Interview with movie director Théo Preuilh (Titigee).
D: Can you tell us how this Consortium project first came together and what initially inspired you to film it?
T: This started in Sumbawa, September 2023. No plan. Just a trip with Erwin to meet Blake Neka and shoot whatever we could. Braiden showed up for a couple days, we moved around the island, scored some waves and stacked clips. At first, that was it. Then more Deflow riders ended up in Indonesia, or had trips coming up, so we kept adding footage. Same spots, different moments with Yael & Diogo, then Laura & Adrien. Little by little, it stopped being just that trip and turned into a team thing. Nothing forced, just letting it build over time.
D: From a filmer’s perspective, what do you think makes Consortium different from other surf projects you’ve worked on?
T: I found it really cool to work with footage I hadn’t filmed myself, in places I had never been to. It allowed the project to travel far beyond my own journey, like Ollie Henry’s section in Australia, Issam Auptel, Yael and Diogo in South Africa, Braiden’s clips from Maui, or Erwin and Issam in Guadeloupe. It was the first time I experienced that, and I was really happy to have access to high quality footage shot by talented filmers such as Yentl Touboul, Rex Nink, Simon Levalois, Gui Martins, and others.
D: What was the creative approach behind the filming and editing — was there a specific mood or story you wanted to convey?
The main goal we set for ourselves was to make it feel logical that the focus was on the team rather than on individual riders. It wasn’t easy, because most of the clips were collected here and there, without a clear storyline or lifestyle shots that could naturally connect the different locations. In Indonesia, it was easy for me to think about the edit while filming, but the other filmers didn’t shoot their footage with this project in mind—they simply agreed to share their clips with the riders for this edit. I tried to turn all of that into something as coherent and enjoyable to watch as possible.
D: Was there a particular moment during the trip or the filming that really stayed with you or defined the project for you?
T: The ferry arrival in Sumbawa set the tone for the Indonesian part of the film. Shot in a documentary, almost contemplative style, it became a natural introduction to the project. At the time, the intention was simply to explore, document the journey, and capture the best possible surf imagery. Back then, I had no idea this would turn into a global team edit I’ll be editing. It was just about being there and filming what felt right.
D: What do you hope people feel or take away after watching the Consortium video?
T: This was my first time putting together a project like this, fully unscripted and built over time, so I had to freestyle quite a bit. It’s raw, not perfect, but true to how it happened. More than anything, the film aims to reflect Deflow’s team spirit and global presence, while I also hope it makes people want to grab some Deflow gear and go surfing!
