After hosting four epic, sold-out world premieres along the East Coast and launching a bracket-style competition that includes a public vote and view count, the dust has finally settled. A champion has emerged. A huge congratulations to Jordan Montgomery and Clay Mein of Abyss Films and North Carolina’s Outer Banks surf community for winning The Inertia‘s Inaugural HOMETOWN HYPE Championship presented by White Claw!
Before proceeding any further, we’d be remiss not to congratulate and thank every amazingly talented filmmaker and community who participated in HOMETOWN HYPE:
– Drew Maloney, Laura Rubin, Andie Obeid, and the amazing crew in Montauk, New York.
– Sal Librizzi, Corey Frank, Sam Hammer, and the team in Point Pleasant, New Jersey.
– Mo Lelii, Dustin Howard, and everyone in St. Petersburg, Florida who jubilantly educated us about the Gulf Coast’s vibrant surf culture. Believe it or not, St. Pete actually had the biggest premiere party on the East Coast! They know how to have a good time.
Without question, I can confidently say HOMETOWN HYPE has been one of the most fulfilling initiatives we’ve pulled off in fourteen years of building The Inertia. The goal was to celebrate the unique character of America’s Greatest Surf Towns from the perspective of those who know them best: local creatives, surfers, and residents. While that’s a nice North Star, execution is everything. This could have easily taken a left turn. But it didn’t. Every single filmmaker we tapped delivered in spades. Each team embraced the opportunity to pay tribute to a place and community they love.
While we hosted a bracketed contest with a wink and a nod (acknowledging that selecting a winner is a flawed process and each of these communities is different and beautiful in its own right), the short film that Jordan Montgomery and Clay Mein of Abyss Films produced about the Outer Banks is outstanding. Over 100,000 YouTube viewers and the majority of voters agreed. It’s heartfelt, and it’s concerningly relevant.
The Outer Banks and North Carolina more generally have featured prominently in horrific national news stories over the last few months due to destruction from hurricanes and heavy storms, which makes the spotlight cast on the resilience and camaraderie of the local community more poignant than ever.
Clay Mein and Jordan Montgomery get the FaceTime call with some good news: Their film on the Outer Banks is The Inertia’s Inaugural HOMETOWN HYPE Champ!
If you haven’t yet, check out the full film HOMETOWN HYPE: Outer Banks by Abyss Films above. And check out all of the HOMETOWN HYPE films here. If nothing else, this film, and all of the short films that came to life offer an important reminder that can be easy to lose sight of as we’re elbowing around day-to-day. We’re all in this together; look out for one another out there, and enjoy the ride.
Another huge thank you to White Claw for making HOMETOWN HYPE possible. Can’t wait for next year.
