“BoardRoom – Legends of Surfboard Shaping” is not your typical surf movie, if you’re looking for surf porn to get you hyped for your next session this ain’t the film for you, more a doco piece on the heroes that help mould the sport of surfing, the guys that built to equipment and revolutionised the sport of kings, the surfboard shapers. An award winning film most definitely worth a watch
BoardRoom is a first person narrative, which chronicles the journey of surfboard shaping, from the halcyon days of pre World War II, to the post war boom of the early 1960’s, and finally ending with the beginning of the short-board revolution of the late 60’s.
Supported by classic surf tunes by The Supertones, and the Hawaiian duo Hapa, BoardRoom gives a detailed account of the evolution of board design, surfboard materials, as well as the impact of the surfing lifestyle on pop culture.
Boardroom was conceptualized and filmed over the past three years by underwater cinematographer and director, Markus Davids. Interviews include legendary surfboard shapers, such as Greg Noll, Bing Copeland, Dick Brewer, Hap Jacobs, Renny Yater, the Endless Summer’s Robert August and Michael Hynson, Rich Harbour, Larry Gordon, Terry Martin, Harold Iggy, Mike Eaton, Dave Sweet, Bruce Jones, Mickey Munoz, Leroy Grannis, Donald Takayama, Bob Bolen, Ole Olsen, and many more.
Their stories help recreate the evolution of the surfboard, from redwood to balsa to foam boards. All of these shapers, interviewed in one movie, gives the rare opportunity of a first hand account into the experiences of these early pioneers which shaped the foundation of surf culture. The film also includes interviews of controversial foam and blank mogul Gordon Clark, and his biggest competitor Harold Walker of Walker Foam. Reports Pacific Longboarder BoardRoom also features an unique and never seen collection of rare historic photographs and archival footage which helps to drive the narrative story of the surfboard shapers.
BoardRoom won the Emerging Filmmakers award at the X-Dance Action Sports Film Festival, and the Aloha Accolade Award from the Honolulu Film Festival. It has screened at the Santa Barbara Film Festival, and the San Luis Obispo Film Festival. You can watch BOARDROOM LEGENDS OF SURFBOARD SHAPING online now on Garage:
Article by Pacific Longboarder
