001 Revisiting Unbreakable with JB Benna - The Origin Story

Author: Freetrail - Hosted by Troy Meadows
Published: Thu 13 Jun 2024
Episode Link: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/themidpackerpod/episodes/001-Revisiting-Unbreakable-with-JB-Benna---The-Origin-Story-e2kr22t

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⁠In the first episode of "Revisiting Unbreakable," mini series host Troy Meadows introduces the series conceived by MVD, Matt Van Delsam, exploring the film "Unbreakable'' and its significant impact on the ultra running community.

The episode features JB Benna, a filmmaker and adventurer who’s work creating the film Unbreakable has notably influenced the sport. Troy shares his personal connection to Unbreakable,crediting it alongside the book Born to Run for fostering his love for ultra running. JB Benna discusses his background, combining a passion for art, entrepreneurship, and adventure, highlighting his early interest in filmmaking inspired by family trips and outdoor activities in the Reno-Lake Tahoe area.

JB pursued film studies at USC, where he honed his technical skills and story structure knowledge. His early career included roles at Spyglass Entertainment and Warner Brothers, providing valuable experience in script development and video editing. A transformative hiking expedition on the Pacific Crest Trail introduced him to ultra running, leading to his first ultra marathon, the Ridgecrest 50k. This dual passion for adventure sports and filmmaking culminated in the creation of Journey Film. His first major project, "The Runner," documented David Horton's speed record attempt on the Pacific Crest Trail and found success within the ultra running community, supported by sponsors like Montrail. Subsequent projects, including filming Dean Karnass's "50 marathons in 50 states in 50 consecutive days" for The North Face, further established JB's reputation for authentically capturing the spirit of ultra running.

We then dive into Unbreakable, how it came to life, the pitfalls and challenges of creating the film and the impact that it has had on the sport. JB shared some rather amazing insights into how the film was made in a time where Go Pos with built in gimbals and 4k video on Iphones was non-existent.

We round out the convo talking about the decision and the impact of putting Unbreakable up on Youtube free of charge for the newest generation of trial and ultrarunner to experience.

JB’s Links

IG - @jbbenna

@journeyfilm
Website - Journey Film

Things we talked about in this episode

Unbreakable on Youtube

Unbreakable Digital Box Set - OVER 10 HOURS OF BONUS MATERIAL

The Runner - David Horton - PCT Speed Record

Krissy Moel