GREG LONG ON 'CHASING MAVERICK'S'

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GREG LONG ON 'CHASING MAVERICK'S'
Young big-wave legend discusses his role in the film adaptation of the story of Jay Moriarity



When Greg Long, along with Peter Mel and Zach Wormhoudt, were called upon to both consult and act in the Hollywood feature Chasing Mavericks, the three big-wave heavies had one collective, unwavering demand of the film's producers and directors: Do Jay Moriarity justice, as well as big wave surfing, or don't do it at all.
Hollywood, we know, is infatuated with myriad inspirational true-life stories, including those from our humble sport of riding waves. But while they can be commended for their work in the former, their record in the latter is generally atrocious.

Fortunately for Long, Mel and Wormhoudt, the Hollywood folks in charge of Chasing Mavericks came to listen, and what they produced -- what you can see in theaters across the country beginning October 26 -- is a film that all parties involved agree does Jay, and Mav's, and us, real justice.

While speeding north on a gloomy Southern California Saturday, en route to a week of premiere appearances upstate, the always-cerebral Greg Long took the time to reflect on his first foray on the silver screen and to explain why he believes Chasing Mavericks is the best surf movie Hollywood has ever made.

YOU ATTENDED THE FIRST CHASING MAVERICKS PREMIERE IN LOS ANGELES ON THURSDAY (OCTOBER 18). WAS THIS THE FIRST TIME YOU SAW THE FILM IN ITS FINAL, OFFICIAL CUT?

I had seen the final version before, but it was a private screening. This was the first time I saw it in a big theatre.

WHAT SORT OF QUESTIONS DOES GREG LONG GET ASKED AT THE PREMIERE OF A HOLLYWOOD-ADAPTED SURF MOVIE?

A common question I get is about Pete Mel, Zach Wormhoudt and my experiences with and impressions of Gerry [Gerard Butler] (Rick "Frosty" Hesson), Jonny [Weston] (Jay Moriarity), and Leven [Rambin] (Kim Moriarity) -- things like how they handled themselves in the water, their dedication to surfing during the making of the film, and the adversities they faced while trying to act in an environment they weren't comfortable with.

YOU, PETE MEL AND ZACH WORMHOUDT HAVE EXPRESSED HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS FOR THE FILM'S MAKERS TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE BIG-WAVE SURFING COMMUNITY IN ORDER TO DO JAY'S STORY JUSTICE. WAS THIS SENTIMENT CLEAR FROM THE OUTSET?

Yes. When test shooting began about three years ago at Maverick's, our first reaction was you can't go ahead with this unless it's done right. What we meant by that is that we -- meaning the entire surf community -- know what Hollywood has done to most other surf movies in the past. There have been guys in bikinis doubling as women (thanks Mickey Munoz in Gidget, and Noah Johnson in Blue Crush), terrible projected backdrops (thanks Tab Hunter and James Mitchum in Ride the Wild Surf), and the switching from going left to going right (thanks Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze in Point Break). We questioned if we could actually make this film in a way that it maintained the integrity of Jay's story -- a story that holds a strong place in a lot of people's hearts. Plus we needed it to know that the image it would cast on big-wave surfing would be a positive one.

The sole purpose of me being involved, and why I accepted the job, was based on the idea that if I could help make this movie better in any way and bring Jay's story to life and to the world, then I was going to be involved.

DID YOU PLAN ON HAVING AN ACTING ROLE? (LONG PLAYS THE PART OF MAVERICK'S PATRIARCH JEFF CLARK.)

No. I didn't go to any of the initial casting calls because I didn't want to get into that side of things, and because I knew if I did it would be a full-time project that would cut into my travel plans. But they kept asking me to read some lines -- they were looking for surfers that could act because you can't get just any actor and put him out there at Maverick's and expect them to look natural. Again, it came down to the idea that if my involvement would improve the film, than I would help.

