August 2021.<\/p>
From the inkydeep archive, The Surfer, still cringeworthy, still funny...<\/p>
A short film about an obsession many of us will be familiar with\u2026 Shot as a documentary style comedy we follow \u2018Michael\u2019 a 41 year old accountant from the Midlands who takes up surfing in response to a mid-life crisis.<\/p>
The Surfer was written and directed by Dominic Coleman.\u00a0 Dominic also plays the lead role of \u2018Michael\u2019. \u00a0The film was created as part of the 2008-2009 Digishorts production scheme with support from Screen West Midlands and The UK film Council.<\/p>
From The Surfers Path website March 2011;\u00a0 \u201cA comedian and actor by trade, Coleman explains that creating this cringe-making character, wasn\u2019t actually that difficult for him:\u00a0 I started surfing about five years ago and as a landlocked, middle-aged weekend warrior I didn\u2019t have to look too far for inspiration for the character of \u2018Michael\u2019.<\/p>
My family all appear playing themselves, again they didn\u2019t have to do too much acting! I also pulled in a few favours from friends like Adrian at Fluid Juice and a few Bantham (Sth Devon) locals who all gave up a bit of time to help out.<\/p>
The inspiration for the character did actually come from a guy I met at Bantham. His wife and young daughter were lugging his SUP across the car park as he was chatting boards with another sweeper. He had a brand new T5 that he\u2019d converted. I just thought he was a very funny guy and one of the \u2018new\u2019 breed of mid-life escapists who\u2019d been drawn to the sea. (Again much like myself I have to add.)<\/p>
Since I had the opportunity, and some money from the film council, I thought I\u2019d like to make a film about something I love. My background, work-wise, is predominantly tv comedy so I just set out trying to find a way to marry the two together.\u201d<\/p>
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