If You’re Too Busy To Watch Torren Martyn & Ishka Folkwell’s Films, Then You Should Definitely Watch Them

The reticence is deliberate.

For many years now Torren Martyn and filmmaker and friend, Ishka Folkwell have traveled to remote corners of the world in search of good waves, mostly in freezing cold climates. “The more I travel, the more I film, the more I feel like I’m exposing places… I’m conscious of how we shoot waves, landmarks and that sort of thing. Which is common code if you’re filming, but it’s a bit tricky when you’re making a travel documentary to not say where you are,” Torren told Stab earlier this year.

Ali Klinkenberg’s words on Torren are great. You can read them here.

Their films make me feel inspired to travel. To actually make surfing your northstar and set out on a journey to find perfect uncrowded surf, as cliche as admitting that sounds. As one Stab commenter @Johnny_Utah_Bitch put it, “This is the shit every surfer dreams about… A refreshing departure from all those stupid Vlogs just pushing energy drinks and asking viewers to “Like and subscribe” to their channels… This is real, well done content that you can watch multiple times, much like JJF’s videos.”

Torren and Ishka have found a way to combine their passions and make a modest living from them. But their unique formula for success success isn’t inoculated from the occasional alarming reflection that, yes, these films have the potential to blow up spots and yes, they leave behind a carbon-footprint. The reticence is deliberate because it mitigates the former, and their journey’s, often lasting months, normally in a caravan doubling as a living and work space, shares their footprint to reduce the latter. Low-impact is always the goal. 

Torren’s films shouldn’t be crammed into a ten minute work break. It’s a kick your shoes off, boil the jug, twist up a joint, pour a glass and get it on the big screen type affair. And if you’re too busy to give them a watch at all, then you’re probably the person that needs to see them.