Young filmmaker skims, trims

Suzie Harrison

With his second film premiering less than a year after his first,

it’s hard to believe that Elliot Micha is just 16. But Micha wouldn’t

have it any other way. He is driven by pure passion -- both for the

rising sport of skimboarding and the challenge of filmmaking.

“It’s amazing; my son was born 40 years old, I think,” Vicki Micha

said. “Nothing makes a mom happier than to see her son having a real

passion for something.”

Elliot Micha’s latest film, “Whirly Gig,” follows up on his first,

“Today Was Yesterday.” “Whirly Gig” will be screened at Laguna’s

South Coast Cinemas on April 7.

“Filming and editing are my passion; I spend hours and hours

perfecting stuff,” Elliot said.

The name of this movie came from his visits back East, where his

parents are from.

“The trees have seedlings that drop to the ground; when they drop

it’s a spinning motion, and they’re called whirly gigs,” Elliot said.

“It’s actually like most of the tricks in skimming; either the board

or rider is spinning around.”

Elliot has had an affinity for skimming since seventh grade.

However, when it comes time to chose to be on his board or behind the

camera, it’s no contest.

He started his own production company, Solid Skim Inc., when he

made his first film, “Today was Yesterday.”

Immediately following his first movie’s debut, Elliot started

working on his second.

“In this film [Whirly Gig], I’m using all professional level

products shot on a Canon GL2,” Elliot said. “I use an Apple G5

editing bay. I’ve used top-notch equipment and really go down and

pinpoint and fine-tune each clip individually. That was like the big

thing.”

His first movie had a different approach to skimboarding and

featured performers who have since become stars in the field.

“A lot of people hadn’t seen Sam Stinnett and now he’s known as

one of the top up-and-comers in the sport,” Elliot said.

Stinnett has already won a few skim championships and he’s only

11. Stinnett will also be prominently featured in “Whirly Gig.”

“Most of the people in the first movie are the same as the

second,” Elliot said. “Of course there’s new talent. The new

up-and-comers are Jake Stinnett and Hunter Poller. They weren’t in my

first film, but both are two of the top rising professionals and both

are in their teens.”

“Whirly Gig” also stars many big names in skim such as 10-time

world champion Bill Bryan, George Bryan, Brandon Sears and Paulo

Prietto.

“I worked really hard to get this project done and started to get

better and better at looking at each rider’s skimboarding style,

grace or stance,” Elliot said. “Now I’m able to form a part that

shows each person in a different way that suits them.”

Integrating the songs with the footage has also become more

exacting.

“I’m really sitting down and analyzing it, almost neurotic, in

certain aspects of the film,” Elliot said. “Every Friday and Saturday

night after I’ve finished my homework, I’ll work from 10 p.m. to 3

a.m. going over stuff trying to perfect everything.”

Like “Today Was Yesterday,” this movie was predominantly shot in

South Laguna at Aliso Creek, West Street and 10th Street beaches.

“I tried as many angle switch ups as possible with some aerial

views of the beach from buildings; I’d zoom down onto the beach,”

Elliot said. “Other shots are right at sand level, so people can see

the sand and it goes right into skimboarding.”

Elliot said his style has become more defined with each piece.

“This film raises the bar on overall types of maneuvers in the

sport of skimboarding,” Elliot said. “Laguna Beach is where

skimboarding started. It’s getting larger and larger with more

interest in the sport, which is so great.”

“Whirly Gig” will be shown at 7:15 and 8:15 p.m. Tickets are $7

and go on sale this week at the cinema box office, 162 South Coast

Highway.