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WHITE HORSES | SLOW SWELLS


WHITE HORSES is a 20-minute film that follows surfer Emily Grimes on a self-reflective journey along Scotland's northern coast, riding horseback in pursuit of waves. As she confronts the lack of ideal surfing conditions, Emily grapples with her relentless fixation on achieving perfection, realizing how her unwavering desire for better waves, gear, and performance has robbed her of the ability to savor the present moment. Director Meg Wriggles' visually stunning narrative captures the raw beauty of Scotland while delving into Emily's mindset, inviting viewers to reevaluate their relationships with ambition and self-criticism in favor of enjoying the journey itself.

Tell us about where you both grew up and some of your influences.


Meg:

I grew up in southern England on a farm. There were lots of empowering women in my life. I lived with my mum and my sister a lot of the time, who are both very strong people. My mum is quite erratic and always so busy doing some crazy projects. I think she passed down a passion for wild ambitious projects (and ADHD) to me. My mum always used to say to me "The energy you give is the energy you get back," I repeat this mantra to myself all the time. There has been no shortage of strong female role models in my life, and I feel so lucky for this. I was always encouraged to go outside, most of my self-discovery was through animals and nature. At a very young age, my mum introduced me to my love for horses, and my dad introduced me to my love for the water. This film is a perfect blend of the two. I moved to Scotland when I was 18. The landscape drew me there. It’s a great mixture of mountains, sea, and wilderness. I’ve lived here for 5 years now, and I don’t know if I’ll ever leave.


Emily: I grew up in the North East of England and was lucky enough to spend a lot of time outdoors, on farms, and hanging out with/riding horses. When you're 10 you don’t consider the therapeutic benefits of what you’re doing, perhaps children are more perceptive than adults in understanding the need for activities that ground and calm irrational/unnecessary thoughts. I got into surfing as a young adult and around the same time was working at a horse riding school, running sessions for people with additional needs; it was then that I began to draw parallels between the therapeutic benefits of both surfing and horses. I spent a few years guiding horse riding tours in the beautiful national park, Noosa North Shore in Australia. I can’t tell you how happy I was spending my days with horses while in and out of the sea. 


Since then, I have spent as much time as possible nurturing my passions and sharing them with others. I moved to Northumberland where wide open spaces and empty surf spots are aplenty, I share my love of North Sea surfing through our surf school, NE Surf, which my partner and I run together. A particular joy is running our adaptive surfing sessions. Ever since working on those horse riding sessions for people with additional needs, we were called to share our passion and therapeutic benefits of surfing. Removing barriers to access and enabling the local community to reap the benefits of the natural resource on our doorstep was key.

Emily, what is it like to surf in Scotland and the surf communities?


The surf community I understand most is in North Northumberland, where I live (about 30 minutes south of the Scottish border). Although I have visited and surfed in Scotland many times, every area has its little nuances which you can only really get to know by spending more time with it. I have always found it welcoming, it is often the seals and nature that offer this, as there is lots of opportunity for quiet waves. Once we met another surfer in the water, on some quiet stretch of Scottish coastline, who said we were the first people he had seen for 3 months. We assumed he meant surfing, turned out he meant in general. How wild.

In terms of the Northumberland surf community which I know and love - we have a small eclectic community filled with eccentrics, obsessives, and weirdos (we fit right in). Compared to Atlantic UK coastlines we have a relatively small swell window. We are exposed to a range of swells; long-period northerlies, wild and wooly easterlies, and soft-peeling southerlies. If you have the knowledge plus time to be creative and responsive with the swell and weather patterns, you can base your existence around surfing, don’t expect to surf a shortboard all year round. All boards are enjoyed in equal measure throughout the year, with the summer months giving us mostly teeny swells, best enjoyed on something a little bigger. 


The main barriers to accessing surfing in Northumberland are transport and costs. Being a rural area public transport is extremely limited, if you don't live near a surf break, access to a car is almost exclusively necessary to score good surf. This includes obvious costs - living costs in a rural area and holiday hotspot are higher, a lot of local children were getting priced out of learning to surf in North Northumberland, which is why we began offering subsidized surf lessons for locals to lessen this barrier.

