Self video (photo: Spencer)

Alliance: Yo Taylor! Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where are you from and how did you get into filming? What brought you into the wake scene?

Taylor: Well, I’m from Victoria, BC, Canada, which is where I live full time now. I first started using a camera when my friend Dustin O’Ferrall needed some help shooting for a video part around 2013, and I started taking things a bit more seriously later that year when my buddy Nick Dorsey was looking for a filmer to shoot his section in a Canadian video contest called “The Judgement”.

A: What’s your current setup?

T: I have quite a bit of gear (laughs). I used my Blackmagic Ursa Mini and Sony A7sii to shoot my movie, but I recently just sold almost my full digital kit after finishing up Formats and just bought myself a RED Weapon 6k. All the glass I use is pretty much cine primes, and I have a large selection of analogue and film cameras.

A: You like to shoot film as well. What’s the appeal with that? And what’s your favorite setup?

T: Yeah, I love film. My original obsession was just over the technical and mechanical side of analogue formats. Then, as I started to learn more about film, I started to get into the color science and look, which I think is still superior to digital, at least for now. But I also shoot lots of 35mm stills which I enjoy doing to practice composition and using film, plus you learn how to expose properly and the patience of waiting for your film to be developed is exciting. The most fun thing to shoot is definitely Super 8 film but my favorite results would have to be with my 16mm Bolex.

A: You just dropped your first full-length film, Formats, which was filled with awesome riders, amazing spots, and sick camera work. What was the idea behind that and how did you make it a reality?

T: Thank you! It was an awesome experience and a big project for me which consumed my life for almost two years. I felt like making a full-length was the next step for me and I already had a concept in mind, so I picked the roster and just started plugging away at it. It ended up being more difficult than I ever imagined. It was tough to get money from sponsors, hard to find time to get the riders together to film, difficult to find so many good winch spots, and it took a while since I wanted to do everything myself because I’m so particular. So it ended up being a very difficult two years but I did it pretty much how I wanted people to see it and I’m proud of what I was able to come up with on that scale.

A: Where is the coolest place that filming has taken you?

T: Hmm … that’s difficult to say really. I guess in a broad answer, Germany and Australia for Formats. Both those countries have so many unique things about them and I really enjoyed being there and exploring around. Not to mention, the people were great and helped us on our trips when they could.

A: What’s the most frustrating thing that’s ever happened to you out on a shoot?

T: Well, usually the camera gets wet at some point but that’s pretty normal with watersports (laughs). I guess one of the worst things that’s happened to my gear was in Oz … I was walking out of this tunnel and up a hill to get back to the van when my quick release plate failed. My camera dropped off my shoulder hitting the ground lens-first, leaving about two inches of mud in my front element, then it started rolling down the hill and I had to run after it to stop it from landing back in the water. I was not stoked.

A: I know it’s early but do you have any plans for another full-length?

T: As of right now, I’m a little discouraged from doing another full-length. I’ve learned that I like short-form projects a lot more. You come up with an idea or concept and get to execute and finish it before you’re burned out on the whole thing. I’m trying to do some more commercial work and branch outside of the watersports scene at the moment, but I have thought about a boat project, so who knows? Maybe I’ll commit to a boat full-length but we shall see!