There are plenty of filmmakers exploring the blurred line between fiction and reality, but far fewer explore a much more interesting phenomenon: fiction that creates reality.

Sometimes the most emotionally-complex films come in the smallest packages.

This is an interview with Levi Allen VanderKwaak, an adventure filmmaker based in British Columbia. His recent short documentary Untethered has been seen hundreds of thousand of times, thanks in part to its jaw-dropping subject matter, and thanks in part to the fact that it is extremely well-crafted and was selected as a Vimeo Staff Pick.

Professional actors can often propel your stories to new heights. However, when you’re hunting for authenticity, sometimes you just can’t beat the real thing.