VO

“I think it’s all about trust.  I want the best advice and the best service”.

“Well you couldn’t trust your central heating to just anyone, when it comes to something as important as heating your home all year round, you only want the best, you want the people who know what they are doing”

You want the right advice about which system if perfect for your home.  

You want the most advanced and efficient technology.  

The best possible installation.  

You want to know that it’s completely safe and extremely efficient so you can save money and energy.

Every day British Gas installs over 500 central heating systems right across the UK.  

Our customers trust us, not only because we are Europes leading installer of central heating but also because we give them total piece of mind from start to finish.

They know that we’ll support them every day of the year for years to come.  

Good quality central heating is an important investment and it adds value to your home.

Your home is unique and we treat it that way, we spend time analysing your property and your lifestyle so that we can recommend the system thats right for you.  

That means it will deliver heat and hot water when you need it, match your budget, save you money and help you protect the environment.

We install more home insulation than any other company and give you the technology to reduce energy use and cut your bills.

Our commitment to the environment means that we are investing heavily in renewable energy.

In fact most of our new systems are solar ready.  That means that you can install full solar water heating right now or add it in the future.

We’ve made it simple for you to choose by creating an easy to understand range of products which has everything you’ll need, including the latest showers, fires and designer radiators.

Naturally safety is vital.  

Everything we do complies with the latest building regulations and safety legislation.  

Everyone of our 10,000 engineers is not only Corgi registered but has also been through our own award winning training academy, so you can be sure that you’ll always be in safe hands. 

And we’re never far away.  

We are a big company but we are also local so we’ll always be there when you need us.  We’re on call 24hrs a day, 365 days a year.

That’s heating, hot water, safety, reliability and peace of mind.  All year round, for less.

<END TITLE> British Gas.  Your energy experts.

——————————————————————————

<TITLE>  Solar Energy

VO

 Solar energy is the most environmentally friendly way to heat water for your home.  At British Gas we’re committed to giving all our customers the chance to choose solar now or in the future.

Most of our new boilers and central heating systems are solar ready and we can make this clean energy work for you.

We have the experience and expertise to give you the right advice about whether your home is suited to a solar energy system.

About the best way to instal it and then maintain it for years to come.

A large proportion of homes in the UK can benefit from solar heated water right now.

All you need is a British Gas solar ready hot water cylinder and ideally a south facing roof.

We then instal state of the art solar panels on your roof.  Their designed to collect heat from the sun all year round.

A sealed circuit containing solar fluid runs from the panels to the hot water cylinder.  When there is enough solar energy available, this circuit heats your water at other times then it’s heated by your boiler.

Either way you get the hot water you need, when you need it.

Solar energy supplements your hot water requirements reducing the amount of gas you use throughout the year.  Especially during the Spring and Summer months when it can provide up to 90% of your hot water.

And you don’t need direct sunshine to heat your water, the solar panels have been designed to work on cloudy as well as sunny days.

Installing solar energy cuts the amount of gas you use and so reduces emissions from your home considerably.  And our systems can also add value to your property.

Because solar energy is the greenest way to heat your water, the government has made grants available to offset the cost of installation.  And by using a fully qualified installer like British Gas the government only charges 5% VAT rather than the full rate.

British Gas offers you the latest in solar technology at a competitive price.  We will install it quickly and efficiently so that you can start using it straight away.

it’s proven technology, suitable for most homes and very easy to maintain.

Now is a good time to invest in solar water heating.  You can make a real difference to your home and the planet.

<END TITLE> British Gas.  Your energy experts.

VO

“I think it’s all about trust.  I want the best advice and the best service”.

“Well you couldn’t trust your central heating to just anyone, when it comes to something as important as heating your home all year round, you only want the best, you want the people who know what they are doing”

You want the right advice about which system if perfect for your home.  

You want the most advanced and efficient technology.  

The best possible installation.  

You want to know that it’s completely safe and extremely efficient so you can save money and energy.

Every day British Gas installs over 500 central heating systems right across the UK.  

Our customers trust us, not only because we are Europes leading installer of central heating but also because we give them total piece of mind from start to finish.

