Unlike any other documentary short film about aquaculture, this one takes you on a journey through the eyes of an environmentally conscious 10-time Paddleboard World Champion and Professional Big Wave Surfer, Jamie Mitchell. By capturing this unique relationship on camera, we can bring this real journey to Verlasso’s communities. A convincing story that gives sense of place, sense of time, and sense of care at every level. A true sense of well-being, convincingly portrayed through the eyes of the surfer.
For an aquaculture company, it is important to reach outside the boundaries of the farm and to illuminate the environmental and ocean issues in a real-life setting. Perhaps even more important is to take action on these issues. In that respect, surfing is a portal that gives Verlasso the ability to share a deeper and richer experience to those that consume this beautiful salmon. If you are a surfer, you live within the rhythm of the ocean and the weather. If you are a fish farmer, you live within the rhythm of the ocean and the weather. This makes you both sensitive to changes in the environment and passionate about environmental issues. As a sustainable company, to convincingly explain the efforts of your work in aquaculture, it is important to connect the dots as stewards of the ocean through the eyes of the surfer that is immersed in its surroundings each and every day.
What fish farmers and surfers have in common is that work and sustenance are part of their lifestyle. There are other professions connected by food, lifestyle and the environment, but Verlasso uniquely understands the role in a tangible way. The love of fish farming, the care of the resources that it takes to work in this unique environment in an effort to bring a beautiful experience to the plate. This documentary project aims to show how real-life experience works on the farm as a fish provider and our passion to do it sustainably. In particular, this project aims to explain the advantages of showing the environmental process of raising beautiful fish as a profession and a lifestyle just like surfers are passionate about their work in the water and the environment.
Being passionate about aquaculture does not solidify Verlasso’s place in the sustainable aquaculture community. It means working each and every day to the highest of standards to maintain a level of commitment to the fish and its journey. At its core, the surfer and the fish farmer are practitioners trying to solve environmental issues. It is essential for those that receive Verlasso salmon to feel and experience the challenges around the farm in order to step up and take action on these issues in reality. In that respect, surfing gives us rich experiences and a new lens in which to view them. The footage created from this project gives Verlasso a powerful motivational tool. A tool that inspires the thought leader, the buyer, the chef, the guest and the home cook to align themselves with this unique Verlasso salmon. A loyalty and a bond that cannot be broken by a competitor, a false claim or an unintended action.
Who?
Jamie Mitchell
Through the eyes of Jamie Mitchell, world champion paddler and surfer. He has won the Molokai 2 Oahu Paddleboard World Championships — a back-breaking 32-mile race — 10 times. When he’s not busy training for amazing swells and paddle races, he’s either spear fishing, cooking for his daughter and wife, or championing ocean causes. As one of the most versatile seafarers in the world, he is a natural fit to showcase this unique journey to the world. Click here to read more about our partnership.
Eric Wolfinger
Recently described as the Annie Leibowitz of food photography, he has worked with Verlasso since before the fish came out of the water. Eric is a friend, an environmental champion, a surfer and traveling cook who found his calling behind the lens. Passionate and purpose driven, Eric works with brands he believes move the needle toward the greater good. With over a dozen award-winning books and hundreds of commissions as a photographer and director, he has built a reputation as a close collaborator whose immersive approach produces powerful storytelling.