Stab Magazine | Watch: A Truly Independent Surf Film, Lost In Thought

Live Now: Chapter 11 Mini-Documentary With Dane Reynolds

1212 Views

Watch: A Truly Independent Surf Film, Lost In Thought

This film was made by surfers, for surfers, with no financial assistance or agenda. 

cinema // Sep 1, 2019
Words by stab
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Hunter Martinez, 24, was born in Pasadena, California—about an hour from the Santa Monica Pier, or two in peak traffic. 

When his family finally moved to the beach, Hunter’s interest in surfing became a bona fide passion. He surfed whenever he could, made countless friends in the water, and even tried his hand at local surf events, but the inland upbringing prevented Hunter from high-level competitive success.

“I wasn’t that good, but it was still fun to surf with my friends and see their level of talent,” Hunter admitted.

Due to his separation from the coast, Hunter had missed those crucial hours of practice in his developmental years—the ones that form an athlete’s muscle memory and, ultimately, determine their ability. 

But Hunter recognized this fact early and, after negotiating the five stages of grief, decided that even though he wasn’t going to be a professional surfer, he could still create a life for himself in the sport that he loved. So Hunter picked up a camera and started snapping pictures of his most talented friends, including Eithan Osborne, Shane Borland, and Micky Clarke.

Shane Borland Straight Air by Claire Murphy
Shane Borland’s got end section in this film—for good reason. Photo: Clair Murphy 

Hunter’s sharp eye and unwavering dedication made him a quick study; he even went to photo school for six months, in an attempt to master the art of photography, but started getting booked on so many jobs and trips that he dropped out and became a full-time freelancer.

“It felt like the right move for me at the time,” Hunter said.

But as the market’s need for photos diminished and video’s stock continued to rise, Hunter made the choice that so many photographers have been forced to in recent years—he adopted motion picture as his primary form of capture.

While video mightn’t have been Hunter’s passion, this move benefitted both he and his friends, whose symbiotic connection led to mutual career growth: Hunter as a filmer, his pals as professional surfers.  

“It’s been awesome seeing how much better they’ve gotten in recent years,” Hunter said. 

Any time that Hunter wasn’t doing commercial gigs (gotta pay the rent, right?), he was filming with guys like Eithan, Shane and Micky. Some of Hunter’s earlier clips that you may have seen on this site include Micky Clarke’s Fricked and Fricked II, A Snap Back to Reality with Andrew Jacobson, and Shane en Central America.

Screen Shot 2019 08 30 at 6.03.38 PM
Meet Hunter. Young, handsome, astutely naive.

After a while, though, Hunter decided that he wanted to challenge himself. He wanted to create something more meaningful than the short, individualistic edits that define modern surf media. He wanted to make a full-length film, with all of his friends, and he wanted full creative control.

So Hunter did something that we haven’t seen in some time:

“I wanted to make an independent surf film,” Hunter said.

And he means truly independent. No sponsors, whatsoever.

“The surfers helped me pay for my trips, flights and all that, but everything else, like camera equipment and developing film, has been all on me,” Hunter revealed.

All up, this amounted to three or four grand out of Hunter’s pocket, plus the countless work hours that went into the film, which could have gone toward more lucrative projects.

But this wasn’t just a labor of love. Hunter sees Lost in Thought (AKA LIT) as an elite portfolio piece—something he can show potential employers to demonstrate his ability as a filmmaker. So all the time and money he invested was essentially an investment in himself. A brave, yet wise decision from the 24-year-old.

Oh, and if any brands are reading this, Hunter is available for inquiry! 

Gunner Day Head in the Clouds
Introducing Gunner Day, whose layback is Marko-lite!

We asked Hunter what was the biggest lesson he learned when making LIT. 

“Just how difficult it is to turn your concept into a reality. But I’m really happy with how this film came out in the end.”

LIT features sections from California, Panamá, Portugal, Mexico, and beyond, and was captured over the course of a year. It includes Stab High competitors Shane Borland and Eithan Osborne, plus underground California talents like Micky Clarke, Gunner Day, Colin Moran, Wil Reid, and more. 

Click above to enjoy. 

Comments

Comments are a Stab Premium feature. Gotta join to talk shop.

Already a member? Sign In

Want to join? Sign Up

Advertisement

Most Recent

Watch: João Chianca Had A Remarkable Hawaii Season Before His Injury

Plus an update on his condition.

Mar 28, 2024

Pittar’d And Feathered

Do the WSL judges deserve the internet's wrath? We asked the man of the hour.

Mar 28, 2024

Robbo, Pickles, And Tyler Wright Become The Underdogs Breakfast At Uninspiring Winkipop

The foreboding blade sharpens and inconsistent judging prevails on Day Two in Torquay.

Mar 27, 2024

“I Don’t Always Win Heats, But When I Do, I Try To Beat John John”

Slater shines and the axe begins its descent on Day 01 at Bells.

Mar 26, 2024

Back Against The Wall: The Ramzi Boukhiam Redemption

Morocco's first CT surfer on speaking six languages, having no coach, and snatching Fil Toledo's…

Mar 25, 2024

Will Kirra, Babies or JJF Stop a GOAT Winning at Bells?

Bluesky BOAG advice from a Superman specialist and former Trials winner.

Mar 25, 2024

Bells Preview: The WSL’s Victorian Sword Dancing Equinox Ritual

Will a Brazilian crack the Top 10 at Bells?

Mar 25, 2024

69 Shin Bones Later + the Anticlimactic State of Big Wave Record-Breaking

Lucas Chumbo might have surfed the biggest wave ever this year. But how will we…

Mar 23, 2024

Watch: ‘Fresh and Fried’ Ft the Quik Kids

How taxing is it to tackle the Gold Coast’s Triple Crown in a single day,…

Mar 23, 2024

The Popular Vote: The People’s Stab In The Dark With Kolohe Andino Champion

Which board looked best — to you —under Kolohe's talons?

Mar 22, 2024

Six Key Learnings From Portugal

Three CT events in, what do we know? 

Mar 21, 2024

‘Zipper’ Is Going On Tour, Here’s Where You Can Watch It  

Dates, times + locations for the Venice, Encinitas, Sydney + Byron premieres.  

Mar 20, 2024

Dane Reynolds On His Future, His Past, And Chapter 11’s Raison D’être

Our 9-minute plunge into the collective psyche of Ventura's pillar(s).

Mar 20, 2024

From ‘Blue Ribbon Cross Country Runner’ to Vogue – How Steph Again Is Back With A Rip Curl Remix

Everything we know about the she-GOATs sponsorship boomerang.

Mar 18, 2024

Stab Interview: Darren Handley Explains Why You Can’t Buy The Winning Stab In The Dark Model

And his decades-long standoff with Slater.

Mar 17, 2024

Griff Embraces Portugal’s Eternal Time Loop To Vanquish Medina + Ewing, Defay Delays The Inevitable

A redeeming closing act at Supertubos.

Mar 16, 2024

The Secret Behind Lungi Slabb’s Inconceivable Greenmount Funnel

Six broken boards, one leaking forehead, and five days of Superbank mysticism.

Mar 16, 2024

Cheat Codes: A Million Miles Worth Of Travel Advice From Coco Ho

Hard-earned wisdom from more than 2,000 hours in the troposphere.

Mar 15, 2024
Advertisement