EP 12: KEITH MALLOY – Purpose-driven storytelling, Getting held at gunpoint by pirates, Stories from the sea, Filming with YETI, Upbringing in the 805, Brotherhood & fatherhood, States of the surf industry, the Value of putting in the work, and More
Conner catches up with surf legend, core lord, filmmaker, and all-around waterman Keith Malloy over a Cerveza on the 805 Beer Cold Beer Surf Club. From pig hunting in Paso Robles and an unlikely hang out with Post Malone, to being held up at gun point by pirates in Indonesia with Mark Healey, and producing some of the most respected films in surf culture today, Keith opens up about the chapters of his life that shaped him. Keith reminisces on his competitive heats against 3x World Champion Tom Curren, being towed into his first Pe’ahi wave by Big Wave magnate Laird Hamilton, and shares about the projects he’s working on with YETI – Let Me Live, a portrait of big wave charger Tom Lowe, set to drop in June 2025, Astronaut in the Ocean with Shane Ackerman, to one in the works with Stephanie Gilmore. He talks about his many other classic films and projects like shooting with Taylor Steele for Loose Change, SIK JOY with the late Jack McCoy, and documenting and producing Life of Kai and witnessing Kai Lenny’s jaw-dropping Peʻahi performance in real time. Keith teases a potential (and hopeful) film with Bobby Martinez as they muse over their shared roots, from the brothers’ early surf days, to their mutual admiration for Jason Baffa’s influence, their love of fishing, hunting and cooking, and how deep family bonds and brotherhood anchor everything. Keith reflects on his upbringing, his father’s foundational wisdom, and his transition from pro surfer to filmmaker with Bimarian Films. The two touch on the state of the surf industry, past and present, environmental concerns like red tide, and the enduring power of surfing as a path to physical and mental wellness. Keith drops some sage words on putting in the work, chasing what you love, and staying true to yourself.
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