The Cigarette Surfboard 2024 Spring Newsletter

To our Ciggy supporters,

Big news – we’re honored to have our official World Premiere at Canada’s longest running documentary film fest, NorthwestFest International Documentary Festival! Our film will be screening at the historic Metro Cinema in Edmonton at 7pm on Saturday, May 11th. We’ll be attending the festival Friday through Monday and couldn’t be more excited to share our film (and surfboards) with the Albertans.

We’re also excited to announce a screening at the wonderful Crested Butte Film Festival in September. We’re waiting to hear back from many more festivals through the spring and summer, and we’ll keep you in the loop as we know more.

In other big news, we are the recent recipients of two amazing grants. The first grant is from Friends Foundation International, who have been supporting us for the past few years – we are ever grateful for their support. The second grant is the Whale Tail Grant from the California Coastal Commission, which will allow us to host educational screenings at 15 public universities and community colleges over the next couple years. Beyond watching the film, students will have the opportunity to interact with the Ciggy Boards, there will be a Q&A, and we’ll lead a discussion centered around art, activism, and the protection of marine environments.

We’re now fundraising towards the outreach portion of the Ciggy saga. We’re currently having a DCP file and Closed Captions made for our film festival run – wait, what the heck is a DCP? “DCP stands for Digital Cinema Package and it is the replacement for the venerable 35mm film print. Practically all cinemas have converted to DCP, with digital servers and projection.” The cost for a DCP file with Closed Captions is $3,500. Beyond this big expense, we have continuous film festival submission fees (ranging from $10 to $100 per festival). And hopefully through the film festival circuit, we’ll be able to secure online distribution in perpetuity.

If you’re able to offer a monthly donation of $10-$25 to support festival submission fees, that’d be radical! If you can make a one-time tax-deductible donation to help make the DCP and closed captions, we’d be stoked! And if you wanna rock some Ciggy merch, that’s awesome too! We have the brown hoodie, the blue tee, and our one-size-fits-all six panel hat – we’re low on inventory so please let us know if any of these appeal to you, and if so, we’ll place a custom order in the next couple weeks. And we’ll be sure to send out a couple stickers with each item.

Thanks for all your support over the years – we’re beyond thrilled for this next chapter of sharing the film with the world. Please spread the word about our upcoming festivals, and if we’re screening near your hometown, absolutely come out to see the film, check out the Ciggy Boards, and hang out with yours truly –

Ciggy Board Brigade

The Cigarette Surfboard 2023 Year In Review

To our Ciggy supporters,

Thank you for making 2023 one hell of a year for The Cigarette Surfboard – we are so appreciative of your continued interest and support of our project. And we have good news to report!

After years of production and eons in the editing bay, we completed our 90-minute documentary and hosted an incredible private screening in Santa Cruz this July for our families, friends, cast, and crew; local legislation to ban the butt in Santa Cruz continues to progress on the County-wide level, slowly but surely; and we’re deep in the process of submitting to film festivals, designing an educational screening tour, and seeking online distribution with a major platform.

This coming year is all about getting the film out into the world – so, can you help us take our message to the masses?

Why do we still need funding? The starving artist argument can only go so far. Here’s our latest pitch.

As witnessed at our private screening in Santa Cruz, The Cigarette Surfboard documentary will surely inspire a new generation of ocean stewards and help catalyze the movement for a ban on single-use cigarette filters. And although the film is complete, it still takes some initial investment to reach beyond our local communities to larger audiences – let’s get to the nuts and bolts of it. The major expenses for 2024 are simple and straightforward: there’s film festival submission fees; there’s associated film festival travel; and we’d be missing a massive opportunity if we didn’t hire an Impact Producer to help connect the film with our action campaign in Santa Cruz.

So how can you help us? Lotto tickets, loose change, and blank checks are all welcome. 

But on the real, we have limited edition t-shirts and sweatshirts on sale here (30% off with discount code wastetowaves), great for a holiday gift (Ciggy Board sticker included). If you’re able to commit to a monthly donation as petite as a wee Hamilton, we’re stoked and less broke. Or, if you have some tax-deductible donations up your sleeve to finish out the fiscal year, this link was made for you. All contributions are deeply appreciated and keep the Ciggy Board dream alive and thriving.

You’ll be the first to know when we have our official World Premiere locked in at a film festival and when the documentary becomes available online. We’re posting short snippets from the film on our Instagram account (yep, we’re active!), so feel free to follow our journey on the ‘gram.

We truly wouldn’t be here without the support of all of you. We hope you’re happy, healthy, and finding fun waves (or whatever you do that makes you shine) these last few weeks of the year.

All the best,

Ciggy Board Brigade

The Cigarette Surfboard 2022 Year In Review

To our Ciggy Board community,

Ok… So what the heck happened to these guys?! Is the documentary done yet?! Is it really almost 2023?! We’re asking ourselves these same questions – but that doesn't mean we haven't been busy busting our butts! The year was full of filming, ciggy butt activism, and long days and dark nights in the editing lab. The light at the end of the tunnel is glowing brighter – read on.

FILMING - We secured final interviews with some of the main characters of our film, such as Professional Surfer Mikey February and Ciggy Butt Expert Tom Novotny (as well as extensive interviews with Taylor, and his guiding reflection on this incredible journey). We also shot some necessary b-roll segments across California, and filmed our legislative engagement from Santa Cruz to Sacramento. Taylor decided to challenge himself by taking a Ciggy Board out to Mavericks, the infamous big wave surf spot in California. It makes for a poignant chapter in the film, showing someone who has the courage and conviction to follow their dream, to trust in themselves and their craft, and to simultaneously face a notorious big wave and Big Tobacco. Spoiler alert: Both Taylor and the Ciggy Board survived!

BANNING THE BUTT - We’ve been working closely with the Santa Cruz County Tobacco Education Coalition and several non-profits to push local officials to adopt a first-of-its-kind ordinance that would ban the sale of single-use plastic tobacco filters in the City of Santa Cruz (a new statewide ban was introduced in early 2022, AB1690, but regrettably it was amended to include only electronic single-use cigarettes, and subsequently failed to see the light of day). We’ve attended a handful of City Council meetings with the Ciggy Boards and our coalition of local (and national) ocean conservation NGOs, met with council members and developed important relationships, and catalyzed notable progress towards the goal of banning the butt citywide. As a result of our continued activism, City Council members listened and they placed this issue on their agenda earlier this year. The Council recently put together a comprehensive Tobacco Product Waste Timeline for 2023, which is a very encouraging step. We will continue to engage closely with this process and strategically put pressure on City Council to keep moving forward.

EDITING – 2022 has largely been about editing the film – cutting, chopping, and culling to bring this incredible, multifaceted story to life. We’ve received multiple rounds of feedback, refined and reorganized the storyline, and trimmed our documentary down from a bulky four hours to nearly an hour and a half (the standard length of a feature doc). We will focus on further refinement and post-production tasks throughout the upcoming winter and spring, and plan to release the film next summer, submitting it to dozens of film festivals and pitching it to streaming platforms. Our objective is to begin doing community screening events in summer 2023 and school presentations in fall 2023. We will certainly keep you up-to-date as we get closer to our premiere.

WHAT’S ON DECK? – In order to polish this film and get it across the finish line, we still have a few big tasks to undergo, including Sound Design (to make it an immersive and moving film), Color Correction (to make the shots really pop), Animation (who doesn’t like a good drawing to illustrate a point?), and Archival / Music Rights (we’ll probably never get that Bob Dylan credits track, but we’ll shoot for the moon). We are excited to announce that IMRSV, the reputable Berkeley-based Post Production Sound Studio responsible for the Sound Design in the Oscar-nominated documentaries Minding the Gap and Crip Camp, have put us in their queue and are excited to help create the sound space for our film. Obviously, this quality of work doesn’t come cheap – if only we could only trade them a Ciggy Board or two we’d be set! If you are feeling like a little bit of last minute giving before the year ends and a tax-deductible donation is within your reach, any and all help will certainly get us that much closer to the curtain drop for our film.

