Chin to Roam after Oscars triumph

Oscar-winning doc Free Solo follows climber Alex Honnold

US adventure media firm Roam has appointed the director of Oscar-winning documentary Free Solo as its  chief creative officer.

Jimmy Chin has joined the firm in a newly created role which will see him steer a team of global adventurers to produce content for original mini-documentaries and episodic series for social channels.

He arrives at the Boulder-based company after he and co-director Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi won best documentary feature at Sunday’s Academy Awards for their climbing film Free Solo. The doc profiles rock climber Alex Honnold on his 2017 attempt to free-climb the rock formation El Capitan in California’s Yosemite National Park.

Chin is known for his expertise in capturing evocative imagery during outdoor pursuits such as climbing and skiing in high-risk environments. He began his professional career in 1999 and in 2002 was the cinematographer for the National Geographic-sponsored trek across Tibet’s Chang Tang Plateau.

Roam, founded in 2017 by Christopher Jerard, produces mobile-first content is aimed at younger viewers. The Colorado-based outfit has secured investment from the likes of Advancit Capital, WndrCo and Imagination Capital.