Former, the surf brand and film collective, has come a long way since its inception in 2017. What started as a humble venture from Dane Reynolds' garage has evolved into a legitimate surf movie with an A-grade team in pumping waves. The journey has been a rollercoaster, with numerous stutter steps, product launches, inventory shortages, and Dane becoming a one-man-ecom-army for an entire year. But Former is now in a much steadier place, and the release of their first major team film, "Defect", is a fitting occasion to celebrate that.
"Those first few years we were just trying our best to sell collections, make videos, build hype around it, and get people to see the brand," Former co-founder Craig Anderson said. "It’ll be 10 years next year. It doesn’t feel real we’ve come this far. Honestly, there’s been moments when I thought we weren’t going to work through this financially. We were in debt, Dane repurposed all this product from his garage, and he worked through all that through his dedication."
"Defect" is a surf film like no other, with a cast of surfers that includes Dane, Craig, Shaun Manners, Timo Simmers, Dion Agius, Benny Howard, Jay Davies, Dillon Perillo, Gabe Morvil, Jake Kelley, James Kusitino, Kai MacKenzie, Matt Hoy, and Kaito Ohashi. The film showcases the surfers' unique styles and techniques, with each session offering a different perspective. One of the most memorable moments is the (re) introduction of James Kusitino, whose completely original tube technique left some viewers in awe.
"It’s basically a group of friends who we respect and back their surfing," Dane said. "It’s just grown into this eclectic and cool surfing family. This is basically a compilation of everyone’s surfing over the last year they submitted to us. And I think it’s pretty insane."
Despite the setbacks, including a slew of injuries across the roster, "Defect" playfully hints at the physical toll it took to make the film without feeling woe-is-we. The film's strength lies in its cast and the way members are compared and contrasted session after session. It does a great job pairing surfers together and showcasing differences in style and technique in real time.
"Dane’s really good at storytelling even when it seems like there’s not much of a story," said Hunter Martinez, the film’s director. "I’ve learned a lot from him, whether it’s putting in a wipeout or a guy pulling back. It tells a story. With everyone’s footage in this film, I took some notes from Dane on how to tell the story of each trip and give each person a spotlight."
The film had its setbacks, namely a slew of injuries across the roster. Dane’s broken foot in Indo. Craig’s busted foot in Chile. Shaun’s concussion in Ireland. Dion even punctured a lung snowboarding in the Alps. But when proper waves arrive, they all sink their teeth in.
"It’s funny, in the moment it felt like we were getting skunked," Jake Kelley said. "Looking back on it, we did get good waves. We went to Mexico twice and it felt like we couldn’t win. Wrong place, wrong time, dominated by the crowd. But I will say, there are some amazing waves in this film."
For fans of the sublime, Craig’s last section in Fiji hits like top-shelf whiskey. He rides an assortment of craft, including an asym Burch, at fast, roping Cloudbreak. The results are exactly as good as the image in your head. It’s the kind of intentional, enduring surfing that should serve as a reference point for years to come.
"Defect" will be screening in Newport on June 18 and Oceanside on June 19. Then, live shows on the US East Coast and Australia before it drops online in August. It's a film that will leave you in awe of the surfers' skills and the beauty of the waves they ride. So, if you're a surf enthusiast or just looking for a thrilling cinematic experience, make sure to catch "Defect" when it hits the screens near you.