Thanks for reading and your ongoing support – we hope you’re staying healthy and happy, and we can’t wait to share this documentary with the world soon. Send us a line back, we look forward to hearing from you!

Ciggy Board Brigade

The Cigarette Surfboard 2021 Year in Review

To our Ciggy Board supporters,

Nearly another spin around the sun and we’re ever closer to getting The Cigarette Surfboard documentary done. All Ciggy Boards are built*, the perfect wave has been surfed**, 31 hard drives are full, post-production is in full swing, and planning for our 2022 Community Outreach & Engagement Film Tour is underway, with the help of our long-time partner Surfrider Foundation.

We’re happy to report that in 2021 we retained our independence and continued to refuse the Marlboro blood money***, so if you’re able to help us out financially, we’re the same relentless, passion-fueled filmmakers you’ve supported since day one (with just a few more gray hairs****). Donations are 100% tax-deductible through our fiscal sponsor, International Documentary Association. Click here to make a donation — the funds will go towards getting our film across the finish line and into the victory lap, including post-production expenses (animation, color, editing consultant, music and sound design), documentary distribution (Community Film Tour, educational screenings, and film festivals), and legislative advocacy. We’ve raised almost $150,000 since the onset of the Cigarette Surfboard, and with a little luck and a lotta work, we intend to secure more grant funding, team up with several brand sponsors, and graciously receive your continued support to help back our project and mission.  

*we hope

**up for debate

***this is a joke, they haven’t offered us money (but we absolutely would say “no”)

****and receding hairlines, but didn’t want to put that in the intro, too depressing

So what the heck have we done in 2021 and why should you support us in 2022? 

1. CIGGY ACTIVISM - we’ve continued to use the Ciggy Boards to push local officials to adopt a first-of-its-kind ordinance that would ban the sale of single-use plastic tobacco filters in the City of Santa Cruz. As a follow-up to a successful Annual Coastal Cleanup Day, we teamed up with Surfrider Foundation Santa Cruz to kick off an awareness campaign around the harmful effects of cigarette butt litter — we hit the sidewalks and streets around the boardwalk, circling over 400 butts with chalk and writing out ciggy statistics. With all the recent rain, cigarette butts go from city streets down the drain, and into our waterways and ocean. Momentum to eliminate this toxic plastic waste is well underway and building. Stay tuned.

2. CIGGY SCIENCE - do filters actually offer health benefits for the smoker, and what is the full extent of the environmental and economic impact of toxic cigarette waste? We dug deep into this with ciggy butt godfather Tom Novotny (40+ years of studying ciggy butts), and filmed a provocative study with researchers at CSUSM. 

3. CIGGY SURFING - (+ interviews) with some incredible humans, including Rob Machado, Mikey February, Caity Simmers, Cliff Kapono, Fergal Smith, Legend and Mananalu Chandler, Andrea Kabwasa, Kassia Meador, Devon Howard, Wilem Banks, and Noah Wegrich — from Sunset to Pipe, Santa Cruz to the ‘Bu (Malibu’s nickname for all you non-surf bums), Ireland to South Africa, the Ciggy Boards traversed the world in pursuit of the perfect wave. Did we catch it?

4. CIGGY BOARD BUILDING - there are now 15 functional Cigarette Surfboards in existence, containing roughly 100,000 littered cigarette butts picked up off California beaches. Taylor is done with Ciggy Board building, and we couldn’t be happier for his health and sanity. He currently has no plans to come out of retirement, but if you happen to know an affluent art collector who might want to take one of the boards off our hands, do reach out.

5. CIGGY BOARD EDITING - many days were spent staring at a screen, and although Ben may have developed digital eye strain, we’ve made immense progress as we dive deeper into the post-production process. We are now in communication with an incredible animator, an accomplished colorist, and a renowned sound design studio. You’ll be the first to know when the doc is in stock at your local Blockbuster.

6. CIGGY BOARD FILM DISTRIBUTION - all the time and effort that has gone into our project would be wasted if we didn't have an audience. Sure, we know that you, our families, friends, and supporters will be lining up to watch our film, but we obviously want to reach further and deeper to share our message(s). When we asked our NGO partners and an array of California educators whether they would be interested in bringing our film to their community/campus, the outpouring of support and encouragement was beyond gratifying. With the help of our NGO partners, we are already working to develop a film tour schedule that will take us to approximately 30 California communities around the state. Following that, we plan to bring our film and associated curriculum to high school and college students, as well as into the festival circuit and onto a global streaming platform.

Well, it’s been one heck of a year, despite the challenges, and we’re so appreciative to have your support. Thanks for reading — and as always, may the ciggy be with you******.

Ciggy Board Brigade

******you try ending a newsletter with humor or wit!

Ciggy Board September 2021 Newsletter

To our Cigarette Surfboard community,

Summer has come to its inevitable conclusion, with autumn falling upon us — and amidst this September’s seasonal transition, we reflect on an absolutely ELECTRIC spring and summer for the Ciggy Board Brigade. Read on.

1. Activism & Advocacy.

We’re deep in the weeds working on a campaign to ban the sale of single-use tobacco filters in Santa Cruz. Last weekend, we teamed up with local NGOs Save Our Shores and Save The Waves for Annual Coastal Cleanup Day at Cowell Beach, and were pleased to see a few of our elected officials show up for their community — State Senator John Laird, Vice Mayor Sonja Brunner, and City Council Member Justin Cummings. We were able to talk with each of them about the issue of tobacco waste in our streets and on our beaches, our newly formed petition and what it aims to do, and how we can best show the City Council that the proposed ban is something the Santa Cruz community really wants. With hundreds of volunteers showing up and hundreds of petition signatures collected, we picked up 85 pounds of trash (including 2,000+ cigarette butts) and enjoyed live music and a free BBQ at the Dream Inn — it was a successful event to say the least. More so, it was an important showcase that beach cleanups are not the answer, but a great way to start the conversation about prevention-based solutions and how we can all take better care of our oceans and planet. The cherry on top? We woke up the next morning to see that the Santa Cruz Sentinel had featured the event on the front page of their Sunday paper.

2. In the Editing Lab.

It’s been a monumental undertaking as we’ve morphed 4 years of 300+ hours of footage into a cohesive, intriguing sub-3 hour documentary. Yes, still more work to be done… but it’s definitely starting to feel like a film.

3. California Strike Mission.

Caity Simmers, Andrea Kabwasa, Kassia Meador, Kolton Sullivan, Devon Howard and many more sparked last week’s south swell into some Ciggy Board super sessions — from San Diego to Malibu, we absolutely SCORED. The 9’2 Travis Reynolds noserider, the 6’8 Marc Andreini mid-length, and the 5’2 Rob Machado quad were passed freely between the local rippers at the ‘Bu (à la “Singlefin: Yellow”), putting on a show as they shared waves, flew through the water, and danced effortlessly down the line. Beyond their stylish performances, these incredible surfers and humans had some powerful things to say during individual interviews. All in all, this trip was one for the books (well, documentary). Shout out to my Production Assistant (and much more), Michael Heffernan, and to all the hired crew and talent that made this such a special week.

Andrea Kabwasa, Kassia Meador, Kolton Sullivan, Devon Howard, and Caity Simmers. Photos by Ben Judkins, Ryan Johnson, Trent Stevens, and Ryan Hackbarth

4. South Africa Sessions.

Ciggy Boards are still abroad and our beloved filmer from afar, Paul Daniel, sent us footage yesterday of pro surfer (and character in our film) Mikey February bringing a Ciggy Board to a Sentinel Ocean Alliance event. This event, which “creates ocean-based opportunities and provides environmental education for the youth of South Africa’s coastal communities," got the kids stoked on the Ciggy Board and into some waves. Mikey had a few more rides himself on the 6’0 Malcolm Campbell bonzer3, pictured below.

