Watch: Vantage Points // Russell Bierke & Andrew Kaineder

Craig Brokensha picture
Craig Brokensha (Craig)
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The latest episode from O'Neill's series 'Vantage Points' is a short film by Andrew Kaineder showcasing Russell Bierke’s latest and craziest waves. It’s a mix of hi-fi cinematography, low-fi lifestyle, and photographic stills while being backed by a suspenseful and moody original psych-rock score. Andrew used abstract imagery and mixed media of nature and landscapes to help break up the edit.

Special attention has to be paid Russ' first wave at 1:10, as critical as it gets.

Comments

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Tuesday, 29 Jun 2021 at 10:59am

Bloody hell, that first wave is off the hook.

surfstarved's picture
surfstarved's picture
surfstarved Tuesday, 29 Jun 2021 at 11:01am

Holy shit, that first wave!

crg's picture
crg's picture
crg Tuesday, 29 Jun 2021 at 11:18am

That’s as good as it gets.
How much better is it seeing the few seconds before the wave...I’m trying to imagine myself in the water seeing how ridiculously hard the water is drawing up the wave as it double/triples up and steps out. And then swinging and going!
Yeah...nah...
Russ you’re a madman.

lampy's picture
lampy's picture
lampy Tuesday, 29 Jun 2021 at 11:23am

Some amazing waves there. It’s always good to watch Russ. So talented

waterhen's picture
waterhen's picture
waterhen Tuesday, 29 Jun 2021 at 11:24am

you can do that stuff easy if you are a jaws master

Sprout's picture
Sprout's picture
Sprout Tuesday, 29 Jun 2021 at 11:28am

He has to be the closest any surfer's got to matching bodyboarders making insane slabs. Stretching the boundary on what's possible for sure, total madness.

mattlock's picture
mattlock's picture
mattlock Tuesday, 29 Jun 2021 at 11:32am

Faaaark. Great stuff.

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Tuesday, 29 Jun 2021 at 12:12pm

He's on (from?) a different planet.

sean killen's picture
sean killen's picture
sean killen Tuesday, 29 Jun 2021 at 12:12pm

That open wave was best start to any movie I’ve seen.. sssssick

gunther's picture
gunther's picture
gunther Tuesday, 29 Jun 2021 at 12:24pm

Balls

OHV500's picture
OHV500's picture
OHV500 Tuesday, 29 Jun 2021 at 1:27pm

Awesome seeing the paddle ins and the entire wave. Music suited the waves and the edit. Best I've seen in ages, IMO.

Tim Bonython's picture
Tim Bonython's picture
Tim Bonython Tuesday, 29 Jun 2021 at 1:37pm

FAN-BLOODY-TASTIC... footage, music, edit. And the surfing is pretty darn good too!!
5 stars!!!

wbat's picture
wbat's picture
wbat Tuesday, 29 Jun 2021 at 1:41pm

that guy is seriously talented. Wow. To know you can make a few of those waves which allows you to paddle in to them is just off the hook.

Bob Sacamano's picture
Bob Sacamano's picture
Bob Sacamano Tuesday, 29 Jun 2021 at 2:09pm

Madman! The edit does the surfing justice. Oneill and Russ seem to be a good combo.

conrico's picture
conrico's picture
conrico Tuesday, 29 Jun 2021 at 2:28pm

That first drop. How?!!

NDC's picture
NDC's picture
NDC Tuesday, 29 Jun 2021 at 2:33pm

Plums!

surfstarved's picture
surfstarved's picture
surfstarved Tuesday, 29 Jun 2021 at 3:22pm

They say you've got to pay to play, but fucking hell, I reckon Russ has paid more than his fair share, just with the wipeouts in this edit alone.

t-rex's picture
t-rex's picture
t-rex Tuesday, 29 Jun 2021 at 3:26pm

He makes it look so easy so much time. He has a comfort in heavy water that is so amazing to watch

mrkook's picture
mrkook's picture
mrkook Tuesday, 29 Jun 2021 at 5:29pm

I get so excited whenever there is a new Russ vid - and this is just spectacular. Phenomenal commitment and talent, its like he has found his own line out there that other mere mortals just cant keep up with. Epic, keep it coming!

vbaaccess's picture
vbaaccess's picture
vbaaccess Tuesday, 29 Jun 2021 at 6:08pm

Balls! Serious consequences when things go wrong! You could easily drown, get hit by your board or hit the bottom. You need to trust your abilities to take on these two dangerous waves. Hats off to Russell.

ringmaster's picture
ringmaster's picture
ringmaster Tuesday, 29 Jun 2021 at 6:17pm

Insane!

How that slender little fella is still in one piece is anyone's guess.

Cat like reflexes / balls of steel probably help.

Spuddups's picture
Spuddups's picture
Spuddups Tuesday, 29 Jun 2021 at 6:32pm

Top drawer stuff. The WOZ are spending millions making something nobody wants to watch. They should be taking notes.

Balbero's picture
Balbero's picture
Balbero Tuesday, 29 Jun 2021 at 6:40pm

WTF, it's like he goes the one's (waves) that no other cunt's want. a privilege to watch this legend in the making. Cheers swellnet.

H2O's picture
H2O's picture
H2O Tuesday, 29 Jun 2021 at 8:30pm

Just sensational!

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Tuesday, 29 Jun 2021 at 8:52pm

Read the comments before I watched the film and safe to say I wasn’t disappointed.
Amazing stuff. Again. Fuck he’s incredible

wally's picture
wally's picture
wally Tuesday, 29 Jun 2021 at 9:02pm

Good vid. The music was particularly effective. By Electric Sheep Music. I get the impression it was composed specifically for the film. Top effort

frog's picture
frog's picture
frog Tuesday, 29 Jun 2021 at 9:47pm

But but but.... there were no virtue signalling messages, jet ski assisted shoulder hopping, instagram address water marks for lots of influencers for us all to follow or any sharkas. These guys are just not on the program.

