Tourism is the Centennial State’s second-largest industry—generating $3 billion in spending in 2010 from overnight visitors alone—so it makes sense that our stunning scenery (and that of fellow outdoor meccas) would inspire many a filmmaker. Anson Fogel and Forge Motion Pictures (which Fogel founded in 2007) are no different.

You’ve likely seen the Carbondale-based production company’s work. Those “come to life” Colorado Tourism commercials? That’s Forge. And perhaps you’ve heard of Cold, which followed local photographer Cory Richards’ descent of Gasherbrum II and won the grand prize at last year’s Banff Mountain Film Festival (the James Beard of adventure film fests).

The company’s latest film series, “Of Souls + Water,” is a five-part set of short films directed by Skip Armstrong that “asks five questions about the human condition through the lens of five real characters, bound together by the common theme of water.” The most recent release, The Shapeshifter, centers around Ben Marr (pictured, above), one of the world’s best freestyle kayakers as he tackles the whitewater of Quebec. Fogel and his team’s films manage to capture a series of snapshots of people and places with an immediacy and rawness that only the best outdoor films can muster.

Best Bet: Catch the fourth part of the series, The Warrior, when it releases on July 23.

Image courtesy of Forge Motion Pictures

Daliah Singer
Daliah Singer
Daliah Singer is an award-winning writer and editor based in Denver. You can find more of her work at daliahsinger.com.