This Is Billy Lee-Pope
Filmmaker Billy Lee-Pope Playlist & Interview 23 Videos ･ Last Updated: Oct 20 2023
I'm from New Zealand and have been living in Australia for 4 years now. I love working on surf clips and going on surf trips, in my opinion, it's one of the more enjoyable things in life... I figured if I could make going on surf trips and filming or something close to it a job, I'd be pretty happy.
Nickname: BLP
Born and raised: Raglan, New Zealand
Based now: Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
Stance: Goofy
When and how did you start surfing?
I started surfing when I was 17, my dad has always surfed so were all my friends, naturally, it was only a matter of time before I gave it a shot.
Who are the surfers that inspire you?
Chippa Wilson, Liam O'Brien, Ethan Ewing, Mikey Wright, Lungi Slabb, Ricardo Christie, Kehu Butler, Yago Dora, Mikey Feb, Robbie Rickard, Steph Gilmore, Bronte Macaulay, Malia Manuel and the list goes on.
Where are your favorite surf spots that you've been to?
Going on a trip to Indo has always felt like a crazy fun holiday but also super productive from a filming perspective. I also love going home back to Raglan, I'd love one day to show some of my Australian friends around the place.
Where are the surf spots you want to visit in the future that you've never been to?
I'd love to do a strike mission to South Australia. In a post covid world Ireland and greater Europe would be high on the list. Getting on a plane and going anywhere new is generally really inspiring and a breath of fresh air.
Which type of surfboards and fin setups are you into?
At the moment, only twin fins.
Which one video would you highlight in this playlist and why?
Nadir Nadir - It has always been a pleasure to work with Liam. He has such a sick smooth aggressive style with an element of unpredictability. I think this is probably my favourite clip we worked on together.
Gear: Blackmagic URSA mini + 100-400mm lens w/ 2x converter.
Editing tool: Adobe Premiere Pro
What's your favorite focal length?
400mm
When and how did you start filming?
I've always just filmed and taken photos for fun from since I can remember, I took film and TV as a subject at school too. After high school, the real world can be a little daunting but eventually, I built up enough confidence to purchase a semi-professional camera and chip away at turning something that I liked to do for fun into a full-time career.
Who are the creators that inspire you?
Blake Myers, Thomas Crews, Taika Waititi, Harry Macintosh, Beren Hall, Mallmic, Jack Boston, Kai Neville, Wade Carroll
What are the surf films/videos that inspire you?
Other than surf films?
Boy
Who are your favorite bands and musicians?
Hard to narrow it down to only a few!
10 tracks you love?
- "Vitamin C" by Can
- "Stay Away" by Nirvana
- "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head" by B.J Thomas
- "Rue the Whirl" by Boards of Canada
- "Whose Side" by Cor De Lux
- "Eyesight" by Blouse
- "Balek" by Marc Moulin
- "Sorry Party" by Tickley Feather
- "Not Many" by Scribe
- "Painted" by Whisper Dish