Snowboarding media has long oscillated between ultra-polished, highly commercialized competition coverage and gritty, independent backcountry documentation. In recent years, the pendulum has swung firmly toward authenticity, with riders opting to bypass rigid contest circuits in favor of self-produced visual projects. The latest addition to this genre is Oh My Days, a short-form snowboarding film shot across the sprawling, snow-laden landscapes of Northern Hokkaido, Japan. Produced by Toby Nagorcka, widely known in the community as "beanboi," the project was conceived as an antidote to the high-pressure, hyper-serious nature of modern professional snow sports. Rather than focusing exclusively on technical progression or corporate sponsorship metrics, the production prioritizes camaraderie, deep-powder exploration, and unscripted adventure.
The core roster of riders—featuring Nagorcka alongside Fridtjof Saether Tischendorf, affectionately called "Fridge," and snowboarding veteran David Carrier Porcheron, commonly known as DCP—spent weeks navigating the remote valleys and unplowed passes of Japan’s northernmost main island. Operating with minimal infrastructure, a single camera, and a loose itinerary, the ensemble relied on long drives, serendipitous route-finding, and an impressive diet of Japanese convenience store staples to sustain themselves. What resulted was an exercise in creative resilience, transforming technical errors into stylistic triumphs and proving that the most memorable outdoor media often arises from complete unpredictability.
The Genesis of the Northern Hokkaido Expedition
Northern Hokkaido is internationally renowned among winter sports enthusiasts for its exceptional snowpack, largely driven by cold Siberian weather systems picking up moisture over the Sea of Japan. This geographic phenomenon dumps consistent, lightweight powder across the region, making it a global mecca for backcountry riders. For the Oh My Days crew, the destination offered a dual purpose: access to world-class terrain and an environment far removed from the bustling resort hubs of Honshu.
The initial mandate for the project was deceptively simple: take the seriousness out of snowboarding and capture the essence of a trip taken with close friends. In an industry where athletes often face immense pressure to land specific tricks for algorithm-driven video parts or contest qualification points, Nagorcka and his peers sought to reclaim the foundational joy of the sport. The itinerary was intentionally unstructured, allowing the riders to follow weather patterns, local tips, and spontaneous impulses rather than adhering to a strict filming schedule. However, this lack of rigid planning immediately exposed the production to the unpredictable nature of backcountry travel and equipment management.
Technical Mishaps and Creative Pivots
On the very first day of shooting, the production encountered a significant technical hurdle that threatened to derail the visual integrity of the project. The primary camera malfunctioned, burning a distinct, circular focus ring artifact into nearly every frame captured by the crew. Initially, the filmmakers believed the equipment had suffered catastrophic, irreparable damage.
However, upon reviewing the footage later that evening, the crew recognized an unintended aesthetic value. The persistent circular artifact bore a striking resemblance to a sniper scope or a vintage optical device, imparting a gritty, cinematic perspective to the raw footage. Rather than attempting to conceal the flaw or reshoot the sequences, the production team elected to embrace the error as a defining visual motif for the entire film.
This adaptability dictated the trajectory of the project’s narrative structure. During an evening of respite following the initial technical setback, the crew visited a local secondhand thrift shop, where they discovered a collection of vintage military ski suits. Seizing upon the absurd aesthetic, the riders formulated a loose, satirical storyline to retrospectively justify the inclusion of the quirky, artifact-laden footage into a cohesive narrative. What began as an equipment failure evolved into a deliberate artistic choice, resulting in a surreal storyline that mirrors the irreverent tone of the trip itself.
Production Chronology and Field Operations
The production timeline of Oh My Days was defined by rapid adaptation and fluid execution. While the exact dates of the principal photography remain tied to the mid-winter seasonal window in Hokkaido, the operational chronology highlights the organic growth of the film:
- Phase One: Arrival and Equipment Failure. The crew establishes a base camp in Northern Hokkaido, initiating backcountry sweeps. On day one, the primary camera lens permanently registers a mechanical focus ring artifact, prompting an initial crisis followed by a swift creative pivot.
- Phase Two: Exploration and Thrift Store Discovery. While navigating remote terrain and consuming local convenience store provisions, the team visits a regional secondhand shop. The acquisition of military ski suits sparks the conceptual framework for a narrative voiceover and overarching plotline.
- Phase Three: Principal Photography and Rider Integration. Nagorcka, Tischendorf, and Carrier Porcheron execute deep-powder descents across unmapped zones, supported by field cinematography from Sam Levings, Cody J Scheff, and Alex Zimmerman.
- Phase Four: Post-Production and Audio Engineering. Back in the editing suite, Nagorcka synthesizes the chaotic footage, integrating a satirical voiceover narrative provided by Andrew Heraud to unify the disparate visual elements.
Behind the Lens: The Creative Collective
The realization of Oh My Days relied on a tight-knit collaborative network spanning riders, cinematographers, and voice talent. Toby Nagorcka spearheaded the production as both lead rider and editor, shaping the raw material into a cohesive narrative arc. Sam Levings served as the primary director of photography, capturing the fluid motions of the riders against the stark, white backdrop of Hokkaido. Additional cinematography was contributed by Cody J Scheff and Alex Zimmerman, ensuring multiple angles of the remote descents were preserved despite the challenging winter conditions.
The on-snow talent brought a diverse wealth of experience to the expedition. Fridtjof Saether Tischendorf brought a contemporary, highly technical freestyle approach to the backcountry, while David Carrier Porcheron contributed decades of veteran insight and legendary lineage within the snowboarding community. Nagorcka balanced administrative production duties with high-energy riding. Meanwhile, the satirical narrative voiceover, which tied the military suit sequences and optical anomalies together, was delivered by Andrew Heraud, adding a layer of dry, deadpan humor to the documentary.
Industry Implications and the Shift Toward Authentic Content
The release of Oh My Days arrives at a time of broader transformation within action sports media. For decades, the distribution of snowboarding content was dictated by major endemic production companies and glossy magazine publishers, requiring substantial budgets and structured corporate sponsorships. The advent of digital-first platforms and accessible high-definition camera gear has democratized content creation, allowing athletes to bypass traditional gatekeepers and publish directly to global audiences.
Projects like Oh My Days demonstrate the commercial and cultural viability of low-budget, high-authenticity productions. By focusing on narrative transparency—such as openly incorporating equipment failures and improvised storylines—independent filmmakers build stronger connections with audiences who increasingly value genuine experiences over sterile perfection. The willingness of veterans like David Carrier Porcheron to participate in tongue-in-cheek, experimental projects underscores a generational shift within the sport, where creative freedom supersedes conventional promotional obligations.
Ultimately, the short film stands as a testament to the value of adaptability in creative pursuits. By transforming a mechanical malfunction into a defining artistic trademark, the Oh My Days crew crafted more than just a standard snowboard video; they documented an authentic journey defined by friendship, endurance, and a refusal to take winter weather too seriously.