Emily, tell us about your surfing journey.


I grew up about 30 minutes from the coast, and even though my uncle has surfed since before I was born (I only loosely knew about this before I started surfing) I didn’t fall into surfing until I moved to Australia. I lived further from the sea than ever before. I still don’t know how it happened but suddenly a switch flipped and I was determined to learn. I found even more so with surfing than with riding, that I was wholly present in the moment, particularly as a complete beginner it was impossible to think about anything else. I leaned into that escapism a lot when I was having visa troubles (nothing like burying your head in the sea).

When I came home I was worried I wouldn’t be able to surf as much, I probably ended up surfing more. Living somewhere cold and less consistent swell, you have to work a little bit harder for it, fueling my obsession. And it’s just kept going from there - I do it because I love it, I'm obsessed with it. I’ve done the odd competition here and there, mostly I surf on my own, with my partner, or a few close friends. Mostly off camera and enjoying the moment. That being said, I have been lucky enough to gain sponsorship from Northcore and Srface, who have supported me since I moved back to the UK and got stuck into some North Sea surf.

My career has always revolved around teaching. I love to teach. I started by tutoring economics during university, moved on to teaching horse riding through my early twenties before qualifying as a high school maths teacher, around the same time, becoming a surf instructor. My love and drive to be in nature was far stronger than the stability offered by more mainstream employment, as much as I enjoyed being a school teacher I felt compelled to make a life with more time in the sea, doing what I love. 


In doing what I love the positives far outweigh the negatives, when I’m in the Sea teaching it doesn’t feel like work at all. Making a living doing what we love there are things that we need to do which are a bit less fun (admin), trying to make a living out of something you love can become quite consuming. Surfing has never lost its shine but I have to work on viewing it in the right way, as sometimes my relationship with it can become unhealthy. Too much obsession and hunger, not enough love. Too much pressure. Both are things we wanted to address with the trip and the film. Sometimes I think my relationship with surfing would be healthier if I was a maths teacher, but honestly, I couldn’t cope with missing all the best swells.

Emily, besides surfing what other sports do you enjoy or interests or careers do you have?


Before the trip, I had become a bit one-dimensional with my love of surfing. I had stopped riding altogether and the only passion in my life was surfing. Since the trip and a few significant life events, particularly the loss of my father (who has always been my inspiration, hero, and best friend) my relationship with surfing has fluctuated and now has become slightly more rational. I still obsess over forecasts and never want to miss a swell, while finding joy in other things. Before Dad passed away I got into watching football with him and the rest of my family (NUFC - another mega thing for obsessives to get stuck into), which is something that has continued. I also went on my first ever non-surfing holiday (since starting to surf) and went snowboarding, which made me feel pretty mature and mellow (I didn't even look at the surf forecast while I was away!). My relationship with surfing is healthier now - I haven’t been putting nearly as much pressure on myself and have been enjoying it so much more as a result. 

How did this film come about and what were some of the hurdles you both had to overcome?


Meg: I first had the idea when I was on a surf trip in March a couple of years ago on the northern coast of Scotland. I’m not much of a surfer, but I’m always up for an adventure. It was a 4-hour hike to the bothy (a small hut or cottage) we were staying in, and it gets dark early in Scotland. I had to take a short board even though I’ve only ridden a foamy… as I had to carry it for the hike. Next thing you know it’s dark, I’ve fallen in several bogs (up to my chest) and pummeled by the wind on the edge of a cliff holding a surfboard questioning why I was doing this. As we hiked through the bogs and the darkness all I could think about was how this would have been fine if I was riding a horse. That’s where the idea was born. 


