Photo: James Katsipis
The Inertia proudly presents the second edition of HOMETOWN HYPE, presented by White Claw!
Wherever there’s a wave, surfers will find it. They then gather, chasing the flow state, fueled by ineffable forces of nature. Eventually, curious visitors and determined adventurers start to put down roots. They make friends, build homes, raise families – and a surf community is born.
These special places are found anywhere swells and seafloors converge. The most famous of them have become emblems of surf culture worldwide, but many more fly under the radar – unsung communities, at times thriving in the most unexpected of places.
HOMETOWN HYPE is a love letter to America’s greatest surf towns. In a series of short films, local filmmakers celebrate the unique beach towns they know and love – telling the stories of local residents, creatives, and of course, surfers.
Last year, we focused on the East Coast, but this time Hometown Hype is going big. After searching America, we found eight filmmakers to make films about seven unique and vibrant surfing communities: Newport, Oregon; Empire, Michigan; Sheboygan, Wisconsin; New Smyrna Beach, Florida; Rhode Island; Encinitas, California; and Haleiwa, Hawaii.
The Filmmakers
Newport, Oregon: Casey Felton
Instagram
YouTube
Oregon surf breaks are fickle beasts, and Newport, Oregon is no exception. But when it’s on, it’s world class. The only problem is that you have to be in the right place at the right time when it is. In order to do that, Casey’s film compiles 10 years of footage into a tribute to the surf community that helped start his filmmaking career – and one of the most robust surf towns in the Pacific Northwest.
Empire, Michigan: Mike King
Instagram
Mike King grew up surfing the Great Lakes, until a detour into professional skiing took him out West for a decade. Eventually, though, the filmmaking bug bit him, and he found himself documenting snowsports as much as competing in them. Then, when he moved back to Michigan, he became embedded in the Northern Michigan watersports scene, where each wave is made even more unique by dramatically variable Great Lake conditions that are not for the faint of heart.
Sheboygan, Wisconsin: Cole Sheldon and Andrew Jakus
Instagram
YouTube
Instagram
Sheboygan is often called “The Malibu of the Midwest,” but to Andrew Jakus and Cole Sheldon, it’s much more than that. Both men were raised by the Sheboygan boardsports community, and now Jakus owns the surf shop where he used to work as a grom. Together, Sheldon and Jakus dig in to the story of a surfing community with a long and rich history that has largely gone untold.
New Smyrna Beach, Florida: Sam Scribner
Instagram
YouTube
Website
New Smyrna Beach is the stuff of legends, for good and for bad. Equally known for shark attacks as it is for surf, the region has earned the moniker, “The Shark Bite Capital of The World.” For Sam Scribner, though, New Smyrna was a new beginning. Filming at New Smyrna became a way of returning to the world of surfing after an accident left him paralyzed from the chest down. In return, he’s paying homage to the legendary strip of beach that gave him a new lease on life.
Rhode Island: TJ Thran
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YouTube
Telling the story of Rhode Island’s surf community is a task TJ Thran has been training for his whole life. Even before he got behind a lens, Thran split his time between snowboarding in Vermont and surfing in Rhode Island. Now, he has the chance to sit down with lifelong friends and get to the bottom of what makes surfing in South County, RI so special.
Encinitas, California: Jeremy Searle
Instagram
In many ways, Encinitas is the quintessential surf town. It’s also where Jeremy Searle, a longtime contributor to The Inertia, grew up, making his way through the grom thunderdome, to the competitive surfing world, and eventually behind the lens. Now, he tells the story of a tight-knit community, comprised of a surprisingly eclectic mix of board riders
Haleiwa, Hawaii: Connor Trimble
Instagram
YouTube
Website
There is perhaps no more documented part of the surfing world than Oahu’s North Shore. As a filmographer, Connor Trimble has spent the past 10 years doing his part to add to the constant stream of incredible surf footage coming out of the Seven Mile Miracle. But aside from just stacking clips, Trimble seeks to stray beyond the shore and dig into the parts of the town that don’t make their way into your typical edit.
To celebrate these films, each town will host a premiere featuring live music, raffles to benefit local Surfrider chapters, and White Claw samples for attendees over 21. Entry is free, but space is limited.
Register to attend at the links below. We’ll be releasing profiles of each filmmaker as we approach each film premiere, so stay tuned.
The Schedule:
10/9: Newport, OR
10/22: Sheboygan, WI
10/23: Empire/Traverse, MI
10/29: Encinitas, CA
11/6: Rhode Island
11/12: New Smyrna, FL
11/20: Haleiwa, HI
Special thanks to our friends at White Claw for making this celebration of surf communities happen.
