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Stoker Machine

Stoker Machine is an award winning animated surf documentary. Chad Campbell, an expert surfer discovers a mysterious surfboard on the big island of Hawaii. The retro board provides only a phone number and an email address as clues to its origin, leading Chad to accidentally uncover a central-coast California surf legend. The man they call, "Stoker".

Stoker Machine puts you in the ocean and shares a folklore, capturing the spirit of Stoke through surf cinematography and unique, colorful hand-drawn animation. Stoker Machine goes beyond the surface-level thrills of surfing. It attempts to capture the essence of Stoke. Discover the magical and sometimes funny relationship between surfer and surfboard.

This short animated surf documentary is sure to warm your heart and leave you Stoked.

  • Darieus Legg
    Director
  • Darieus Legg
    Writer
  • Darieus Legg
    Producer
  • Chad Campbell
    Key Cast
    "Himself"
  • Darieus Legg
    Animator
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    12 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    April 5, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    10,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    Mexico, United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Darieus Legg

Darieus Legg is know by his friends as “Dar”. He grew up on a sailboat and on the big island of Hawaii. He is half Persian, and Half Irish. Under the tutelage of Shane Dorian he excelled in surfing and competed professionally. He transitioned from surfing to filmmaking in his early twenties. He spent a decade in Hollywood slugging it out with the rest of them. Darieus is still an avid surfer and loves learning about the ocean.

He’s directed and executively produced Telly and AAF Gold award winning content. His work has covered feature film, live-action documentary, commercial, professional learning, and animation. He is now focused on developing creator owned content, like Stoker Machine and his first graphic novel.

Darieus loves being in the ocean, reading, and the magic of the movies.

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Director Statement

You are not just buying a movie ticket or a piece of merchandise here. You are fueling the engine that spreads what people truly care about through storytelling. 'Stoke,' with a capital S, begins from within. Take a second to ask yourself right now, what makes me Stoked? Reflect for just a moment. Feel what comes up. Usually, the first couple of things that come to mind are what lives deep in our subconscious. That could sound scary to some of you. You are not alone at all.
We live in a bizarre world, don't we? Almost everywhere we look, we encounter doom and gloom. Do you agree? Do you know what nihilism means? It signifies that life is pointless, devoid of any meaning whatsoever. If the world were a nightclub right now, that's the vibe the DJ would be spinning – nihilist vibes. However, there's an opportunity here to alter that vibe. It starts with the dance party happening in our own hearts. That's where 'Stoke,' with a capital S, originates. A moment ago, when you asked yourself the question, what makes me Stoked? If you got a full body answer, meaning you could feel something inside you, then you have something to share.
Stoker Machine asks people what makes them stoked and then reflects their answer through storytelling. Sharing our collective 'Stoke' through film and art serves as a reminder of the good vibes residing within our hearts – for us surfers it’s the perfect six-foot and glassy conditions that exist within all of us. Because when we witness 'Stoke' in someone else's heart, there's a good chance we'll find it in our own, even if it's just a sliver. We all need each other in that way; we are all connected in that way. Stoker Machine the first film, was Chad Campbell's answer to the question, what makes you Stoked? You are invited to share with me what makes you Stoked. I'd love to listen.