A few months later I met Emily. A horse rider and surfer (which is a surprisingly rare combo!) and we started planning the trip. It felt like the universe had brought us together, as Emily had done long distance horse trekking and loved surfing and said a trip like this was something she’d always wanted to do… 

Emily: Meg told me about her idea and I lost my mind with excitement. I carried a board on a horse once when I worked in Noosa and since then I’ve dreamt of a surf trip on horseback. My partner Chris is obsessed with vehicles, weird vans, motorbikes, and always talking about the next transport for our surf trips - he’s fantasized about trips on motorbikes, in tuktuks, piaggio apes; name a weird random vehicle and Chris has hatched a hair brained surf trip plan with it. Whenever we go away in the van we are obsessing over the forecast, rarely making our way from A to B, rather going from A to B via X, Y, and Z. Because of this, I have longed for a slower paced trip without a motor. I’ve even considered cycle/hike surf trips but in all honesty I find hiking and cycling kind of boring… so when Meg told me about her idea I felt like it was the trip I had always dreamed of!

We had to work hard to make it happen, and it was a truly incredible experience. What I will say, though, is that surf tripping on horseback definitely has its challenges (carrying boards in the wind, finding suitable spots for the horses right next to the surf) and I’m not sure that it’s going to take off!

Meg, Let's explore the theme of FOMO in the movie how this cultural phenomenon influences various aspects of our lives, and what insights you have gained. While not a novel idea, it is amplified by the social media environment, peer influences, and marketing.


This was a really authentic part of the film which Emily brought herself. I’m a skateboarder, so I don’t think I ever really appreciated the pressure and FOMO that surfers live with. They always seem to be fearing they might miss a good swell somewhere. Skateboarders always have the option to skate so this issue isn’t as pertinent, but I do empathize with it, as I think with the rise of social media, FOMO affects many aspects of our lives. 


I know we’ve all heard it before but I think it’s important to talk about how we tend to focus on what everyone else is doing, and only the best bits. People share all their wins and highlights on their Instagram, and it’s so false and curated. I’m guilty of doing this too - it’s the way social media is designed to be used. But it is toxic for our brains. Humans are not designed to be constantly bombarded with all this. If you follow a few hundred people, then every time you open your phone you’re bound to see a new update of someone’s achievement, epic holiday, or beautiful work of art. This can easily make you feel like you are falling behind. Everything moves too fast. 


Ironically, there were no waves when we ended up doing the trip. It’s rare for there to be no swells on the northern coast of Scotland. At first, we were gutted, but then we realized it was a blessing and allowed Emily to lean into this practice of letting go of the 'Grass is Always Greener' mentality that so often affects surfers. These were the waves we were given, and we had the horses with us, so we had to deal with it.

Meg, numerous aspects of this movie that are truly admirable. It offers a profound ecofeminist viewpoint, particularly focusing on the connection between women and nature, as well as their interactions with the environment and its wisdom. It also explores the significance of our bodies and portrays horses as both companions and mentors.

Yes, I love this question.


I wanted to blend the two sports and for the film to combat the fast-paced mentality that permeates all of modern life. 


I relate to Emily and the way her brain works. She said on the trip "it feels like if I stop working, everything might just implode", and this resonated with me. Both of us run our own businesses, a lot of that happens within your phone and we always have our phones on us, so sometimes it feels like it’s inescapable. I often feel there is a guilt that follows me around and I’m not allowed to try and switch off or do something that isn’t ’productive’. The idea of purposefully moving slow is a bit lost in modern life when everything is designed to be as fast and efficient as possible. 


When we move so fast, eating fast food, flying fast planes, we lose our connection with the landscape. that’s what White Horses is all about - regaining a connection with the landscape. 

Ecofeminist theory is important to bear in mind when watching the film. Although included subtly, I was influenced by ecofeminist teachings and believe both women and nature have been negatively affected by capitalism and the patriarchy. We need to realign ourselves and our lives with earth. We need to learn to view and talk about nature as an active, breathing, living force rather than viewing it as a passive object waiting to be commodified and used. We must see we are part of nature, rather than a dominating force that is separate from it. Capitalism and the patriarchy have convinced the world that both nature and women are passive in actuality; they are powerful autonomous forces. When Emily travels on horses, she remains connected to the elements unlike when she travels by car or plane, resulting in a much lower environmental impact.

