First-Ever Liquid Playground Film Festival!
On August 18th, 2011 – The Liquid Playground opened its doors to Northern California amateur videographers to showcase their riding and film skills at the First Annual Independent Film Festival. Each submission was limited to no more than 8 minutes and was to include the entrant’s crew wakeboarding, wakeskating, wakesurfing or winching; 7 entries were shown, each unique in their mode of filming and all paired with a killer soundtrack.
With expectations set at an ‘ordinary’ level – EVERYONE was blown away. Austin, owner of The Liquid Playground set the mode for a packed house, which it was – with over 80 people in attendance. All that was left was standing room leaving the energetic and diverse crowd ready to watch themselves and their friends on the 10’ tall screen in the middle of the shop.
Before the videos started rolling, ballots were handed out to each attendee so they could vote on their favorite video at the end of the reel. The winner of The Liquid Playgrounds First Annual Independent Film Festival was Justin Casas who showed his and his crew’s unique wake and life style in their film titled UnDISCOvered. UnDISCOvered was shown at the gallery exhibit the following week titled “Within the Wake” featuring well known wake photographer Garrett Cortese.
The reasoning behind this you ask? When you talk to LP owner Austin Watts, he says the focus of the evening was “to showcase local riding and film talent.” After featuring TransWorld Wakeboarding amazing Devise and Conquer films at one of the LP’s movie nights, Austin saw the excitement in people’s eyes and threw around the idea of a local, home-grown film festival that offered the same sense of competition as the Devise and Conquer videos. “While we love to watch the Pro’s,” Austin says, “it is fun to put the focus back on what really drives the industry which is the weekend warrior who puts their heart and soul – gas fade and beer money – into progressing and pushing themselves. I love hearing friends and customers story’s about their riding the following week, and it was great to see them actually hit the water and be stoked about getting it on film.”
Alliance Wakeboard Magazine and Transworld Wakeboard Magazine shared LP owner Austin’s stoke for local talent and threw in some swag for the participants in addition to the Liquid Playground prize money of $100 and LP gear. TransWorld Wake is also giving the winning video exposure by throwing it up on their website and it is available to see on the LP’s Facebook and website. “I love to see my friends and customers happy” says Watts “events like these are what The Liquid Playground is all about and I look forward to more of these in the very near future.”
For more information about Liquid Playground movie nights, film festivals, gallery exhibits and demo days – please visit our website TheLiquidPlayground.com or visit our Facebook page [https://www.facebook.com/TheLiquidPlayground. ](/The Liquid Playground )
Calling all Nor Cal riders, photographers, and filmers! The date is set for The Liquid Playground’s First Annual Independent Film Festival!!! August 18th is the date so start shooting and putting together a 5-8min video of your crew riding! I’m ecstatic so spread the word.
WHO-All independent filmers who either ride, live, or shoot in wonderful Northern California!
WHAT-A 5-8 minute video of your crew riding. Get creative- go-pro…See More
