A new approach to kitesurfing movies
Fat Sand Productions set out to capture the best of kitesurfing as it is today. By that we don’t simply mean the newest handle pass or biggest kite-loop (although you can expect your fill of those, too!), but to capture the true spirit of kitesurfing itself.
It’s easy to forget that the pros just love being out there on the water, having fun, as much as you do. So we set out to capture world-class riders doing what they do best, riding the way they like to ride. We want our riders to communicate through their kiting - not through so-called ‘lifestyle’ shots on the beach. With AC, a kitesurfing movie is just that - kitesurfing. There’s also a lot of amazing kitesurfers out there who choose not to turn pro. Our full rider list for AC will show you just how many local riders we hooked up with, and filmed, on our location shoots.
Low on lifestyle and high on action, AC showcases the best of modern kiteboarding. Join Mark Doyle, Aaron Hadlow, Mark Shinn and a host of kiters making their movie debut, as we present kitesurfing at it’s most exhilarating and beautiful. To see the full list of riders, click here.
Filmed in South Africa, Europe, the Red Sea and the Caribbean, AC lets the best riders loose in the greatest playgrounds on earth. AC shows kitesurfers having the time of their lives - not only performing the latest moves at breakneck speed, but also having fun in some of the world’s most dramatic locations. All presented with the cinematic excellence and attention to detail you have come to expect from a Fat Sand Production.
OK, we admit it - we have a good job! We wanted to show you the best riders, and to show them at their best we hooked up with them at some of the best locations in the world. These are:
South Africa:
We spent 5 weeks in South Africa with Aaron Hadlow. Based in Cape Town, we used many locations around Table Bay and the East Coast to film him preparing for the season ahead. In addition, a secret inland location produced some of the most dramatic and stunning footage of the entire shoot.
The Caribbean:
You’re going to love this. Our search for location excellence took us right across the Caribbean. The locations that finally made it into AC’s main movie were: Coche, just off the Venezuelan island of Margarita; the stunning waters off Pigeon Point, Tobago; Silver Sands and Bath in Barbados; and Puerto Rico, where we filmed at two locations. First was at the capital, San Juan, and also down South in La Parguera
The Red Sea:
If you’ve seen our training DVD, Progression, you’ll know that Egypt is a favourite of ours. The perfect conditions at Hurghada were used to capture Mark Doyle, and for our second session with Mark Shinn.
Europe:
Filming for AC kicked off at home with Mark Shinn, on the Spanish island of Tenerife. Then we went to the first two rounds of the PKRA world championships 2004, at Austria and Belgium, in order to add a little competition spice to the main movie.
AC features a main movie that has more undiluted kitesurfing in it than you have any right to expect. A five-month shooting schedule was needed to bring home enough footage to ensure we didn’t need to ‘pad’ our movie out with non-kiting features to make up time. The result is the first kitesurfing movie where you don’t need to have your finger resting on the fast-forward button throughout (you know what we mean). We made the movie that we’ve always wanted to see.
The main movie is cunningly divided into chapters for your viewing pleasure. Here is a breakdown of each chapter:
Chapter 1 ‘Water’
When we arrived in South Africa, the Hadlows told us to look up Renier Olivier because “he does the biggest, sickest tricks you’ve ever seen, he’s fearless”. We looked him up.
Chapter 2 ‘Broneah’
However much you plan, luck plays a big part in making a DVD like this. Example: we just happened to bump into two strangers from Michigan, USA, in a little surfing store in Puerto Rico. Half an hour later we were out on the water with them, using their boat and equipment in what has now become one of our favourite locations. Damn it - we even stayed over with them! See the ‘Broneah’ boys kiting the way we can only dream of, in perfect flat waters among the mangroves of Southern Puerto Rico; followed by world-class action at San Juan.
Chapter 3 ‘Aaron - Part 1’
We got so much great footage of Hadlow that we just couldn’t fit the best into one chapter alone - there was too much of it! In Part 1 we introduce Aaron at a very special location indeed.
Chapter 4 ‘Magawish’
Egypt. Perfect water, great wind. We were there to film Shinn and Doyle, but were lucky because Colona Watersports was holding an exhibition that brought in some lesser-known riders that you’re gonna love to watch! This chapter also has a section devoted to Mark Doyle, kiting with a line-mounted camera, giving you a unique perspective on a world-class kiter.
