B.C. comedian skis with the professionals in new documentary
Katie Burrell is on a world tour of her film screening and stand up show, Dream Job.
Comedian, Katie Burrell, is caught up in a very millennial dilemma. She has done everything from filmmaking, to comedy, marketing, and Instagram influencing, but she says she is still trying to find her place in the world.
In her recently premiéred movie, Burrell takes us on her search for her dream job. First stop: the professional big-mountain ski industry.
"I've decided I am going to become one of them, one of these ski industry darlings, one of these stars," says Katie Burrell in the trailer of Dream Job.
"I mean, they go up, they go down, how hard could it be?"
Burrell is three weeks into a two-month world tour of her Dream Job screening and stand up show. CBC Comedy spoke with Burrell about this unique combination, and how it's engaging people interested in both comedy and extreme sports across continents.
"Professional action sports are a very specific niche, whereas most people are doing it as a hobby," says Burrell. "I thought it would be really fun to insert comedy in a space where I don't see it very often."
Burrell, who formerly lived in Revelstoke, B.C., is living out of her suitcase and travelling the world showing the film. After her last satirical short web series INFLUENCER became a hit, she is continuing to use a similar comedic strategy: playing a spoof of herself as a "character."
The comedian as the 'every man'
The comedy documentary is meant to counter what she says is an overdone 'female empowerment' narrative of women in sports or other professional fields.
"We see a lot of dramatic landscapes, epic scenario, intense music, women overcoming gender stereotypes and biology, and it's sort of tiresome."
The filmmakers wanted a comedian to play the part of a Rick Mercer-style "every man" to reveal how incredible the women are, without it being "in your face."
The inspirational "nugget" of the film comes from a Bill Murray parody account Tweet: "Every Olympic event should have an average guy just for reference."
Every Olympic event should include one average person competing for reference.
—@BiIIMurray"When you are close to any individual who has truly dedicated their lives to excelling at something, It's very humbling to be near them doing what they do best."
"It's stacks on stacks on stacks of prowess," says Burrell. Although it features all-female ski professionals, is written and directed by females, she says this was never supposed to be labelled as "female content."
"We just wanted to feature these three women because they were the most badass people who could create a foil to my character."
The ski stars
In Dream Job, Burrell seeks guidance from mountain professionals like Diny Harrison, the first certified female mountain guide in North America, who has guided on four continents, had brushes with death, and battled cancer.
"Diny is over 60 years old, but you're like, is this woman 25?" says Burell. "She shreds, she's nasty, she's hilarious, she gives everybody shit."
When Harrison went to her first mountain guide exam thirty years ago, she ran with it. She showed up for her last interview dressed in a Girl Guide outfit, just to be facetious.
"She was like 'I guess I'm a girl guide now,' and they failed her. They were like, 'this woman doesn't take it seriously,'" says Burrell.
"She's been in this industry through the gender imbalance and seeing women step into power in an industry that is so male dominated."
Others featured include Christina Lustenberger, an extreme skier known for her first descents and big lines, and Leah Evans, a professional competitive skier and founder of Girls Do Ski.
Slopes across borders
Burrell's show includes a 20-minute comedy sketch, which she says helps to give context to the 15-minute documentary.
"I love the multi-media aspect of it, There's a way to feel the entertainment in several ways. I love the real energy of the human being, but also the way you laugh at something on the screen is different from the way you would a stand-up show."
She's hoping to make Dream Job a series where she tackles other industries like mountain biking, surfing, or rocket science.