I am producing TV Program on Windsurfing in WA to be broadcast on Access TV 31. The Program is titled ‘Local Windsurfing WA’ and commences Monday 5th February 2007. The program will air at 8.00pm each Monday night and contains 6 half hour episodes.

Who am I and Why am I doing this?

I am totally obsessed by the sport of windsurfing and extremely passionate about promoting the sport. My wife and I moved here to WA 2 years ago from Sydney just so I could go windsurfing everyday. Even though I still have a day job you’ll see me out on the water just about every day.

As we all know, windsurfing is one of the most exciting and dynamic sports in the world and WA is one of the best places on the planet for it. WA is famous right around the world for its windsurfing. Each year hundreds travel from across the globe to experience some of the best windsurfing in the world.

Despite these facts, windsurfing in WA does not get the coverage it deserves. When I moved here I was shocked to find that many non windsurfing West Australians don’t have a clue about how famous WA is for its windsurfing and many don’t even know what the sport is. Just ask any random person in the street “Do you know what windsurfing is” and they will more than likely answer “is that the thing where you have the kite thingy flying in the air”? I was expecting windsurfing to be part of the Sandgroper culture. Boy was I wrong, no coverage in the newspapers, tv, radio, or anywhere else, nada.

When we visited for a holiday before moving across we were at Lancelin for the Wave event that happens each January. That day I met Scott McKercher and Peter Voltwater. I couldn’t believe it. These were the guys I use to see on the PWA videos and here they were face to face. It was a surreal experience for me. Then I thought hang on a minute, here is the world champ and a bunch of other World Top 10 sailors and yet there is no tv cameras, reporters, groupies, nothing, just a few photographers. If the world champ in surfing was in town I guarantee everyone would know about. What about Jason Polakow. An Aussie, a multiple world champ but how many people outside the sport would recognise him? These guys deserve to be as well known as Greg Norman. They are extreme athlethes.

That’s when a friend of mine, Gary Noel and I had the crazy idea of putting a proposal to Access TV 31 about a program on windsurfing to try to get windsurfing out there. Thanks to God these guys had an open mind, could see our passion and the rest is history.

Basically I love the sport and everything about it and I just want to expose as many people to the beauty that is windsurfing. I want them to see how spectacular it looks when someone flies through the air after hitting a wave a full speed. I want them to see the look of pure bliss on the faces of windsurfers blasting across an expanse of open water. I want them to see the array of mind boggling freestyle tricks that are possible to execute on a windsurfer. I want them to see the people that windsurf. Most of all I want WA to embrace windsurfing and acknowledge it for what it is – the greatest sport in the world.

I have no prior experience in the film or TV industry so don’t expect a Spielberg production. However, I’m sure you will find it entertaining and who knows, you might even spot yourself or one of your mates on TV.


What does the Program Cover?

Each show features a different windsurfing location showing windsurfing action at those spots. The featured locations are:
1. Gearies
2. Cervantes
3. Safety Bay
4. Pelican Point
5. Not yet filmed
6. Combination of all Locations

We catch up with some of the locals at each of the spots by conducting interviews and on the spot questions. We have an equipment segment where each week we discuss different types of equipment. We have a “What to See When it’s not Windy” segment that shows some of WA’s scenic locations and a whole bunch more.

This is not a program that features sponsored sailors and focuses on professional competition. Basically, the program showcases local windsurfers at their local spots doing what they love best.

The show is dedicated to all Windsurfers in WA.


I hope you enjoy the series.

John Garcia

Good stuff --- hope it goes really well

Great idea and good on you Gonewindswindsurfing247!

As for your question "and yet there is no tv cameras, reporters,"

To do a professional production with TV cameras (I am talking Free To Air or Paytv) your are talking real dollars and guaranteed footage. To get real good footage you need at the very least someone on the beach and someone in the water on a jetski. Last I checked a professional camera operator costs about AU$495,- a day and that's ex camera equipment... add a jetski, camera hire of about $400 a day per camera... do the maths, it's expensive. Channel Ten or Foxtel are generally not interested unless you have top footage showing something really radical, shot on professional cameras etc. etc.

