All Photographs by Marcus Paladino
Marcus Paladino is a Tofino, BC based photographer who like many, also dabbles in the video world. After last year's release of his first surf film, Kooks, which was as much a parody on the genre as anything else, he is set to release Kooks II which inevitable takes it to the next level and very much resembles a "proper" surf film. Filled with moves by unknowns and pro alike, Kooks II is jammed packed full of action from the beaches of Canada's West Coast.
Check out the interview below with Macus as well as some of his amazing photography work - and don't forget about the trailer at the bottom of the post!
Classic Canadian surf scene
33MAG: Tell us about yourself:
Marcus: My name's Marcus Paladino, I'm a 22 year old photographer living in Tofino, BC
How do you know Brian? (33Mag Editor)
We met in Whistler a few years ago during the Ski & Snowboard fest. It was part of a work practicum for school and Brian Hockenstein was my "mentor".
How was that?
Awesome. I lived in a van and snowboarded for 2 weeks.
Not much snow in Tofino, how'd you end up there?
I was looking for something to do during the off-season, so I moved out here and started surfing. Now a days I'm working as a photographer at a resort, so I've got a pretty good reason to stick around.
Would you rather shoot surfing or snowboarding?
Surfing. I find it more of a challenge to get creative shots, and it's less cold…sometimes.
What's "Kooks 2: Fifty Shades Of Spray"?
It's my upcoming short surf film, the sequel to "Kooks: A Love Story".
Tell us about that
Last summer I broke my leg. I couldn't surf or work, so I decided to start filming my friends surfing (for training purposes). A few months later I was looking through all the footage, and decided to put together a video for the boys to watch. It got pretty popular, seems like the whole town knew about it.
Have you done much filming in the past?
Never. A side from random projects, this was the first time I've ever filmed/edited. It was mostly just trial and error at the time.
Photography or Filming?
Photography. Though filming has it's place, I think I'm a better photographer.
What's with the title?
It's an inside joke
What's a 'kook'?
In the surf world, it's a shitty surfer who doesn't know what they're doing.
Are you a kook?
Depends on who's asking. Compared to guys like John John and Dane, we're all kooks.
Who are the surfers in this film?
The majority them are just my friends, along with some of the local pros.
Who are the local pros?
Guys like Peter Devries, Noah Cohen, Sepp & Raph Bruhwiler, etc..
What's the difference between the sequel and the original?
Bigger waves and better surfing… Also improved cinematography, in my opinion.
How would you define this film?
Light-hearted. Like surfing, it's just for fun.
Who is Davin Sandvar?
He's an incredibly talented musician, and one of my best friends. He wrote and recorded the entire soundtrack for Kooks: A Love Story, and is currently finishing up the final songs for the new film. Without him, there is no movie. (fun fact- The Mike Snell Song was written BEFORE the film production…)
When is the release date?
July 14th, on YouTube.
Premiere party?
I'm currently in discussion with one of the bars here in Tofino, but we might just have it at a friends house (whoever has the biggest tv).
Shout outs?
The Kooks (you know who you are), LBL, Storm, the Hock, Tofino Brewery, Switchback Longboards, Alternative Groove, Drok, Dav, my family, and of course 33Mag!
The trailer:
Check out Macus' blog for more amazing photos and stories!
