Teton Gravity Research is an extreme sportsmedia company based in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The company was founded in 1996 by brothers Steve and Todd Jones, as well as friends Dirk Collins, Rick Armstrong, and Corey Gavitt. The group launched the company to create products that came from the perspective of athletes, showcased youth culture, and fostered the growth of high-risk action sports. TGR works closely with various athletes to create films, advertisements, products, and events that promote outdoor sports typically involving combinations of high elevations and speed, and requiring the highest athletic strength, skill, and judgment to avoid serious injury.
TGR has produced 40 award-winning action sports films rooted in skiing, snowboarding and surfing, and numerous original television broadcast series. TGR is largely known for its Deeper, Further, Higher film trilogy, which continues TGR's focus on high-injury-risk extreme alpine sports. These three films showcase Jeremy Jones, who is a 10-time Snowboarder magazine "Big Mountain Rider of the Year" and the younger brother of TGR co-founders Steve and Todd Jones. Jeremy Jones revolutionized backcountry snowboarding with Deeper, his 2010 ode to splitboarding and human-powered adventure. His 2012 sequel Further took him to the planet's most remote mountain ranges and earned him a nod as a 2013 National Geographic 'Adventurer of the Year'. His environmental advocacy work with Protect Our Winters won him recognition as one of President Barack Obama's 2013 'Champions of Change'. TGR released Higherin September 2014, which was filmed on location in Alaska, Wyoming, California, Massachusetts, and Nepal.
Production Technology
In April 2013, TGR became the official launch partner for the GSS C520, a camera platform which co-founder Todd Jones described as, "the most advanced portable gyro stabilized system in the world." TGR produced a reel using footage the company shot while first using the GSS C520, which was recognized as a "Vimeo Staff Pick."
Online Community
TGR markets to millions of people each year through its online platform, . In addition to featuring TGR's athletes and films, the website offers advertising and editorial content, as well as extreme sports videos, stories, and photos contributed by community members.
Merchandise
TGR created a line of clothing rooted in youth culture and lifestyle of the extreme-sports athlete.
Commercial Productions
TGR has produced national television commercials for brands such as Apple, Nissan, Jeep, Under Armour, Energizer and The North Face. TGR's creative direction, cinematography, early adoption of new technology, and experience filming in remote and extreme environments have made the company known for creating action-sports content, especially via aerial cinematography.
Awards
The Co-Lab
On September 21, 2013, TGR awarded the largest cash prize in skiing history, $100,000, to Dale Talkington as the first-ever winner of The Co-Lab, an open source video contest in which skiers from around the world submitted video edits and fans voted online to determine the finalists. Dale Talkington's fellow finalists voted and Talkington was determined to be the winner.
Environmental Advocacy
TGR is known for producing action-sports films with environmental messages. The company is a key partner of 1% For The Planet and a member of Business for Innovative Climate & Energy Policy, the Surfrider Foundation, and Protect Our Winters.
Since its inception, TGR has produced television series for a range of networks and companies including NBC, Outside Television, Showtime, CarbonTV and Fuel TV. The company has also provided stock footage for clients including Red Bull Media House, The Weather Channel, Michelob, Apple, and HBO. On March 5, 2014, Jeremy Jones and Teton Gravity Research were featured in an episode of 60 Minutes Sports.