They know that we’ll support them every day of the year for years to come.  

Good quality central heating is an important investment and it adds value to your home.

Your home is unique and we treat it that way, we spend time analysing your property and your lifestyle so that we can recommend the system thats right for you.  

That means it will deliver heat and hot water when you need it, match your budget, save you money and help you protect the environment.

We install more home insulation than any other company and give you the technology to reduce energy use and cut your bills.

Our commitment to the environment means that we are investing heavily in renewable energy.

In fact most of our new systems are solar ready.  That means that you can install full solar water heating right now or add it in the future.

We’ve made it simple for you to choose by creating an easy to understand range of products which has everything you’ll need, including the latest showers, fires and designer radiators.

Naturally safety is vital.  

Everything we do complies with the latest building regulations and safety legislation.  

Everyone of our 10,000 engineers is not only Corgi registered but has also been through our own award winning training academy, so you can be sure that you’ll always be in safe hands. 

And we’re never far away.  

We are a big company but we are also local so we’ll always be there when you need us.  We’re on call 24hrs a day, 365 days a year.

That’s heating, hot water, safety, reliability and peace of mind.  All year round, for less.

<END TITLE> British Gas.  Your energy experts.

——————————————————————————

<TITLE>  Solar Energy

VO

 Solar energy is the most environmentally friendly way to heat water for your home.  At British Gas we’re committed to giving all our customers the chance to choose solar now or in the future.

Most of our new boilers and central heating systems are solar ready and we can make this clean energy work for you.

We have the experience and expertise to give you the right advice about whether your home is suited to a solar energy system.

About the best way to instal it and then maintain it for years to come.

A large proportion of homes in the UK can benefit from solar heated water right now.

All you need is a British Gas solar ready hot water cylinder and ideally a south facing roof.

We then instal state of the art solar panels on your roof.  Their designed to collect heat from the sun all year round.

A sealed circuit containing solar fluid runs from the panels to the hot water cylinder.  When there is enough solar energy available, this circuit heats your water at other times then it’s heated by your boiler.

Either way you get the hot water you need, when you need it.

Solar energy supplements your hot water requirements reducing the amount of gas you use throughout the year.  Especially during the Spring and Summer months when it can provide up to 90% of your hot water.

And you don’t need direct sunshine to heat your water, the solar panels have been designed to work on cloudy as well as sunny days.

Installing solar energy cuts the amount of gas you use and so reduces emissions from your home considerably.  And our systems can also add value to your property.

Because solar energy is the greenest way to heat your water, the government has made grants available to offset the cost of installation.  And by using a fully qualified installer like British Gas the government only charges 5% VAT rather than the full rate.

British Gas offers you the latest in solar technology at a competitive price.  We will install it quickly and efficiently so that you can start using it straight away.

it’s proven technology, suitable for most homes and very easy to maintain.

Now is a good time to invest in solar water heating.  You can make a real difference to your home and the planet.

<END TITLE> British Gas.  Your energy experts.

Article to help couples choose their perfect wedding photographer.

Snap happy!

Perfect photos are key to having a lasting memory of your wedding day.  Top wedding photographer Elton Mogg shares his tips to help you make sure you get it right…

Part of every couple’s wedding dream is a set of beautiful photographs that immediately take them back to t heir perfect day.  So how do you go about finding the right wedding photographer to make that happen?  Well, wedding photography comes in many guises and the first thing to do is choose the style which is right for you.

‘Traditional’ is the more formal approach, where you have a list of photographs that cover the main events of the day, with the focus on set pieces like group shots and couple portraits.  Alternatively, ‘reportage’ or ‘photojournalism’ is a documentary approach where the events are captured as they happen with little or no interference from the photographer – designed to capture the moments and emotion throughout your day. It is worth bearing in mind that most photographers are willing to blend elements of all types of wedding photography into their own style, so if you like reportage but also want a set group shot to keep your mum happy, see if they can do both.

