A film company to watch: The Montana Bandits, a ski crew for the people Jackson DesCombaz

The Montana Bandits are a ski movie production company based out of Bozeman with veins that rush with blue and gold — and they’re a group to watch This group puts a priority on a laid back, fun-first mentality and they have taken the idea of a ski movie and completely transformed it into something we’ve never seen before.

“We’re just a bunch of bums from Bozeman with minimal funds to get this done. We save up all our money over the summers so we can buy snowmobiles and gas money and just have a lot of fun together,” Finn Histon, Bandits member said. “We’re a ski crew for the people.”

Some of the best things a good movie can do is provide excitement for the upcoming season, show the different sides of skiing and keep skiing how so many of us want it to be: for the skiers. What this film did so well at the first premier in Bogart Park on Sept. 23, was make every person there feel like they belong.

“Before I even moved out here I was just screwing around, making ski edits, but when I moved out here I knew I wanted to do something big,” said lead filmer Jack Feick. “When I saw that ski movie, ‘Gnar’ when I was 13, it was like a full on light bulb turning on in my head.”

In a time where skiing can cost upwards of $200 a day for a lift ticket, the Bandits give off such a strong, laid-back vibe that it’s time to change that and make becoming a ski bum possible once again. At their premiere there were a bunch of free goodies and admission was free. They put a priority on screening the film early to get people hyped for the season to come. 

“A lot of ski film companies hold out until late November or December to actually post the movie online,” Histon said. “By that time people are already skiing and we’re all about that anticipation.”  

Many ski movie production companies create their movies with a general theme. One method is to take a smooth approach with big lines and calming music. Another is hype music with gnarly rail hits and massive kickers. What the Bandits have done with their first two movies is combine  all of that into one. Throw in a few skits and their second film, “Inglorious Bandits,” is one of the best films to get people excited for the upcoming ski season. 

“I think that’s another thing that separates us from a lot of others. It’s really fun to watch a movie grow and get views, but that isn't the reason why we’re doing it,” Feick said. 

Having supporters is certainly not a problem for the Bandits, as their first two films have over 35,000 combined views. 

“Even if no one saw the video except our friend group I'd still be really psyched about it,” Feick said. 

Whether you're a skier or snowboarder, there’s just something about the Bandits that will just drag you in and never let go. 

You can watch both movies on YouTube or on their webpage at https://www.newschoolers.com/member/montanabandits.232506/Videos