5. Publicity.

• We’re honored to be highlighted as the Artist Profile in Surfrider Foundation’s bi-annual publication, “The Drop” (pictured below)

• We received news coverage on KSBW8

• Our story was shared last spring in the Santa Cruz Sentinel

• We were interviewed by Monster Children magazine

• We were featured speakers on a couple Zoom panels with O’Neill Sea Odyssey

• And in the realm of video content, Stab Magazine (among others) shared our surf-filled, aerial antics clip from the spring, The Cigarette Surfboard 'Single Session' with Noah Wegrich

6. Funding.

We’re working on grants with Marisla Foundation, Clif Bar Family Foundation, California Coastal Commission and more. While grants are great, we still thrive off donations by individuals like you. If you’ve read this far, I’d guess that you likely care about what we’re doing. So if you’re able to, please click here to make a tax-deductible donation to help us finish our film, with post-production crew costs looming in the near future.

7. What’s Next?

Local policy work. Lots of editing. A few final scenes to film. Securing funding and taking the next steps towards distribution and an educational tour. But most importantly: enjoying the process while making progress, and maybe even going for a surf now and again.

Thanks for reading — we have undying appreciation for your undying support.

All the best,
Ciggy Board Brigade

Ciggy Board 2021 Spring Newsletter

To our dear Ciggy Board fam,

Have you missed us? Been anxiously awaiting our next newsletter? Ok, likely not. You’ve been busy, as have we. Spring is springin’ and the Ciggy Boys are... ciggy’in’. If you have a few minutes, check out our winter recap below.

POP QUIZ — guess who our newest Ciggy addict is?

1. The 5’10 bonzer, shaped by Malcolm Campbell, has officially hit the water in South Africa. Señor Style himself, Mikey February makes Ciggy surfing look eassssy. More to come from this part of the globe.

2. Fergal Smith, Irish farmer and surfer, continues to explore waves with the 5’9 Ciggy Board (shaped by Ryan Harris) in cold water caverns of the East Atlantic. Tubes, turns, and floaters are all in his repertoire. We think he’s hooked on the ciggies.

3. We recently received a grant from Friends Foundation International. Check them out — we’re honored to be part of their amazing list of projects they support around the world.

4. While in Hawaiʻi, Ben linked up with Cliff Kapono and helped shoot this video for “The Pick-Up” by Stab and Vans. Skip ahead to 19:17 to see Cliff’s rad section.

5. Cliff also had a few fun rides (short video here) on the 7’2 lightning bolt Ciggy Board, shaped by Guy Okazaki, taking it out for it’s inaugural slides at a couple iconic Hawaiian waves this winter.

6. Legend and Mananalu Chandler, two surf stoked brothers from Kauaʻi, gracefully slid the Ciggy Boards through some playful tubes and turns on the North Shore this winter as well. Their joy of surfing is contagious, and they’re a lovely reminder of why we do what we do. Bright things ahead for these boys.

7. Back in Cali, Taylor finished building the 10’0 gun in our friend Ryan Harris’ shop. The blank was hand shaped by Travis Reynolds, then Taylor turned it into a Giant Squid of a Ciggy Board. Big waves await.

8. In February, we linked up with aerial enthusiast Noah Wegrich from Santa Cruz, who successfully landed the first air reverse in Ciggy history on the Rob Machado shaped 5’2 fish. A style smooth like butter and smiles for miles.

So what’s on the docket this Spring?

Ben’s back in the editing bay. Stoke is high. A rough cut is around the corner. An article with Monster Children, an interview with Surfrider Foundation, and Taylor will be hosting an online panel for O’Neill Sea Odyssey’s Ocean Science Series tomorrow, April 15th, from 1-2pm. We’ll then both be part of an O’Neill Sea Odyssey virtual discussion on Earth Day, April 22nd, from 6-7pm, as a call to action to end toxic tobacco waste. If it floats your fancy, click the links above to register for the free events.

Ciggy Boards remain stationed in all corners of the world with incredible surfers and videographers. Onward and upward, and not a complaint to make.

Well, we’ve reached that awkward but essential part of the newsletter… Are you in the mood to make a sexy ciggy contribution? Are your financial feathers ruffled or roused? Obviously zero pressure whatsoever — but if you’d like to make a tax-deductible donation to help spur our ongoing efforts, please click here. All contributions will go directly towards Ciggy Board shipping costs, hard drives for new footage, and payments to our amazing crew of international filmers. Huge thanks for your support.

And if you’ve actually made it this far, bravo! Give yourself a hug, or better yet, hug someone close to you (if you’re able to do so). Shoot us a note — anything to spice up our inbox.

With love and gratitude,

Ciggy Board Boys.

Ciggy Board 2020 Final Thoughts

Greetings!

If you haven't had a chance to read our last newsletter, we've forwarded it below. Fun stuff, we solemnly swear.

In addition to the bag of goodies you’ll find below, we have some even more recent news: we received our first film grant from the Marisla Foundation. Psyched, stoked, and no longer broke - woo!

Although we now have something in our bank account, we are still self-funded and seeking donations before the end of the year. We are officially fiscally sponsored by IDA, the International Documentary Association — this means tax-deductible donations are possible from the comfort of your living room couch. If you, or anyone you know, have it in your heart and pocket to celebrate the joy that is surfing, activism, and saving our oceans all in one — The Cigarette Surfboard project has your name all over it. We understand it’s a difficult financial time for many, but if you find yourself in a place to support, we thank you endlessly. Follow this link to help finance our 2021 reelection bid.

And oh yeah, check it out. Fergal Smith caught this wave in Ireland on a Ciggy Board a couple weeks ago, captured on video by his brother Kev. Amazing — more to come.

Happy New Year to all, stay safe and healthy, and we'll talk to you on the far side of this wildly weird and unprecedented year. What more do you want to see from the Ciggy Board Boys in 2021? A completed film? Us too — we’ll damn sure be working on it.

Good News, a Haiku, and a Joke

To our Ciggy Board friends, foes, and frenemies,

This ciggy duo is still lit — don’t you dare flick us away! We arrive gratuitously at your inbox this first of December, bearing good news, a haiku, and an impeccable joke. Intrigued? Please, continue.

First, the good news.

1. We are now officially fiscally sponsored by IDA, the International Documentary Association — damn right! This means tax-deductible donations are possible from the comfort of your living room couch. If you, or anyone you know, have it in your heart and pocket to celebrate the joy that is surfing, activism, and saving our oceans all in one — The Cigarette Surfboard project has your name all over it. We understand it’s a difficult financial time for many, but if you find yourself in a place to support, we thank you endlessly. Follow this link to help finance our 2021 reelection bid.

2. We started shipping Ciggy Boards around the world in response to the global pandemic. This means storyboarding chapters while directing from afar, and hiring talented local filmers to capture the surf and stories. The 5’9 thruster arrived with Fergal Smith in Ireland a couple weeks ago, and we just sent the new 5’10 bonzer 10,164 miles to Mikey February in South Africa. Absolutely FROTHING, just foaming from the mouth with excitement.

3. We had a few good days of filming in Los Angeles with zero-waste shaper Ryan Harris of Earth Technologies. An inspiring man who can truly walk the walk and talk the talk — and walk the talk, and talk the walk. Seriously though, who doesn’t want a surfboard that has no negative impact on the environment?

4. “Taylor Builds On” — the saga. He sees the end in sight, he swears. We think he’s half-man half-ciggy at this point.

5. Rob Kelly stacked a few clips on the Bonzer while Ben was in Jersey — he reconnected with that board like a bike. Here he puts on a magic show, a proper disappearing act. Spitta’!

6. It’s the final winter of filming surf… or so we say :) Ben has the opportunity to work in Hawai’i for the next couple months, so naturally he’s bringing a couple Ciggy Boards with him. Taylor will join after the holidays, possibly living in a hazmat suit out of a U-Haul van on the North Shore. #frugal #indiedoc #vanlife

7. We’ve been applying for film grants, waiting for feedback. Who the heck knows, just pray to the ciggy deities for us.

8. I’m writing this 20 feet away from Taylor, in a mask, in Los Angeles — I guess that’s considered good news these days?

