Mick Waters is one of those quietly spoken, gentle natured souls that just goes about his business. Action before the words every time. You would be hard pressed to find out he is a local filmmaker, let alone that he is one hell of a football player.
So we thought a few questions are in order, wouldn’t you agree?
Give us a bit of a quick background on you Mick?
My name is Mick Waters and I am 42 years old. I live on a rural property, which is close enough to the coast to keep me sane, but far enough away to keep me from getting constantly distracted. I live with my beautiful wife Susan, our two daughters Ruby and Skye and my little boy Sunny. I am lucky that I have my own office which I work from, so I get to work whenever I have to and also have lots of time spent with my wife and children. There are always jobs to do around our property, we have chickens, grow our own fruit and veggies, and work when we have to. We try to live a pretty simple life and at the moment it is all going to plan.
I have only lived on the North Coast for 9 years, but it has been the best part of my life. I have been able to move up here and start a Family, follow my dreams, pursue my career and meet a lot of nice people. I grew up in Western Sydney, so I consider this to be Heaven.
How did you get into filmmaking?
I jumped at the chance to see surfing films at the Cinema when I was younger. They weren’t always on and it was a long trip, but the experience was always worth it, to see all your heroes and the latest images on the big screen. Those memories are still etched in my mind. Once films started coming out on Video, I watched even more. Sometimes the quality wasn’t as good, but you could watch more, which, as a young surfer is what you are after. You are a sponge and the more you can get the better.
The better videos like the Jack McCoy films for Billabong and Sonny Miller’s Rip Curl Search movies kept that mystery alive. These films kept me fresh and inspired, I always believed I would love to make surf films, but I didn’t realize it would become a reality. I ended up breaking a few ribs playing professional Rugby League and whilst I was recuperating I bought a Video Camera and Waterproof Housing and started filming. I still didn’t live near the beach or know anyone who filmed surfing, so there was a lot of trial and error. After a few years of mucking around and finishing a Graphic Design Degree I then moved to the Coast and have been slowly meeting people and trying to make surf films my full time occupation.
I still don’t make a lot of money, but I love what I do and wouldn’t change a thing.
Tell us a bit about your most recent surf film ‘Little Black Wheels’?
Little Black Wheels was an afterthought. My Family and I travelled across Australia for 5 months in 2007. There were never any intentions to make a film as such. We went on a road trip, so of course I took my camera gear and what you see in the movie is the result of our journey and the people we met. It wasn’t until months into our trip that I imagined there might be a film amongst it all. The final seeds were sewn when I finally had the chance to view all the footage properly when we got home. There wasn’t much room for editing and the like when you are travelling in a campervan with your pregnant wife, two-year-old daughter, dog and yourself.
LBW is a little different to your normal surf film. It is primarily a surf film due to the subject matter, but I guess it has a more personal touch because it follows our family’s journey. The surfers you meet throughout the film are the main subjects, but there is this journey that keeps the movie going and leads you to these characters. I was very concerned about how much of our family I was prepared to show and whether people would even be interested, but I think there is a nice mix?
The Local surfers like Rasta, Johnny Abegg, the Sea surfboards crew, Beau Young and Jimmy McMillan were featured because they are all great surfers and were living interesting lives. I tried to feature these people as a contrast to some of the other crew I met on our travels across Australia. People like Kristian Spencer, Dave MaCaulay and his Family, who are geographically different and as a result, so are their lives.
‘Believe’ also had a really strong impact when it came out before LBW, starring some iconic surfers, how was making this film by comparison?
Believe was made in the first few years after my move up here. I was meeting a lot of new people and was inspired by that time. People that I had always seen from afar were now friends and I was trying to reflect the beauty of this region and tell their stories. One of the themes running through ‘Believe’ is gaining knowledge from older people, and acknowledging and respecting what older people can pass onto you. It’s really hard to do something original in this day and age, but all the people in the film, the younger guys are tipping their hat to the older guys. These days everyone wants things instantly, it’s our culture now and our society, but I think you’ve got to spend time working on whatever it is you want to do.
I guess ‘Believe’ was a reflection of my mindset at that time? I know there are also, a lot of Father/son messages in there as well. Looking back now, I realize that was my way of dealing with the loss of my son Jedd through the making of the film.
You just returned from a cleanup trip to Tasmania for Patagonia, can you take us through that journey?
That trip down to Tasmania was a dream come true on a few different levels. I had last been to Tasmania in 1994, so I was keen to return, as I hadn’t ventured into that region before. My friend Johnny Be Good and I had been looking at a trip in that neck of the woods a while ago, but when the opportunity came to go down for such a good cause, it was a no brainer.
Matt Dell and the South West Marine Debris Cleanup crew have been doing good things in that region for years. Plus, Johnny had raved about his trip in 2011 so when Patagonia’s Glen Casey offered me a place I was wrapped. Why wouldn’t I be? I got to go down to one of the nicest regions in the world, collect rubbish, meet some great people, do some filming and get looked after by Patagonia. It was a once in a lifetime trip, that’s for sure. I would definitely love to return if I was invited back.
Any words of wisdom you can share with up and coming filmmakers?
Some words of wisdom from the old filmmaker, hey? Maybe you should be asking a legend like Dick Hoole or that other old bastard Andrew Kidman. I don’t know, what to say? Follow your dreams, do something you believe in, film beautiful stuff. I am not the most technical person and I don’t have or know about all the latest gear, but I don’t think that is important if you have the desire. Find your niche and style and pursue it with the gear you have. There is a lot more opportunities and avenues for young creative’s these days to get their stuff out to people. Make use of it and pursue your own style. I guess that’s it, if a Westie footy player like me can make films, then I believe anyone can. Thanks!
You can find out more about Mick through his website – www.littlehouseproductions.com.au
The photo of Mick shredding is by Reid Waters –Â http://surflandphotography.com