Documentary Focuses on Young Men and Brain Injury in Extreme Sports
A new documentary entitled “Wipe Out” directed by Lionel Goddard is a conglomeration of video footage of extreme sports activities and illustrates the epidemic of young men suffering permanent brain injury. Goddard says some of the most striking footage he obtained was from amateurs uploading to YouTube. He coined the findings as, “it was like shooting fish in a barrel. These kids doing all these extreme stunts on film had reams of footage of kids wiping out. It was terrifyingly easy to find.” In the film he grew close to three brain injured victims who are profiled, a professional snowboarder, skateboarder and motorcyclist. “It's by far the most intense film I've ever been involved with,” says the 40-year-old Goddard. “I can't think of anything tougher than talking on camera about a permanent brain injury.” He says there are some 30 traumatic brain injuries every day in British Columbia. “It's probably the biggest health issue that nobody is talking about.” Many victims are young men and teens, caught up in ever more challenging extreme sports. The dynamic has changed.
