We got our first look at Danny Harf’s new video project, Defy, at the 2009 Wake Awards, and it was one hell of a first impression. Just before Harf won Best Video Performance for his part in Billabong’s Out of the Pond, the Wake Awards crowd was treated to the first footage from the endeavor — Harf’s wrapped nose grab backside 900 captured in all its floaty, stylish glory by longtime Harf collaborator producer Sean Kilgus. (Click here to watch the video.) We caught up with Harf a couple days later in the Ronix booth at Surf Expo to get the dirt on Defy. — Luke Woodling
LW: How did the idea for Defy** come about?** DH: Sean and I have worked together a bunch in the past, and I just came to him with an idea I had for a movie. We bounced some ideas around for a while and got some sponsors on board and we just decided to go for it. We’re going to make a movie that’s based on the progression of the sport. So I’m going to get together with a handful of other riders who I feel are keys parts of the progression of wakeboarding, and we have some really cool sections lined up with all the guys to really showcase their talents and what they’re best at. We’re ready to get going, and we want to make it really big.
Who are some of the riders you’re going include and what some of the sections you’re going to be working on? Some of the riders I hope to have in the movie are Ben Greenwood, Shane Bonifay, Shawn Watson, Rusty Malinoski, Jimmy LaRiche, Adam Errington, Parks Bonifay and Chad Sharpe. The roster isn’t complete, but we have a lot of guys lined up. We’re going to do a Ronix section, and that’s going to be me, Parks, Chad, Adam and Dean Smith riding up at Radar. We have some really cool ideas for some Nautique stuff here in Florida and some big Monster stunts as well. There’s going to be a good mix of riders, and we’re all going to be looking to progress the sport and do some cool new stuff.
The backside 9 that you debuted at Wake Awards — is that going to be in the movie or is that more of a preview of what to expect? The backside 9 that I submitted for the Wake Awards was basically our first few days of shooting for the movie. That was a trick I’d been getting close on, and we got a helicopter and I finally made that trick and Kilgus edited together a quick little teaser just to get the word out on the movie. We’re going to have that, plus a lot more in the movie. That’s just the start — a little sneak preview of what’s to come. We’ve got big plans, and hopefully I land more than just that trick.
How do you see the project working? Are you going to take the lead or is it going to be more of a collaboration with the other riders? It’s going to be a good mix of myself and the other riders. Basically, each section of the movie will be like a little mini-movie that focuses on one aspect of wakeboarding. For example, I want to do a wake-riding trip with Randall Harris and Ben Greenwood. I feel like those guys are pushing wake riding in their own way. They both have such a unique style, and I think it will be cool to kind of collaborate into one section. Stuff like that is what we’re looking to do. Same thing for Monster. Monster has such an insane team in wakeboarding that there’s going to be the opportunity for us to do some big stunts and hit some big rails. Guys like Watson and Shane will really shine in that kind of section. That’s kind of the idea.
Any other projects you have locked up? I don’t want to give too much away but we’re definitely looking to have a really cool double-up section with the Fox team riders. We’re going to have helicopters and high reaches and the whole bit, so it’s going to be quite the production. We’re excited to get going on it.
Check out bfyproductions.com for more information and for updates on the Defy project.
