Exclusive: PassmoreLab Completes Principal Photography on New 3D Surfing Film

Jim here. I often admire surfers as doing something that I have always wanted to do but have never tried. I think many of us are in the same boat! What if you could experience what it would be like to surf without getting wet? Enter 3D immersion. PassmoreLab is giving us the exclusive first look at what this project us all about...

Photo: Kyla Langen in Hawaii during production of PHYSICS OF SURFING.

From the release: PassmoreLab, the San Diego-based multi-media 3D production studio, has completed principal photography in the Hawaiian Islands on a new educational 3D surfing film called Physics of Surfing, available to science centers and museums this Spring.

The film, shot on RED cameras in high-definition 3D, and using PassmoreLabʼs proprietary 3D rigs and stereo synthesis conversion, follows two professional female surfers as they surf Hawaii’s North Shore and famous beaches along California’s coast, exploring surfing's influence on modern culture while experiencing Mother Nature’s majestic power in the creation of our ocean’s waves.

PassmoreLab’s passion for science-based adventure content, coupled with the studio’s willingness to travel to far-off destinations to tell nature’s astounding stories, is evident in Physics of Surfing, and is also revealed in the incredible cinematography of their two new forthcoming Digital 3D films – The Extreme Nature of Bats and MicroWorlds – due to be released this spring.

It is Greg Passmore’s penchant for challenging locations and rugged production that sets Physics of Surfing apart from other surfing films. As the newest addition to the rich history of surf cinema, Physics of Surfing showcases magnificent scenery and spectacular surfing action, while illustrating the principles of physics, as well as surfing’s spirit, history and culture.

Photo: Director Greg Passmore shooting 3D during production of Physics of Surfing in Hawaii.

“Locations have their own unique conditions, and we have become very comfortable shooting in demanding environments,” said Greg Passmore, president of PassmoreLab and director of the film. “To get the completely immersive 3D surfing experience that I was looking for in this film, we had to go where the waves were and then become really inventive to get the shots.”

Pro Surfers Julie Cox and Kyla Langen, the two featured surfers in the film, are both longtime surfing competitors and aficionados. Cox, a talented longboarder who has competed in contests around the globe, consistently places in the top 10 of international events held in Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. Langen has surfed professionally in over twenty countries and works with the Cousteau Foundation's CELP program as a youth instructor. Both women are also surf coaches.

Photo: A complicated underwater shot as a wave breaks over a surfer during the filming of Physics of Surfing.

Unlike other surfing documentaries, Physics of Surfing is an educational film that uncovers the physical science of ocean waves and the art of surfing. In this captivating presentation, the filmmakers explore how energy moves through water, building and combining its force, traveling thousands of miles over the course of weeks until the ocean floor underneath disrupts the wave’s formation and causes it to pitch up and collapse. The film also investigates the science behind various surfing styles and how surfers instinctively address such notions of gravity and buoyancy while using the energy of motion to ride waves.

Audiences will experience the exhilaration of surfing, while learning how surfers play with nature's purest form of energy and power. They will even see how the modern technology of surfboard design affects a board’s performance on the wave.

Photo: Helicopter hover shot of the Hawaiian pipeline during the filming of Physics of Surfing.

The musical legacy of surfing is also a rich and exciting element of surf culture and Physics of Surfing honors this with a truly inspired soundtrack. Produced by Dusty Watson, it includes tracks from instrumental surf-rock mainstays Slacktone and Southern California's legendary skate-punk band Agent Orange. Since the late 70s, Agent Orange has had an enormous influence on the skate-punk/surf-rock scene and Slacktone are widely regarded as the greatest exponents of the genre. Rounding out the musical lineup is punk supergroup Osaka Popstar - the standard bearers of old-school punk in the 21st century - featuring members of the Ramones, the Misfits, and Black Flag.

PassmoreLab’s Physics of Surfing (http://www.physicsofsurfing.com) is scheduled for release to Science Centers and Museums in April.

About PassmoreLab
PassmoreLab, the “World’s Largest 3D Content Provider”, is a San Diego-based multi-media production studio that specializes in 3D production. The studio custom-designs and builds its own RED camera 3D rigs for both conventional and rugged film productions, shooting everything from feature films, television and science documentaries, to underwater diving, extreme sports and cave exploration http://www.passmorelab.com/PL2minTRAILER.mov. State-of-the-art facilities include a full 3D production studio, video/film post-production, optical development lab, and a software development environment. Production includes 2D, 3D, high dynamic range time lapse, stereoscopic microscopy and cutting-edge simulation technologies for real time SFX. PassmoreLab has additional offices in Russia and the Philippines. For more information, visit www.passmorelab.com.

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