Logan Dulien Talks The Final Chapter Of Snapt

Snapt5 - the final chapter of a series that has grown to become one of the most core surf films collections of our time for its section-based focus on some of the hell men of the surf world is officially here.

What makes the Snapt series so special, in addition to the obvious filming mastermind of Logan Dulien, is just how long some of the featured surfers have sat on their best clips in order to keep it exclusive to Snapt. In a time when everyone is expected to churn out content, this is no small feat. Neither is putting together a film that features over fifty surfers, and yet Logal Dulien has done just that for five incredible full length surf films. These films are an ode to doing things for the love of it and for bringing people together the old fashioned way - with a good ol world party premiere tour. Kicking off in the US, Snapt5 is due to hit Australian shores in September and continue on around the world. We caught up with Logan ahead of the party.

First question - what is the selection process to be apart of Snapt?

I’m always scouting for talent. I look for guys that I think will be a good fit. When I say good fit I mean, for me, it is someone that can translate well on film. Some guys’ surfing better translates with a jersey on. Some guys have made an entire career on free surfing. Some rare guys can do both - like Dane or Jack or Ethan. Not many can do both but I’m looking for guys who translate well in video. Then on top of that I’m looking for guys who are easy to work with. Who are enthusiastic and have a good head on their shoulders. I think that’s really important. You can be the most talented free surfer but if you’re not into the project, or have other priorities and obligations for whatever reason then it makes it hard. There’s a lot of variables. It’s all pretty unorthodox. Also the guys tend to have suggestions too. That’s how we got Harry and Noz in this one - through Mason. Then Yago through Jack. I was blown away by how dedicated Harry and Noz are when it comes to filming. They are so methodical with any project if it’s theirs or something like Snapt. 

Yeah they are good dudes. 

Yeah it really helps when they are good dudes who surf damn well. It makes it easy. 

There’s something like fifty surfers in this one right? 

Yeah over fifty mostly because of the grom section which includes 29 groms. I just thought it was more important to get more groms in there with less waves to stoke more of them out. 

Yeah that’s cool. 

But that’s why there are so many surfers. There’s a few hybrid sections with a few guys in it at once. The Young Hawaiian section with Jacob Turner, the Chandler brothers, Steve Roberson, and Luke Tema. Like that’s five just there you know? 

I can’t imagine what the reaction must have been like for those groms to know they were being featured in such an iconic series. 

All I know is that it was one of the hardest sections to make. Just the work of collecting the clips alone from 29 groms. But it was definitely the most rewarding and the part that has got the most feedback. 

Yeah how has the feedback been from the first couple of premieres? 

Mostly great! There’s some pretty gnarly critics out there though and you know, that’s their thing to critic, and I guess I look at this whole project differently. It’s a form of art - from the surfing to music, so it’s subjective. Everyone has their opinion but for the harsh critics I just want to tell them to go back to their own movie with fifty guys in it. A lot of people are quick to comment on saying it would be great to have all these guys on the same trip and I agree but that’s almost impossible. Ritual is doing it, bringing their team everywhere and that film will be tripping but Snapt isn’t that. It’s so hard to do an independent section based movie. Getting guys on trips together with all their brand obligations is literally impossible. And even getting them to keep the content off instagram and youtube is so hard. And I get it, surfers need that content sometimes to keep on teams, I’m never going to withhold that from them but having clips no one has ever seen before is what Snapt is. I don’t think people realise how much goes into these kinds of movies. 

On that - I wanted to ask what your thoughts on social media is and how that has impacted surf films especially? 

Well with Snapt my goal has always been to make something that you can put on to psych yourself up like the old days with VHS and DVD and whatnot. Like study it. But I will say there is just so much content out there now. And it’s constant. Right now someone could have dropped a fifteen second clip of something that is about the break the internet you know. 

Yeah that reminds me of that Hughie clip from a couple weeks back. 

Exactly. And that was so sick to see you know. You can’t deny that. We are very spoiled to great surfing content. But I also think there’s something to be said about bringing people together. In the old days you used to go around to each other’s house and wait to watch this stuff. It was a whole pastime. That’s why I do the big world tours. To bring a bit of that back again. But I can’t deny it’s extremely difficult as a surf filmmaker these days. And it’s hard for the surfers too because obviously they want to stay in the spotlight and keep the sponsors happy so it becomes really tricky. Companies want content. Like I said before, if someone needs to put a clip out because a contract is coming up and I’m sitting on something for them then I’d obviously let them off the project. I want to do what’s best for my film but also for these guys too. But on the flip side I think Snapt has also helped some guys get sponsors. I know it helped with Parker Coffin and his sponsorship situation back in Snapt3. Benji Brand, Clay Marzo and Mateus Herdy. It’s rad to see Julian (Wilson) come on and sponsor him. So it goes both ways. 

Is this the last one really? 

I’ve had a really good run of movies. Three of them in the last ten years. I’m tired. I want to be on the sideline cheering for these guys now. Especially you know, the Olympics, the World Tour, even just the surfers dealing with personal things and injuries. When you work with these guys on such a personal level like I do you see how much they have on their plate and I don’t want to be in the way of them pursuing other things. I want to enjoy surfing and life. I’m so full on with these movies that it’s vortex when I’m working on them. When you’re working on a global scale too with so many international surfers - it’s always all over the place. So yeah I think this is the last one. 

And will you make it out to Australia? 

That is the plan, although my daughter is recovering from knee surgery and I want to be around to help her out so maybe not. Snapt 5 is opening Jack McCoy’s Film Festival in Sydney which is just so special you know. I was always on the phone to Jack and he was always pestering me to get it done before he passed. I didn’t realise he was so sick. He was relentless wanting me to get this movie done. So yeah that’s really special to be able to show it there. It’s a huge honour. If I can’t make it Harry and Noz said they would be there to hold it down. 

How good. Well I may or may not see you at the Gold Coast prem but if I do - I’ll be sure to shout you a beer.

(Laughs) hey thanks. Yeah the Balter one will be fun as. We’re trying to add a couple more stops to Australia. Margs is on the list. If any venues that are reading this that want to host - feel free to reach out. Bring everyone together again.