Online Now: ‘Horse’ – A Tranquilising Surf Film Of Shelf Discovery Ft Noa Deane
“Mash was just a mash of shit, this is a bit more cohesive,’ says filmmaker James Kates.
“Noa is kind of a human horse,” says filmmaker James Kates on his second brew of the morning. “So it works as a title on a few different levels. Horsepower, workhorse. I mean the guy has horses. And they’re kinda chank but mystical – like Noz.”
Unlike Mash, which was a “mash of shit” as Katesy candidly describes, Horse is a more cohesive narrative, centered around two international trips—one to the rugged emerald coast of Ireland and the other to the remote Canaries. This time, the pair aimed to create something that carries a more structured and cohesive vibe. The soundtrack, crafted by a gifted, lowkey muso named Russell W, adds a layer of depth and cohesion that sets Horse apart from its predecessor – “Think: sample collages that nod to the early 00’s bodyboard films by Mickey Smith, which it’s heavily inspired by. It’s got flavor, brother”.
One of the most intriguing aspects of Horse is its five-day sojourn to the Canaries in “the middle of nowhere” off the West African coast alongside fellow Stone rider Makoa Gomez. “I think Noz was just stoked to get tubed on his backhand. When the waves dropped off, there was a right-hander that was good for turns. It was cool to see him actually trying to do turns for once; I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before. Usually, he only does turns by accident when he’s setting up for an air or something.”
Back in Australia, the filmmaker spent weeks doing some intensive shelf-discovery at nearby reefs, ultimately capturing an entire segment at one wave. Their dedication to quality over quantity ensures that every moment in Horse is packed with 30-minutes or so of substantial, gunty surfing—not just a five-minute clip that leaves you famished, wondering why you came.
Funding the project was no easy feat. Katesy + Noz leveraged ‘Mash cash’ from ticket sales and swindled some support from Volcom to assist with the editing process. However, to truly bring Horse to life, Katesy and Noz did a series of prems across Australia, including a notable one at Port Macquarie, where a portion of the proceeds were donated to Rage-teamrider Kai Mckenzie’s recovery, who was attacked by a GW shark last year.
In the end, Horse isn’t just a surf movie; but a labor of love. “I’m getting older and don’t have children, so I’m just ramping up the output in the hopes I can make this sort of creative work viable. It’s the best job in the world if you can make it work,” says Katesy, who coincidentally will also be dropped his Shining Bird album on the same day. “That’s been ‘fermenting’ for over two years. So next week’s going to be a big dopa[mine] dump. How am I going to replenish?”
The fact Noa and Katesy were able to back up Mash so quickly after such an uncertain surf-induzzy climate makes them absolute steamboats. Horse will leave its mark— as a powerful statement of what it means to truly live for it.
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