Aussie expat CD Ben Nott’s new surfing doco ‘Come to the Edge’ set to premiere on Channel Nine and 9HD this Wednesday 17th July
Australian expat creative director Ben Nott, co-founder of Droga5 and founder of US-based production company World Wide Mind, is set to debut his new surfing documentary ‘Come to the Edge‘ this Wednesday July 17 on Channel Nine and 9HD.
Come to the Edge, written and directed by Nott, co-produced by Surfing Australia and World Wide Mind and partners Hyundai and Channel Nine, is an engaging documentary that follows a twelve month journey of Australia’s Olympic Surfing team “The Irukandjis”. The one hour action packed film takes viewers on an intense ride with these world champion surfers, as they come to the edge of their physical and mental abilities, training for the world’s biggest event on the world’s most deadly wave Teahupo’o in Tahiti.
Nine has given Come to the Edge prime placement, airing it immediately after its highly promoted State Of Origin Game 3 deciding match this Wednesday, July 17. Viewers will be treated to never-before-seen footage with Australia’s Olympic surfing team and surfing legends Joel Parkinson and Nathan Hedge to some of team Australia’s fiercest rivals: Jordy Smith, Caroline Marks, Kanoa Igarashi, Griffin Colapinto and more.
Creativity and surfing have been a consistent theme for Nott (pictured above). Nott won the Grand Prix at Cannes for a Kadu surf clothing poster, directed the award winning feature film Drift starring Sam Worthington as a surf photographer, and was chosen by Baz Luhrmann through Revolver to be his “surf action director” for a global Chanel commercial, which included filming at the same infamous Teahupo’o reef break.
Says Nott: “I love whichever medium I am lucky enough to be creating in, so writing and directing the Come to the Edge documentary was a truly interesting international adventure, as it combined two of my passions; filmmaking and surfing. Surfing Australia and my company, World Wide Mind, collaborated to produce a unique viewing experience. One that immerses viewers in the exciting physical and mental ride of the world’s best surfers, as they train on the world’s heaviest wave, Teahupoo in Tahiti, for the world’s biggest sporting event, the 2024 Olympics. I’m looking forward sharing the buzz with our audiences across the world.”
Says Chris Mater, CEO, Surfing Australia: “This new documentary Come to the Edge will give viewers front row seats to the most terrifying wave on the planet with exclusive access to the world’s best athletes as they prepare for what will arguably be the best Olympics ever. We can’t wait to showcase this new Olympic venue to audiences that may be tuning in to surfing for the very first time. With competition set to take place during prime time in Australia, and unprecedented coverage from the Nine Network audiences will no doubt be glued to their seats. So please join us and Come to the Edge at Teahupoo next Wednesday night.”
While Nott has previously written and directed many other branded content films and projects for surfing companies such as the Kelly Slater Wave Ranch, Red Bull, Oakley, WE CONNECTION, Quiksilver, SurfAid and more, he says him and the World Wide Mind team are keen to explore projects in other fields: “I’m stoked working on non surf brands too. I’m just grateful for any opportunity to work creatively on any topic and any medium, advertising, content, or entertainment. It’s always been about the best creative ideas communicated to the audience in the best way possible, and everyone enjoying the process.”
So far previous films and TV series produced by World Wide Mind have been awarded five AACTA nominations and one win.
Adds Nott: “While it’s cool to win the awards, and it acknowledges the many talented individuals involved, my true reward is seeing people I know, and don’t know, entertained by the work. Just sharing the buzz.”
Come to the Edge officially premieres on Channel Nine this Wednesday, July 17 after State of Origin Game 3.
For more information visit https://worldwidemind.com/ or contact Ben Nott at ben@worldwidemind.com.
Client: Surfing Australia
Production companies: Surfing Australia & World Wide Mind
Writer & Director: Ben Nott
Producers: Chris Smith, Danny Izarraras, Tim Duffy, Ben Nott
Executive Producers: David Gyngell, Chris Mater
Narration: Steve Bastoni
Camera Department: Luke McNee, Tim Duffy, Owen Milne, Jesse Little, Domenique Mosquera, Lachlan Ross, Nimai Strickland, Sam Walkderene, Luke Workman, Misha Robb-Maas
Editor: Luke McNee
Visual Effects: Tim Evans
Sound Mix: Ramsay De Marco
Colour: Timothy Whiting, Visible Studios
Assistant editors: Lachlan Ross, Nimai Strickland
Research & Development Assistant: Finn Robilliard
Original Concept: Chris Mater
Partnerships: Cathryn Hammond
Marketing and Promotion: Jo Jo Alpers
Filmed on location in: Australia, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Fiji, and Tahiti
Distribution: Roundtable entertainment, Los Angeles
Partners: Hyundai, Channel Nine, Surfing Australia, World Wide Mind