Haiku:

The Ciggy Board Boys

Turning ash into treasure

Send sticks ‘round the globe

Impeccable Joke:

What do you call a surfboard made from cigarettes?

A Butt Board!

Thanks for reading. If you smiled, it was all worth it.

Ciggy Board Boys

Ciggy Board Newsletter Fall 2020

To our Cigarette Surfboard friends, fans, lovers, smokers and supporters,

Can you believe it’s nearly October?? Neither can we. We’ve got some fun stuff on tap this fall, and a few things worth sharing from this strange, smoke-filled summer.

Let’s get straight to it — what are you up to tomorrow? COVID, wildfires, or simply the state of our wild world have you stuck indoors? Well, we have quite the opportunity for you.

We’re honored to have our trailer featured in “Climate Cinema”, the grand finale event for Climate Week NYC (the largest climate summit in 2020), rounding out the United Nations General Assembly this month. From 7am-7pm PST this Wednesday, Sep. 30, the virtual festival will be screening films that highlight innovative solutions to help protect our planet and oceans. If you have some free time, check it out — follow this link for $1+ donation-based tickets.

Oh yeah, two new Ciggy Boards COMPLETE — the lightest and baddest of the bunch. The final four are on their way, and we can’t wait to see all these sticks surfed soon…

We’re honored to be featured in the book She Surf, available here: “While surfing is usually told through a male perspective, women have long been nurturing their own water stories and claiming their rightful place in the world of this sport. She Surf hails the women, past and present, who define the art of surfing.” Amazing.

We’re also ecstatic to be featured in SurfEar’s Stories for the Seas coffee table book, available here: “A blend of stories and photographs curated from worldwide contributors who have first hand experience colliding with our oceans and the reality of its human caused problems. All profits from sales of this book will be donated equally to the following four organisations: Surfers against Sewage, Plastic Change, Sin Azul No Hay Verde & Changing Tides Foundation.”

If you haven’t yet seen it, check out our “Racism & Surfing” video, which opened the ‘Black August’ program for the Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival.

Ben is headed down to L.A. in a couple days to film with Taylor as he finishes this last round of boards. We’ll also spend some time filming with eco-shaper Ryan Harris of Earth Technologies, discussing “sustainability” within the surfboard manufacturing industry, greenwashing, and how one small business building profitable zero-waste surfboards can be an example for the whole surf industry, and beyond, to learn from.

If you’ve made it this far, props — you are indeed a true and tried supporter of this project. We hate to ask, but since we remain self-funded and continue to reject the Marlboro and ExxonMobil money — if you have a few pennies to spare, for either a single or monthly donation, we’ll be forever grateful. If not, no worries, we truly thank you for reading. Share a joke, an idea, a photo with us — we’re always happy to hear back.

To conclude: editing continues, the world is still wild, our dream lives on, and autumn is somehow upon us. Fall is good for California surf, so we’re stoked about that. Many more things on the horizon that we look forward to sharing with you as they become realities.

And most importantly, let’s all vote for the ocean this November.

Ciggy Board Brigade OUT.

Ciggy Board Newsletter June 2020

To our Cigarette Surfboard community,

What a wild and unprecedented time we are living through — it’s been amazing to feel the uproar of a country that has long been in need of systemic changes in so many ways. The fight for black lives and racial justice has been powerful and we’re experiencing a massive cultural shift. We ask ourselves and we ask our community — as surfers, how will we get involved?

The past few weeks have made us reflect on the equal representation in our film, in our project, and in the surfing world in general. There’s a lot of work to be done on our end, to continue to listen, learn, and grow as individuals; and to use our documentary as a vehicle to help make surfing more accessible and welcoming for everyone. If we choose to be inclusive, to invite everyone in to see and experience the joy, to create a common ground of appreciation for the ocean, surfing can help deliver the important messages about what we must do to protect it.

The Redford Center Grant ✅ & Witnessing One of The Most Powerful Events in Surfing We’ve Experienced Yet

A few weeks ago, we finished our grant proposal for The Redford Center, which greatly pushed us to think deeper about how to best tell our story through a feature-length doc and how to put that “pitch” into words. Shortly thereafter, we began participating in Black Lives Matter protests around San Diego. 

One of these events was especially notable: the “Paddle Out for Unity” gathering in Encinitas, organized by Selema Masekela, Textured Waves, Kindhumans Movement and Changing Tides Foundation. Selema Masekela’s personal journey as a black surfer in a very white space and his poignant words on racial injustice visibly moved the thousands of people in the crowd. As his speech concluded, tears were shed, fists rose, and a mass of surfers stepped into the ocean, paddling out to sea to honor George Floyd and the countless black lives lost to police brutality. Paddle outs originate from traditional Hawai’ian & Polynesian culture and offer tribute to the life of someone lost within the surf / ocean community.

This paddle out was quite possibly the largest the area has ever seen. The event as a whole was a testament that the surfing community has the capacity to act as a collective, standing together in solidarity with an earnest commitment to listen, learn, and do the necessary work to dismantle racism within surf culture and the surf industry.

It was so powerful that it propelled us to document it, collect footage from other filmers, and craft a video that could be shared with the global surf community. We pulled our first all-nighter since college, and the next day saw our video and Selema’s message spread throughout the surf world and beyond – shared by Quiksilver, X Games, WSL, Surfrider, Men’s Journal, Good Day LA and more. We owe a big thank you to the organizers for hosting such an amazing event, and we hope our video helps this message and movement maintain momentum. Please watch the video here and feel free to share.

We Released Our Trailer... And Jack Johnson Loved It

After many rounds of revisions, we released our working trailer for the documentary. Jack Johnson, a key character in our film, promoted it on International Surfing Day this past Saturday. It received some great feedback and helped us gain more traction and eyes on our project — thanks Jack! You can watch it here (just scroll down a little bit on the homepage). If you’d like to share, please do — and let us know if you’d like a download link to post natively.

Our Fighting Chance to Stop Toxic Ciggy Butt Waste – Help Us Show Support for SB424 By Signing Our Petition

We started a petition on change.org to show support for California’s Senate Bill 424 (SB424), which would ban the statewide sale of “[cigarettes] utilizing a single-use filter made of any material, including cellulose acetate, any other fibrous plastic material, or any organic or biodegradable material.“ Cigarette butts are the most littered item in the world, they’re the number one collected item at beach clean-ups globally, and they leach thousands of chemicals into our waterways and ocean, harming ecosystems and killing fish and wildlife. The city of San Francisco spends an estimated $11 million annually cleaning up cigarette butt litter — and those millions come from taxpayer dollars. It’s a lose-lose sort of situation.

SB424 has been put on the backburner due to COVID-19. With this petition, we are generating public pressure to show legislators that there is ongoing public concern about this toxic waste. If all of you took just a minute to sign our petition, it would really help the grassroots support for this initiative. Please share if you can.

Zoom Panels are Starting to Feel Normal

In May, we spoke on a Cal Poly Surfrider Club panel alongside Chad Kaimanu Jackson from HempSurf — he makes surfboards from hemp cloth (as opposed to fiberglass cloth), which is biodegradable and non-toxic. The conversation was energetic and inspiring, and it was great to connect with Chad and the Surfrider Club. On June 30th, from 1-2pm PST, we will be leading a virtual session at Ocean Heroes 2020 Virtual Bootcamp, put on by Lonely Whale Foundation:

Calling all global ocean advocates between the ages of 11 and 18… have you ever wondered what it takes to create a campaign that actually creates change? Join Ocean Heroes 2020 Virtual Bootcamp from June 26-July 1 and learn tools you need to support systemic change for clean seas. Register for FREE here

3 Black-led Surf Organizations to Follow and Support

While our project thrives off individual donors like you, with this newsletter we point the spotlight towards three amazing black-led organizations doing positive work in the environmental and racial justice realm. Check them out, and support if you can.

