Surf, Silence and Isolation

Filming BENEATH THE WAVES on the remote Western Australian Coast

Director James Cunningham and cinematographer Matt Loucas, with actors/surfers Higin Sylvester Prazmo and Kris Felix, filming upcoming short film BENEATH THE WAVES Ⓒ Presidential Productions

July, 2018 — Production on Beneath the Waves required a crew capable of moving fluidly between interior locations, exposed coastal environments, and surf-based underwater filming, within the same day. Developed as an independent short film, the project demanded both technical adaptability and careful planning.

Western Australia–based photographer and cinematographer Matt Loucas joined the project early in pre-production after responding to a local call-out for a Director of Photography. From the outset, Loucas and writer-director James Cunningham engaged in detailed creative discussions, shaping a visual language that balanced restraint with volatility.

Surf sequences featuring lead actors Higin Prazmo and Kris Felix were choreographed collaboratively during rehearsals, with Cunningham and Loucas, planning movements both on and under the water. Filming in the ocean yielded approximately two hours of surf and underwater footage, later distilled into a concise sequence within the final cut.

Locations were selected for their relative isolation, including Yanchep Beach, around 50 kilometres north of Perth. The remoteness of the coastline became embedded in the film’s visual fabric, reinforcing the emotional distance between the brothers.

Behind-the-scenes

Behind-the-scenes

Additional scenes were filmed at Mullaloo Surf Life Saving Club and a nearby coastal motel, anchoring the story in familiar yet understated Australian seaside environments. The motel was deliberately chosen for its worn, unglamorous character—evoking the quintessential 'cheap' coastal accommodation common to many Australian beach towns. This setting not only provided a credible and grounded space for the brothers’ stay, but also functioned as an enclosed, pressurised environment in which tension between the two characters could intensify.

The local Surf Life Saving Club enabled the production to film a pivotal locker room sequence within an authentic community space. The shared communal shower becomes a silent witness to the shifting dynamic between the two naked brothers, using proximity, ritual and vulnerability to reflect their evolving relationship.

Cinematography for the film was captured on a Sony A3000 in 4K resolution, with surf footage shot using waterproof diving equipment. Loucas balanced composed land-based imagery with dynamic, handheld work in the water, allowing the ocean’s volatility to contrast with the brothers’ restrained interactions on shore.

In post-production, Loucas also graded the film, drawing inspiration from surf photography traditions while pursuing a contemporary aesthetic. Visual references included fashion photography by Hard Cider New York and the work of 1960s surf culture photographer LeRoy Grannis. The resulting imagery is quiet, controlled, and textural — placing environment and physical presence at the forefront of the film’s storytelling.

Beneath the Waves is currently in post-production. For more information visit presproductionsco.com

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