Founded by Rusty Preisendorfer in 1985, the brand quickly became known for its high-performance surfboards. By the early 2000s, Rusty had expanded into a global apparel business, licensing the brand across different regions. The headquarters remain in Western Australia, where the small, dedicated team manages everything from design to marketing. While Rusty nearly disappeared during the era of major surf brand acquisitions, it survived by sticking to its roots and focusing on core surf shops. Today, Rusty is experiencing a resurgence, thanks in part to a renewed focus on direct-to-consumer sales and an online presence that has allowed them to regain momentum.

Watch Now: ‘Revival’ A Rusty Team Surf Film

5000 A-clips boiled down to 55-minutes of high-powered surf cinema.

cinema // Nov 11, 2024

Words by Ethan Davis

Reading Time: 5 minutes

“I think there were 5,000 good clips from two years of shooting, and half of them were minute-long waves in Mexico,” recalls Letty Mortensen. “When I handed the hard drives to Spenny, he just shook his head like, ‘Holy shit, boys. What am I supposed to do with this?'”

Revival is also a landmark moment for Rusty, marking their first full-length surf film since Changes in 2008. Luke Clark, Rusty’s Global Marketing Manager, explained how the creation of Revival was a masterclass in “seek forgiveness, not permission” after initially having the idea rejected by their CEO, Geoff. “When we first floated the idea to him he was like, ‘no, don’t do that. That’s a terrible waste of resources and money’,” laughs Luke. “So initially we had to kind of lie to him.”

“The best part of working for a private company is the lack of a board of directors or layers of general managers scrutinizing our every move. When I worked in the surf brand space, it felt like we were just copying what everyone else was doing. The focus was on short online edits—quick, flashy videos that might get some views but were soon forgotten. There wasn’t much lasting impact. We just wanted to create something with a bit more quality and longevity that we could be proud to stand behind as a brand,” explained Luke, who shot all the marketing campaigns himself to ensure the budget didn’t get blown out.

In secret, the team pressed on saving their best clips while fulfilling marketing obligations with less crucial footage. “We were putting out all the B-clips, and saving the big ones for the main movie,” said Luke. It wasn’t until they had a substantial collection of footage that they revealed their plan, prompting an impressed Geoff to change his mind. “He was like ‘you fucking slippery gypsies!’” before green-lighting the final production push and pulling out the cheque book.

It almost goes without saying, the Rusty crew is like the Addams Family of surf teams—each member quirky, chaotic, and distinct, yet together forming a strangely cohesive unit. That’s by design according to Luke. “I’ve always envisioned our team like Voltron. I don’t need ten identical kids on the QS; I need different characters who bring something unique to the table.”

Speaking to Rusty’s team building philosophy, Clark explained “For me, the key has always been the “van metric”—if I can put everyone in the same van and we all get along and have a good time, then they’re part of the team. And that’s the approach we’ve taken every time.” Rusty’s latest signing Zoe McDougall passed the van test with flying colors on Stab Highway + Vacation, something they referenced when bringing her on board.

Take Ollie Henry, one of West Oz’s best shallow water samurais who opens the film on home turf. “Whether it’s cars, making YouTube content or hunting with his compound bow, Ollie puts all his energy into it and learns everything about it,” Letty surmised. “He’s a crazy man. But he’s also incredibly selfless and considerate.” You can read about how he towed Mortensen into 20 of the biggest waves of his life earlier this year here.

“He’s 100% got the lunatic gene,” says Taj Burrow of Ollie. We’ve been given no evidence that suggests otherwise. Photo: Nick White

Then there’s Zeke. Loud, brash, impulsive and loyal: “We were at a Revival prem in Margaret River, and some thugs from out of town started shoving our sales rep on the dancefloor. Security ended up kicking everyone out. Next thing Zeke spots these guys on the street, probably eight of them, and just runs up and tackles them. They all started fucking him up but that’s Zeke for you—he doesn’t back down, even if it means copping a flogging.”

A one-man media machine and provocateur with undeniable talent above the lip.

In contrast to the steamboat that is Zeke, is Wade Carmichael, the steady, calm force of the group. “How would I describe Wade? A happy, well-adjusted individual who knows how to live life and move water,” laughs Letty. “He loves the simple pleasures—beer in the desert, good cooking on his Traeger, his toys—his jet ski, ute and so on. He’s a chart oracle too, he reads the forecast like no one else.”

Carmichael and his signature power hook. A lead-footed approach we miss seeing on the CT.

Letty, who is listed as a star and a producer, says the editing process was grueling, largely due to the sheer volume of footage. However, the goalposts were clear: create a film with the same vibe as the surf movies that inspired them, like Kai Neville’s Modern Collective and Lost Atlas. “Trip-based films make you want to pack your bags and go on an adventure. Profile pieces are great,” Letty concedes, “but I’m drawn to the journey—going somewhere new. It’s cool to see different approaches to the same wave and feel that sense of place.”

Letty, deep in the belly of the Bite. “Getting out to this wave is tricky, and one day it was really pulsing, making it terrifying to get back in. Wade managed to get in first, but it was gnarly, with set after set hitting you on the head as you tried to time your exit. Wade then grabbed a bodyboard for Rex Nink (filmer) and signaled for me to go in and grab it. It took me forever to make it in, but I managed. I timed the waves perfectly through this narrow alley, where huge sets were crashing. I threw the bodyboard to Rex after about 40 minutes of trying to time it right. Rex then had to navigate the sets—these were eight-foot waves, and he struggled to get in position. We kept telling him, “Not yet, stay out the back,” until finally he made a break for it. He barely made it over the rocks and reef before the next big set hit. At one point, we seriously questioned if we’d have to bring the ski around from another bay, which would’ve taken over an hour. It was beyond stressful—just a wild, intense situation. Rex was almost done for, but he made it.”

With two years of travels, countless waves, and a nostalgic nod to surf films of the past, Revival is more than just a movie—it’s an ode to the joy of surfing with your mates and fucking scoring. “We’re not those big-profile guys, but hopefully this film will make you want to surf, hit the road, and have an adventure,” Letty concludes.