1 Planet One People : founded by Selema Masekela, Ryan Harris, Danielle Black Lyons, and Hunter Jones. Their goal is to create a network that supports climate action, racial and social equality. They give back to communities that have experienced systemic racism, sexism and inequalities in tangible, meaningful ways.

STOKED : founded by Steve Larosiliere and Selema Masekela. Their goal is to use board sports culture to close the opportunity gap. They leverage the power of the community to facilitate events that empower underserved youth, and provide them with the skills, relationships, and experiences to succeed. 

Textured Waves : founded by Chelsea Woody, Danielle Black Lyons, Gigi Lucas, and Martina Duran. Their goal is to propagate the culture and sport of women's surfing towards women of color and underrepresented demographics through representation, community and sisterly camaraderie. Under the Community tab on their website, they have compiled a state-by-state list of inclusive surf and skate projects directed towards women.

That’s a Wrap

Thanks for reading, hope you all are safe, healthy, and getting involved in whatever capacity you can with the positive change happening in the world. We appreciate your support, as always — it wouldn’t be the same without you.

With love,

Ciggy Board Brigade

Ciggy Board Newsletter Spring 2020

To our Cigarette Surfboard community,

We hope all of you are staying healthy and happy during these crazy times, perhaps even getting out for a surf if you can do it safely (and legally). We won’t bombard you with another coronavirus email, although littered cigarette butts are a pretty good metaphor for the idea of small actions adding up to a larger whole. Thus, we are doing our part to be conscious, responsible citizens — what better time to lockdown, reflect on the project, edit the documentary, apply for grants, and build the final round of Ciggy Boards?

In some exciting recent news, we have been asked on behalf of Heal the Bay to auction a Cigarette Surfboard for their annual fundraising gala, as part of an online auction ending on May 29th at 7pm PST. Heal the Bay is an amazing ocean conservation non-profit in Los Angeles: “For 35 years, Heal the Bay has been a strong and trusted advocate for the ocean. But a healthy bay requires a healthy LA. Envisioning thriving oceans, healthy watersheds, and smart water, we’re working toward a greener and bluer Los Angeles County for everyone.” This auction will support both of our work and could be a huge help in getting our film that much closer to completion.

This surfboard was professionally hand-shaped by Ward Coffey of Santa Cruz, CA and has had the luxury of traveling from California to Hawai’i to Indonesia, ridden by talented professional surfers such as Craig Anderson: “If we were to compare surfing styles to music genres, Craig Anderson is jazz.” We will be splitting the proceeds with Heal the Bay 50/50, starting bids at $15,000 with a buy-it-now price of $35,000. If you or anyone you know may be interested, please share our newsletter and/or the link to the auction here.

As for other things we’ve been working on, here’s a breakdown of what we’ve been doing since February.

February

• Taylor was invited to speak on a panel to discuss ocean education and our project with Changing Tides Foundation, SCHRoadtrip, and Rais Case at the Rising Co. a rad community event in Oceanside, California. We screened our Jack Johnson video to an engaged crowd and were able to showcase a few Ciggy Boards as well.

• We had a booth at Camp Shred in Encinitas, the world’s largest surfboard demo, where we were able to showcase the boards at the entrance (everyone had to walk by us; it was the perfect spot) — and we met well-known professional surfer, style master, and ocean activist Rob Machado. We learned about his non-profit organization, which shares a similar mission as our project, and then upon asking, he graciously offered to shape (and surf) a Ciggy Board for the film!

March

• Prior to shelter-in-place restrictions, we went to New York City to sell a Ciggy Board to an amazing art collector and supporter of ocean conservation grassroots initiatives. We are so appreciative of this supportive family, and it’s allowed us to keep pushing forward with the project. Thanks as well to Ben’s cousins Ben, Danielle, Caleb, and Ara for hosting us.

• Coincidentally, our trip lined up with some amazing surf on the East Coast. We had the rare opportunity to surf the Ciggy Boards ourselves (in 41 degree water at Rockaways), and the next morning we went to New Jersey to meet up with professional surfer Rob Kelly. He looked like a natural on the Ciggy Board, and in an interview he spoke about the role of the surf community to embrace the growing popularity of surfing to teach people about protecting and respecting the ocean.

April

• We teamed up with Surfrider Foundation to help promote our project, film, and ongoing activism. This was a very exciting step for us, and will help us continue to progress.

• We spoke in front of a senior film class at Chapman University (via Zoom, of course) to share our process of independent documentary filmmaking, the development of our project, and the trials and tribulations we have experienced along the way.

• We began applying for film grants — the Redford Center Grant as well as Patagonia’s Media Grant — what a process!

• One of our individual donors was kind enough to support us with a $5,000 donation to help us get through these tough times. As we know most of you are not in the position to contribute something of that magnitude, we have set up an option to support the Cigarette Surfboard project month-to-month for as little as the price of a coffee — and of course, only if you’re able to.

• Ben’s photos and writing about the project were chosen to be included in two books, including one available on June 16th titled She Surf.

• Taylor began prepping for the final round of Ciggy Board building.

• Ben revamped the film’s storyboard (sticky notes everywhere), and began editing the feature-length documentary. He currently has rough cuts for 30% of the film; editing momentum is in full force. Exciting news indeed!

May

• As mentioned above, the auction of one of the Cigarette Surfboards will end on May 29th at 7pm PST with the proceeds being split 50/50 between Heal the Bay and our project. So if you or anyone you know would be interested in supporting both of our great work and owning a Cigarette Surfboard, we would be delighted if you share this email.

• Taylor has begun building the final round of Ciggy Boards.

• Ben is editing the film, as well as a trailer to be released at the end of the month, which we cannot wait to share with you.

• We’ll finish applying for the Redford Center Grant, due May 31st.

As the world continues to turn during these wild times, we wish all of you and your loved ones health and happiness. We hope that you’re able to find time to reflect on our planet’s ability to rebound in health, to appreciate what we have, and to safely immerse yourself in outdoor spaces — whether it’s your local beach or a neighborhood stroll. We’ve certainly been feeling the unique fortune we’ve had to travel and learn from inspiring ocean leaders around the globe who are trying to make the world a better place; and more than ever, we feel the strong imminence to protect our planet and the future that we can all help shape. Thanks so much for your support, as always.

All the best, 

Ciggy Board Brigade

January 2020 Ciggy Update

We hope the first month of the New Year has treated you well. If you haven’t had the opportunity to read our 2019 Year in Review yet, scroll down until you reach the next headline: “Ciggy Board Brigade — The Year in Review”.

 January came and went, and winter’s halfway gone; what has the Ciggy Board Brigade been up to?

• Ben went to Central America, and good friend / Stab Magazine professional surfboard tester Mikey Ciaramella put the 5’9 round-pin Ciggy Board to the test. Designed by Taylor with punchy tubes in mind, the board was cut and shaped by Ryan Harris of Earth Technologies — the first zero-waste surfboard shaping facility in the world: “there are greener and more sustainable surfboard production methods that do not compromise the performance of the board.” Proven!

• Meanwhile in Southern California… the infamous Campbell Brothers graciously shaped a Bonzer-5 Mini Merk model, and Taylor has spent the past couple weeks turning it into the newest member of the Ciggy Board quiver.

• Bob Pearson is currently shaping us a “gun” surfboard blank for big waves, like the notorious Mavericks wave in Half Moon Bay. Then for the smaller, hang-ten type of waves, we have teamed up with eco-shaper Ashley Lloyd, who is currently shaping us an old-school noserider longboard.

• We are very excited to announce that Futures Fins has generously donated an array of surfboard fins for the Ciggy Boards, which gives us all sorts of options for different styles of riding. Thanks Futures!

• We were interviewed for Oceanographic Magazine, a well written and respected publication out of the U.K. The article was published online last Friday — read it here.

• We were filmed and interviewed about our project by Hashtag Our Stories, for a “24-part series on people changing their world”. It will appear on NBC’s streaming channels this spring.

• A few months ago, Taylor was asked to be part of a mini-documentary about people making a positive impact, which was filmed by the non-profit organization Optimist. It airs today, and we are thrilled with how it turned out! Check out the 2.5 min video here.

