With his inventive, satirical new spot – a :45 featuring the ...Lost surfboard brand – mixed-media director, writer, and editor Win Brooks lays out the many reasons why kooks (aka rookies) should absolutely NOT learn to surf.
It’s a bold bit of reverse psychology employing a number of filmmaking techniques. Roughly :25 of mixed media adeptly conveys the notion that popularity has killed the sport; the spot then shifts gears and gets us amped up (excited), transitioning to the greenroom (inside the barrel, the tube, the curl of the wave – c’mon, do we have to explain everything??), capturing the majestic joy of surfing.
“I enjoy analog editing techniques, especially those with a gritty character. The animated elements (such as the plane) began as Hi 8 camcorder footage,” Brooks explains. “I then printed individual frames on a Xerox LaserJet, cut them out, photographed and chroma-keyed them, and then assembled the animation on Premiere. I fed the resulting footage through a CRT television and filmed the screen at 4K. I also used a sheet magnifier over video playback for some transitions, text and logos.
The waving banner began as a paper drawing taped to a fan. The receipt printer was animated in real-time using MS Word and a LONG roll of thermal paper. Screen recordings, surf reports and old movies also make appearances.”
Brooks produced Surfing Sucks on spec through his recently-formed production and post company, The Crack of Noon. He served as director, editor, and sound designer, with original music by Eddie Brooks and Sir Richard Bishop.
The filmmaker sees parallels between the sport and his chosen profession. “Surfing is unpredictable; analog methods are as well,” he observes. “Limitations push toward creative solutions. I want my work to stand out like an empty, well-formed barrel.” Watch below:
REELated:
Brooks is currently working on his feature directorial debut – “RAAM” – which will incorporate some of the techniques used in Surfing Sucks. “Continual experimentation in filmmaking is where my interest lies,” he says.
Raised in Maryland, Brooks holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication and Media Studies from American University, Washington, DC. He has had additional instruction at UCLA via their professional screenwriting program.
His narrative work has garnered acclaim at film festivals, and in addition to crafting commercials through The Crack of Noon, Brooks manages a separate company that produces commercial content for Snapchat. and runs a menswear brand, Fear The Cowboy. He is based in Los Angeles.
PRODUCTION COMPANY: The Crack of Noon/Los Angeles
- Director: Win Brooks
- Editorial Company/Location: The Crack of Noon
- Editor: Win Brooks
- Composers: Eddie Brooks and Sir Richard Bishop
- Sound Design Company/Location: The Crack of Noon
- Sound Designer: Win Brooks
- Special Thanks to: Matt Kleiner, Sir Richard Bishop and Mason Ho
