The Hard Way (Film) Digital Download

The Hard Way is an intimate, deeply human story filmed along Oregon’s Deschutes River. Directed by RA Beattie, the film follows Warm Springs guide and tribal member Matt Mendes through all four seasons as he reflects on heritage, responsibility, resilience, and the quiet lessons a river teaches.

It is a visual and poetic love letter to the river, land, culture, and the act of learning important things through putting in the time. The hard way.

Opening with a powerful introduction in the Warm Springs language of Ichishkiin by Chief Jefferson Greene, the film grounds itself in lineage and place before unfolding into a deliberate, carefully observed journey through the rhythms of river life.

With cinematography by RA Beattie and Arian Stevens, writing by Miles Nolte, and production by RA Beattie, and Nolte, The Hard Way offers a perspective rarely captured in outdoor storytelling: the lived experience of a guide whose life is woven directly into the landscape he works to protect.

Half of the profits will go to Matt Mendes and his family.

Also available on our Limited Edition Mixtape (USB Drive): The Hard Way is also available on our new film Mixtape with our film The Silent Spotter. Click here to learn more. 

Why Purchase the Digital Download?

• Own the full-resolution film before it becomes widely available

• Support independent filmmaking and future Off the Grid Studios projects

• Watch anytime, anywhere, without ads or streaming compression

• Ideal for home theaters, offline viewing, and your personal collection

About the Film

Directed by: RA Beattie
Written by: Miles Nolte
Cinematography: RA Beattie & Arian Stevens
Produced by: RA Beattie, Miles Nolte
Narration: Matt Mendes