• The Ciggy Board Bonzer-3, shaped by Ward Coffey, was recently featured in the Stab Magazine short film, “The Stab Innocents”. It was gracefully ridden by professional freesurfer Craig Anderson, who was nominated for “Best Style” and won “Best Short” at the 2019 Surfer Awards — he’s arguably the most angelic surfer to place feet on a Ciggy Board thus far.

• Although published over a year ago, we still think it’s well worth it to share now - Taylor was featured in a children’s book titled “Saving the Purple and Green” by Nancy Carlisle - neat!

What’s in the works for February? We are using the Cigarette Surfboards as a prop and platform to help influence California state bill SB424, which would ban the sale of “a cigarette utilizing a single-use filter made of any material, including cellulose acetate, any other fibrous plastic material, or any organic or biodegradable material.” This is ongoing and very exciting for us. We are still working on editing a video with Bristol’s ‘The Wave’, and are also piecing together the first trailer for our film! Taylor remains intimate with ciggy butts and building out boards. Of course, there are the unexpected twists and turns that always find the Ciggy Board Brigade — we’ll keep you posted!

If you’ve read this far, you know we can’t let you go without mentioning how donations from people like you help keep this project moving forward, so if you would like to make a one-time or monthly donation of any amount, you can follow the link here. Another way to support the project is to purchase one of our custom-designed and eco-friendly t-shirts — check them out here.

Thanks for reading! Keep in touch, and as always, thanks for the support.

Best,

Ciggy Board Brigade

Ciggy Board Brigade — The Year in Review

“...a good filmmaker looks for the story after the shooting while a bad one goes in with a point to prove. So the more honest the filmmaker, the longer it takes” (Miyamoto Musashi, Documentary Filmmaker)

We have hit the 2.5 year mark since our filming began! It seems that us Ciggy Board Boys were a bit naive in estimating how long it would take to make this film. Alas, the project keeps moving forward, with so many new and exciting developments. We have a much greater understanding of the global issues that face our oceans and what surfers are doing to protect the future of our planet, from land to sea. With a few more trips on the horizon and lots of editing time through the winter months… we can see the light at the end of a long and life-changing journey.

A whole lot has happened since our last update; so what the heck have we been doing in 2019?

2019 Ciggy Board Highlights

• January - October — 5 more Ciggy Boards were built by Taylor over the course of the year! Special thanks to Rod Lane (Taylor’s father) for the countless hours of wisdom, ideas and expertise that has been the soundboard to getting the ciggy boards where they are today. Thanks to Isley Brock for his help with the building process, and Guy Okazaki (6’9 step-up), Ryan Harris (5’9 performance pin-tail), Travis Reynolds (5’5 twin-fin, 5’3 twin-fin), and Ward Coffey (6’3 bonzer3) for shaping the blanks. From the original 17lbs Roach Tail to an 8lbs Ciggy Board as the newest model = tubes, turns, and airs like never before, making them a true smoke show. Through countless hours of trial and error, Taylor has found a way to make the boards lighter and stronger, while substantially streamlining the construction process

• February - March — Film production trip to Hawaiʻi (Oahu, Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi)

  • Filmed with renowned musician, ocean activist, and surfer Jack Johnson (video reposted by Surfer Magazine, Stab, and The Inertia)

  • Filmed with Ph.D. scientist, ocean activist, and professional surfer Cliff Kapono (video of him surfing the twin-fin featured by NobodySurf here)

  • Featured on a podcast with The Mega Lab at the University of Hawaiʻi

  • Stories, surfing, and family BBQ’s with political activist, MMA fighter, and professional surfer Dustin Barca

  • Interview with ocean activist Kahi Picarro — and a beach clean-up with Sustainable Coastlines Hawaiʻi

• March - April — Film production trip to Fiji

  • Filmed the Save the Waves Coalition “Dirty Beach Challenge” video with host Cliff Kapono, starring Fijian winner Hannah Bennett (edited by Sales Force)

  • Filmed interviews and Ciggy Board surfing with ocean activist and professional surfer Hannah Bennett

  • Filmed surfers John Rae and other local Fijian youth riding Ciggy Boards

  • Filmed professional surfer Tevita Gukilau riding huge barreling waves on Ciggy board 4.0 at perfect Cloudbreak (interview and video on Stab Magazine here)

• April — Editing time!

  • Scoured through years of footage and interviews, and continued to bridge the documentary puzzle pieces together, as we worked other jobs to keep us afloat

• May — Film production trip to Costa Rica

  • Filmed with one of Costa Rica’s best professional surfers Carlos Muñoz in epic conditions, riding Ciggy Board 3.0

• June - September — Attended summer events, built Ciggy Boards, and filmed in California, from a Los Angeles news studio to the heart of the Central Valley

  • Filmed a World Oceans Day cruise ships protest in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, a campaign where Taylor made a massive floating sign that was hauled out into open waters next to a cruise ship, which read: “THIS IS A MARINE SANCTUARY, STOP POLLUTING IT!” We have continued to attend these protests and paddle-outs, learning first-hand how to be effective activists

• Discovered California Senate bill SB-424, which by definition: “bans a cigarette utilizing a single-use filter made of any material, including cellulose acetate, any other fibrous plastic material, or any organic or biodegradable material.” Our influence on this bill is ongoing and we hope to use our platform and connections to create more public pressure on this incredible piece of legislation

• Filmed with college student, youth ocean advocate, and surfer Marissa Miller

• Filmed a video in collaboration with Outerknown, a responsible surf brand founded by world famous surfer Kelly Slater (edited by Outerknown)

• Filmed a video at Kelly Slater’s Wave Pool, showcasing the Ciggy Boards in perfect artificial barrels

• Featured on KTLA 5 News (a major Los Angeles news station) at the wave pool. Our cameo was quick and funny, and certainly worth a watch. Check it out here

• Invited to the studio at KTLA 5 News as a result of our first interview with them, and went on live TV with the Ciggy Boards! Video here

• Became ambassadors for SeaTrees, a rad initiative that offsets carbon footprints by sequestering “blue carbon” to regenerate coastal ecosystems, through planting mangroves, kelp forests, seagrass, and coral

• Invited to speak on a panel at The Inertia Evolve Summit in Los Angeles — watch our full panel discussion with 4Oceans and Alison Teal about “Cigarette Surfboards, Plastic, and Our Ocean’s Health” here

• Auctioned off a Ciggy Board at Oceana’s SeaChange Summer Party for $21,000! We split the proceeds with the non-profit, helping to fund our project. Stab Magazine wrote an article about it here

• Invited to have a booth in the World Surf League (WSL) PURE Village at the WSL Freshwater Pro, allowing us to show some top professional surfers the new Ciggy Boards — video here

• Taylor recently designed some killer Ciggy Board t-shirts — help support our project by purchasing one here

• October - November — Film production trip to Europe (Netherlands, U.K., Ireland), with new member of the Ciggy Board Brigade — photographer & writer, Katie Rodriguez

  • Presented our project at Patagonia Europe HQ in Amsterdam and it was received very well by the whole office

  • Attended Dutch Design Week and filmed at the Precious Plastic exhibition, learning how design can be used to solve a global systemic problem (creating useful products from plastic waste)

  • Filmed interviews and b-roll in Cornwall with Surfers Against Sewage founders Chris Hines and Steve England, learning how a group of young surfers banded together to make political and environmental change

  • Filmed an interview with Surfers Against Sewage CEO Hugo Tagholm, highlighting the tools to make effective political change

  • Filmed surfing in Cornwall with Alan Stokes and Shaun “Skippy” Skilton (U.K. Surfing National Champions) on the Ciggy Boards

  • Filmed at Bristol’s artificial wave, The Wave, with founder Nick Hounsfield, Alan Stokes, and Sophie Hellyer. The Wave is at the forefront of sustainability, inclusivity, and affordability amongst the many newly emerging artificial wave pools around the world