Find Your Photographer

Once you’ve decided what style you like, how do you find the right photographer?  Recommendations are a great starting point.  Recently married friends or family will be able to recommend who they used and having first hand experience of a photographer’s ability and working practice is great knowledge to have.  Then there are classifieds in the magazines, internet wedding directories or search engines.  The real life weddings in Perfect Wedding are also a great way to see a photographer’s work (turn to page 55 to see this months!).  The internet has changed the way couples find photographers as now we all have our own shop windows to showcase our work.  Websites reflect not only the photographer’s best images but also their approach, design sense and attitude to wedding photography.

What about cost?

Finding your photographer should be an enjoyable experience, so enjoy the research and relax when you have made your choice knowing you are in safe hands.

As for cost, prices vary, so you could pay anything from £500 to £5000!  Expect to see differences in cost based on photographer’s experience, the kind of album or book you select and the time you want the photographer at your wedding for.  It is easy to forget that the price covers not only the day but the time creating your final images and album.

To give their readers, predominantly brides, an insight into a few planning gems and why didn’t I plan for that moments.

Oh if only….

I have been photographing weddings now for over a decade and in that time I’ve experienced all manner of celebrations from the smallest home back garden weddings through to brides on snow ski’s on the Austrian alps. All the weddings I shoot have been meticulously planned but there are always the odd “oh if only…” moments and MTTK have asked me if I could share a few of these that might help their future brides, so here goes:

Oh if only number one

My dance floor is empty. No matter how much you or your partner might like a drink after your first dance don’t go and get one. The longer you dance for the more of your guests will join you and your DJ/band will thank you for getting the party started and kept going. No one can refuse a bride dragging them to the dance floor so if you want a full dance floor just boogie round the edges dragging everyone up.

Oh if only number two

Where is everyone? Photo booths are so popular now and really do let the guests and yourselves have some fun in the evening but do make sure you get the position of the booth right. I have often seen them set up in a separate room and a happy couple wondering where their guests have all gone and why the dance floor is empty.  Everyone’s gone to put crazy hats and glasses on!  If possible make sure the booth is close to the dance floor or close by and don’t open it till after your first dance, they are magnets for the merry guests.

Oh if only number three

I haven’t seen everyone is a common phrase I hear during the wedding and to be honest it is probably impossible to spend more than a few fleeting minutes with everyone of the guests at your wedding. It is expected though and you should never worry about this, they will just be happy to be there on your special day. You can improve your chances though by having a reception around an hour and half to two hours long, shorter receptions can sometimes feel more rushed as pictures need to be taken and sometimes services can run over cutting into the time. I have also occasionally found receptions way over two hours can go the other way too where people will be sitting around waiting for the next thing to happen, the reception time is quite critical and can set the pace of the day.

Oh if only number four

Surprise! Oh there’s no one here.  Everyone loves a surprise on the wedding day and whilst it is great to keep this to yourself there are some people that just have to know, your photographer is one so they know what is coming.  Surprising a photographer with a firework show out of the blue will not give them the time needed to set up for something that is completely different to what they would have been doing up till then for example. Trust your suppliers to keep a secret and they will make sure that whatever it is, it will be as special as you always hoped it would.

Oh if only number five

Gosh it’s quiet. Argh it’s manic I can’t think. So if your guessing I’m talking about getting ready’s you can go to the head of the class. I love the getting ready, with all the anticipation and excitement beforehand as everything starts to come together. There are two ways to manage this and I think it is all about what works best for you.

Now if you want a quiet morning beforehand that is great but remember there can be such a thing as too quiet, so not having anyone with you at all could leave you feeling almost lonely on your wedding day, which could be a strange emotion to deal with on this your most special day. The opposite of this is the mass bundle getting ready where you invite everyone to get ready with you, yes they may be your friends but as your waiting for someone to help you and they are off doing their make up and hair you can start to wonder who the priority is, which again is an odd emotion to have on your wedding day.

Try to balance your numbers so you get the best of both worlds, if you have loads of friends you want there but feel it might get too manic then just ask some of them to get ready and then come to yours, tell them a time earlier than you need them and they’ll be totally ready when they turn up and ready to help you with anything you might need too. Know what you like and plan for that.

