Written by:Maddy Washburn
Blogger turned film director, Liv Williams, has produced a new documentary which follows surfboard shaper David Forsyth. Owner of Driftwood Surfboards, Forsyth uses both wood and recycled materials when creating his boards. He has teamed up with The Woodland Trust to donate a portion of each board’s profit back to planting and nurturing saplings until maturity across Britain.
The documentary follows Forsyth after returning home from Morocco and Sumatra where he traveled to test his boards’ performances in various conditions and climates. He also shares his plea to all shapers to become more environmentally responsible. Shot, directed, produced, and sound engineered entirely by Liv Williams, the final product of this documentary is set to welcome a whole new era of surfboard shaping.
Watch the entire film here:
Learn more about the film in this exclusive interview with Director and Producer Liv Williams.
The Surf Channel: What initially grabbed your interest about David’s shaping business?
Liv Williams: I’d been looking around for a new and interesting angle to the surf industry for a while and then I came across one of David’s business cards, made from wood and also doubling as a surf wax comb. When I learned about his affection for making boards from purely unwanted materials such as driftwood, old doors and wooden shingles/weatherboard, I was keen to find out what those boards might look like and how good a ride they’d give you!
What did you find the most unique or different about Driftwood Surfboards’ shaping process?
Williams: Most shapers use industry accepted materials to shape their boards, all pretty toxic and not good for the environment. In fact, it almost goes against what surfing is supposed to represent – man’s harmless interaction with nature, all that karmic vibe stuff, you know? David actively seeks out materials including resin which are much more kind to the environment. He works closely with environmental agencies like The Woodland Trust to source wood from environmentally sustainable wood and keeps his ear to the ground within the community about where other people’s unwanted wood is being thrown away. He then recycles as much as he can to create surfboards. I don’t know anyone else who works in this way.
Driftwood Surfboards, made in the UK, hope to revolutionize the way shaping effects our environment. Photo:Driftwood Surfboards Facebook
What are your thoughts on environment-friendly shaping practices?
Williams: I’m all for anything which is better for the environment. It can only be a good thing. Our ecosystem is straining under the weight of too large a human population and the trash and toxic by-products we cast into our environment is a pretty obscene amount.
Polystyrene for example, one of the materials used in shaping boards, doesn’t decompose for hundreds of years and is floating all over our oceans and is extremely harmful to marine life. I think it’s great that there are people being inventive and taking a stand against harmful materials. It’s easy to turn a blind eye to all sorts of harmful things going on around us. It’s vital that we each take responsibility towards being less of a parasitical species on our incredible planet.
Liv is constantly posting updates on her blog and twitter, don’t forget to follow her @iLivExtreme and check out her blog here.
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