'Take Every Wave' // Laird Hamilton - video
We're just a month out from the cinematic release of the greatest surf story ever told. It's the documentary of Laird Hamilton of course, and the gathering of people behind the scenes is as monumental as those upon the screen.
The film is called 'Take Every Wave' and the producer is Rory Kennedy, scion of the Kennedy clan - daughter of Robert, niece of John F. Kennedy. The producers include Paul Speaker, Jed Pearson, Jason Rem, and Jonathon Marshall, all of whom work - or in Speaker's case, worked - at the World Surf League, which makes 'Take Every Wave' a curious little venture. Laird, you see, has never surfed a WSL contest in his life, so why the support from surfing's competitive league?
Your guess is as good as mine, but if you want to know what my guess is, then I'd surmise that this is the first stab at extra-curricular activity by the WSL. That the WSL no longer wish to be contained to simply competition surfing, but rather take a shot at becoming a broader media and entertainment organisation. You think they set up their lavish Santa Monica studio just for webcasts?
All conjecture, of course, and really, I should be using this opportunity to expound upon the merits of 'Take Every Wave', yet the trailer is all I've seen and speculation is far more satisfying.
Comments
i'm ready to download it via torrents.
A SUP doco entitled " Take every wave" .
You can't script this stuff.
Boom, tish, Blowin.
World Surf League Unveils "You Can't Script This"
Can't think of a much worse name for a Surf docco "Take every wave". You're going to get people mad at you right from the start for being a wave hog.
Looks like they are going to turn the seppo schmalz up to 11 on this one.
has the horse already bolted on the laird story?
"Laird Hamilton as you've never seen him before."
"Laird Hamilton in his own words."
"Laird Hamilton: The untold story."
etc etc
Plenty of meat left on those bones, as one writer I know would put it.
what I mean is, have surfers tuned out........now that Laird has kind of become a parody of himself and the whole tow-surfing thing turned out to be on the wrong side of history.
Core surfers, maybe, but with one of the Kennedy's at the helm - for Laird's sake! - you get the feeling this was never meant for 'em anyway. Be interesting to see where it plays. Like, now that Laird has transcended surfdom will it get a run at inland America?
The bio for the film gives clues:
"Paul Speaker is the CEO of World Surf League, an organization governing professional surfing competition tours and proselytizing for the sport."
Proselytizing for the sport?
Oh yeah, totally get it is aimed at the mainstream American market.
Check this little Q and A with Alec Baldwin at the Hamptons Film Festival for proof of that.
But is Laird a mainstream draw?
Last I heard Laird had become a personal trainer to the stars......so it all makes sense that he would have contacts. My prediction? The greatest piece of hyperbolic bollocks since "In God's Hands".
...and another thing: the other executive producer - the one that isn't working for the WSL - is the 'Chief Creative Officer' at Laird Apparel which is Laird's own range of action wear, so you can expect this doco to be, you know, fearlessly objective.
So not only is it a vehicle for proselytizing surfing to Hampton elites but also an advertorial for Laird's duds.
Right on WSL. Way to make surfing great again.