Filmmaker and Kaimukī resident Connor Trimble was selected by the media production company “The Inertia” to create a five-minute film about Haleʻiwa as part of a series about surf towns around the nation.
The result of that collaboration? An approximately 22-minute film, “Hometown Hype: Haleʻiwa – Surfing’s Final Boss,” which released Friday, Nov. 28, on YouTube. In less than a week, the film has already had more than 64,000 views.
The series, which is presented by White Claw, features seven towns and seven filmmakers. “Hometown Hype: Haleʻiwa – Surfing’s Final Boss," directed by Trimble, features professional surfers such as Mason Ho and Jamie O'Brien, among others.
The film premiere was held Thursday, Nov. 20, at Haleʻiwa Distilling Co., which is located on the grounds of the Old Waialua Sugar Mill, where some of the film was captured.
“Hometown Hype: Haleʻiwa – Surfing’s Final Boss," directed by Connor Trimble, features professional surfers such as Mason Ho and Jamie O'Brien, among others. The film premiere was held Thursday, Nov. 20, at Haleʻiwa Distilling Co., which is located on the grounds of the Old Waialua Sugar Mill. (Oscar Nikita) 
Connor Trimble, center, is the director of an approximately 22-minute film, “Hometown Hype: Haleʻiwa – Surfing’s Final Boss,” which released Friday, Nov. 28, on YouTube. (Oscar Nikita) 
The premiere of the film was held Thursday, Nov. 20, at Haleʻiwa Distilling Co., which is located on the grounds of the Old Waialua Sugar Mill, where some of the film was captured. (Oscar Nikita) 
Joey Cadiz, center, at the premiere of “Hometown Hype: Haleʻiwa – Surfing’s Final Boss.” (Oscar Nikita)
Trimble, who is from Ohio, originally moved to Hawaiʻi to swim for the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. That was close to 12 years ago, he said.
“I wanted to swim outside,” Trimble said with a laugh. “Instead of swimming inside and going to morning practice in the snow and all the cold and everything else like that. I wanted to swim outside, and I wanted a totally different experience for college. What I tell people is: ʻGoing to Hawaiʻi from Ohio was a life experience more than a college experience because it was truly culture shock from the cornfields.’ I had to learn a lot.”
Among his many projects was a feature with Gabriel Medina, the three-time world champion and Olympian, for Corona Cero, according to Trimble’s wesbite. He also captured interviews from the water and land during the Paris Olympics.
Trimble spoke with Aloha State Daily by phone about “Hometown Hype: Haleʻiwa – Surfing’s Final Boss,” while on a walk with his dog at the beach.
Can you share a little about the film and what inspired you to create it? The film really stemmed from “The Inertia” coming to me. They approached me with the film concept and idea, and they were looking for someone that had a lot of stock footage. I've been shooting up in the North Shore for 10 years, and so they just knew that I was sitting on troves and troves of footage. They were looking for someone that had a unique angle on the North Shore. I fit that bill because I'm actually not from the North Shore, so I could look at it from an outside perspective of: “What can you teach someone that doesn't know what the North Shore is?” But also show why it's so special from someone who spent so much time up there.
What was your favorite moment from filming? It's so difficult because there's a handful of moments that stand out to me. One that’s so cool is anytime you feel like you're connecting with the land. I was out at Joey Cadiz’s loʻi with Laulau Solutions. … Jon Pyzel taking me through his factory was super cool. And then, just having a chance to chat with him. … I took it upon myself and felt it was super important to just highlight all these different pockets [of Haleʻiwa]. Another pocket that I didn't mention was Old Waialua Sugar Mill. There are all these artisans out there. There are incredible shapers. There are just incredible people out there, in general. And it was super cool to have John Pyzel give me the lay of the land out there and then take me around. And I think the last moment that stood out was Noah Montes — he owns Skate Supply. He's the only skate shop on the North Shore, and he runs it out of his van. He's a pretty quiet guy — doesn't like the camera in his face or anything like that, but his laugh is contagious. [He’s] the nicest guy in the world, and him giving me time at all was just incredible.
My understanding is that you also film from the water, is that right? 100%. And that is the main reason that they chose me is because they wanted somebody with unique footage. I would say 80 - 90% of the time, I'm shooting in the water.
What are some of the challenges of filming like that? All I have out there are fins, a wetsuit, a helmet, and my camera with a water housing around my camera. That's it. And then, you're kind of just trying to dodge surfers. You're dodging other cameramen. You're dodging waves. You're holding your breath. You're getting thrown around. You're getting just absolutely smoked by all these waves. And you're fully in it, and there's nothing else like it. It's a really beautiful, cool, chaotic thing to do. Especially at Pipeline, where there's just so much energy. And the waves, they sound like an avalanche — or like lightning or thunder or something — and your whole body is almost rumbling and it’s a really addictive, amazing thing. And it's just this really beautiful dance between man and nature, because these waves are huge.
Follow Trimble on Instagram or learn more about his work on the filmmaker’s website.
Katie Helland can be reached at katie@alohastatedaily.com.