BECAUSE OF YOUR INSISTENCE IN MAKING THIS FILM RIGHT, DID YOU GUYS WORK FAR MORE INTENSIVELY WITH THE ACTORS IN THE WATER THAN WHAT HAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN DONE WITH ACTORS IN THE PAST?

Yeah, [Gerard Butler, Jonny Weston and Leven Rambin] put their hearts and souls into learning everything they needed to in order to play their parts. As much of the stunts they could do, they did. Jonny Weston actually did some surfing in the movie. He and Gerard did all of the paddle shooting that you will see, too. Those guys were in the water surfing almost every other day, training and being coached. There was a lot more asked of them than there has been of any other Hollywood actors that have played surfing parts in the past, without question. They were pushed way beyond their comfort levels, I know that... we found out the hard way.


SPEAKING OF WHICH. EVERYONE'S HEARD OF GERARD BUTLER'S BEATING AT MAV'S DURING SHOOTING. WHAT WENT WRONG OUT THERE?

It was a culmination of several things going wrong, but it was also a culmination of many things that went right. We were trying to get a shot of us paddling out with the rocks in the background, which had us on the inside. There were waves breaking out at the main peak that day but barely capping -- besides the film crew, it was just Gerard, me, Jeff Clark and Grant Washburn out there. Between Jeff, Grant and I, we have a pretty thorough understanding of where we are in the line-up at Maverick's and where you can and cannot go, but as we all know with the ocean, as much as you think you know and predict, there is always an element you can't.

And there it was, just a wide set out of the north; the whole main peak just shifted into the channel and kind of doubled up inside the second bowl. We came over the first wave and suddenly it wasn't a question of if we were even going to be able to make it to the channel on the next one -- we were going to get caught inside. So we just said to [Butler], "Gerry, paddle towards the channel and get ready." So we took a couple of strokes to get as far wide as we could, then the last thing I said to him was, "just relax." And then he took a legit 20-foot wall of whitewater on the head. Keep in mind, here was somebody who had only learned to surf six months prior. His leash broke and he took three more solid ones on the head before Grant could get him on the sled -- he almost went into the rocks.

He was rattled, but he handled it. We had had hours and hours of conversation with Gerry -- he would call us to go have dinner so he could hear stories, so he could understand everything we see, feel and experience as big wave surfers. Everything that we had taught him and shared with him turned that real life moment into a conscious effort on his part. It's kind of ironic that he was playing Jay's mentor, Frosty Hesson, who taught Jay about big-wave riding and how to survive it. And there Gerry was himself, having to understand all of this information that his character was to possess and suddenly put it into practice in order to survive. It's really an amazing story.

JAY AND FROSTY'S BIG-WAVE TRAINING PLAYS A HUGE ROLE IN THIS FILM. DID IT HOLD THAT MUCH PRECEDENCE IN THE ORIGINAL SCRIPT, OR WAS THAT A RESULT OF YOUR, PETE AND ZACH'S INPUT?

Everything that happens in the movie and story line was in the original script. It all came from Frosty's dictation of how he and Jay's relationship was. (The film draws from Rick "Frosty" Hesson's memoir Making Mavericks.) Frosty made Jay write him essays about the psychology of fear and made sure that he went through the proper physical training so that he could hold his breath for as long as he needed. Everything that happens in this movie is more or less as it happened in real life.

WHAT CAN SURFERS LOOK FORWARD TO AS FAR AS MAVERICK'S FOOTAGE IS CONCERNED?

The footage that was captured is like nothing anyone has ever seen before, given the equipment and number of angles used. It's mind-blowing stuff, as well as the movie's ability to explain big-wave surfing and the psychology and physical preparation required to do what we do. Chasing Mavericks is going to open up the eyes of a lot of people who may know about surfing but not necessarily big wave surfing, as well as those that don't know anything about surfing. From that side of the story -- aside from being extremely motivational, inspirational, and respectful toward one of surfing's greatest heroes -- it's going to do fantastic things for our sport.