The horses being barefoot and bit-less also reflects this mentality. Emily was not dominating these horses, rather working in harmony. Horse riding traditionally uses and normalizes invasive methods such as bits and metal shoes. By not using either, it was a much more natural and equal relationship. Horses are incredible teachers. People often say they are like mirrors as they reflect our energy at us. As prey animals and flight animals, they have a very strongly attuned sense of awareness, and can often recognize our intentions and emotions quicker than us. They are reactive animals, so rather than responding to inward stimuli they reflect outward stimuli offering us instant feedback to the energy we are putting out into the world. Spending time with horses is a powerful way to reconnect with nature and ourselves. 

Meg, could you share information about the film's budget, fundraising activities, pre-production and post-production procedures, length, music choices, and filming equipment utilized?


This film was made on a micro-budget and I had to pull a ridiculous amount of favors. I had a few connections with Red Bull, Surfdome, and Roxy thanks to Skateboobs, and asked to pitch my film. I’ve never done anything like this so it was a shot in the dark. Surfdome changed hands and the project was passed over to Roxy. Red Bull also supported us financially. I started planning the trip and seeking funding about a year before we filmed it, then edited it in about 5 months. I couldn’t have done it without my amazing producer Alex Jones who always kept me positive and supported my ambitious ideas. Alex never said ‘no’, he just found a way. This project would have happened if it wasn’t for Alex’s optimism and support.  


Thank you so much to all the crew who worked and had faith in this project. What brought the crew together was a love for adventure making it special. The Director of Photography was Lewis Raeburn, a talented individual who also has a really strong engagement within the landscape and does a lot of long distance hiking. Lewis’s love for adventure and trekking made him perfect for this role. Lewis shot this on a Black Magic 4k, and I filmed some B-roll on Super 8. 


Our drone operator Ross Scott was incredible and allowed us this alien perspective on the landscape. There is a lovely sequence in the film of different patterns within the landscape seen from this bird's eye view. 


Emily’s partner Chris was our water videographer, and he captured really beautiful shots from a much closer perspective. They already have a great working dynamic, I feel really lucky to have been able to utilise that.  

We had an amazing stills photographer, Paul Hempstead, whose work I have admired for ages. When Paul said he would come on the trip I couldn’t believe it. Paul shot over 20 rolls of beautiful medium format photos that he hand printed. 


Diva Jeffrey wrote an original score for the film with additional production from Antonia Dembinska and Jadu Heart. This score combined so beautifully with the sound design by Carlos Rosales and Luca Ayscough to create this immersive audio experience which reflected both the natural landscape and the construct between the two sports, horse riding and surfing. We are currently in the process of getting a vinyl made of the soundtrack which I’m excited by. 

Meg, share your thoughts on your other film, Your Next Breath, the themes you focus on, and other art practices.


My life is quite evenly divided between extreme sports and art. Similar to my paintings, I like all of my films to have a root in social issues. My debut documentary, 'Your Next Breath', follows artist Kenny Hunter as he creates the UK’s first memorial to NHS (staff lost to Covid-19. The most important drive behind this film though was to highlight the importance of the National Health Service and how much it’s struggling after Covid-19 and repeated cuts from the conservative Government. We are so lucky to have free healthcare in the UK, but it may not be around for much longer. Backlogs and waiting lists are worse than ever before. Throughout the film, we interview some NHS staff who worked on the frontlines during the pandemic and hear firsthand the state of the NHS. Your Next Breath took over 2 years to complete, and we shot a lot of it on 16mm film. We focused a lot on the artistic process as I am an oil painter myself and wanted to learn about how bronze sculptures are made. The film is currently in the festival circuit and will be available for public viewing on the 29th of January, 2025, 5 years since the first Covid-19 outbreak in the UK. It was a really heavy film and was my first time doing anything like that, so for my next film I think I wanted something a bit more light hearted and fast paced, and something that fed my love for extreme sports and adventure, and that’s where White Horses came from.


