Nickname: TJ

Born and raised: East Coast, United States, mainly Virginia, Rhode Island, and Vermont

Based now: Vermont/Rhode Island

Stance: Regular

When and how did you start surfing?

I caught my first few waves living in Virginia as a youngster. I stopped surfing until middle school, and then didn't really take it up as a focused pursuit until high school.

Who are the surfers that inspire you?

My friends like Matt, Andrew, George, Josh, Will, Justin, and many more.

Where are your favorite surf spots that you've been to?

It's hard to pick a favorite. Each spot I've been to is unique and beautiful in its own way. San Onofre is one of my favorite places though.

Where are the surf spots you want to visit in the future that you've never been to?

Three that come to mind are Noosa, anywhere in New Zealand, and anywhere in Japan.

Which type of surfboards and fin setups are you into?

Classic longboards, bonzers, and midlengths.

Which one video would you highlight in this playlist and why?

Episode 50 featuring JJ Wessels. Since I started CVRRENT in 2017, I have filmed 50 different episodes on 50 different surfers. It is probably the one accomplishment I am most proud of in this passion project I call CVRRENT.

Gear: Lumix GH5 with a Canon 100-400 USM II

Editing tool: Adobe Premiere Pro

What's your favorite focal length?

I like shooting long and tight.

When and how did you start filming?

I first got into filming when my friends and I wanted to start making snowboard and ski edits in high school. We had a crew called Tabsix and we would drive from Rhode Island up to Vermont every weekend in the winter to shred. We ended up making a lot of edits from those days.

Who are the creators that inspire you?

My friends are always the people who inspire me most. I have a lot of amazingly creative friends, not necessarily videographers, but ceramicists, musicians, painters, writers. They are generally my biggest source of inspiration. I admittedly don't watch too many surf movies or videos, but in recent years I have tried to check off more videos.

What are the surf films/videos that inspire you?

I, along with most other surfers I know, am really inspired by Ishka Folkwell's work with Torren Martyn. Ishka is an unbelievable filmmaker and I am constantly blown away by his work. And of course Jack Coleman. That dude is just a legend in my book. My buddies Josh Feld and George Nickoll also make great videos and I love watching their work.

Other than surf films?

I don't watch too many movies or films. Honestly, my favorite movie is Anchorman which is low-hanging fruit for sure haha.

Who are your favorite bands and musicians?

My favorite band, hands down, is The Uplifting Bell Ends. Other than that I listen to all sorts of music. From the ethereal soundscapes that my friends make to Waylon Jennings and Marty Robbins, from Wu-Tang to the Chili Peppers, I pretty much listen to everything. For the music in my surf videos, 99% of the time I try to use music made by friends, or smaller-time artists, bands, and producers. I like to get permission to use music and that has always been important to me in my own filmmaking.

10 tracks you love?

Too hard to do sadly haha