I’m a sucker for surf edits, and I’m even more of a sucker for good artistic concepts. The two don’t always collide, but when they do, it’s worth all of the minutes spent watching the duds.
This time, the intersection between surfing and art came from a release on May 25 from filmmaker Jed Dobre, Kim Saywell, and Australian surfer Kale Brock. Brock is best known for his instructional YouTube videos and “online surfing university,” but that’s not to say he limits himself. This most recent film, called Tiny Moments, features clips of Kale surfing overlaid with his interview, an interesting concept that not only humanizes him as a surfer, but provides emotional connection between the audience and the screen.
It comes as no surprise, then, to learn that Brock has a background in writing and TV Journalism. Of course, the format of surfer-talking-over-clip has been done before, but oftentimes it’s more funny than meaningful. Kale’s interview isn’t so much about himself as a universal script many people who love the ocean can relate to, and the power lies in the vulnerability instead of the humor or bro-ness that often accompanies high performance surfing. Dare I say it’s even… philosophical?
Lots of the dialogue gets at larger life theories. Kale ponders his love – maybe addiction – for surfing, saying, “surfing is… literally why I wake up in the morning. People don’t understand the obsession, and that’s okay.” Best of all, the film is raw and real. It doesn’t just highlight the good moments, the barrels, the empty lineups, the travel and novelty. Tiny Moments highlights, well… all the tiny moments. Brock admits “there are sessions that are just dismal and crushing. It’s howling wind, the waves are shit, but because you saw a little two-second moment of a wave ten minutes ago while you were getting changed, your hope is so high, you’re like ‘I’ll get something like that,’ and you’re just telling yourself that the whole time. You’re just hoping for that moment, and sometimes it doesn’t come.”
With such a well-known presence in the online surf world, it’s admirable to see someone admit things aren’t always easy. With a fun soundtrack, short and sweet snippets of relatable dialogue, and still a couple of barrels packed into the six-minute and 29-second film, the joy it brings is worth a little chunk of your day. It’s one tiny moment. Maybe it will inspire you to go have a moment of your own.
