Art of surf cinema

Suzie Harrison

For world champion surfer Ian “Kanga” Cairns, surfing is not just

about the art of being on the water. It’s also about the art of surf

films.

That’s why he and his wife, Alisa -- also a former pro surfer --

have launched Global Sports Project, a company that seeks out

fledgling surf films and turns them into cinema-quality productions.

“My life as a surfer was influenced by surf movies like ‘Hot

Generation’, ‘Evolution’ and ‘Innermost Limits of Pure Fun’ and we at

GSPSrf will be stoked if our projects influence a new generation of

surfers in the 21st century,” Cairns states on his website.

For their first such endeavor, they went not to Hawaii but to an

unlikely surfing spot -- Lake Superior. And in the winter.

The company’s first surf cinema tour in Laguna Beach will be a

double feature premiere at South Coast Cinema on Tuesday. “Unsalted:

A Great Lakes Experience” by Vince Deur and “Next in Line” by Jessie

Marley will be screened.

“Unsalted” was filmed in a place most surfers in the world

wouldn’t fathom -- fresh water, at 33 degrees.

Ian Cairns thinks it’s a phenomenal story that will appeal to a

broad audience.

“It’s a different life story, different community and another

world,” he said.

“Next in Line” travels the globe to surfing hot spots, capturing

some of the best-known surfers on film. A filmmaker, surfer and pro

snowboarder, Marley even points the camera at himself and

demonstrates some big-air snowboard action.

Laguna-based pro surfer and artist Steven Chew -- a.k.a. “Slidawg”

-- who’s in the film “Unsalted,” also designed the movie’s

promotional T-shirts.

Chew said he and the other surfers experienced eight-foot overhead

barreling waves during the making of the film.

“The surfing experience was completely different, you’re not as

buoyant in fresh water,” Chew said.

Chew said that the waves come close together and break fast.

“It’s more difficult to get out there,” Chew said. “You have to be

in the exact right spot at the right time. It’s like surfing a

class-four diamond run on a (ski) slope.”

Longtime Laguna residents, the Cairns have been entrenched in the

surfing world for decades; Ian both behind and in front of the camera

for more than 30 years.

Ian, who won four professional titles on the world tour between

1976 and 1980, founded the Association of Surfing Professionals, the

U.S. Open of Surfing, was one of the founders of the multi-action

sports television program Bluetorch. He was also an integral part of

the popular surf film “Big Wednesday.”

“Global Sports Project started to help filmmakers get off the

ground, by mentoring, helping write and edit, so they can take it to

the next level,” Alisa said. “He’s been around the block for some

time. Now he’s able to help some of these young surfers.”

Cairns has priceless connections in the surfing world that give

access to state-of-the-art filmmaking equipment, professional surfers

and any tools they might need.

“An example of what we do -- here we are premiering ‘Unsalted’ and

‘Next in Line’ -- my job is mentoring the filmmakers, help organize

their business life and production life of their movies,” Ian said.

Ian said that “Next in Line’s” imported master tape’s audio was

completely shot on Tuesday only days before its premier. The

filmmaker was panicked wondering what he was going to do. With Ian’s

expertise, they’ll be able to rebuild the audio track, remix it and

have it ready for its May 31 showing.

“We’ll get our technical team together and it will look gold at

the premier,” Ian said.

He explained that many surfers aspiring to be filmmakers will put

much time and effort into their movies, but don’t have the

fundamental elements, the production background or skills to produce

a top-quality film.

“We take their good work and put the final shine and gloss on it,”

Ian said.

Alisa’s sister Cindy Monahan, vice-president of operations,

longtime Laguna resident, is also part of the Global Sports Project

team; she facilitates with her marketing expertise on areas of

advertising, scheduling, promotions and art and design.

“I work full time and more, 12 to 14 hours a day,” Monahan said.

“I pour my heart and soul into it-- it’s family.”

“Unsalted: A Great Lakes Experience” and “Next in Line” will be

shown at 6 p.m. Tuesday, at South Coast Cinema, 162 S. Coast Highway.

Both filmmakers will be present to give a talk and present their

movie. Tickets are $10. The double feature will also play at the Lido

Theater in Newport Beach at 7:30 on June 2. For information, call

Global Sports Project at (714) 698-7660 or go to https://www.global

sportsproject.com.