drift, perspectives in surfing

Words: Johnny Knapp

As I was told from a young age by my parents, the television would make my brain go to mush. Although a statement such as that has not been scientifically proven, I am almost sure it’s true. However, thanks to the wonders of the internet (depends on who you are talking to), it has become almost status quo for filmers to constantly update their youtube/ vimeo pages or personal blogs with recent footage. In doing so they have changed the fundamentals of how surfing footage is captured and produced.

Gone are the long waits in between the filmers’ epics and the old model of “produce a video every couple of years and sell it in shops for $29.99.” Depending how swift the individual is with his or her editing, a session can be up on the web just hours after it was filmed–for free.

With economic times the way they are now, who doesn’t like something free? Most filmers aren’t hording their material anymore, instead they leak bits and pieces here and there to satiate the appetite of viewers and string a captive audience along until the final video hits the shelves. With digital download increasing in availability through i tunes, Amazon and Netflix, physical copies of videos on dvd may soon be a thing of the past.

Although the debate is still out on if the web will make you go blind or turn your brain to mush, there is a choke load of surf clips roaming the web for your (free) viewing pleasure. Here is a breakdown of some free quality web footage,  just make sure to go out an get some fresh air and run around after a while!

Korduroy.tv–From the mind of Cyrus Sutton comes Korduroy.tv, a d.i.y surf network featuring clever web episodes. A statement on the site provides further insight into the madness:  ”Korduroy.tv was born from our disillusionment with mass production. From ocean swells to mountains and to their valleys, we live in a gravitational playground of free fun. Yet never before has forking out wads of cash for the “latest and the greatest” been so deeply ingrained in our psyche. It’s this irony that has inspired us to create a place where ideas can be shared that respect self-sufficiency, craftsmanship, and a surfing experience of our own design.”

Marine Layer Productions–One of my favorite sites to cruise and a daily stop for me, Dane Reynolds blog Marine Layer Productions features video clips from his filmer Mini, travel pics, art junk, and music clips. The blog shares the things that pique Dane’s interest in and out of surfing. Tastefully done, it offers more than just the normal surf porn, which we have become so accustomed to consuming. The web clips are great and show Dane ripping on a slew of surf crafts and waves.


The Tyler Warren Experiments–A blog by Tyler Warren and filmer John Smart, it strings quick web clips together, which I am assuming will eventually lead to a final project. The blog features the original trailer for the film, along with new material and photos of the different boards ridden in the film along with some footage of John and Tyler’s friends, too. A focal point of the project and major theme of the site is the eclectic surf crafts under the feet of the riders, and there are plenty of photos photos as well and links to the avant garde board related corners of the internet.

Hydrodynamica-From San Diego’s Richard Kenvin, aka RK, the Hydrodynamica blog  highlights the reemergence of the Simmons planning hull design. The hydrodynamic test pilot series showcases some of the most far out boards and surfing around today. I would go on a limb as to say that there may be no culmination for this project, as what is deemed “rideable” changes daily among this pod of surfers. Videos on the blog show RK and others zipping the peaks of Windansea mainly, pulling off some of the most mind blowing surfing both under and above the lip. Kenvin has found an infectious way to share his study and exploration of design with a younger generation, who  seem eager to pick it up and run with it.

… for good measure I just had to throw in some full length featured films that are also free. With buku corporate dollars, brands like Volcom and Analog find themselves in the position to kindly give their team films away for free on the web. These tend to offer a jumble of visual abstraction, noise, and serious shredding. Analog’s flick, Laves los Manos is a feature on Nathan Fletcher, one of the most innovative surfers of our time in and out of the water. Volcom’s epic BS! is a standard VeeCo production, with their top team riders ripping around the planet. Both flicks should have you visually satisfied and reaching for your surfboard. I guess some good can come from big corporations after all….?