We’ve tested Opera Mini in the most extreme situations – so you don’t have to. Our newest video “On the wall” shows that you can take Opera Mini anywhere and go online, even when your internet connection is bad. Featured in the video is Christian Koch, a Norwegian rock-climber, who is in a tent suspended off the side of a mountain wall in Kjerag, Norway, making sure Opera Mini still works.

Christian Koch, our Creative Director Arnfinn Hushovd, and Brand Director Espen Øverdahl, give us a look into how the idea came about and how it was executed.

People normally don’t associate extreme sports with IT companies. How did you get the idea, and why did you decide to push through with it?
AntiMedia, a small production company that we have worked with previously on our “Discover our best browser for Android” product video, came to us with the idea. They knew a rock climber with an epic beard and an itch to do something cool. To them, Opera was the browser that gets you online in all sorts of conditions. If it can work in a remote place such as the Norwegian fjords, it should be able to work almost anywhere.


Christian, how did you feel while you were inside that hanging tent?
It was quite surreal, but many years of climbing has made me used to heights. Sitting in the tent and drinking coffee actually felt quite natural. But, getting the perfect shot was not done in a second. Hour after hour was spent waiting in the tent, and being in the middle of a 1000-meter wall is definitely a lonely place. I was inside the tent when Tom Erik and Kjersti base jumped for Off the wall with Opera and seeing that was spectacular. Everything was well organized. Working with the Opera team and AntiMedia was a great experience. I already knew the AntiMedia crew, but getting to know Espen and Arnfinn from Opera was great.

What was the most difficult part of shooting the “On the wall” video?
The most difficult part was getting the dramatic effects without staging anything. When you see that tent on the side of the mountain, it’s really there – no CGI or other manipulation was used. Luckily, we had the help of a Norwegian climbing legend, Robert Caspersen, whose team made it look easy – even though it was anything but. In this image, that tiny red speck is the tent. The helicopter is hovering to get the perfect shot.


How do you decide what goes into Opera videos?
We want videos that are hopefully both entertaining and educational. Our aim is to feature our products, while keeping Opera’s distinct, playful personality in the frame.

Watch the full behind-the-scenes video:

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