'Proximity' features four legends and four rising stars who each bring their own athleticism, thoughts, and experiences in this behind-the-scenes look at modern surfing.
Taylor Steele
The beauty of my job is I do all different kinds of film directing, not just surf films anymore. And I do stuff from commercials to short films to working on feature films, and none of it is based from where I live. It's all based elsewhere, so I can live anywhere and commute to where I need to go.
I started doing non-surf stuff like commercials, short films, and music videos and just started expanding my filmmaking that way. I started doing that more for a career: you know, it was paying the bills, and it was challenging. I was stimulated by it.
Every time there is a major shift in technology, it's been hugely exciting and scary at the same time. I have seen some really drastic changes in technology, like shooting only film to video to digital.
I'm not the best filmmaker, but on the sets, it seems like everybody is having fun.
The more movies you make, the better you will get.
The nice thing about working in surf films so long is becoming part of the surf tribe. Anywhere I go where there are surfers, I get welcomed pretty easily.
I started filmmaking when I started surfing, so the two things have been with me since I was 12 years old, so it's sort of been in my bones to make surf movies. I guess every now and then I just crave to do it again.
Do things you love; then success, possibly, will follow.
I made surf movies for 20 years, exclusively. And it's incredible, and I feel blessed to be able to do that and have that long of a run.
Things always evolve and change on location, especially due to the nature of travel and the waves. A lot of unexpected things happen. Often we get lucky, but we also find ourselves scrambling a lot, especially when we are looking for waves in the remote spots of those locations.
Running with the bulls was the scariest and craziest thing I have ever done.
When I started, I was 18 and really into punk rock and just wanted the action. Over the years, I've gravitated towards the travel and experience around surfing and trying to relay that feeling. Going forward, I'm interested in story-driven and personality-driven themes.
Rwanda was the best place. The people are so nice and positive about their future.
I loved the fact that Mitch Coleborn wasn't on my radar for 'Stranger than Fiction' until he sent 10 waves of himself to us. Then he went from unknown to having a great section in the movie.
A lot of new stuff just isn't having the same impact as it used to when people would wait for a specific DVD or video to come out and then watch it over and over and over. Now, it's a two-minute clip online and forgotten the next day.
You've got the movie, distribution, and marketing. All are equally important, so educate yourself on how to do the best you can at each of them.
For me, storytelling is the most interesting part of movie making.
I started surfing at 10.
My parents had bought a video camera for us to film Christmases and other family events. I took it down to the beach, set up a tripod, and I would grab two other friends, and we'd take turns filming and surfing. Then, at the end of the day, I'd go home and I'd make a video for everybody to watch.
I would love to document all the interesting characters out on the East End. There are some really inspiring people - you can feel the creative energy out there.
Our project goal was to push the boundaries of VR technology to show what a surf trip feels like from the first-person perspective. I'm excited to share this. It's pretty incredible knowing my mom can now experience riding a 20-foot wave.
I think there just needs to be an emotional attachment to the surfer, however you get that, so that, when you watch the surfing, you can relate to that person, or you're rooting for them, in a way.
With talent so stacked on a project like 'Proximity' and so many intense locations explored, it's almost impossible to showcase every highlight in the confines of one film.
It's not about the equipment. Be less concerned about what kind of camera you have and more about what kind of effect you're trying to accomplish. Finding an original take is much more important than what you shoot it with.
I feel like surf films are something I go back to for some balance - to reset myself as a filmmaker. They're something I'll always gravitate towards.
Surf films should be completely different from a webisode. They should give the viewer different feelings and emotions.
Making surf films for a living isn't my business anymore, so it's really more of a way to get creative and have a lot of fun with it.
I get really excited when I see filmmakers make something that is subtle and feels real. It is really tough to do right.
I was hoping that I could one day get a job at Quik or Billabong working on their videos. So I made 'Momentum' on a shoestring budget for fun and sort of a resume to work for others.
My parents are really supportive of my interests and try to help make them happen with the tools I need. More importantly, they instilled in me that anything is possible if you work hard to make it happen.
I don't know how many movies I have made. Movies that pop into my head when asked are 'Momentum,' 'Loose Change,' 'Shelter,' 'Sipping Jetstreams,' and 'The Drifter.'
Cultural differences can be delicate situations we have to work within the respectful boundaries of.
During the '90s or the first half of the zeros, whatever you want to call them, I was just doing a lot of videos, and that was my only thing. I was super-focused on that.
For me, I like to have mystery in the surf films.
Me and my family, we sort of had this plan to... once we had kids, we had a plan that about every six years we'd move to a new country. So, when we had kids, we moved to Bali for six years, then we went to Australia for six years.
I feel like there is plenty of room for fresh ideas, always.
Going back to the films I made in the nineties, they might not have been the most thought-provoking movies, but there was always this conscious thing of knowing that it was fourteen-year-old surfers who were really into it, and so I've wanted to be responsible with that.
When I started to do work outside of surfing, commercials where I needed to lead, I came out of my shell more, and I realised I wanted to create an environment that's fun because, a lot of time on shoots, people are so stressed and running behind the clock in an intense way.
The more I learn and grow, the more I feel fulfilled, and even if I'm shooting a commercial for a car or a computer, I try to deliver a filmmaker's point of view where I can learn from the experience. Then I really enjoy it.
