CI: So how did this film come to be….???

dane – The idea for Outerspace came just through the trips that i was going on and the magic in the sessions that I was experiencing. I had a thought of starting to collect footage for an edit of some kind, and then it just felt like everything kept falling together in this really cool way. My brothers and I surfed a really cool session at mavericks on Dec 21st last year and got in touch with a few people and that footage looked rad, and then i went to iceland with a friend and it just happened that RC Cone was there to film my buddy Elli for his fly fishing documentary he was making and he ended up being such a cool dude and shot incredible footage. The lowers footage was really interesting because it was mostly from the water, and Erick killed it. I loved that angle so much, i surf there all the time and it looked so fresh compared to the land angle. All the way to going to fiji a few times this year and the footage just all fell into place. Nothing was forced and most of the sections are basically one magic session that was documented… To work with george on the editing process was unreal too. He is someone I look up to as a super creative mind, and we had some cool jam sessions on ideas in the editing bay. The title OUTERSPACE really came to me as a symbol for that unlimited potential that exists in surfing. There is absolutely no limits in style, approach, boards, waves, temperatures.

where did you travel to???

dane – I traveled to Fiji, Lowers, Iceland, Morrocco, Mavericks, and Tahiti ! It was cool to see the sections played out next to each other, one second its these beautiful blue barrels and the next I’m walking on a snowy cliff getting ready to jump into some rugged freezing water. From perfection point breaks to giant brown water Mavericks.

did any other projects or short films inspire you???

dane – I would say that the people i have met along the journey have inspired me more than anything… Just during the sessions you are surfing, there are always guys out there that are surfing with that next level commitment that forces you to look at your approach differently. I remember being in iceland and it was pretty quiet where we were in terms of people, I think the only surfer in the region was a school teacher, but the days were so short he couldn’t surf with us before his classes got out. Then out of the blue we ran into Ian Battrick, who is just a pure legend of surfing places that are right on that edge of reason. He was living in his car for a few months surfing his brains out in the snow and just had a pure love for it. It just got me so psyched, because its pretty uncomfortable when you are that cold and the conditions are that harsh, and Ian by way of example showed you got to enjoy it from the heart to survive. It was rad… Same thing with fiji, I went with Reef Macintosh, Danny Fuller, Makua and ulu boy… They were so comfortable surfing heavy waves over shallow reef. It just got me psyched. They showed me that level of commitment and wave selection it takes to find the diamonds in the rough out there on the big days …

music??? how much emphasis did you put on choosing the right music for certain parts???

dane – I had a lot of fun with the music, it was a free style jam of a lot of my favorites… That jefferson airplane song at the end, Embroyonic Journey i think is just such a cool sound !!! it just has that flow to it and i couldn’t not match that with tahitian perfection and beauty! I really wanted a sick drum solo to open it with that first wave, and i was already dead seat on root down with the beastie boys for Fiji section, and as I was listening back to the Ill communication album i realized that the exact song before root down was the sickest drum solo ever and it transitioned naturally just like it did on the album so i was pumped! The mavericks section, chose brothers on the slide, something funky to keep the mood light and I thought it was so funny cause here we were 3 brothers sliding down some chocolate bombs it was perfect…

most memorable session from the film???

dane – Each session was actually really special to me. Most of the sections in the movie were filmed in one session. It was just a magical combination of swell and conditions… The iceland section was one session. I remember it was snowing non stop for about a week and the conditions were unruly. That day started really strong with the weather but as soon as I was in the lineup the conditions just kept getting better and better until the sun even came out. I remember looking in and seeing these huge snow covered mountains all around and just thinking it couldn’t get any better than that. The maverick’s session was rad too. All the guys out there were just legends, so cool, the camaraderie was a special thing. The waves were huge and guys were just pushing it to the max. It was awesome to be out there with them.

who inspires you the most while surfing heavy waves??? big tahiti??? fiji?? etc…

dane – Surfing big waves is definitely an experience that challenges you even way before you enter the water! honestly looking at swells a week out make you feel this wave of nerves. But its cool, because you learn a lot about how you are able to deal with those emotions, and it really just inspires you to want to be as prepared as possible for the big day. I love surfing with the whole crew of guys, everyone in those types of waves usually has on eye on one another… I’d say that surfing with Nathan Fletcher and with Reef Macintosh, those guys have really taught me a lot about how to carry yourself in heavy situations. Just through experience, and watching how they approach those critical moments has been really cool and i couldn’t be more thankful for that.

what’s your go to quiver these days??? any models you like to ride in the heavy stuff??? strictly for tubes???

dane – In the movie I rode a lot of sessions on this new proto type design called the rocket 9. its kind of shorter, with the wide point forward and a pulled in tail to really hold in carving through the pocket. most of the lowers section is on that board as well as the morocco and the iceland part. For the boards in hollow lefts, the taco grinder is unbeatable. It just felt perfect in late drop transitions and that lift under your feet when you are pumping through tubes. I have been having a blast exploring designs with the crew. It’s just endless the feelings you can get under your feet, and it’s critical to have something you can trust once the waves get critical.

what’s the rest of your year looking like??? where to next???

dane – For the rest of the year, I’m super excited to be coaching the Norway surf team in the isa world games at oceanside. I have spent a lot of time all over the country over the years, especially in the far northern region. One of the families who i stay with was telling me that a few of the kids from up there were getting a team together and I was too stoked not to want to help them out and share the california experience with them. After that, it will be hawaii for the triple crown. I love hawaii, big barrels and plenty of power. You are always learning over there and the ocean has a way of always letting you know her power. There is no where else quite like it!!