Meg, Any books you are reading or have inspired you?


This film was largely inspired by 'The Living Mountain' by Nan Sheperd and involves a quote from her at the start. That book was drafted in 1945, although not published until the 70s, and is absolutely mind blowing. Nan Sheperd was a woman living in the Cairngorm Mountains in Scotland during the Second World War. Nan did a lot of long distance walking and was incredibly independent and in touch with nature. Her book is a poetic meditation on the landscape and our place within it. Another book I feel aligns with my goals and this film is Becoming Animal by David Abram. 

During filming, Emily stumbled upon an old abandoned cottage and went inside to explore. There she found a bunch of Women & Home magazines from the 1950s in pristine condition. The magazines detailed how to care for your husband, how to be a good wife, and how to do your makeup. As Emily read us an extract from the magazine, I was struck by the stark contrast between the lives of these women living during the same era. Many women of that era were defined by their role within the household, but Nan Sheperd was always out adventuring in the mountains and hills and never married. Throughout history, women from around the world were not allowed to participate in mountain sports or explorations. That’s why I find the image of women solo adventuring empowering. 

Meg, any advice you want to give to new filmmakers? 


I count myself as a new filmmaker, so I’m filled with imposter syndrome when it comes to giving advice. I’ll give you three tips anyway, but just take it with a pinch of salt. 


Just get going, and have faith in yourself. In university, I was always told I was being ‘too ambitious’, and I think that’s a load of bullshit. You can’t be too ambitious. To say someone is ‘too ambitious’ is to imbue a fear of failure. It’s okay to fail, and it’s better to have tried it and failed miserably than to always be thinking 'what if'. We really do learn the most from our mistakes. There were so many moments during every stage of this film where we had to leap over hurdles, and where me and Alex were really stressed. But that is filmmaking: a constant game of problem solving and thinking on your feet. You have to be flexible and ready for anything because everything in life is so unexpected. But honestly, you’ve got this, and remember, the energy you give is the energy you get back, go into it with passion and positivity. 


Choose a team who has faith in you and who supports your idea. Being surrounded by people who have faith in your vision makes the world of a difference. I am neurodivergent and sometimes struggle with what would be 'basic' tasks to other people, if you have the right team who understands you, your brain working differently will be a benefit to the project. 


Know the story you’re trying to tell before you start filming. I probably should have done this a bit more with this project, because I wanted to just see where it took me. Generally, though, it’s best to have a watertight idea of a narrative arc before you start (this will also help with pitching) so you don’t have to work out a story in the edit. While you can make changes during filming, it's important to have a clear idea of the story you want to tell before you begin. Know your goals and what you’re trying to say with the film, and plan a beginning, middle, and end. On the flip side of that, you also need to be ready to let go of that at the drop of a hat and be flexible. As I said, filmmaking is a constantly unpredictable game of problem-solving.



see the FULL Film at Girls In Film

 

Additional Information


All photos courtesy of Foundry Films


Meg’s IG @princessmeeg

Emily’s IG @grimesatron


Produced by Alexander Jones @alex__zan__derr 

Executive Producer Lotte Thomas  @lotterosathomas 

Director of Photography Lewis Raeburn @lewishraeburn 

Photography Paul Hempstead @paulhempstead 

In water videography Chris Churchill @dyslexicchris 

Drone Operation Ross Scott @rossscottjr_ 

Sound Recording by Carlos Rosales @euunmiroir 

Sound Design by Carlos Rosales & Luca Ayscough @lucaayscough @euunmiroir  

Original Score by Diva Jeffrey @sludgecherry_ @jaduheart

Horse Wrangling by Equine Unlimited 

Graphic Design Connor Leslie @donderdesigns 


Thanks to @jaysurfboards @northerndawnsurfboards @solar_shack 

Thanks to our sponsors @redbull @roxy


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