Vortex: an interview with Noè Font

What was the spark that led to this project?

Tom, Xander and I had been travelling together for a few years and it was clear to us that we had a similar vision of the way we saw the world and what we wanted to portray. I feel like it was a long time coming and while we were in Brazil it was the right time to kick it off.

VORTEX feels more like an immersive experience—riding, travelling, and capturing the energy of each trip—was that a conscious vision from the start, or did it evolve naturally?

Thank you. I suppose that was our goal from the start. We wanted to create something that represented the things we value in the movies we watch. Ultimately we wanted the perfect balance between progressive riding, compelling visuals and genuine storytelling. With the concept in mind, we pushed ourselves as hard as possible to put down the best riding and filming to date. Battling injuries through the year, budgets and tricky logistics made navigating the Vortex that much more rewarding at the finish line.

You spent a year filming with Xander and Tom. What’s it like working so closely with two riders and friends and what are some of the strengths they bring to the table?

The best part about making this film (and so many others) is that I’ve had the privilege of working with two of my best friends. The good times are that and the harder times are easier to cope with when you’re out in the trenches with your good hommies. Collaborating we had the chance to each take care of what we are good at not only on the water but also behind the lens and the scenes.

In a world of 15-second reels and content that’s forgotten as fast as it’s posted, why was it important for you to create a long-format film?

We made Vortex to fill a void in our industry that’s been so apparent to us and we wish to see more of it. It's a sad sight to know our sport is something happening in 15-second increments on Instagram temporarily and disappearing all at once. Unfortunately, that is the standard at the moment and as riders, we must strive for much more than that if we want to preserve any kind of culture. Otherwise, ask yourself: what is left

How has the reception of the project been so far?

We are honestly blown away by the comments messages and steady growth in views over the first couple of weeks. I’m proud to know many legends we’ve all looked up to took their time to support our film, come to the premiere, share it online or message us privately sharing their stoke on the project. As I mentioned in the film, our goal is to ultimately inspire more people to follow this path and make more films.

What were some of the toughest moments in bringing VORTEX to life?

For me personally, I had to physically battle some injuries which I haven't had to deal with in the past. A bad concussion took me down in Cape Verde which put the project on hold for a couple of months and then a rib during the KPL World Championships which resurrected on day one of the last Brazil trip and forced me to finish the film on a seat harness. Tom and Xander had food poisoning, broken ankles and car wrecks of their own. As you can imagine by now, it wasn't smooth sailing this year.

How do you decide what makes the cut and what doesn’t, especially when you’re working with a full year of footage?

When you have a full year to film a project the bar is set much higher than for a week project. You want those unique exotic tricks you might not be able to repeat and footage showcasing the absolute best of you. You start with your standards very high but at the same time you have to be realistic and if the goal is to make a section from every trip like we did in Vortex, you might have to adapt depending on how much you score on each trip. Overall looking back I’d say even when we thought we had a shocker of a trip, we still came back with stuff. Whether it was banger tricks or epic cinematic shots, between the three of us someone always had something.

Looking at your riding, how does being behind the camera influence what you do on the water?

Being a filmer and a rider simultaneously is a blessing and a curse. I say that because sometimes you are so in your head about how you want a trick to happen and look like from a certain angle that when for whatever reason it doesn't you don't feel satisfied. For example, you do the trick but in that moment the filming wasn't how you imagined in your head or the angle wasn't the one. It's a tricky one to let go of that and focus one hundred per cent on your riding. Filming with Xander especially I know I can trust that he will make good decisions on what is a good angle and the best shot. So that allows me to free my mind from worrying about it.

Was there a particular session or moment that stood out—one that defined the project for you?

Making the conscious decision to commit to the film was probably that point. So I’d say those two weeks in Brazil once we decided we were beginning to film a full length and stacking the first clips set the tone for the rest of the year. I remember being a little sceptical at first when Tom and Xander told me they wanted to make a movie and that's probably because I had been there before and knew what that meant. Seeing them so motivated right from the start convinced me that we were going for it.

If someone watches VORTEX and takes away one thing from it, what do you hope that is?

I hope that you see how Kiteboarding can be many things each of them beautiful in its own way and it's all about what you want it to be for yourself.

Watch VORTEX now at https://www.knotfuture.com/vortex