  • Filmed surfing and interviews with regenerative farmer / surfer Fergal Smith and Ph.D. scientist / surfer Easkey Britton in Ireland. Both are working diligently to take care of the planet, through individual action and their broader communities

  • Invited to speak about the project and present the surfboards at Trinity College in Dublin — article here

  • Taylor was invited to speak in Toronto on behalf of Brightworks 9th Innovation Day event, which gathers an incredible group of designers, business leaders and visionaries to inspire, grow, and challenge assumptions about what’s possible

  • Taylor was part of a short documentary series produced by RYOT film agency called Futurists, “profiling trailblazers revolutionizing their industries and changing the future for good.” 6-minute video here

• December - January 2020 — Publicity, building Ciggy boards, editing, and filming surf

  • Easkey Britton wrote a column about our project in the latest print edition of the U.K. publication Oceanographic Magazine, and collaborated with them on a separate article, soon to be published online

  • The famed Campbell Brothers just shaped us a new bonzer surfboard blank, which Taylor will be building this month

  • Vissla (the brand that hosts the “Creators Contest”, which prompted the build of the first Ciggy Board) reached out to us to showcase one of the Ciggy Boards in Florida's annual Surf Expo, so we put together an info board and off it went

  • Ben is headed to Costa Rica in a week to film Ciggy Board surfing

  • Editing a video with Bristol’s ‘The Wave’, coming soon

  • Editing a sizzle reel, and working on a presentation / pitch deck to help us find and secure funders to help finish our film!

Final Notes

Thanks to so many people; honestly, this duo is nothing without the support of everyone who has helped along the way. From providing a meal, a bed, building spaces and materials, ideas and advice, your valuable time... you know who you are :)

If you are feeling generous and would like to contribute to our campaign, we are extremely grateful for any and all help! We have recently set up a one-time and monthly donation option which is available on our website here. If you would like to make a substantial contribution, we can make sure that your donation is tax deductible. If you would like to do so, please reach out to us at film@thecigarettesurfboard.com. 

And if you’d like to support by purchasing one of our new t-shirts, click here. For those of you who contributed $60+ to our campaign, a shirt will be sent to you soon.

Thanks for your ongoing support! 2019, that’s a wrap. Looking forward to this exciting year ahead. Stay up to date with our journey via Instagram, @thecigarettesurfboard.

With love,

Ciggy Board Brigade

Three New Ciggy Boards are Complete, Hoorah!

Hello to our Cigarette Surfboard Community,

We arrived in Hawaiʻi a few days ago! Taylor has been extremely dedicated to working with ciggy butts — in garages, carports, and shaping bays — and we’re finally ready to take these new Cigarette Surfboards on the road. With Ben back in Los Angeles this February, Taylor finished up the third Ciggy Board of the new models, while Ben filmed the building process — there’s a 6’9 single-fin, a 6’3 bonzer, and a 5’5 twin-fin fish. Weighing in a couple pounds lighter than previous versions, we’re excited to see these boards in some proper Hawaiʻian waves. As professional surfer Cliff Kapono (from Hilo, Hawaiʻi) told us over the phone a couple weeks ago, “let’s get some barrels”. And indeed, the ocean is set to provide — solid swell forecasted for almost the entire time we’re here.

Not only are these new Ciggy Boards lighter, the upcycled foam blanks were crafted by notable professional shapers — Guy Okazaki, Ward Coffey, and Travis Reynolds (see previous update below for more info on that). Overall, these foam shapes are far more functional than the earlier prototypes, and the process of Ciggy Board invention continues to progress. Friends of Taylor’s were hired to sift ciggy butts, glass the boards, and help implement the artwork on the ciggy mats. Speaking of the ciggy artwork...

What’s on tap for our Hawaiʻi trip? Well, here’s our plan (16 days total), and how it will all fit into our film. On Oʻahu, we’ve already met with Jack Johnson — yes, the well-known musician, ocean activist, and talented surfer. As soon as Taylor landed in Honolulu on Tuesday, we drove directly to the North Shore to surf with Jack. He is truly one of the kindest, most humble humans we’ve ever met. We showed him the new Ciggy Boards, and Taylor explained the building process — he was genuinely intrigued by their design, and Jack chose the twin-fin fish to take out for a surf that evening. He stylishly rode the board on some bigger waves, and it was evident that this new model is far more functional than previous versions. Jack returned to the shore with a big smile on his face, stoked on his Ciggy Board experience.

We couldn’t be happier with the time he so graciously gave us. We shot amazing footage from two angles on land, and hired a professional local water cinematographer, who beautifully captured the feeling of Jack’s sunset session from the ocean. The filmer’s name is Connor Trimble, who has quickly become a friend of ours, and has also helped us bridge connections to other well-known surfers in Hawaiʻi. He’s stoked to be a part of the project, and we’re stoked to have him on board.

The following day, we filmed an interview with Jack, where we discussed his environmental activism, his amazing non-profit The Kōkua Hawaiʻi Foundation, his opportunity as an influencer, the detriment of our single-use culture on the oceans, and the obligation surfers have to be better stewards of the sea, among other things. We can’t wait to be able to share more of this with you at a future time. Jack was well-spoken and very inspiring for us, and we can already envision the important role he’ll play in our film. Less than 24 hours with Taylor on Oʻahu, and what a success and turning point it had already been.

On Thursday we interviewed Kahi Picarro, one of the founders of Sustainable Coastlines Hawaiʻi, an organization dedicated to keeping Hawaiʻi’s beaches clean, and educating children and the general public about the issues of ocean plastic pollution, as well as putting an emphasis on prevention, prevention, prevention. He was passionate and well-articulated, unafraid to voice his strong perspective about the necessity for surfers and the surf industry to align with better environmental practices. This also felt like a monumental interview for us.

We attended and filmed during a Sustainable Coastlines and Kōkua Foundation beach clean-up on one of the dirtiest beaches of Oʻahu’s North Shore, Kahuku Beach. This beach is so juxtaposed to the postcard image of Hawaiʻi we often see. An old television set had washed up on the shore, along with derelict fishing gear, innumerous everyday items, and a tide line full of microplastics. As Kahi said, Hawaiʻi really sees the impacts of plastic pollution firsthand.

From Oʻahu we go to the Big Island, staying in Hilo with Cliff Kapono. He is psyched on the new Ciggy Boards, itching to take them out in some bigger waves — we couldn’t be more excited about that. We see him playing an integral role in our film, beyond his surfing — speaking about the roots and culture of surfing in Hawaiʻi, how surfing has become increasingly commercialized and how this impacts the planet, and the importance of ocean stewardship within the general surf community, surf industry, and among professional surfers.

Funding — we’re in Hawaiʻi on credit, and digging into personal savings to fund the trip, which we’re more than happy to do, seeing how far we’ve gotten with the generous donations we’ve received thus far — plus, no passion project can be legitimate without at least a little debt! To help lessen the costs of the trip, we reached out to Clif Bar a few weeks ago, and we initiated a relationship in which they were excited about our grassroots endeavor and film. They graciously sent us boxes of Clif Bars, granola, and other energy snacks to keep us fueled on the road. We will be meeting up with them once we’re back in California to discuss the potential synergy for future collaboration. In Oʻahu, our friend’s mother Donna Ambrose has kindly given us a place to stay, which has really helped reduce costs. Before Taylor arrived, Ben spent a night sleeping in the mini-van rental, with a surfboard bag as a mattress, and a towel as a blanket — we’re doing our best at this low-budget ball game.

Therefore, we have implemented a donation page on our website — any little amount helps defray the costs of our extra filmers, travel, future accommodation, food, etc. As with any self-funded film and project endeavor, a little bit goes a long way, so we are more than appreciative if you can chip us a few bucks by clicking here. If you feel inclined to share this update with friends and family, that would be awesome as well.

An update for our generous and patient Indiegogo donors — the film will not be released until next year, so items claimed such as the film download, tickets to the premiere, and your name in the credits can obviously not be completed until the documentary is done. As for our Cigarette Surfboard original t-shirts and signed photographs, concepts are currently in progress and we’re still working on them. Thanks for your patience!

