By Paul Savage @PaulSavageNZ – TSM Editor
Motocross today wouldn’t be very much without the people who capture it on film for the rest of us to see. Without the backroom boys and their cameras, the media content that’s available to us in the 21st century would be strictly limited to whatever we could record on our phones. For this installment of Rider Talk, TSM sat down for a chat with Troy Zeigler, the owner of Elevated Visuals, an action sports media production outfit. Oh, and Troy’s also an avid motocrosser himself.
TSM: Please tell us a bit about yourself and your work with Elevated Visuals.
TZ: I attended film school out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Avid motocross rider with endeavors into other action sports as well such as BMX, skateboarding, snowboarding and wakeboarding – I pretty much film them all. I began filming as a freelance videographer under the business name Ziggapalooza Films, which progressed into Elevated Visuals. When I began filming top pros within motocross and wakeboarding, I knew it was time to make the switch.
TSM: You’ve filmed and edited some moto-related video over time. What sparked your interest in the sport?
TZ: I’ve always been around motorcycles since I was a young child but I was never really into the motocross scene. In the summer of 2004, I endeared a horrible car accident. It left me in hospital for a few weeks which resulted in my parents buying me a brand new 2005 CRF250 for making it through the whole ordeal. When I began riding, a local motocross track was built within 15 minutes of my hometown. That’s when the journey began. After a few years of racing and injuries I decided to enroll in film school.
TSM: You’re based in Southern California. What’s the general motocross/riding scene like out your way?
TZ: I’m actually based in central Pennsylvania but having been traveling the East Coast for about four years, filming all over. The scene isn’t quite like SoCal, but there are a ton of great free riding areas and a handful of amazing tracks throughout PA, but the prices are a kick in the nuts. It’s nothing like the $20-25 riding fee you get in SoCal – it’s more like $40-50, on top of all the gas, compensation and so-on.
TSM: You ride a bit yourself. What’s your weapon of choice? Can you tell us about where you like to go riding?
TZ: I LOVE riding my dirt bike. I’m currently riding a 2013 CRF450 and it’s been a perfect match ever since. I haven’t been very keen on the air shocks but it’s definitely a work in progress on dialing in the bike. I’ll always be more into riding motocross tracks but it’s a great feeling getting back to the roots to free ride or to hit up some trails!
TSM: If you like watching FMX/MX on TV, what are your favorite events of the year?
TZ: Una-f**king Dilla! Haha. That’s always been one pro national that my father and close friends have traveled to. Now that I’ve been filming the past years, I miss out on a lot of the nationals on television, likewise with the Supercross races. My weekends always seem to be full of activities!
You can find out more about Troy and Elevated Visuals online. Tweet him @ElevatedVisuals, see his images and video on Instagram @TroyZeigler or visit his YouTube channel: Youtube.com/ElevatedVisuals
Troy has captured some great two-stroke action over the years, including several videos of his friend Kerry on a very tidy KX250.
