Pipeline Winter 2013 from Eric Sterman on Vimeo.
So Wes, when do those UO quadrocopters get in? Quite frankly, this is the most incredible surf footage I’ve ever seen. It’s amazing what a brand new angle of physical perspective can do to change your whole actual perception of something. Some of these shots where you’re able to see the burst of air as the pipeline closes give a more tangible sense of these waves’ power than I’ve ever been able to experience through a video before.
What’s most apparent to me with this video though is the power and emotion it conveys even though it literally has no story line whatsoever. It makes me think that despite all the stress we’ve put on the importance of a story, if you have a powerful enough subject and an incredible enough shot, that subject can become enough of a vibrant character that it’s very existence is the story itself. Really it would have been a shame to ruin this video with interviews of surfers talking about their passion. Rather, this tape just speaks for itself. That’s how it was able to get over two million views within three weeks of its release.