Is The Gold Coast The Best Place To Be A Surf Filmer?

You might have seen the name Billy Lee Pope floating around your social channels in recent months. 

Billy Lee Pope.

What, is he from the American south?

A rockstar?

Son of a preacher man?

No! Just a kiwi with a camera, ample artistic vision, and a deep appreciation for elite waveriding. Below we get to know Billy a little better, for his work (above) is worthy and we can sense his star rising!

Introducing Mr. Pope.

Stab: How old are you, and where are you from?
Billy Lee Pope: I’m 23 years old, from Raglan, New Zealand.

Who’s your favorite person to film?
It’s a tie between Kehu Butler & Liam O’Brien, both guys are extremely talented, consistent, humble. It’s exciting to watch their careers grow. Hopefully I can play a part in helping them with that too! You can’t really ask for much more from my perspective.

This piece looks like a lot of east coast Australia. If you had to spend a month filming at another spot on the globe, where would it be?
Yeah, you’re right. I’ve stayed pretty local the past year, but Id love to go to Europe or Hawaii. The differences in culture, architecture, and environment would have me really inspired. I think at this point in my life I’d learn, grow, and get plenty out of it.

Most surf filmers are pretty handy themselves on a surfboard. How would you rate your surfing skills?
My surfing skills are pretty average. It stings a little, it is what it is [laughs].

Is the Gold Coast the best place to be a surf filmer?
I guess that kinda depends. For me right now I think it’s perfect – I’m trying to build a name for myself, the whole industry is here, and if not it will come to town next month, so it’s a pretty good spot to hang out and meet people. Wave-wise, that Oma swell was next level, but in saying that, filming shoulder-to-shoulder with 10 guys isn’t super inspiring. I’d be way more psyched on going up or down the coast with one or two guys looking for an uncrowded bank and film that.