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Welcome to the website for A DEEPER SHADE OF BLUE, my latest production

Master surf film maker Jack McCoy ventures into a new realm with his latest feature, A Deeper Shade of Blue. This is not a surf movie, it's a film about surfing's deepest roots: in the subconscious; in ancient lore; in the craft of surfboard building; in man's perpetual quest for a joyful relationship with the natural world. In eleven interwoven chapters, today's leading surfers are linked to those who came before, for a deeper appreciation of what it means to be a surfer and the soulful underlying power of modern surf culture. This is a big picture of a memorable story, beautifully told. It is a film about feeling good to be alive... and it will make you feel good. Aloha ~ Jack

The story of the evolution of modern surf culture in eleven chapters   Chapter 1 – The creation of waves; the first surfboard; and the surfers who dream of riding waves in all of their fascinating forms – then and now.   Chapter 2 – Surfing's ancient Hawaiian roots; Waikiki beach boy surfboard makers, the hot curl; and a current practitioner of the Hawaiian beach boy lifestyle, Jamie O’Brien.   Chapter 3 – The Waikiki-California-Malibu connection, with Rabbit Kekai; Joe Quigg, Phil Edwards, Miki Dora, David Nuuhiva and the Marshall Brothers, ripping on the Quigg designed Malibu Chip we know as the longboard.

Chapter 4 – Short board, mini-gun and tube riding evolution in California, Australia and Hawaii, presented by surfer film-makers, featuring George Greenough, Wayne Lynch, Gerry Lopez, Barry Kanaiapuni and Michael Peterson. Jack McCoy's new underwater jetski tracking shots spotlight Manoa Drollet on the modern short board in Tahiti's heaviest barrels.

Chapter 5 – High performance surfing, accelerated by surfers' invention of skateboards, and advanced by top-surfer shapers Ben Aipa, Mark Richards, Simon Anderson and Kelly Slater, coincides with the rise of professional contests and leads to a super-session at Jeffries bay with today's best pros.

Chapter 6 – Princess Kaiulani and Gidget kick surfing into high gear and inspire a cavalcade of women surfers, presented by current World Champ Stephanie Gilmore.

Chapter 7 – Surfers' inventions take surfing to the masses: the leg-rope, boogie, soft board, skimboard, skateboard, sailboard, kiteboard, wakeboard and snowboard foster aerial surfing. Jordy Smith is our brilliant test pilot.

Chapter 8 – After a life-changing accident, pro surfer Derek Hynd revisits the hot curl and Hawaiian finless surfing, updating finless board designs and giving them a mind-blowing workout – a fitting wake for the fin.

Chapter 9 – Reclusive surfer-shaper Tom Wegener goes a step further back in historic Hawaiian surfboards and recreates the hardwood alai'a in flexible Powlonia wood. A young crew of back-to-the-futurist surfers prove the timeless worth of this ancient "green" finless craft.

Chapter 10 – Big wave riding history and the development of boards to ride them continues today with Marty Paradisis at one of the scariest big waves on the planet.

Chapter 11 – The Hawaiian tradition of Aloha has been surfing's guiding creed since Duke Kahanamoku presented surfing to the world. Modern Hawaiian surfer Brian Keaulana and shaper Terry Chung exemplify the spirit of Aloha. Terry glides like a bird on a futuristic foiled keel.

Any questions or thoughts, or if you'd like to be notified when the movie is going to be released, please sign up to our mailing list on our Contacts page.

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THE TEAM

I am working with a fantastic team, who are as committed as I am to creating an incredible surfing experience; complete with stunning cinematography. I believe I'm shooting some of the highest quality images I've ever been able to capture.

As with all the films I make, I consider it a real honor to be working with a group of talented and very cool people on A Deeper Shade of Blue. Several people have been working with me on this film since my last movie in 2006 – Free as a Dog. First and foremost is my wife Kelly who is producing. She keeps the whole show together at the business end, allowing me to focus totally on the film.

Derek Hynd, Peter Hock and Garth Murphy have been with me during the inception stage, and creating our investment proposal. DH spent a year and a half with me researching our surf culture while we raised the money. The result is what I call our "Bible". It is over 400 pages long and three inches thick, full of oral stories and surf history that we are drawing from for the film.

A double take on DH is that footage that I’ve been fortunate to capture of his free friction surfing over this period is embedded in the project. It forms part of the theme of ADSOB. It unintentionally fed its own space. It blew out too many people who saw the rushes.

