Let’s just say this: I have a new level of respect for anyone who’s ever made a real film. Two days, four crew members, one pro surfer, and about 100 cups of coffee later – we wrapped the shoot for our launch video in Portugal.
The crew? Absolute legends. My brother Alex directed, Hugo Almeida handled land video, Gastão Entrudo got the dreamy water footage, and Luis Perloiro – one of Portugal’s finest who had just won a national contest 3 days prior – absolutely delivered in front of the camera. We filmed in Ericeira and Peniche, chasing light, tide windows, and any spot that didn’t look like a wind tunnel.
Call times? 6:30am both days. We shot for 14 hours the first day and 11 the second, bouncing between cliffs, beaches, skate spots, and café tables for much-needed espresso breaks. Hugo even risked his camera (and, honestly, his bones) by skating while filming Luis on a surf skate. Somehow, both survived.
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One of the wildest parts? We got incredibly lucky with weather. A massive storm rolled through Peniche just as we were filming the "frustrated surfer "scenes. Picture Luis, floating in stormy seas, channeling his inner “I’m-not-getting-better-at-surfing” energy, while Gastão swam circles around him – all while Alex and Hugo were set up in the smallest of tents on the beach to not break their equipment! Honestly, we couldn’t have planned it better if we tried. The ocean looked properly angry – and it worked perfectly to tell the story of how frustrating surf progression can be.
What surprised me most wasn’t the locations or the footage (though it turned out beautifully), but the people. Every single person brought way more than just their role. Alex, who usually works as an editor, helped shape the story arc and kept us on track. Hugo was full of creative chaos – in the best way – and always pushing to get something better. Gastão spent more time underwater than above it. And Luis? Total pro. Whether he was paddling out for the 10th take or had to change back into his cold wetsuit again, he kept his energy up all day.
I’m incredibly thankful to everyone who joined us on this. These weren’t just coworkers for a few days – they were co-conspirators in trying to bring something new to life. TRAX is still early, but this shoot felt like a real turning point. Like, “okay, this might actually become a thing” kind of moment.
We’ll be using clips from the shoot all over the site and in the Launch video – but I also wanted to give you this little peek behind the curtain. Because yeah, the tech is cool, and the idea is ambitious, but at the end of the day, it’s people and passion that make stuff like this real.
Massive thanks to everyone involved – and to you for reading!
