Synopsis of Birdmen: the Original Dream of Flight

Birdmen: the Original Dream of Flight tells the story of man's enduring ambition of flight and of the daring and fascinating places that dream has taken people.

The Jump and the Flight
When they suit up and stand on the edge of a cliff, staring into the void, jumpers Matt, Ellen, and Mike feel the fear that most people would imagine feeling in that situation. But the desire to fly freely, like a bird, pushes them to count down anyway, “three…two…one…” and to drop into the abyss. The jumpers describe a feeling of calm and quiet that takes over their minds as they leave the ground and begin the fall. The use of the flight suit allows them to experience the mountains and landscape from new positions and angles that very few people have the chance to see, inspiring adrenaline and bringing them close (almost too close) to nature. The film allows us to see it with them, through fantastic aerial shots and jaw dropping scenes from cameras attached to them in a way most of us would never experience otherwise. In the film, we hurtle along with them out of airplanes, alongside cliffs, over vast and stunning landscapes, and through clouds and canyons.

The Evolution
Birdmen situates the sport within a long history of man's attempts to fly from the ancient myth of Icarus flying too close to the sun in his excitement of having wings to the incredible innovations of the Wright brothers to modern-day flying suits. Many pioneers were more than willing to sacrifice their safety in order to advance the science, technology, and possibility of human flight. Their persistent improvements have ultimately brought the flight suit from a fantasy to a reality and have inspired many after them to continue improving the stability and comfort of the suits. The film shows that the steady evolution of the sport has seriously challenged the limitations of man. The risks have sometimes resulted in fatality, but have also been significant pieces of the progression of flying into something that is now a relatively accessible sport, both beautiful and dangerous. With advancements in wing suits and increased availability, the future of the sport is more open to new thrill seekers and is poised for a fresh burst in popularity. With never-ending experimentation with suits and motors, the possibilities are vast for what wing suit pilots will be flying in a few decades from now.

The Rigors of the Sport
The wing suit pilots understand the extreme danger involved; many have friends from the flying community who have lost lives to the sport and they take care to fly with people they know well. What separates them from those of us who don't fly is the powerful, fear-overriding motivation to feel the sensation of flight the way a bird does. The film shows that to survive, they must deal with risk deftly. Ellen, Matt, and Mike sometimes see a jump and decide not to take it on; other times, they take the risk, carefully sizing up the situation. Always they must make quick, calculated decisions; when they're speeding at over 100mph, contact with anything can be fatal and to avoid it requires swift and improvised judgement of the situation. Now, wing suit pilots continue to push boundaries. In dazzling and dizzying first-person shots we see wing suit pilots fly in formation next to an airplane or in close formation with each other, requiring incredible precision of movement, to experience the excitement of flying close together. The film brings you along with them, moving incredibly fast and inspiring excitement while also shedding light on the necessary dedication to the sport that may keep some of us, well, grounded.