By Kelly Strodl
Today we talk with Josh Polmer, director of WESTSIDERS, a documentary film following the rise and fall of a gritty surf-gang through the eyes of three best friends from the original 'Surf City' of Santa Cruz, Calif. Best friends Daryl 'Flea' Virostko, Shawn 'Barney' Barron, and Jason 'Ratboy' Collins bonded by common tragedy and their love of surfing. They live through shattered homes, drug addiction, other psychological issues and hard-core localism to achieve their dream of becoming professional surfers before the age of 24. To surf the notorious Steamer Lane, they had to join 'The Westsiders' Surf Gang and go face to face with Vince Collier, aka 'The Godfather of The Westside.' Vince, a massive brute force, ran Steamer Lane with his own version of street justice. This film explores The Westsiders as the latest chapter in the fascinating surfer history of Santa Cruz, California.
Q: How did you hear about the Newport Beach Film Festival?
A: I used to come to Newport with Shawn Barney Barron and visit Volcom. We would walk through the wharehouse and just pick out the clothes we liked from their inventory. One time we filled up two shopping carts with free clothes. It was great. That's when I first heard about the Newport Beach Film Festival. Then I came to the Festival and went to the Greg MacGillivray tribute in 2007.
Q: Tell a little about the story of your film and the production of it.
A: It all started when I was eight years old because that's when I met the main characters of The Westsiders. I met Flea in sixth grade. He came to school with half of his face-swollen shut. I couldn’t believe it when he told me he was out surfing at Steamer Lane. I had heard of Steamer
Lane, but only knew it as a place you should stay away from. At that time, there was something called “Helgy Beatings,” where older kids would hold you down and give you beatings. There was nowhere worse for a beating than Steamer Lane. But if you could take your beatings and then prove yourself in the big waves, then you could count yourself as one of “The Westsiders” Surf Gang. Vince Collier, VC, was the biggest brute force in the water at Steamer Lane, and he got any wave he wanted. As I started surfing with Jason “Ratboy” Collins, Darryl ”Flea” Virostko and then went on to meet Sean “Barney” Barron, Kenny “Skindog” Collins, Anthony Ruffo and Mike Brummit, I became part of the family. And as a film maker I knew that this was a story that had to be told. This is my first feature length Documentary Film. This is my true directorial debut. The Westsiders is a story driven feature documentary film narrated by Rossana Arquette(Pulp Fiction) with music scorred by Mike McReady, Art Directed by Mike DeNicola, Executive Produced by Brian Hirrell. So, I had a full team that helped fullfill my vision. I hope that many people from all walks of life see The Westsiders, because it's a film about universal themes, love, loss, and forgiveness. We came from broken homes, we made bad decisions but we always believed that if we stuck together and formed our own family that we could survive. I hope that The Westsiders comforts as well as inspires viewers to follow their bliss.
Q: Tell a little about yourself and your story in filmmaking.
A: I am an American film director and writer. I started making videos in the early 1990’s with a series about the surfers from Santa Cruz, California, whom I grew up with and documented in “The Kill” series.
I was born in Boston, Massachusetts where I lived until age 6. After my parents divorced I lived with my father in Santa Cruz, California. I found a love for movies and cinema at an early age. I would visit my Mom and I would beg her to drop me off at the movies, where I would watch three or four movies in a row, sneaking from one theater to the next.
I went to film school at University of California, Santa Barbara, where he studied the masters, De Sica, Ford, Wells, Kurosawa and Spielberg. In 2003 I decided it was the right time to begin The Westsiders film and document the story of my childhood friends. I needed to start The Westsiders full time and craft a comprehensive and compelling feature. I had no choice - every bone in my body said make this film.
Q: Your take on the performances of the lead actors, (set backs, triumphs, impressions, good surprises, etc.)
A: Performance is important in film, but I believe that going after truth is the ultimate goal of the director. And making a documentary, we had some insane surprise, like working with a drug addict and the safety of the crew. One time we went to Flea’s house in the middle of the night. Our PA wanted to meet Flea really bad. We walked in and the lights were on, music blarring, dog barking, but no Flea. So, I walked out of the house, but the PA wouldn’t leave. He had a full on man crush. Five minutes later, I hear a yell and the PA comes running out of the house with a black eye. That was a surprise.
Q: What do you do when not making a smash indie film?
A: Write, Surf, drink red wine and watch movies.
WESTSIDERS screens at 8 PM on Saturday, April 24 at the Regency South Coast Village Theater.
Buy tickets here for Saturday:
http://newportbeachfilmfest.tix.com/Event.asp?Event=256951
Watch the trailer for SUCK here:
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