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The Quiet Art

"The Quiet Art" follows Austin Barrette, a surfer who moved from California to Georgia and found a love in hand-shaping custom surfboards. Austin uses traditional tools and techniques because he values individual craftsmanship over mass production. The film explores his meticulous process, his relationships with customers, and how shaping has changed his lifestyle for the better. Austin views shaping as a lost art and hopes he can inspire others to continue this tradition.

  • REMEDY
    Production Company
  • Jamie Graff
    Executive Creative Director
  • Johnny Phillips
    Director
  • Ross Wilcox
    Director
  • Jeremiah Bennett
    Producer
    Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, Almost Home, Hear Us, Pap's Manifesto
  • Austin Barrette
    Key Cast
  • Jennifer Graff
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    5 minutes 11 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    November 20, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    2,800 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    RED
  • Aspect Ratio:
    1.375:1 and
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Johnny Phillips, Ross Wilcox

Johnny Phillips is a passionate filmmaker and cinematographer located in Atlanta, GA. He attended filmschool at The University of North Georgia in 2017, where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Film and Digital Media. After graduation, Johnny entered the film industry where he worked as a camera operator on feature films, tv shows, and documentaries. He eventually shifted to work full-time as a cinematographer for a commercial agency. During his free time, Johnny still shoots narrative and documentary projects.

Ross Wilcox is a filmmaker and post production supervisor based in Atlanta, GA. A lifelong musician, he graduated with a degree in music education from Brigham Young University in 2018 before transitioning to a career in commercial media. Since then, Ross has directed dozens of commercial and narrative projects, and edited hundreds more. He spends his free time playing D&D with his rad wife and running around with his toddler.

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Director Statement

We directed "The Quiet Art" to document a vanishing tradition in surfboard culture. While interviewing Austin, we were struck by his devotion to traditional hand-shaping techniques in an age of mass production. His approach to each board as a unique piece of art, rather than just a product, became our North Star. We wanted to try and capture that reverence for the process in the way we told the story visually, relying on a mostly static camera, intimate closeups, and a narrower Academy ratio to represent the focused, meditative nature of Austin's shaping bay. The film's deliberate pace attempts to mirror his careful process from blank to board.

Through Austin's story, we hope to highlight the importance of traditional artisanship in our increasingly automated world. If you come away from “The Quiet Art” feeling inspired, as we did, to slow down and refocus on the human connection in craft, then we feel the film will have been a success.