Oh if only number six

Oh it’s got to be like that. I’m a huge fan of the wedding world and the plethora of blogs and magazines has helped so many brides source everything they dreamed of for their wedding day but never allow yourself to potentially compare your wedding. Your wedding will be unique because you are both unique. No amount of details or colour schemes can get close to the reason you are there on that day, your love. Plan the day and try not to stress if you cannot find a specific product/detail. Once the planning is done just let it happen and love will then take over. That way your wedding will not be “I had a wedding like” but rather “I had my own unique wedding full of love”.

Oh if only number seven

Oh if only I’d thought of that. Rest assured that at most weddings something will happen that you didn’t plan for or indeed something will not happen that you did plan for. It’s part of life, with the key being not to let whatever it is affect your enjoyment of the day. Spend time and energy on the wonderful things that were and no time or energy on the things that might or should not have been.

Write an article focussing on website design and provision from the viewpoint of a photographer.

My wedding photography is all about capturing the story of the couple’s special day in a beautiful and natural way.  It is photojournalistic, but with the flexibility to enhance the captured moment through post production.  I see the original image as the starting point, which I then try to make even more special.

I like to finish the post production work before my clients see their images for the first time.  Of course, this increases the time I spend on each wedding but it also gives my clients a complete wedding story through their pictures.

All wedding photographers rely on word of mouth to generate enquiries, but the days are gone when word of mouth alone would automatically get you the job.  Now, my clients get recommendations from a variety of sources, which they narrow down by looking at websites.  This makes my website the single most crucial tool in my marketing strategy.  Wedding photographers may not have a studio or shop front so their website becomes the window to their work and in many cases the deciding factor on whether you get to sit down with your potential client or not.

Big Black Bag, a company based in Canada created my website.  It’s not as well known as some of the other photography website creators but it’s packages, flexibility and support are fantastic.  Having a template site brings major advantages for me.  I can change things instantly.  Updating images is under my control, so I can keep the site fresh and add signature images as often as I like and I also get to control all aspects of the client ordering process, with password protected galleries for every wedding.

Even in these days of high resolution discs being offered, making it easy for wedding couples and their guests to order pictures online still generates good income.  Showing a full wedding in a slick manner can generate new leads too.

If you are clever with your branding on the site and the way you lay the images out within it, there is no reason to worry about a template site being the same as everyone else’s.

In addition to the website, I also run a blog, which allows me to show a little bit more of myself to my clients, with personal work, news, features, reviews of recent weddings and lots more.  Keeping a blog as up to date as possible is crucial, as people like to see what you are doing now – not three or four months ago.

I improve my search engine ratings by linking to venue’s and other suppliers and being more text based it helps with SEO and keywords too.

Websites and blogs that can be readily updated really come into their own for wedding photographers when you win competitions or get your pictures published in magazines, meaning you can instantly let your readers and potential clients know the good news.

For example, when one of my images was selected for the ‘Fresh MILK (Friendship, Family, Love and Laughter) book, the traffic to my sites increased dramatically.

Finally, it’s a real ice-breaker when you meet a couple for the first time and they already know about you and your life.  A relaxed couple talking to you about more than just their wedding creates an instant connection.

In the future, wedding websites will evolve to include even more multimedia and working with an external company allows me to keep up with technology without the need for major re-investment and the re-creation of my website.  This enables me to spend more time doing what I love most: concentrating on creating the images that give me a business in the first place.

I was asked yesterday what I considered to be one of the most important things someone who wanted to become a working photographer could do.  I think this is a great question as there are so many things you can do that will help build your career, so the answer does rather depend on what type of photography you want to do and the type of photographer you want to become.

Fun or Money

It also depends on if you want to be a photographer for the sheer fun of being a photographer or if you want to turn your passion for photography into an actual income generating business.

I want to be…

Ask almost anyone who tells you they want to be a photographer and you can probably wager a decent amount of money on hearing replies of  ‘fashion…music…photojournalist…travel’ the list goes on but those are the ones I hear rather a lot.  I do not often hear ‘I want to be a world renowned wedding photographer’ for instance, maybe if I’m talking to myself in the mirror in that positive frame of voice.