Unfortunatelly, Australia isn't Europe where you have weekly shows on Windsurfing and Kiteboarding on PayTV.

I guess my point here is professional means making money with it vs. Acess TV which is largely a hobby affair.

Still, good luck! And if you are having fun with it and you learn a thing or two even better. Don't expect the major TV networks to pick up in the near future though...

sad but true...

PS: as for you question "no groupies?"... last I checked there weren't too many chicks which enjoyed hanging on the beach getting sand blasted. Gee, I don't even like and I love windsurfing...

nice one john,

i too would like to be able to download that on the internet...
best of luck with it!!! absolutely top idea... who cares if the major tv types aren't keen. at least your giving it a go....

stehsegler,
are you familiar with the briz31 show blokes world? absolute lack of profesionalism, but made by people with loads of passion.... it got picked up by a major for a while.

That's great because we get to watch Cruzin straight after it.
Cruzin started out the same and has grown & improved heaps over the past 6 years.
Maybe you can keep it going if you can get enough regular material.
Well done!

Paul

Good on you John, awesome idea. Nice seachange too. WA is fantastic isn't it?? Would love to relocate there one of these days.

I see you've had a few requests for downloadable versions from the non-westcoasters, I'd be pleased to help out if you needed it, as I have a bit of post-production experience up my sleeve and could generate web-friendly files from the masters. Could even stick it on u-tube if you want.

best of luck with it. kudos to you.

Matt P

I reckon the TV show is a great idea I occasionally watch the melbourne 31 channel when i go back to victoria which seems to be 90% el-strange-o ethnic live band & singing shows, 9% wierd non classifiable stuff, and 1% wakeboarding (mind you, it is still more interesting than channels 7 & 9 put together). The wakeboarding show was as well edited as any kids tv show like "wild tv", which most of the better video students doing a TAFE course could achieve, so I think you could stand a pretty good chance of getting some airtime on 31 if you at least meet this standard. I was really surprised that there was no kiteboarding section on this particular wakeboarding show because they were showing your standard cable-park high-angled ski rope tricks which the guys doing kiteboard/wakeboard tricks can pull off?

btw, What has happened to kiteboaring on the island? There used to be a few guys that went out at sanremo? There have been a couple of windsurfers out off cowes side and quite a few windsurfers strapped to car roofracks, but not a single kite out on the island this year?

not likely... Foxtel = $$$; Access 31 = Non profit

I doubt Foxtel will ay for a satellite transponder without making any money from it.

Sounds like a great idea! I am keen to see this when it comes out, obviously on the internet for me as we dont get channel 31 in Adelaide! Good luck with it.....

stehsegler mentioned the cost of doing the water photography, which is all true, but I think with a bit of new technology and some innovative thinking you could make something very compelling.

One example, and I've seen people posting on these forums about it, would be using head/mast mounted cameras with some sort of wireless feed. The cheap ones probably don't have a great picture but it still looks really cool, and gives you that exhilarating first-person perspective.

Also while I understand your point about raising the profile of windsurfing locally in WA, I think you should definitely put it on the net. I don't know what the numbers are but I think more people will see it that way. It might also be worth editing into shorter clips for web consumption. You could obviously put it on www.youtube.com, but there are more targeted sites around such as http://broadbandsports.com and www.windsmpeg.tk.

cheers
Tim

TOP idea. Dunno if you are aware, but there was (couple of years ago at least, dunno if still is) a monthly show in half of europe which covered the PWA events as they happened. I can't believe it wasn't shown here
Would be interesting to see if they could show that... probably cost too much to purchase though???

If you need money to finance it, I reckon everyone here would give some up, I know I would, I'm sick of seeing kitesurfing on the 10sec snippet after sports tonight.

