More than a decade after his original internet-breaking video, Danny MacAskill still has was it takes to impress (riding across the top of a tennis net, anyone?). His latest, Postcard from San Francisco, is full of stoke, ridiculous stunts, and general awe-inspiring trickery that makes us wanna get out and drop off stuff. Flips? Maybe not so much.
Full video above, and watch the behind-the-scenes series showing the making of Postcard from San Francisco on RedBull.com.
PRESS RELEASE:
Taking us back to where it all started in 2009 with a pure street-riding film, Danny returns to his roots in Postcard from San Francisco. A long way from Danny’s hometown on the Isle of Skye off the coast of Scotland, this unique journey through a city steeped in action sports cult status features structures and obstacles unlike anywhere else in the world for the renowned trials legend to explore.
Set against the backdrop of famous (and infamous) landmarks and architecture like The Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island and the streets of Chinatown, MacAskill reinterprets the iconic city in his most challenging project to date.
On the location, MacAskill commented: “I chose San Francisco because it’s such an iconic backdrop for a film. No matter what street you’re on or which way you look, you know you’re in San Francisco – whether it’s the steep hills, the colourful terrace houses, or the amazing views of the two bridges and Alcatraz. I thought it would be a perfect place to make a cool-looking film.”
The new film almost never happened after MacAskill suffered a broken kneecap five years ago during filming. After years of hard work and dedication to rehabilitation, Postcards from San Francisco sees him at the absolute pinnacle of his riding abilities. The film follows a ride across the city, from the skate spots that flood every legendary skateboard film, to the steep street views we see in Hollywood pictures. MacAskill stops at nothing to perfect the impossible in this ride across the city.
The career-changing injury didn’t hold the Scottish street trials star back from pushing the limits of what he can achieve on two-wheels, overcoming the odds to deliver an edit that is poised to sit alongside his collection of landmark viral hits that have generated hundreds of millions of views over the years.
MacAskill is finally back pushing the limits of what can be done on two wheels, recording some of his greatest ever feats on the bike, making the breathtaking stunts look effortlessly smooth, despite the clock ticking for filming permissions at key locations.
“Postcard from San Francisco is a true passion project of mine, it reflects pure hard riding that no practice prepares you for. Some of these stunts have taken over 300 tries to land perfectly, but I’m stronger than ever and will always thrive to push the boundaries of the sport to create progression.” says MacAskill.
With mind-boggling skill at the forefront, the film also showcases a level of cinematic creativity as the audience is treated to the unique way in which the infamous landmarks and architecture are interpreted by MacAskill and his team. The Scot channels his outstanding bike handling skills and performs complex, high-consequence tricks that really shouldn’t be possible.