There you have it — thanks for reading! If you haven’t had a chance to follow our board building stories or recent posts on Instagram, follow us at @thecigarettesurfboard.

If you missed our last newsletter update that covered the second half of 2018, including our trip to Europe, scroll down a few lines to read below.

To watch some rad new videos we’ve put together, click here.

Thanks so much for all your ongoing support. Onward!

The Ciggy Board Boys

Entry 1: Thursday, May 17th, 2018

To the Cigarette Surfboard community,

We hope everyone is having a lovely spring. Here in California, Ben and Taylor have split weeks between the Bay Area, Santa Cruz, Los Angeles, and San Diego. We have been busy, as always, staying occupied with planning, filming, building boards, attending events, meeting with people, and continuously redefining and refocusing the scope and goals of our film. We are on an infinite learning curve that keeps us constantly on our toes. It’s been fun, rewarding, challenging, but most of all, exciting and inspiring - and we’re stoked as ever to keep pushing forward.

We attended the Global Waves Conference in Santa Cruz on March 5th to 7th. We spent those days listening to speakers from around the world (many of whom are environmentally active surfers, ranging from novice to professional) address ocean health problems and solutions: “The conference brings together the best international minds from the surfing, conservation, and innovation communities to tackle the world’s most challenging ocean issues.” We took extensive notes, felt inspired by the presentations, and had the chance to speak with influential people such as Patagonia Ambassador Liz Clark, champion big wave surfer and environmental activist Greg Long, U.K.’s “Surfers Against Sewage” founder Hugo Tagholm, “Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii” founder Kahi Picarro, and inspirational San Francisco filmmaker Sachi Cunningham. We’ve found that people are very intrigued by the Cigarette Surfboard and what it represents.

On top of the conference sessions, there was a film festival featuring notable surf filmmakers, a historical walk along West Cliff and its famous surf spots such as Steamer Lane, and a paddle-out with everyone to commemorate the power and beauty of so many like-minded people coming together to discuss the never-ending fight to protect the ocean. We decided not to film any part of the conference or conduct any interviews, but rather utilized it as a space to expand our knowledge on ocean conservation work and to create connections with influential and inspiring people, some of whom will be critical voices and stories in the film.

The following week we attended the NOAA International Marine Debris Conference in San Diego. We had obtained media passes to film at the event, which granted us access to interview many of the attendees. Over the course of four days, we conducted more than a dozen interviews with reputable scientists, UN Environment representatives, activists, and youth leaders from around the world. We also listened to a few presentations, and had the opportunity to meet Jack Johnson - a truly sweet and passionate human being, using his prominence as a famous musician and surfer to fight for a healthier ocean and happier planet. He even told us he’d be interested in riding the Cigarette Surfboard!

In March and April, we met with a number of notable ocean conservation activists and surf filmmakers in Southern California who have given us advice on the film - and it’s been extremely valuable for us to return often to the drawing board, and hone in on our strategy and structure of the film. Our current synopsis of the film is as follows: “We are creating an environmental surf film that uses the Cigarette Surfboard to question the mentality of littering cigarette butts, and how this largely represents our single-use plastic culture and its effect on the ocean. Our goal is to inspire, educate, and share creative solutions to encourage a “call to action” for the international surf community / industry to become more engaged stewards of the sea. We aim to provide people (surfers and non-surfers alike) with tools to help reduce their impact on the ocean.”

We have stratified the film into seven solution-based case study chapters, which are as follows: surf industry, education / youth, science, preventative solutions, clean-up solutions, activism / local community action, and politics. These are sub-categorized by topic rather than by individual / place - and allow for international people to fit into specific areas of the film to collectively address plastic pollution in our oceans as a global issue. We’ve also had plenty of creative visual ideas, and have figured out how to effectively interweave and connect Taylor’s story (without adopting a “Hero’s Journey” narrative), the Cigarette Surfboard, and surfing within a cohesive and interesting framework that addresses the problems and solutions to ocean plastic.

In San Diego, Scientist and Professional Surfer, Cliff Kapono, rode and spoke about the Cigarette Surfboard at Scripps Beach. We also met with San Diego State University Professor Emeritus Tom Novotny, an accomplished and well-respected scientist who studies the effect of cigarette butt littering on waterways, fish, and the ocean. In the future, we will be filming with both of these influential individuals.

Ben went with his third-grade teacher Laura Honda to San Francisco to pick up cigarette butts, and spent almost six hours doing so (plus some dim-sum in Chinatown). Filming the whole experience, Laura and Ben picked up thousands of littered butts, were thanked by numerous individuals (as well as the occasional “what the heck are they doing” look), and spoke extensively about the role and power of environmental education and exposure to nature for young kids - addressing the “why we should care” question. It was a rewarding experience for both of them, teacher and former student.

Taylor was invited to advise an environmental design class at Los Angeles Technical Trade College, to provide feedback and strategize for a junk-wars competition. He was asked to bring the Cigarette Surfboard as an example for the students, which they found as an inspirational piece. The class went on to win the contest, where they faced other classes from UCLA, ArtCenter College of Design, and CalArts. The Class went on to take first place at the event!

We attended and filmed a beach clean-up in April at Santa Monica Pier, where over 1,000 volunteers helped us pick up littered butts for building new Cigarette Surfboards - we counted over 4,000 butts picked up in just over an hour. Taylor has been consistently prototyping for two new Cigarette Surfboard models, a 5’4” Twin-fin and 6’2” Bonzer. He developed a new way to build the boards - lighter, stronger, and more functional than the original - and it requires less butts, as part of our trademarked one-layer “Ciggy Mat Technology” - top secret (see the photos below). We are currently filming this building process in L.A. and plan to have both boards ready for the water in less than two weeks.
 

In less than two weeks (we swear we’re not cutting it too close with building the boards…) we leave for Europe. There’s been a lot of effort put into scheduling that trip (planes, trains, and automobiles), but through all the people we’ve met along the way, it’s been pretty easy finding inspiring individuals to meet and film - and there’s been overwhelming support for our project from most we’ve reached out to. In fact, we’re pretty damn booked for the 8 weeks we’re overseas. There’s a whole lot of cool stuff and interesting people involved with ocean conservation work in Western Europe and the UK / Ireland.

Our itinerary:

We fly to Paris on May 29th. As you may recall, Taylor was invited to speak on an ocean conservation and activism panel at the Think Tank Stage of the Parisian festival “We Love Green”. After the festival, we head to The Netherlands for a week, where we are booked almost every day with interviews with inspiring folks across the country. Then we head to Southwest France, and plan to spend 10 days around some of France’s best surfing areas, such as Biarritz and Hossegor. We have a few people we are meeting with there as well - scientists, surfers, and organizations. From Biarritz we go to London, and spend three weeks in Southern UK, meeting with people from the surf industry, university researchers, and founders of well-known non-profits - as well as spending a few days with relatives of Taylor’s.

Finally we get to Western Ireland, where we will be staying at the farm of the famous Irish surfer and farmer Fergal Smith - pitching a tent, growing some food, and interviewing and filming Fergal (and friends) ride the Cigarette Surfboard. And we’re home July 24th, presumably very low on funds. We’ll put together a prototype video from the trip, representative of the style and structure we intend for the full length documentary. We believe this will help in applying for grants and attempting to obtain sponsorships. And of course we’ll share this video with you, and we will be open to any feedback.

Check out our most recent article by Santa Cruz Waves: http://www.santacruzwaves.com/2018/05/a-smokin-film/

All in all, it’s a good time for the Ciggy Butt Board Boys. It’s also a lot of hard work. But we have momentum, support, and unwavering ambition and dedication to the project. Most important, it truly feels meaningful and unquestionably useful of our time to be making this film. As always, lots to do, and lots to learn.

Thanks again for your support, and don’t hesitate to reply, inquire, or offer suggestions of any sort.

With love,

Ben and Taylor