Interview: Absinthe’s Justin Hostynek

There are few names as legendary in the pantheon of snowboard films as Justin Hostynek. Hostynek’s career stretches back to the early 90’s when films like Anthem, Color, and The Gift set the course for a library that has grown to include some of the most groundbreaking titles of today with Absinthe, the company he launched in 1998 with its debut Blackbox.

As part of our online snow film industry summit, we caught up with Hostynek to get his thoughts on where the industry he helped shape is heading.

What do you think the biggest forces shaping movie production over the last few years have been and what will they be going forward?

Two of the forces that inevitably shape snowboard movie production are funding and distribution. Funding overall is weaker than it has been due to the faltering economy but the competitive field has also narrowed. Those who stay in business through this downturn will be in a stronger position than they were to begin with. The future of distribution is a riddle that everyone from newspaper publishers, to music industry and Hollywood executives are trying to figure out. It is the future which many mistake for the end. It’s just the end of how we know it. People will want to keep watching our films. How the viewing experience is delivered is what will eventually change. The only element in the foreseeable future of snowboard film making, that is truly scary, is climate change if people continue to ignore it.

How has digital distribution affected Absinthe and the industry in general?

Digital distribution for snowboard films is in it’s infancy but it has the potential to grow up fast and no one knows what sizes it will be wearing in the next couple of years. For the well being of our planet it is a much better distribution model but people will continue to buy Absinthe DVD’s even as new distribution channels materialize. There are a lot of layers to our films that reveal themselves over time. They aren’t perceived as being disposable. People who ride will continue to want to have them to hold, to open, to watch again and to keep in their collection.

What are your thoughts on how to make this channel more beneficial than harmful in the future?

By embracing change and putting our energy into making a better product instead of fighting the inevitable. By putting everything we have into our films for so many years, a relationship has been created between Absinthe and our audience. If we continue to deliver, they are down to support what we do and that is the difference. Sure, some people will rip it, they are snowboarders, it’s inevitable. But a lot of people do understand that if you don’t support what you love, it goes away. Kids understand this on some level too.

What role do you think movies have in shaping the sport, whether it be for new riders, public perception, stoking current riders, etc.?

Like with the skate industry, they are a big part of what drives our industry. They can be a strengthening influence on our sport if ethics and standards are upheld, or they can become very damaging through proliferation of weak standards. A lot of it is up to the distributors and retailers. It comes down to whether they take on everyone who throws something together or if they set some standards of what should represent snowboarding today and what should represent snowboarding to the next generation.

What do you see as the best and worst aspects of the movie business right now?

For me, the best and worst aspects of the business haven’t changed:
1) I get to work outside at something that never gets old and make a product that I believe makes a difference.
2) People who don’t love snowboarding still have too much influence on our sport.

What are your predictions for the next couple of years for production companies, distributors and retailers?

A lot of people who aren’t in it for the riding will move along.

In an economy like this, how do you convince sponsors that films are a good place to put their marketing dollars?

By showing them our films.

Do you see snowboarding films moving to a more team based model like in skate?

It hasn’t worked out that well for most people who have tried it so far. Making a snowboard film that leaves a lasting, positive impression on a massive audience is not easy, quick or cheap. But it is a good way for manufacturers to gain a firsthand perspective on what it takes to pull it off for real.>