

Over the years, we’ve slid down hills and mountains in Ontario, Quebec, Vermont, Alberta, British Columbia, and even Austria (in July!). Mom and Dad are CSPS ski patrollers. Myself (Erica), Katelyn, and Leah are certified snowboard instructors. Lauren and I are ski instructors. Micaela doesn’t teach either sport, but has been involved with ski patrolling along with mom and dad. Although we haven’t been able to ski as a family in quite some time (due to both distance and health reasons – Dad hasn’t been on skis since his snowmobile accident), I’m sure we will again soon, and I’m sure that it will be an amazing experience.

As Warren would say,

“If you don’t do it this year, you will be one year older when you do.”

You can get Warren Miller filmsat Amazon.com. I highly recommend Snowriders II, Fifty, or Higher Ground. All of his films have fantastic soundtracks and fantastic production value. Even if you’re not a skiier or snowboarder, these films are well worth viewing.