Second To None by Freddy Malone
North Shore local Freddy Malone has released his first film, Second To None, distributed exclusively by Mutiny Media, Inc. Sponsored by O'Neill, Freedom, Surfing Magazine, Arnette and Vans, the DVD is available online at BoardSportsVideos.com and ActionTrail.com, domestic and international dealer inquiries are invited at 1.866.342.6334. Email requests for further info can be sent to Mutiny Media, Inc.
Second To None follows in the tradition of classic surf porn titles like ...Lost's What's Really Goin' On, Pete Frieden's The Game and Volcom's Magnaplasm. Chock full of barrels, babes and bruises, Second To None goes for the jugular, featuring epic Indo barrels, super slab sessions at famed Bra Boys' break Ours in Sydney, Australia, ginormous Teahupo'o, including Ian Walsh's epic barrel and the best of the 2008 winter season in Hawaii, some sessions only weeks apart from the actual shoot and the release of the movie.
Embracing this style of filmmaking within the surf genre is simply taking a realistic look in the mirror. I've harped on this before and high-minded auteurs will likely deride a surf video like this, but in-the-trench producers like Freddy Malone deserve a lot more respect on a number of fronts than a guy working off of a corporate checkbook and cobbling together archival footage with talking head interviews under the guise of story-telling.
You've got to respect a producer who lives and breathes surfing, travels with and is considered one of the boys by the biggest names in the sport, and on top of that, foots the bill for the entire project on his own, not knowing whether his title is going to be received by the masses as a statement on contemporary surfing or simply get lost in the shuffle of corporate marketing pieces backed by huge advertising budgets.
The primary consumer for surf dvds is a 13-23 year old male. After a number of years in the business, I can safely say that my experience has led me to believe that most surfers are looking to surf videos for a vicarious thrill or to amp up before paddling out, maybe to study technique and style points, as well. Is this so bad? Does every bit of media have to have subtext, a higher purpose, a storytelling component--does surf video need to be high concept--do we want it to be?
Of course our sport and the culture of surfing deserves to have its stories told. Of course we all want to see well-produced 16mm features on the big screen. But do we really want 50-year old graybeards dictating the state-of-the-art to the next generation? Aren't these the same people that dropped their pants over Surf's Up and wailed in their handkerchiefs when John From Cincinnati was unceremoniously (and deservedly) dropped from the HBO lineup? Isn't it possible to go about your own business without tearing down others for being low-brow? Smacks of immaturity and insecurity to me.
In short, Second To None gives the primary demographic (Read: Shortboarders Under 30) exactly what they expect in a surfing dvd: Koby Abberton getting shacked out of his mind at Ours shot from a helicopter; Ian Walsh driving through one of the heaviest barrels ever at Chopes; ridiculously long barrels in Indo; airs, airs, airs; and a few gratuitous shots of pretty girls in bikinis. Freddy Malone may be a pornographer, but at least he's not a sell-out.
Trailer Available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yK_rzTSJdQY
Comments