Ideas for next season if we are so lucky: do a couple of secret spot episodes. No not giving away where, just footage of top wavesailing from "somewhere in the southwest" "near Esperance" and "near Geraldton" etc. I'm sure local boys would give the crew free accom and piss, and not charge for petrol to the top spots

Make sure you post when it is on.... cos in the country I won't get it, but will get the Perth relly's to tape it

Oh yeah! great idea. A low key quirky show about windsurfing - shaky cam - dorky hero - thoroughly imbued with the culture of windsurfing like Tracks is for surfing. Get a bit of humour into it and it would be a hit.

After that you could sell dvds.

*hehe* What a great idea.

Don't think I ever saw that flick... pity...
Well, at least it had a Z-Boom in it - still swear by this concept - another good product that deserves to succeed - even now - but consumers tend to be too conservative - preferring not to try something different - unless sum1 else does too... I think WA products like the Z-Boom and the Windrush 14 catamaran really ROCK - simple strong and better designed than the competition...
So, for what's itz worth, yeh, get those products in it too - and start promoting WA as a windsurfing/sailing/watersports destination too - may even get some sponsorship through blatant product promos... but keep it humorous and the windsurfing looking ezy and fun (maybe the guy dreams about doing aerials and jumps etc) but don't emphasize that aspect - that way it'll appeal to the newbies out there... they gotta be able to crawl b4 they can run, right? Me? I'm into speed sailing and slalom/freeride boards - that aspect would appeal to more potential sailboarders than the radical wavesailing stuff... right?

Great idea but lets not over promote how great windsurfing is the waves are getting crowded enough

Hey Zed,
nevva said it was in itz death-throes - but compared to where it was at itz height, it has taken a giant leap backward...
I remember when the original windsurfers came out - I had one! Wooden booms, 1 sail size - the only choice was sail colour, remember Mark Paul and the original Bomboras? I sold HUNDREDS of 'em... memories... I remember asking my father, duzz this thing have an adjustable downhaul or outhaul? :P
Anyway, my point was that if the sport wants to attract new blood, it has to compete with newer sports that are seemingly less intimidating - and easier to access... I think windsurfing has a become a 'boys' sport - unappealing to women, anyone over the age of 25 - or any1 who doesn't aspire to doing forward loops... that is a general comment - sure I know people like myself (45) who grew up with the sport - but we are in the minority...
My belief is that windsurfing has to become more of a 'shared' activity - maybe in the same vein that the Hobie Catamaran class has HUGE World Championships - or be incorporated into clubs where a similar 'lifestyle' attitude prevails... that is the only way it will grow to the same levels it was previously... other than that, itz OK if it appeals to a small minority of speed freaks (like myself) or waveheads... coz thatz what it izz at heart - well thatz what it izz presently... windsurfing is a solitary activity - and for that reason, it appeals to those with no need to 'connect' to others while pursuing their goals - other than to get back to the beach and brag about it, or bask in the adulation... so like life - itz all a bit of a paradox... huh?

Hey Mr Steh,
money wasn't the point - I was simply trying to get a handle on Y windsurfing was obviously declining - compared to other sports - like kitesurfing - which is on the 'up' - so unless the very enthusiastic 'creator' of this flick/series analyzes this, well it will be a labour of love - but won't achieve much...
Others have suggested that the more 'spectacular' it is, the more appealing it will be - thatz a naive belief - it has to appear easy and fun - and affordable... the 'gee-whizz' aspects are something to aspire to - but not to emphasize... if azz u suggest, windsurfing IS on the decline, then surely the same kinda thinking - where mags have some dude flying off the face of a wave or contorting their bodies in seemingly impossible 'tricks' aren't reaching the imaginations of the guys and girls who may consider windsurfing... likewise if you wanna appeal to the widest possible audience and get noobs into the sport - well show something that they might have some chance of actually achieving... I do realise that nothing 'devolves' from complexity to simplicity - thatz not the natural order of things - but if an activity appears too complex, costly or unachievable... well... it will remain marginal or disappear into itz own vortex...
Still, I like the original guyz enthusiasm...