Relentless: Short Stories: Mickey Smith “Dark Side of the Lens” >>

Relentless Energy presents Short Stories

Relentless have pitched out the idea of Short Stories to recognised core sports and music filmmakers around the world to explore, reveal and define their ‘No Half Measures’ motto through film. At its heart is a competition that will reward those directors who can bring the motto to life in the most visceral way.

Next year will see the competition opened up to aspiring filmmakers from around the world and they’re aiming to grow it from there. With the best candidates invited to bring their ideas to life, the brief of ‘turning the uncompromising attitude of those leading progression in their sport’s arena into passionate and stunning short films’ is sure to be one that will light a fire in the competition. And with a £5,000 prize packet, there’s more than once incentive to get involved.

For this year, the project starts with renowned photographer Mickey Smith. It explores his world as a true ‘waterman’ – both as an athlete and artist – and he’s titled it The Dark Side of the Lens.

“It was planned to be more of an anonymous edit, rather than biographical,” explains Smith. “Something that offers insight into what it takes to grind out a living as a water-based photographer in the surfing industry…”

“It also gave me the chance to ask myself a few questions like, if you’re always observing and documenting what you see and experience, are you ever truly present? Questions like that where I could step back think and then see what the answers were,” Smith says.

He documents voices and experiences from the world of surf photography whilst teaming up with Allan Wilson from the Astray Collective. Together they notched up hours of footage from the Atlantic coastline, travelling around Ireland, Cornwall and Manchester. Mickey used 16mm film, a Canon 5R Digital SLR and projected images on monster urban landscapes in Manchester as well as the cliff line at his home in Ireland.

Along with Mickey Smith is Matt Lambert. He’s lined up the second edit in the series with an eye on Mark Webb as he looks beyond Webb’s contest bravado and how he intends to achieve global success.

If you’re undecided about whether this is something that you’ll be pushing to enter next year, this is a film that should inspire you. Not to mention there’s set to be a few more edits coming your way that’ll top up that inspiration! So here we have, for your viewing pleasure, a stunning edit from Mr. Mickey Smith.

For more info on short stories, head on over to (relentless energy URL) and for all the edits check out (link to MPORA page).