The San Diego Surf Film Festival is honored to announce our screening panel for the inaugural festival celebrating independent surf cinema over the May 11-13th, 2012 weekend at Bird’s Surf Shed. A lot of thought went into creating a well-balanced group of individuals whose common thread is their passion and love for all things surfing. This group has accepted the difficult task of deciding which films make it into the festival and although we are providing a twist to the competitive format (the filmmakers will be the final judges) that doesn’t make their decisions any easier. So instead of giving you a bunch of resumes I will present insight into why they were chosen and are perfect for the job. Introducing the new San Diego Surf Film Festival screening panel of which I am proud to consider family to all of us.
Hoots and Shakas,
PMK
Scott Bass (Founder and Director of the Sacred Craft Surf Expo). Scott has always impressed me by having the courage and integrity to tell you exactly what is on his mind. He is very protective of the surfing community and his creation of the Sacred Craft stands as a testament to his belief of maintaining the soul that has been handed down to us by the legends who have nurtured surfing from it’s infancy.
www.sacredcraftexpo.com
Barry K Haun (Curator and Creative Director of the Surfing Heritage Foundation). Barry was an easy choice simply because he works, lives and breathes surfing. Being Creative Director at the Surfing Heritage Foundation literally has him engulfed by the aura and energy that comes with being surrounded by one of two of the most amazing surfboard collections I have ever seen. I equate Barry with a warm smile and a hearty handshake that is genuine and always welcoming.
www.surfingheritage.org
Eric “Bird” Huffman (Owner/ Operator of Bird’s Surf Shed). Bird has been a pillar of the San Diego surfing community for over 40 years and has recently steered away from the everyday retail aspect of the surf industry and has ventured out to create a completely unique path for himself. He took his private surfboard collection of over 450 boards and created Bird’s Surf Shed. His quonset hut turned surfing heartbeat is the site of the San Diego Surf Film Festival and the Huffmans are literally inviting all of us into their home.
www.birdssurfshed.com
Adam Instone (GoPro Marketing Coordinator). I had the pleasure of meeting Adam last year while he was filming the local school kids surfing and we just recently reconnected. Adam is going to have to counterbalance some of the salties we have on our panel. Adam brings a youthful exuberance to the screening panel that is much needed. I know that surfing keeps all of the other guys and girls young but we actually could use someone who still has his ID checked.
www.gopro.com
Ed Lewis (Owner and Designer at *enjoy handplanes, The Leucadia Project and Daily Shaka). Ed Lewis is permanently stoked. I am pretty sure he has watched every surf film ever made and finds the good in everything. If it were up to Ed we would accept every single film and have the festival run the entire month of May. We are going to have to keep a close eye on Ed. “Hoots and Shakas” is Ed’s mantra and when you meet him, you too will be stoked.
www.enjoyhandplanes.com
Ashley Lloyd (Surfer, Shaper and Musician). My wife Petra and I had the pleasure of meeting Ashley at the Santa Cruz Sacred Craft show and I thought the boards she shapes are so beautiful and the fact that her logo states, “made with love” says it all. As if this wasn’t enough, she then grabbed a guitar and performed to the delight of everyone in attendance. I am not ashamed to admit that she is probably 10 times cooler than I am.
www.ashleylloydmusic.com
Jan Mallis (CEO, President and Founder of too many companies to list) To say that Jan is qualified for the screening panel would be a massive understatement. Since I was a grom, I have always knew her by her huge smile in the lineup but after reading her bio, I was simply blown away. Let's just say that both sides of her brain are firing. Jan has produced several large projects, run companies and developed business plans and strategies for an impressive array of firms and stand-alone projects in the States and Australia. She also spends more time on Tavarua then anybody should be allowed. Filmmakers, it would behoove you to get to know Jan. In a nutshell, we love Jan.
www.tavarua.com
Mark Marovich (Web Manager and Green Guy at Spy Optics). Aside from his multitude of duties at Spy, Mark runs a website called the Greener Blue which is aimed at holding the surf industry to a higher standard. This is not an easy job and the San Diego Surf Film Festival accepts this same responsibility. Mark is the eternal optimist and his positive outlook fits in perfectly with the rest of the screening panel.
www.spyoptic.com
Cher Pendarvis (Artist, Author and Photographer). Cher defines “Aloha”. She has been a fixture in the San Diego surf community and everybody who knows her can only speak very highly of her. She is an extremely talented individual whose creativity never fails to amaze me. She helps her husband Steve with the day-to-day operation of Pendoflex Surfboards and starts off each day with a beach walk photo and an inspiring message she shares with the world. Pure and simple, Cher is good people. Cher was an easy pick for us and I am proud that she accepted the screening panel offer.
www.pendo.com
Glenn Sakamoto (Creator of Liquid Salt Magazine and Sakamoto Studio). Glenn adds the quirky sense of humor that we all need. He is amazingly talented with his design aesthetics and a great guy to hang out with. His work with Liquid Salt uncovers the authentic surfing culture that has been getting lost in the shuffle. I look forward to spending more time with Glenn and I am pretty sure he still owes me a beer.
www.liquidsaltmag.com
Andrea Siedsma (Freelance Writer and Media Specialist at Saltwater Media). To say that Andrea is prolific is a bit of an understatement. Whether she is conducting interviews with surf legend Mike Hynson or helping out with community projects such as the Cardiff Surf Classic her 20 years of journalism has covered almost every topic there is. She is a staunch defender of renewable energies and sustainability and recognizes the need to educate the global community in a clear, concise and thoughtful manner.
www.hippydirt.blogspot.com
Geoffrey Smart (Partner at misfit pictures) Geoffrey has the technical, practical and educational components necessary to excel in the world of film. He understands the arduous road that filmmakers must travel but still holds the art of cinema to a very high standard. He will tell you point blank what works and that which does not. Without Geoffrey, I would have never graduated from film school and for that alone I am eternally grateful. Geoffrey is unique as a film critic in the sense that he actually creates films and doesn’t just tear them apart.
Zach Weisberg (Founder and Editor in Chief of The Inertia). The Inertia’s tagline is The Planet’s Largest Network of Thinking Surfers. This alone speaks volumes of what Zach has brought to the table. No longer will surfers be subjected to the Spicoli stigma and I commend Zach for bringing intelligent and well-balanced discourse to the forefront. In my opinion, Zach has amassed the finest group of writers the surfing world has to offer.
www.theinertia.com
