Ocean Film Festival Tour Magazine - 2023 Virtual Edition

The Storm Chaser
7 minutes
Filmmaker: Jack Pirie
BEHIND THE SCENES OF A DIFFERENT SORT OF ACTION SPORTS FILM
It has all the ingredients for a classic
extreme sports film: big waves, a top
athlete and a dramatic setting. But with
its ethereal atmosphere, introspective
storytelling and clever effects, The Storm
Chaser does something different.
“In the media, extreme sports can
sometimes feel like a battle between human
and nature – risking death to secure the best
photo or video clip,” says filmmaker Jack
Pirie, who’s based in London. “But in The
Storm Chaser I wanted to look at how this
relationship between human and nature
could be viewed as more dance than fight
– a complex but harmonious choreography,
mirroring the chaos we all navigate in our
day-to-day lives.”
The film stars professional windsurfer
Thomas Traversa, from France, who’s
a former world champion at the sport.
Thomas enjoys competing, but his passion is
watching the weather and travelling across
the globe, often alone, in search of elusive
and perilous storms.
“Thomas is one of the most extraordinary
people I’ve had the opportunity to work
with,” says Jack, talking to filmmaker
website Directors Notes. “He’s been chasing
storms for decades and has an intuition for
the natural environment that can feel almost
supernatural at times. If you want to know
when the wind is going to change, or the rain
will start, just ask Thomas.”
18 UK & IRELAND OCEAN FILM FESTIVAL TOUR