So as I am in the latter category of wedding photography and I’d imagine anyone reading this is probably looking at career options in the wedding industry rather than shooting the latest Vogue editorial or applying for a Magnum membership I better concentrate on what I know about.

Belief

So the one thing I would say would help you most would be…drum roll….belief.  Now I’m not talking about blind belief that you have no control over but quite simply belief in your own abilities.  I’m also hoping you do not equate this belief in your own abilities to an increased size of ego that you are the best or better than everyone else.  I mean the kind of belief that you know what you want, you know what you are capable of and you go out and prove it everyday.

Don’t be someone amazing no one has ever heard of

The next stage in your journey would be business acumen.  The world is awash with wonderful artists that no one knows about and will probably never ever hear about.  Think of it this way, you can be the artist that shoots for yourself and creates amazing imagery but unless you have some skill and knowledge in how to run a business then those images will still be on your hard drive in a years time.  By idly doing so they are likely to be an anchor on your own belief and will start to make you doubt just what it is you are doing.  I cannot stress enough how important studying business is.

Business, business, business

At College you probably sit in those lessons thinking, you know what, I’d much rather be out shooting, in the darkroom (College’s still have those right) and wondering why on earth you are learning about people in organisation, human resources, finance etc.  I know that’s exactly how I felt at one point but I still spent the time putting my effort into those classes and looking back now it is easy to see how that knowledge has helped build a sustainable business for myself.

For example, lets say you decide to dip your toe into this part time, very sensible.  Your family and friends like your images on your Facebook page and suggest that you will make a great photographer and you should really do it.  How wonderful it is to have that support behind you and their belief in you fuels your own belief that yes indeed you can do this.  Now fast forward to where does the work come from, how do you deal with clients, how do I let people know I exist, accounting, VAT, perhaps even employing others, the list really is endless.  If you are contemplating setting yourself up as a photography business then I seriously recommend you review your business skills first.

Great Marketing often trumps great photography

The mere fact you are contemplating becoming a full/part time photographer suggests you have some talent behind the lens already so I am not touching on the photography skills you will need to have to be successful in this article.  A great marketer with good photography skills will in all likelihood walk all over a great photographer with mediocre marketing skills.

Get ready to take less photos

So now you are a photographer.  Congratulations, now get ready to take less photos.  You’ll spend much more time in front of a computer than behind a lens.  You’ll spend more time doing accounts than selecting apertures and more time on the phone and in meetings than setting up lighting.  You’ll also spend an absolute fortune on kit but you knew that anyway.

Grow to love all the non picture taking elements

So the way I see it is that you must first and foremost have belief in yourself that being a photographer is what you are meant to be.  That way you’ll grow to love all the other non picture taking elements that eat your time and money because deep down you know doing that is what allows you to take photos in the first place.  Believe in yourself.  Cat posters rarely lie.

Driving into Lech in Austria is like driving into a hidden world.  Surrounded by mountains it is easy to feel like you have left the rest of the world behind.  Nestled at it’s heart the beautiful town of Lech is a magnet for ski lovers and more recently summer visitors are discovering the beautiful mountain scenery has just as much to offer.

Lech is filled with lovely chalets and hotels and has quickly become one of the world’s premier ski destinations.  It is inter connected by lifts and pistes with the neighbouring villages of Zurs, St. Christof, St. Anton, Stuben, Warth and Schroken.  This makes it the largest connected Ski area in Austria and one of the largest in Europe.

The ski runs as with any resort are suited for a range of abilities and are at the heart of the beauty of Lech.  St Nicholas church in the centre of the town is an art lovers dream with one of the most ornate designed interiors you are likely to see.  If your lucky there will be a wedding held there and you’ll see the happy couple arrive at the church via horse and sledge.  With stunning views and a glorious church Lech is fast becoming a destination wedding venue of choice.

Once your exhausted from skiing or walking the mountains in the summer, Lech has everything you’d expect of a premier mountain destination.  Restaurants and bars line the main street and you can venture up onto the piste to find restaurants that require an interesting walk or slide back to your bed in the evening.

