Filmmaker Nick Peterson says he has always been proud of the free-spirited DIY culture of his hometown, Portland, and he thinks Filmed by Bike “is a great incarnation of the enthusiasm and soul behind it.” As a jury member, he completely plans to extort the “mad fame and fortune that comes with being on the jury.” He says he could watch bike movies all day and is excited to be part of the team that gets to review submissions.

Nick is a huge bike enthusiast who has never owned a car. He says he’s happy only if he’s spinning around town, but he has really taken things to the velo extreme in his work as a filmmaker. Nick’s films focuses on the subject of communication between people in and out of love. “Specifically,” he says, “the difficulties and misunderstandings we often have in relationships.”

The last film he shot, “Field Guide to November Days” was made entirely by bike. Everyone working on the film biked to set and everything (including furniture) was pulled by bike. The film will premiere this May through the NW Film Center and then Nick will be taking a bike tour of the film from Vancouver, BC down to the Bay Area in June.

“Bikes make me feel strong, smart and sexy and they help me explore the city.”

Sarah is a reporter for the Portland Mercury where, she says, she reports on interesting news and people in the city. “Mostly I focus on bikes, transportation, development, politics and crazy shit.” Because the opening night of Filmed by Bike always sells out, Sarah has never actually gotten into a screening of Filmed by Bike, so she is looking forward to her jury status guaranteeing her a seat this year.

Sarah keeps tabs on what’s happening in the world of bikes, and says “I’m thrilled to watch more non-sporty people who never thought of themselves as cyclists get excited about bikes. Moms and babies, ladies in skirts, office workers and school children.”

“I’m looking forward to working together with people to see what we can do to continue to make Portland the world class cycling city we know it can be.”

Marisa is the Portland editor of Momentum Magazine. She loves biking in Portland. Marisa is excited to be on the Filmed by Bike jury “because it brings together two great aspects of Portland: art and adventure. The international exposure is great for the city.”

Marisa is inspired to see Portland’s bike ridership growing. “It’s exciting to see the culture changing and adapting the needs of the everyday rider: parents showing their kids by example, companies offering incentives and perks for riding, city’s changing their infrastructure to make biking more accessible and safe, a magazine dedicated to people who ride (not race) bikes (Momentum), etc.

” Wow, I feel like Barack Obama when he won the Noble Peace prize: “I’m humbled.” To me, it’s the SAME THING.”

Mike’s 2009 Filmed by Bike submission “Claire Rides a Bike” was a crowd favorite, featuring a woman who left her deadbeat boyfriend by loading up a cargo bike with all of her possessions and riding away with ease.

As an active filmmaker, Mike says he knows firsthand the agony and exhilaration of going through the submission process. As a jury member, he’s looking forward to helping find the movies that capture the spirit of Filmed by Bike. “Probably what I love most about Filmed by Bike is the audience; their love of bikes comes through in the form of cheers, whistles, laughing, clapping, people blurting things out. It’s a totally unique movie viewing experience.”

“Portland is exactly the kind of place where bikes and film can peacefully meet (thematically).”

Saundra is a freelance writer and full-time marketing writer who who edited the 2008 “Finder” guide to Portland after only living here a short time. This city has yet to disappoint her, she says, “possibly because my perfect date involves drinking in a movie theater.” Saundra is excited to use her love of film and strong opinions to contribute to Filmed by Bike, which she describes as “a quintessentially Portland festival.”

Saundra says she has a special place in her heart for bikes because “unlike the Power Wheels, Roller Racers, and skateboard-scooter hybrids of my early youth, more than one revamped Schwinn cruiser made the rocky transition with me into my twenties, providing cost-effective transportation while allowing me to revisit that sense of childhood wonder I experienced when I first successfully rode a two-wheeler.”

“I’ll never turn down an opportunity to go dancing.”

Jessica is a bike-loving enthusiast who gets excited by Portland’s many cool events like the “Loud & Lit” ride “for its good beats, bike eye-candy and pure MADNESS!” she explains.

Jessica is excited to be on the jury “to get a first look at all the creative energy and time that has been poured into this festival. Plus, I love meeting people. so to sit around with a crew of bike-lovin’ people sounds most delicious!”

Jessica’s film My Bike Takes me Places was screened at the 2009 festival, “I felt like I’d won an Oscar. Making the movie was a whirlwind as I’d chosen to do it at the last moment, turned it in with literally two minutes on the clock and, moreover, I had never made a movie before! The excitement and honorary feeling set me off on the right foot with movie-making, and I have since made multiple movies.”

Lean is a bike enthusiast and the owner of Angst Gallery in Vancouver, Washington. Her gallery provides a venue for artists of all media with the goal of introducing community members to art through monthly installations, regular events, and participatory opportunities. She also uses the gallery to combine her love of bike and art and the space has also become an informal drop-in for bicycle information with maps, event information and more.

Leah likes the freedom, independence and fun of bikes and she’s looking forward to being involved with Filmed by Bike because “the festival brings the cycling community together. I enjoy seeing what others enjoy about the bicycle lifestyle and it is great to have it presented in a fun and artistic way.”

“Watching bike movies makes me happy.”

Amos is deacon at Bike Temple where the goal is to take the best parts of religion like social service, community involvement, events, and neighborhood organization and relate them to the bicycle in ways never done before. “Our programs and services are designed to introduce religion

Amos believes that a society’s most important resource is the cooperation of its people, and that poor urban planning and the prioritization of the automobile is isolating people and killing off that resource. Amos is a big fan of Filmed by Bike, and especially loves the Friday Night Street Party.

“My style modus operandi is that of auto da fé.”

Adriana is on a mission to bring her ecclesiastical fervor for fine art to FBB. As a trained culinary arts professional, Adriana has a discerning attention to nuance that she uses to produce outcomes that elevate one’s palette and dissipate satisfaction.

Adriana joins us as our first-ever returning jury member. Her excitement for Filmed by Bike could not be contained in merely one year, so we’ve brought her back to show the new jury members the ropes. Go kick some ass, Adriana!