Level 1

Brand overview and significance

Level 1 is a Denver-based ski media brand conceived in 1999 to document the rise of freeskiing and push the craft of storytelling on snow. Over two decades, the crew evolved from dorm-room edits into one of skiing’s defining creative engines—filming street, park, and backcountry projects across the globe and premiering them to packed audiences. Level 1’s hallmark is a rider-first perspective: cinematography and editing that serve style, line choice, and snow feel rather than overshadow them. In 2019, the brand capped its 20-year run of annual features with its final tour film, then shifted focus to episodic projects and events without losing its role as a cultural touchstone.

Level 1 also builds community. Its channels highlight emerging skiers alongside established names, and its tone remains consistent—curious, welcoming, and uncompromising on quality. For skiers who follow freeski culture as closely as gear, Level 1 functions like a trusted label on the spine of a record: if it bears the stamp, it’s worth your time.

Product lines and key technologies

Level 1 doesn’t make skis; its “products” are films, event series, and premium digital content. The brand’s classic annual features culminated with 2019’s farewell chapter, after which production pivoted to focused short films, athlete-driven projects, and event coverage released throughout the season. Distribution prioritizes high-quality streaming and downloads, with archive access to past work for new audiences discovering the catalog.

On the craft side, Level 1’s technology is editorial. The team blends location-driven shooting, steadied tracking, and drone perspectives with meticulous pacing so tricks and lines read clearly. Sound design and score choices amplify snow texture and impact without drowning them. The result is a consistent “feel” across urban, park, and big-mountain segments—an aesthetic that many crews have since emulated.

Ride feel: who it’s for (terrains & use-cases)

Level 1 speaks to everyone who cares how skiing looks and feels. Park riders find trick shape, grabs, and switch landings framed so progression is visible. Street fans get thoughtful spot selection and build details shown honestly. Freeriders see line decisions and snow quality captured with enough context to understand speed, exposure, and consequence. If your winter mixes rope-tow laps, storm-day trees, and the occasional backcountry mission, this is the media that keeps you inspired between sessions and informs how you approach your next hit.

Team presence, competitions, and reputation

Level 1’s athlete network is deep, spanning multiple generations of influential freeskiers whose segments helped define modern style. Just as important is the brand’s long-running talent incubator: SuperUnknown, an open-submission video contest launched in 2004 that turns standout ams into finalists and, often, pros. The 2025 finals were hosted at Palisades Tahoe, underscoring how closely the series is woven into resort culture. Within the industry, Level 1 is regarded as a standard-setter for editorial discipline and rider partnership—projects ship when they’re ready, not when a schedule demands.

Awards have followed that approach, including major festival recognition for the brand’s capstone feature in 2019. But reputation here is earned less by trophies than by trust: riders, filmers, and fans expect a certain clarity and creativity whenever a Level 1 project drops.

Geography and hubs (heritage, testing, venues)

Rooted in Denver, Level 1 films wherever skiing is happening at a high level. Urban segments span North America and Europe; park and spring projects often orbit glacier and camp venues; and big-mountain shoots chase storms. On the resort side, the crew’s cameras are frequent sights in the Pacific Northwest and the Coast Mountains, with many Skipowd readers finding Level 1’s fingerprints around Whistler Blackcomb. Recent event chapters have also anchored in California’s Tahoe basin, where accessible lift networks and established park programs make for efficient production weeks.

Construction, durability, and sustainability

For a media brand, “construction” means repeatable quality and safe, responsible shoots. Level 1’s process emphasizes clear communication with resorts and municipalities, appropriate permitting for urban builds, and safety-first rehearsals on features that demand it. Durability shows up as editing restraint—keeping shots that stand the test of time and cutting anything that doesn’t. The sustainability angle is practical: smaller, high-impact projects minimize travel churn, and partnerships with resorts allow efficient use of lift-served terrain and existing park infrastructure.

How to choose within the lineup

If you’re new to Level 1, start with the milestone year that closed the annual-film era, then sample recent shorts to feel how the brand’s voice translates to tighter, more frequent drops. Fans of rider spotlights should look for contemporary one-offs and film-tour edits that foreground a single skier’s style arc; those who love community and discovery should dive into SuperUnknown recaps, which package street, park, and pow into a single week of progression. If your local hill favors deep storms and natural hits, chase the freeride-heavy pieces; if you live on rope-tows and rails, queue the street and park chapters first.

Want to connect dots on the map? Pair an evening of Level 1 with planning for real-world laps at destination hubs. Our readers often bridge screen to snow at British Columbia venues and other West Coast resorts; watch what the camera emphasizes—speed control, line setup, pop timing—and bring that intent to your next day on snow.

Why riders care

Because Level 1 makes skiing feel true. The brand documents progression without losing the small details—edge angles, snow sound, the quiet beat before drop-in—that make sliding on snow addictive. It champions new voices through SuperUnknown while continuing to produce polished work with established pros. And it has stayed remarkably consistent: projects are built around the skiing itself, not trend-chasing transitions. If you want media that informs your riding and fuels your stoke, Level 1 remains essential viewing—proof that the culture grows strongest when the camera serves the turn.