Chapter 5 ‘Shinn’
Double World Champion Mark Shinn still has a style and grace on the water that is hard to match. See Mark at his best as he kitesurfs at his local beach in Tenerife, and in Egypt.
Chapter 6 ‘Good Time’
Kitesurfing’s all about having a good time. And here we show just that - great riders doing what they love to do. Join Aaron Haldow, UK Champion Mike Smith, and a host of others just kicking back and having fun in the South African sun.
Chapter 7 ‘Moke’
Know what a Moke is? No! Go look it up in your Caribbean guidebook then. This section is dedicated to all those local riders we met whilst shooting around the Caribbean. Almost all of them have a reason to go pro, but choose not to. When you see their local beaches, you can see why staying home isn’t really that bad after all.
Chapter 8 ‘Chill Pill’
The world is a beautiful place when viewed through a Fat Sand lens. Join four kitesurfers - Aaron Hadlow, Mike Smith, Jason Furness and Rob Claisse, as they enjoy the evening sun in Table Bay, South Africa. Shot using a helicopter, this chapter shows kitesurfing at it’s most elegant. You never knew it could look this good.
Chapter 9 ‘UK in SA’
Brits land in SA by the bucket load each December. Come visit England in December and you’ll know why. See the latest tricks by ‘Team UK’ in this fast-paced chapter.
Chapter 10 ‘Day Job’
See how these pro kitesurfers earn their keep. Highlights from the PKRA events in Austria and Belgium.
Chapter 11 ‘Thump’
Personally, we hate wipe-out sections in movies. But who are we to resist the mountain of mail we get asking to see it! Just because we won’t watch it ourselves doesn’t stop us producing a nice variety of eye-watering crashes to make those pros seem a little bit more like us (yeah, dream on).
Chapter 12 ‘Sunset’
If you wanna feel great, go kitesurfing at sunset. If you wanna feel better than great, go wave sailing in the shadow of Table Mountain at sunset. We have it on film, and even your partner will be impressed!
Chapter 13 ‘Hadlow - Part 2’
The second instalment from the boy-man they simply call, ‘Hadlow’. You’re just not going to believe your eye’s- are they using trick photography? Is this possible? How did he do that? Oh my God, I’m never gonna be that good! - are all phrases that will pass your lips each and every time you see this stuff.
Chapter 14 ‘Doyle’
We left him until last but he’s worth the wait, trust us. Totally unique, and totally crazy, Mark Doyle is a dream to film. You’ll know why when you see this. Some of the best kite loops ever captured on film are only upstaged by Mark’s over-the-top style and butter-soft landings. He pushes everything to the max, and can be seen smiling in every single frame (we checked).
AC is presented on a dual-layered DVD, in order to fit in a main movie at the very highest quality and a fully loaded extra features section. All menus, movies and graphics are designed and presented in anamorphic widescreen, and all movies incorporate Dolby Digital sound.
For the first time, Fat Sand is releasing ‘AC’ simultaneously in both DVD formats, to ensure global accessibility. Specially designed NTSC and PAL versions of AC are now available for order, catering for the European, American and worldwide markets.
AC proudly boasts the following extra features:
- In depth interviews with the following riders, accessible through a unique ‘interview page’:
- Aaron Hadlow
- Mark Doyle
- Mark Shinn
- Renier Olivier
- Interactive subtitles, allowing you to view the following:
- Rider name
- Location
- Song details
If unselected, you can enjoy the movie free of text clutter
- The anatomy of a handle pass. A special ‘progression style’ movie that guides you through the complexities and differences between some of the latest tricks.
- Making Of Featurette. Some behind the scene's footage and outakes, that show some of how Fat Sand went about making AC
- Directors Commentary. Rob and Pete talk you through the whole movie and give you some insight into the making of AC.
- Dolby Digital 5.0 surround sound on the main movie, and Dolby Digital sound on all other features.
- A dedicated menu for music featured on AC, leading to a wealth of information on each of the bands featured
- And all the other things you’d expect from a Fat Sand Production - uniquely designed and animated menus, widescreen presentations, and chapter pages for direct access to your favourite sections.
Thank you to all the record companies and artists that have allowed us to use their music in AC:
Click on the artists and labels to findd out more...