The longest ski race in the world ‘The White Ring’ takes place in Lech every year and utilises the interconnected neighbouring towns to create over 22km of ski runs and takes two to three days to complete.

The Arlberg classic car rally also starts at Lech showcasing over 100 cars that drive down to Wald am Arlberg.

Staying in Lech is guaranteed to enrich your heart.  Whether you visit in the summer or winter months, beauty will surround you and happiness will find you.  Lech is a hidden gem of a resort in Austria that snow and mountain lovers should not ignore.

Amalfi is one of the few places in the world where as soon as you arrive you already know you are going to come back. 

In 1997 the Amalfi coast was listed as a UNESCO world heritage site and exploring the town and surrounding coastline it is easy to understand why.  Amalfi town itself climbs over the clifftops in vibrant colour like a summer flowering clematis.  The Mediterranean climate means it’s warm in the summer and mild in the winter and draws visitors all year round.

Most visitors arrive via Naples airport and take the one route by land into Amalfi, the Strada Statale 163.  Here you can experience first hand the winding roads and Italian driving style to set your senses alight.

Once in Amalfi you will find yourself walking through beautiful streets as if walking through time itself.   Ornate old buildings line your every pathway, if you love that distressed look to your furniture, you’ll feel right at home here.  The Cathedral takes centre stage in the town and is a must visit destination.  Walk out onto the pier and rather than looking out to the clear azure sea you’ll find yourself looking back to the coastline and the beautiful mix of colour, architecture and natural cliff faces.

Amalfi has that beautiful mix of Italian relaxation, beauty and history and being a coastal destination has some of the best beaches in Italy.  There are a range of places to stay to suit every budget and eating out reminds you just why Italy is so famous for it’s culinary expertise.

It is no surprise to find the Amalfi Coast is used as film locations for a huge variety of productions as it is just exudes the essence of Italy like a floral perfume.  

Visit Amalfi and you’ll be sure to be seduced by it’s beauty and most likely drawn back in the future to its siren call. 

EXT.   WAIMEA BAY.  HAWAII.  NIGHT

A bonfire burning and crackling brightly, four people are relaxing and drinking in the glow.  In the background the ocean waves break on the shore.

TRAVIS sits chatting with JASPA a twenty something surf dropout and BEACHER even more dropped out than JASPA.  LIANNE is listening but not drinking.

JASPA

I cant believe that your back Travis, damn man.

BEACHER

Travis Jones, T.J., the T.J.  I thought you were just a legend.

JASPA

He is a legend Beacher you tank; get a grip

TRAVIS

(reluctantly)

Come on guys I ain’t nobody’s legend, there are so few legends, 

real god damn legends that every time one of you guys puts that 

on me, Well it just sullies their name.

JASPA

Hey I got fifty bucks.

TRAVIS

You have fifty bucks!

JASPA

As I said I’ve got fifty bucks that if I asked every guy on this 

beach tomorrow and that’s a hell of a lot of people I add, if 

I ask em who T.J. was

BEACHER

IS.  Who T.J. is, I mean he’s sitting right there man.

JASPA

Oh shit, I’m sorry T.J. no offence meant I swear, I mean if I 

ask em who T.J. IS, eighty percent of those guys will know.

TRAVIS

I doubt that very much but you go ask them who Eddie was 

and I’ll put my house on it that one hundred percent of them 

will know.

LIANNE

You told me you don’t have a house Travis.

The whole group laughs, when it dies down TRAVIS continues.

TRAVIS

Well all that I own then.

BEACHER

Shit, no one will take that bet man.

TRAVIS

Exactly and that’s my definition of a true legend.

There is a general agreement amongst the group and kind of wistful air descends as they look out at the ocean, as if looking for a friend.

LIANNE

So are you going to tell me who Eddie is then?

BEACHER

(shocked)

You mean to say T.J. ain’t told you yet.  Christ what have you

been teaching this girl?

TRAVIS

We’ve been a bit busy trying to get ourselves killed recently.

