Creating a compelling time-lapse is no easy task. Just ask Kyle Jordan (Twitter). In his role on the G Adventures Brand team, he’s been lucky enough to shoot in some of the most incredible places on earth. No one knows better than Kyle and his team the countless hours of shooting and editing it takes to construct a compelling piece of film. With that in mind, Kyle offers up his favourite footage from other filmmakers around the web in an exclusive playlist.
1. Norway
University of Essex student Morten Rustad’s (Twitter) epic time-lapse spans five months and more than 15,000km. From the deep fjords in Norway’s Southwest to the lunar landscape in the country’s north, his five-minute film features each of the Scandinavian nation’s 19 counties. Rustad’s film reveals what Norwegians already know—Norway is one of the most beautiful countries on earth.
Getting there.__ Norway—the jaw-dropping landscapes crisscrossed by lazy streams and raging rapids lure adventure-seekers in with promises its incredible outdoors. Visit once and remember forever.
2. Shanghai
Rob Whitworth (Twitter) is a prominent urban filmmaker who pushes the boundaries of his craft to reveal locations in a powerful and compelling manner. From the iconic buildings of Shanghai’s financial district to the stunning graffiti of Moganshan Road, Whitworth explores the diversities of Shanghai. Join Whitworth and discover why Shànghǎi evokes so much history, excess, glamour, and mystique.
Getting there.__ Through the years, China’s transformed itself into an industrial powerhouse and opened its arms (and its markets) to the world. The result: modern life rubs up against remnants of the old days, offering an intriguing glimpse of the past within sight of the marvels of the modern age.
3. Bolivia
Join Enrique Pacheco (Twitter), a Spanish landscape photographer and cinematographer, as he reveals the intrinsic beauty of Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni and the province of Potosí. Pacheco’s camera invites us into an otherworldly landscape produced by the Altiplano’s rainy season, where we’re left wondering where the earth ends and the heavens begin.
Getting there. __Like Pachecho’s short film, Bolivia’s geography is truly extreme. Running from the Amazon to the Andes and from the edge of the Incan empire at Lake Titicaca to the edge of the Atacama Desert, there is no easy way around. You’ll have to go through it.
4. Mt Everest
A Canadian social entrepreneur and filmmaker, Elia Saikaly (Twitter) is a global adventurer whose work inspires others to drive positive change. En route to the world’s highest summit, Saikaly captured the magic of the Himalayan night sky while other climbers slept. Experience the beauty of Mt Everest at night in time-lapse.
Getting there. __Everest is more than a mountain and the journey to its base camp is more than just a trek. Along a route dubbed by some as "the steps to heaven," every bend in the trail reveals its incredible beauty—windswept forests, Sherpa villages, glacial moraines and foothills. Curious?
5. Iceland
A filmmaker and photographer from California, Sean Stiegemeier (Twitter) gained notoriety chasing after Iceland’s notorious Eyjafjallajökull volcano after its eruption in 2010. Over the span of a couple of days, Stiegemeier’s camera captures Iceland’s smoldering volcanic laboratory, where mighty forces shape its landscape in real time.
Getting there.__ Isolated in the frigid North Atlantic and forged through centuries of volcanic upheaval and tectonic shifting, Iceland is staggering to look at and otherworldly to explore.
Has Kyle overlooked any time-lapses worthy of including? What’s your favourite? Let us know and we’ll take a look for potential inclusion in a future playlist.