Remigogo's picture
Remigogo's picture
Remigogo Tuesday, 29 Jun 2021 at 9:52pm

Is that a problem?

frog's picture
frog's picture
frog Wednesday, 30 Jun 2021 at 8:05am

Well it is a problem if you want to get on Ultimate Surfer and hang out with ELO - "a world-class media executive with a profound personal connection to the sport of surfing" at the tub to talk about body waxing, the transformational power of SUP riding and how to monetise surfing to people who did not even know "surfing was a thing". Who doesn't want that?

Thrush Trumpet's picture
Thrush Trumpet's picture
Thrush Trumpet Tuesday, 29 Jun 2021 at 9:57pm

Any ideas on rough board dimensions/volumes old mate uses to scrap into those nuggets?

SI's picture
SI's picture
SI Wednesday, 30 Jun 2021 at 11:20am

For dimensions etc, Just contact Kirk, his old man at Kirk Bierke surfboards… very cool dude to chat with and one of the most reliable guys I’ve ever dealt with. A true workhorse that knows his art! He can deliver boards anywhere in Australia…

tango's picture
tango's picture
tango Tuesday, 29 Jun 2021 at 9:59pm

Yeah, nah, that was shite.....too much commitment. I'd much rather watch Gabby punt in 2ft shore breaks.

Remigogo's picture
Remigogo's picture
Remigogo Tuesday, 29 Jun 2021 at 10:06pm

That is some serious commitment isn't it?

And if there is at least one thing drones are good for.. that vision as the sun goes down.

JackStance's picture
JackStance's picture
JackStance Wednesday, 30 Jun 2021 at 7:57am

best clip overall in a long time.

respect to all.

Gowsa's picture
Gowsa's picture
Gowsa Thursday, 1 Jul 2021 at 3:36pm

Great background Music to Boot.

frog's picture
frog's picture
frog Wednesday, 30 Jun 2021 at 8:12am

Great clip. Watched with the sound on this time - even better. Russ would be doing this even without a camera.

campbell's picture
campbell's picture
campbell Wednesday, 30 Jun 2021 at 9:45am

Epic!
Wonder what the numbers on that board are, volume but not that long looking

eat-your-vegies's picture
eat-your-vegies's picture
eat-your-vegies Wednesday, 30 Jun 2021 at 10:12am

Let me score that first wave for ya

Let me see

Good take off
Local Boardriders level floater to head dip to belly flop
Incomplete

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Wednesday, 30 Jun 2021 at 10:26am

Does anyone else take off behind the step at Shippies? Incredible skills.

mrkook's picture
mrkook's picture
mrkook Wednesday, 30 Jun 2021 at 12:10pm

I reckon he has created his own line out there that no one else can follow. He is in a league of his own.

tommy southcoast's picture
tommy southcoast's picture
tommy southcoast Wednesday, 30 Jun 2021 at 12:09pm

One thing that still doesn't make sense to me is how his board has enough volume to keep those big ol balls of his afloat????

Bungan33's picture
Bungan33's picture
Bungan33 Wednesday, 30 Jun 2021 at 3:07pm

Is good. Very good.
I was trying to think of superlatives that hadn't been taken. But the cat-like reference takes my money. Not balls or muscle or other male-infused adjectives....but a cat that just dances on water.

bluediamond's picture
bluediamond's picture
bluediamond Wednesday, 30 Jun 2021 at 3:47pm

Ridiculous. Crazy how low he stays to the board throughout the drop on that mad big one. Legend.

yvdreh's picture
yvdreh's picture
yvdreh Thursday, 1 Jul 2021 at 6:17am

What the fuck!

R00ney's picture
R00ney's picture
R00ney Friday, 2 Jul 2021 at 9:08am

Is that Russ dickin'around on the Tele at the start?
15 otta 10 if he's got anything to do with the sound, otherwise, only an 11.

Top shelf shit.

mbuckis's picture
mbuckis's picture
mbuckis Friday, 2 Jul 2021 at 7:01pm

Whats the name of the band playing? Want to look them up online sounded wicked

science's picture
science's picture
science Monday, 5 Jul 2021 at 8:35am

that was sick

OHBILLY's picture
OHBILLY's picture
OHBILLY Monday, 5 Jul 2021 at 11:20am

In a world where we are overloaded with 'clips' and 'vlogs' and all the other crap that surfers think is good viewing, this is the most refreshing vid I have seen in a long time. I get the same feeling watching this that I used to get as a grom watching Sabotaj, Fanning the Fire etc.

batfink's picture
batfink's picture
batfink Monday, 5 Jul 2021 at 1:56pm

Ok. The rock off was enough to make me shit myself. Dramatic opening!

The music, just first class, fitted perfectly.

The surfing - well, if there is a better, big slab, paddle in rider in the world, I don’t think I’ve heard of him or her. The lines, he has just re-thought what is possible out there. That last wave, looked like that huge cloudbreak session from 2011 or 2012.

When he turns to paddle for a wave everybody else out there is just paddling to get over the thing, and he’s so deep. Mind altering.

batfink's picture
batfink's picture
batfink Monday, 5 Jul 2021 at 2:05pm

Geez there’s a lot to take in for such a short clip. Just watched it a second time, think I need to have a sleep now.

t-diddy's picture
t-diddy's picture
t-diddy Wednesday, 7 Jul 2021 at 12:52am

fukn siiiiicccc!