Alex Meliss is a young filmmaker originally from Südtirol, since he was little he has always had the goal and desire to shoot and produce videos that have a strong impact and can move real emotions into people. Videos that could inspire and be remembered. We have reached out to him to learn more about his story, his future projects and also have a talk about the recent collaboration with adidas TERREX.
Ups & Downs – Alex Meliss Interview
Hi Alex, tell us something about you and your background.
I was born in Italy, specifically in South Tyrol. My parents gave me a GoPro a few years ago and I started using it one winter while I was skiing with my friends, after that my first video was born. From that moment my passion for photography and videos has increased exponentially!
I grew up surrounded by my home mountains that for me have always been obvious, the ordinary and classic background of all my days. This changed when I started traveling around the world and getting interested in photography. From that moment on I began to look at my mountains with a different eye, and for me they became beautiful. The way I approached those peaks was different, I had to move away and then return, but I strongly believe that what really matters is not just arriving at a place, but simply getting there, “the journey is more important than the destination.”
How did your collaboration with adidas TERREX start? Tell me something about the Ups and Downs video project.
Our collab started this year. Adidas saw some of the videos and photos I took while hiking in the mountains, the brand liked them and then decided to support me in these explorations and experiences. My intention was to show the mountains to people also through social media. I love the mountains because it is a world still untouched and pure that helps me to find a balance when I need it.
When adidas TERREX asked me about my ups and downs, I decided to tell my story, how it all started for me. So I referred to my ups and downs in a somewhat different way and I began to reflect on my whole life and career. I had many downs in my life, times when I was not happy and I did not want to do anything. That was exactly the moment when I started thinking about going to the mountains to take some pictures. We live in a world where social media are becoming more and more popular every day and it’s even more difficult to find time for ourselves. In this sense, for me, hiking in the mountains has become my “no wifi zone”. This experience was my up, it gave me back the desire to do and experiment!
This changed when I started traveling around the world and getting interested in photography. From that moment on I began to look at my mountains with a different eye, and for me they became beautiful. The way I approached those peaks was different, I had to move away and then return, but I strongly believe that what really matters is not just arriving at a place, but simply getting there, “the journey is more important than the destination.”
You travel a lot for both work and pleasure, what was the most beautiful place you’ve been to and what you’d like to visit?
A place that I really loved was Norway, in particular the Lofoten islands. Another place that surprised me was New Zealand, which I visited last year. But I can’t avoid mentioning my mountains, the Dolomites, where I grew up.
In your photos and videos we see you hiking in the mountains, do you also practice other sports?
I have always had a passion for sports and outdoor practices. In addition to hiking I like cycling and skiing, I have been doing that since I was young and in recent years I have tried to combine my passions with the love for travelling and film making and I can consider myself very satisfied since this became my everyday job.
Future projects?
I have many projects in mind, many things that I would like to do or places I’d like to visit but for now I have nothing really planned or specific. Ten years ago I never thought I’d be here where I am now. Everything has changed so much that I could not imagine myself doing something different. The only thing I know is that I want to continue this chapter of my life, keep making videos and taking photos because I love it and it makes me feel good. I would like to push myself higher and higher, over 4000 or even 5000 meters. And then to see where my life and passions will take me in the upcoming years. As I said before: the journey is more important than the destination.
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