Chopping in Heels

Written by
Alissa
World Champion LumberJill
​Founder & Owner of the Axe Women Loggers of Maine

​

​Being a logging sports competitor has given me so many exciting opportunities over the years! I get to travel, have amazing adventures, make new friends, try new things... all while earning a living doing something I love!
Once in a while things pop up that you'd really never expect... Like the chance to go to New York City to chop logs with Harry Connick Jr, or fly to Los Angeles to throw axes with Queen Latifah... or... film a Carhartt commercial in Detroit!!

​A few years back I was home in Maine, cutting trees and getting ready to hit the road for a show in Sparta, Georgia the following week. Out of the blue I received a phone call from a photography company who wanted me to come to Detroit, Michigan to film a commercial for Carhartt! As excited as I was at this offer, I just couldn't see how it could possibly work... I had to get the truck, trailer, and equipment to Georgia in just a few days... So, I sadly said "No, I can't... but thank you..."
That was not the answer they were hoping for I guess... They explained that they could fly me right out, film the commercial the day after I arrived, and have me on a flight back to the AxeWomen truck and trailer the same night of the filming!!
Why not?? Sounds like an adventure to me!!
I finished loading up everything we would be needing for the AxeWomen shows and headed to the airport the next day! I stepped off the plane in Detroit, climbed into the photography crew's SUV, got a whirlwind tour of the city while on the way to dinner and our hotels! (Previously I had only been in Detroit for super long layovers in their airport... which was always ok with me because they have really cool terminals and a funky underground glass tunnel...!)
Before it got too dark to see that night, I was able to take in some beautiful buildings and amazing architecture. I was definitely happy to finally be able to see some of this city! 
We stopped for dinner and discussed how things would go the next day... apparently, I would be chopping against a model... great... no need to be self-conscious now... 
After dinner I was dropped off at my hotel, where I got a little sleep, a quick shower and became increasingly nervous... I had never filmed a commercial before! And I was filming this one with a professional model!
Morning came quickly. I was picked up and brought to the filming studio. I was given Carhartt jeans and a Carhartt shirt to wear for the day. I had my hair and make-up professionally done... which somehow managed to make me look even more pale and nervous than I was - if that's possible!
Show time! 
 The entire crew was so friendly and welcoming, and sincerely interested in logging sports and AxeWomen! They all asked tons of questions, checked out our website and followed our social media pages!
The model that I would be working with side-by-side was super nice and helpful!
We walked into the filming area... two chopping logs and two axes... me, in my old steel toed sneakers... the model in her black, shiny high heels and cute size 2 jeans... me in my slightly larger jeans...
The storyline for the commercial was pretty funny! The two of us girls were going to be racing to chop our logs in half... As I'm chopping mine just fine, she gets her axe stuck and must call her boyfriend to come help her... her boyfriend comes, but can't get the axe freed from her chopping log... I finish my log, then I have to shove him off the second log, free the axe and finish chopping that log! 
It was so fun to film!!
After the initial filming they also wanted footage and close-up shots of the axe sinking into the model's log... with her high heels in view! Not being a logging sports competitor, she was, rightfully, nervous to film these shots! 
That left it up to me! Luckily, we had similar sized feet! I slipped on the high heels (that I promise you, I could not walk in) and balanced up on the log! I managed to get a few good driving blows of the axe into the log! But more importantly, a memory that will last a lifetime and a super funny story to tell!!
After all that, it was back to the airport, back to Maine and hopping back into the AxeWomen truck for a drive to Georgia to meet up with Andrea and Jenny! 
Everything worked out exactly like the photography crew promised! We made a fun commercial... all flights were exactly on time... and we all made it to the AxeWomen show with time to spare!!
Please check out our commercial! It was really a blast to be part of!!!