JASPA

Yeah that shark man

(to Lianne)

Surviving a shark bite, major kudos to you

JASPA salutes LIANNE

LIANNE

Look I keep telling you, it wasn’t a….

TRAVIS

He’s right though, you cant go out in the water tomorrow 

unless you know about Eddie

The group relax back to lay witness to a classic campfire story.  TRAVIS takes a swig and begins the true story of EDDIE AIKAU

FLASHBACK:

The fire flickers in the foreground and as it’s curved tongue of flame reaches out it turns into the curve of an arcing wave.

EXT.  WAIMEA BAY.  DAY

A lone surfer rises up a wave and spins his board and paddles hard.  He leaps to his feet and plummets down the vast wave.

TRAVIS (VO)

Eddie Aikau was a lifeguard who worked on Waimea Bay 

but he was much more than a lifeguard.  He was at the 

pinnacle of big wave riding and would paddle out and 

ride waves that no one else dared look at.

The surfer emerges from he ocean and a small group of his friends all congratulate him on his ride, he makes his way to his lifeguards shack and turns a sign over.

‘LIFEGUARD ON DUTY’

TRAVIS (VO)  (CONT)

He was known and loved by everyone on the North Shore, 

he was indeed dubbed ‘Mr Waimea’ by the media and had 

saved many, many lives on his beach.

EXT. WAIMEA BAY.  DAY – LATER

A large canoe is hoisted over the heads of sixteen strapping young Hawaii men and taken down to the water.

A large crowd has gathered whilst the canoe is loaded up with provisions and Eddie ties his large surfboard onto the side of the canoe.  This canoe is bare.  It is definitely not modern or high tech in any way.

TRAVIS (VO)

In 1978 a canoe set out from Honolulu, steering south 

towards Tahiti.  It was intending to mirror a legendary 

course taken by early Tahitians that was said to have 

brought by the light of the stars the first human beings 

to set foot on Hawaii’s chain of islands.  They traveled 

over two and half thousand miles to get here.

The crew all get into their places in the canoe and push it out into the waves.  The locals give them a great send off as the young men paddle the canoe out through the waves.

TRAVIS (VO) (CONT)

Now Eddie was part of the crew of the canoe that set out 

on the return voyage, they had no fancy gear, no radio, no 

motor, nothing.  They were indeed as the Tahitians were on 

that first epic journey.

There were sixteen men on this voyage, Eddie included.

EXT.  PACIFIC OCEAN.  LATE AFTERNOON

The men have established a rhythm and the canoe is making great headway.  Some of Hawaii’s islands pass by as they as they make their way into the impending darkness.  Dark clouds and strong winds lay foreboding on the horizon.

TRAVIS (VO)

When they set out initially all seemed well and they moved 

moved swiftly through the chain of Hawaiian Island’s until 

they were caught in a huge swell.  In darkness the crew had 

to fight their way through twenty-foot waves and vicious 

currents.

EXT.  PACIFIC OCEAN.  NIGHT

Wild water splashes everywhere, the canoe rises up giant waves, trying desperately to steer into the waves and not get caught side on.

The men are all barking instructions and shouting at each other.  The canoe is taking on water.

TRAVIS (VO)

Inevitably the canoe started to take on water.  They were 

fighting a losing battle. The captain would try and steer 

them head on at the waves to avoid capsizing the boat 

but the waves were too erratic and powerful and eventually they were caught by a huge wave and the crew 

went overboard.

The crew all appear in the water and cling onto the side of the canoe.  the moon lights their plight as the ocean roars around them, tossing the boat from wave to wave.

TRAVIS (VO) (CONT”D)

Now the crew all swam up to their capsized boat and hung 

on to the sides.  They couldn’t right the boat and to stay in 

the middle of the storm holding on for their lives.

The moon has moved across the horizon, it is a few hours from dawn.

The men are all exhausted and dispirited.  Eddie announces his plan and dives under the canoe, reappearing moments later with his rescue board.

