Creativity is a Muscle: Kilian Jornet’s Photographer Reveals the Story Behind States of Elevation
The short film offers a behind-the-scenes look at the untold challenges of the U.S. project, while the full documentary remains in production.
"I often found myself trying to keep up with his pace, without success… and on top of that, I had to take photos."
NNormal and Kilian Jornet present Creativity is a Muscle: Behind the Lens of States of Elevation, a short film directed by photographer and filmmaker Nick Danielson. The film documents the mountain runner’s most ambitious project in the United States to date: States of Elevation.
Over the course of 31 days, Kilian Jornet conquered 72 peaks over 14,000 feet in the U.S., moving exclusively on foot and by bicycle. Meanwhile, Nick Danielson documented every moment, facing his own set of challenges: long days, adverse weather, and a protagonist who often moved faster than the camera could follow.
“I remember thinking: ‘Can he really complete this in 30 days? How are we going to manage it in such a short time?’ I had many doubts starting out, and I knew they probably wouldn't be resolved until we got moving. I often found myself trying to keep up with his pace, without success… and on top of that, I had to take photos,” Nick Danielson recalls.
The Story Behind the Film
The short film narrates Nick’s journey as he documents the efforts of the NNormal athlete, highlighting the collaboration, passion, and creativity required to tell authentic human and sporting stories. The narrative follows Nick’s trajectory from his first job with NNormal in 2022 to accompanying Kilian across more than 3,000 miles and 72 summits in the American West over a period of four weeks.
Creativity is a Muscle: Behind the Lens of States of Elevation is not the official States of Elevation documentary, but rather an intimate glimpse behind the lens that showcases the magnitude of the project through the photographer’s creative perspective.
Months after the feat, Nick Danielson reflects: “Creativity is a Muscle isn’t just about sport. It’s about how we face the unknown and how we search for narrative and beauty in daily action, even when everything seems impossible.”
Behind the Camera: Focus and Narrative
The 22-minute short film is structured around four pillars—Persistence, Grit, Creativity, and Presence—which showcase Kilian’s discipline and physical effort, creativity as a daily practice, the importance of staying present in every moment, and the privilege of observing an extraordinary human endeavor up close.
As Danielson follows each day, he faces constant uncertainty, intensified by exhaustion, poor weather, unfamiliar terrain, and unexpected route changes, revealing the hidden challenges behind the achievement.
One of the tensest scenes captures this challenge: Danielson is waiting for Kilian at a strategic point when the runner veers off onto a dangerous descent, and the photographer whispers, “He’s coming down the wrong way,” immersing the viewer in a project where movement, improvisation, and unpredictability dominate every moment.
Premiere and Screenings
Creativity is a Muscle will premiere on Thursday, April 6, at 4:00 PM. The screening will be available online at NNormal.com and, subsequently, in various cities, allowing the public to get a first-hand look at the human and creative feat of States of Elevation.
About Nick Danielson
Born and raised in Seattle, Washington, Nick Danielson is a photographer and filmmaker with a background in design and experience in photojournalism. His roots in the mountains oNNormal in 2022, Danielson has collaborated with Kilian Jornetisual storytelling. Since the early days of NNormal in 2022, Danielson has collaborated with Kilian Jornet, building a relationship based on trust and curiosity that culminates in States of Elevation.
About NNormal
NNormal is an outdoor sports brand, born between the shores of Mallorca and the Fjords of Norway. The products reflect the common philosophy between Camper and Kilian Jornet, the two partners at the origin of NNormal: durability and performance, that inspire people to enjoy and respect nature. A mission expressed through timeless gear that's functional, performance-oriented, and built to last. All the outdoor equipment is designed in Mallorca and tested in Norway, as hinted in the name of the brand (Nor-way + Mal-lorca).
