Deep Bright

Every surfer longs to find those magical spots, the deserted locations where you are left alone with just the ocean for company. Deep Bright is the product of surfer Ethan Egiguren and filmmaker Guillem Cruells’ year long search to find these mythical spots and solitary waves. The emerging film is not only a tale of the two Spaniards’ shared journey of discovery, but also a reflection of Ethan’s surfing over one whole year. Huck spoke to Guillem to find out more about the project.

What inspired you to start the project?
Deep Bright started at the end of April of 2013, when Ethan and I decided to make something totally different to the other surfing projects made in Spain and internationally. We were looking for something more emotional, that would represent our search for these magical places, even though they weren’t far away from home.

The truth is, it wasn’t easy to start filming because Ethan has a really tight agenda, with competitions and trips. We were also really dictated by swell conditions. As you know at the end of spring and summer, there aren’t too many waves in Spain and France, so during the summer we started to plan the project. At the beginning of autumn we started filming, when we received the first swell. From my point of view it was difficult since I hadn’t done any surf film project before.

What’s your background in filmmaking?
This is my third filmmaking project. I started with a skate project called External, a short film that reflected the philosophy and life of a friend. It was a success, it was picked up by an important magazine and won at the Madrid Skate Film Festival.

What were the challenges in presenting the story to a wider audience?
The most difficult challenge was to capture the idea I had in my head of the project and let that transmit itself to the public. It was also a challenge to coordinate my work with the work of Nerobambola, who did the soundtrack. But they blew me away, it’s great.

What are the major things you have learnt from making the film?
I’ve learned that everything evolves, from the first idea you have of a project until the end of it. I’ve also learned to value the effort one has to make in order for a project to be well received and valued by people that have never heard of you.

How do you hope the film will have an impact?
I’m not waiting for this project to have a huge impact – but if it does, then great. What I want is for people who watch it to value the project in a positive way.

Do you have any other projects in the pipeline?
At the moment I don’t have any projects coming up. I have a lot of ideas in my head, but I think I will relax a little and will focus on my last year of Graphic Design at school.

To find out more about the project and get screening locations check out Deep Bright. Or watch the full film.

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