I met Peter Hock within a week of landing in Australia from Hawaii in April 1970. We've been friends ever since. Peter worked with me showing surfing films like Five Summer Stories and then went on to a career in writing. He has a string of amazing credits, one of which was writing the successful Sydney Olympic Proposal. When I made my first film for Billabong in 1990, it was Peter who came up with Bunyip Dreaming and has been working on my films ever since.

Garth Murphy is my Sensei and collaborator on many projects. He and his wife Euva have supported me and my art for many years, for which I'm deeply grateful. Garth is a deep thinker and writer who has contributed incredible input to my productions on many levels; ultimately in writing.

My favorite line of his is in Blue Horizon... "Rasta is the only surfer I know who can tickle the lip behind his back in the tube, sort of like a blind man reading brail, decoding a message only a waterman can understand," during a high speed shot of Rasta doing exactly that. His novel The Indian Lover, spans the years 1845 to 1851 – the final days of California under the rule of Spain and Mexico. It is an amazing read, especially for people living in Southern California.

Once we started production I asked Graeme Davey to come on board. Gravey and I started working together on Bunyip Dreaming and he has worked with me shoulder to shoulder on most of my films since then. His lateral approach to seemingly normal subjects is unreal. His commitment to making it interesting, creative and beautiful never ceases to amaze me. All of that, along with his love of surfing and appreciation of its roots, is one of the greatest assets the production has.

Campbell Wilson worked with me during the Occumentary days and we've done a few little things over the years. The Yoga teacher needed some arm twisting to come do some editing with us, and we're very grateful for his help and support, as we rough out some of the sequences and have a look as some the styles we're going to try and incorporate.

Gary Seegar from Music Mill is our Music Producer. I've worked with Gary for several years. He started wording for my Music Guru Roger Grierson in clearing my soundtracks, and took over from Roger when he retired. Gary has helped me throughout the years in clearing some great tracks, and it's an honor to have him on board for ADSOB as the Music Producer.

Good friend Sarah Longhurst is guiding us with invaluable input, as she did with Blue Horizon and Free As A Dog. Sarah's love for music has seen her working in the music industry looking after arts rights, managing bands and putting creative people together.

Jacob "Woody" Wooden came to us almost two years ago – very fresh and green – and I now feel he’s a great all-around shooter and main man around the office. Because of his size we make a great team shooting off a jet ski tracking the action.

Bali Strickland, Alex Neiberg, Michael Sander, Elliot Leobe, Grem Lenton, Cyrus Sutton, Mike Pricket, Jace Panebianco, Johnny DeCesare, Lachie McKinnon, Gordo the Great, Joel Scott and Cooper McCoy are all shooting, along with several others. Martin Cooper, Murray Fahey are doing our legals and David Cornwall and Cathy Priebennow, the accounting.

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THE EQUIPMENT AND SOFTWARE

I have chosen Panasonic P2 Techonology for my first ever HD production, with the help of Panasonic Australia. Thanks to Daniel Preiss, Matt Mannall, Mathew Alexander, Sandro Ricci and Rodney Sammut for all of the constant support.

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Warren Delbridge at TVD Broadcast has been not only a great friend and help over the years, but is an amazing supporter of Australian Surfing films. Warren has single-handedly helped restore Morning of the Earth, Bob Evans' films, Steve Core's Ocean Rhythms and several others. Warren is the the unsung hero of Australian Surfing Films. Big Thanks and aloha to you brudda.

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Super 16mm HD color grade by Dwayne Hyde. HD to film blow up and constant support from Warren Lynch at Intercolor. Thanks to Apple Australia and Tony Tubridy and Laura Dowd at Comp Now. Cutting on Final Cut Studio 2. HUGE THANKS to Michael Frew. External Lenses, accessories and camera service, Lemac Sydney. Thanks also to Scott Backhouse, Rob Jones, Matthias Pittner and Graham Jones.

I've been using Sydney made Miller Tripods all my film life; let me see, that's about 35 years. Love 'em. From the old wooden sticks to the new telescopic lightweight legs with the small yet rock solid head. Special thanks to Heidi and all the crew.

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For the past three year we've had the help and support of Ben Matson and his team from SwellNet. The heads up on what's coming has been like having a crystal ball. Thanks for all the help and support with a 95% correct call record for this production.

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As we head into the home stretch we'll be bringing on our usual gang of post production specialists, and we'll keep you updated in the News as to who's involved as we rock on.

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CONTACT US

Thanks very much for checking us out here on the web. Any questions or thoughts, please drop us a line from our Contacts page.

Thanks and Aloha ~ Jack