Proximity By Taylor Steele

words by ben stephens

When you want to shoot your next surf movie, there are a number of people you could call on.

Joe G, the man behind Globe’s Strange Rumblings in Shangri La. It’s like watching a Wes Anderson surf flick.

The man behind the beautifully shot, South to Sian, Dustin Humphrey would be able to create a flick that you won’t forget.

Or, you could go straight to surf movie directing royalty, Mr Taylor Steele. For those of you who are new to that name, let me recap for you.

Steele drops his name as the director of movies that influence generations, take for example the 1992 classic that was Momentum. It was a 35-minute piece of film that merged punk and rock music with the likes of a young Kelly Slater shredding waves with Bad Religion playing in the background.

It shaped the way a generation surfed and pulled focus to surf movies across the world.

As well as Momentum, you can add Steele’s show reel Missing, which took Mick Fanning to the most radical places over 21 days. Then you Castles in the Sky, which was filmed over three years and five countries with 14 surfers. All of these are incredible pieces of surf cinematography that would be enough for anyone to rest their hat on.

But Steele has just dropped the trailer to the newest piece that he’s been working on… without further ado, Proximity.

I get chills.

Proximity plays out over the four seasons that make up the year, pairing two surfers of unique talent together.

The concept alone sounds rad, but it’s when you realise who Steele has wrangled in for this project, that’s when it hits.

John John Florence and Kelly Slater
Stephanie Gilmore and David Rastovich
Shane Dorin and Albee Layer
Rob Machado and Craig Anderson.

You can take just one of those duos and you have my attention; throw them all in and I’ll keep watching this trailer until the premiere.

Speaking of which the world premiere is on May 4 in NYC and will be in Australian theatres on May 12. Get your tickets HERE. You’ll not want to miss this.

#Proximity. Coming next month…or two. @john_john_florence @rob_machado @craig__anderson @daverasta @stephaniegilmore @shanedorian @live.fast.die.old @taylorsteele @toddglaser

A post shared by Kelly Slater (@kellyslater) on Apr 9, 2017 at 10:06pm PDT