How HBO’s ‘100 Foot Wave’ Filmed Big Wave Surfing –

Mike Prickett didn’t just work as a cameraman 100 feet waveBut its own story is so intertwined with big wave surfing that it even appears in the fifth episode of HBO’s Emmy-nominated documentary series.

“Mike Prickett was at the forefront of the oceanic film world,” says big-wave pioneer and series star Gareth McNamara during the episode. Surfing cinematographer Brock Ladd goes on to describe DP as “a legend in the surfing community”.

Prickett lives on the north shore of Oahu, Hawaii, and has been surfing for nearly four decades while racking up film credits that include Chasing Mavericks s Go to the liquid. Along the way, he developed techniques and camera systems to capture these inimitable moments and overcame his own personal challenge. Prickett was filming in Tahiti in 2012 when a fellow diver was caught in a current nearly 60 meters below the surface. as described 100 feet wavePrickett rescued the diver, but they ran out of air during the emergency ascent, causing Prickett to squirm and leave him partially paralyzed. Today he uses crutches to get around, but he doesn’t shy away from entering the water with his camera.

Helmet for Chris Smith 100 feet waveEarning his first Emmy nomination (with cinematographer Laurent Pujol for episode four, “Dancing with God”), Prickett shows no passion for surfing or capturing stunning images of these athletes in action.

Although the series began filming in 2019, it included footage much earlier. “I grew up with Garrett and filmed him throughout his career,” explains Prickett, noting that the series includes footage from earlier stages of McNamara’s career. “We had a lot of footage before the movie started.”

glasses 100 feet wave, both on land and in the water, took place in Nazaré, Portugal, as well as surf destinations in Tahiti and Hawaii. The main camera was the Red Monster, capturing 8K Vista Vision with a range of Canon and Zeiss lenses, as well as vintage Leica lenses. The team also used a Phantom Flex 4K camera for high-speed photography.

“We had guys on jet skis with cameras – the driver and then the operator,” says Prickett, adding that they would sometimes jump off the jet skis and film while swimming in the waves. “We also created a new gyro-stabilized gimbal that we mounted to the back of the jet ski and was remotely controlled,” he explains, noting that the gimbal (developed by Prickett’s Salt + Air Studios, ShotOver and Immortal Camera Systems of ) was “the size of a basketball” and waterproof. “We could throw it in the waves and control it for about 2 miles. We could get into really crazy positions and get caught. [it all] Relatively safe.”

Safety is, of course, paramount, and Prickett explains that every cinematographer had a security team. “In Nazaré, the surfers themselves have to have two or three safety teams for each rider because when they enter, sometimes the jet skis fail and they have to have a team to save the team.

They also wore the safety suits depicted in the series. “Basically, you have a life jacket. Outside the life vest you have another vest with CO2 cartridges. It inflates so you can let the air out if you want to dive to avoid getting hit by a wave. Safety suits will keep you out of the air and make you stronger. “Having a wetsuit is the key to survival.”

Ultimately, Prickett loves being on the waves with the surfers. “When they hit, you hit,” he says. “It was like a team. We make sure they are safe after every wave. And they make sure you’re safe after the big shot. It’s exciting to swim in big waves.”

This story first appeared in the separate August issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.