TRAVIS (VO) (CONT’D)

Hours past and the crew were losing faith. It was not yet light 

when Eddie decided he would go for help.  He had attached 

his board to the canoe before they set out and said he’d 

paddle for help.

EDDIE

It’ll be the longest ride ever

TRAVIS (VO)

He was breaking a rule of the sea by not staying by his boat 

but he was convinced he could do it

EDDIE

Don’t worry, I can do it.  I’ll get to land.

Eddie paddles off into the darkness.

EXT.  PACIFIC OCEAN.  DAWN

Dawn encompasses the rest of the men in it’s warming glow and a helicopter appears on the horizon, heading towards them.

Eddies board floats on the water alone.  A beacon in the middle of the ocean.

TRAVIS (VO)

The crew were rescued later that day and straight away asked 

did Eddie make it?  The helicopter searched and searched the 

ocean but only ever found his board with the words RESCUE 

written across it.

EXT.  WAIMEA BAY.  DAY

A large crowd gathers covering Waimea Bay, surfboards are planted in the sand like tombstones, reflecting the light as Eddie’s burial service takes place.

Flowers float in the water as an urn of sand is committed to the ocean.

TRAVIS (VO)

Thousands of mourners gathered at the beach.  Surfboards 

were planted in the sand, lined up like giant tombstones across 

the beach.  Flowers were dropped in the ocean by the rescue 

helicopters and an urn of Waimea sand representing his ashes 

was committed to the sea.

Shop windows, car windscreens, even people’s T-shirts now carry the legend of EDDIE AIKAU.

TRAVIS (VO) (CONT”D)

From then on people had signs and stickers everywhere reminding 

them of Eddie Aikau, they read simply:

‘EDDIE WOULD GO’

Everyone knew what it meant.

END FLASHBACK

EXT.  WAIMEA BAY.  HAWAII.  NIGHT

The group are all still round the fire listening to TRAVIS’S story.

TRAVIS

Now there is a competition that only runs when the waves are 

consistently above twenty feet for the entire day which means 

that it never has a set date in the calendar, as the competition 

slogan goes ‘The Bay calls the Day’.  It’s called the Eddie.  It is 

the only competition that truly captures the spirit of big wave 

riding and these guys here, they are desperate to see it again.

JASPA

(to Beacher)

I got a real good feeling this year you know, T.J. appears after 

all this time.  The swells been good for a while now, I reckon 

the Eddie will run for sure.

BEACHER

(to Jasper)

It’s due man, it’s sure due, maybe its been calling T.J.  Why 

else would he show up now?

JASPA

Signs man, the signs are all shouting it.  The Eddie must be near.

TRAVIS

Sorry guys but I didn’t come here to surf again and I certainly 

didn’t come here for the Eddie

BEACHER & JASPA

(together)

So what are you here then?

TRAVIS

I’m here for her

JASPA

Sex and surf man, a deadly cocktail

LIANNE

We’re not together, he works for me

A silence descends onto the group as they tae this in, eventually JASPA asks.

JASPA

So…you gonna tell us what your job is T.J.?

TRAVIS

(embarrassed)

I’m teaching her to surf

JASPA

Oh right, cool.  Well you couldn’t have a better teacher 

Lianne

The fire is dying away and JASP and BEACHER are leaving TRAVIS and LIANNE with the embers.

BEACHER

Man, what a come down, maybe he was right about himself 

not being a legend, you know…Eddie would go…T.J. would 

teach.

BEACHER laughs at his own joke and punches JASPA on the arm

JASPA

Your an asshole Beacher, everyone’s gotta eat don’t they, 

legends and all.  I wish he’d have taught me.

LIANNE sits looking at the fire, TRAVIS is kicking the embers over with sand.

LIANNE

I’m sorry T

TRAVIS

Call me Travis.  No one calls me T.J. anymore

LIANNE

I’m so sorry Travis, I didn’t mean to

TRAVIS

It’s fine Liannne, I do work for you, you were only telling the 

truth

LIANNE

But your friends seem to…

TRAVIS

Don’t worry about them, it’s just a small world

LIANNE

Sometimes it’s too small

TRAVIS

For you maybe.