VIDEO AWARD NOMINEES ANNOUNCED

A Monumental Year in Surf Filmmaking Solidifies This Years’ Contenders As The Upper Echelon of the Industry

Breakthrough Performers presented by New Era nominees

With less than a month left until the 40th annual SURFER Poll presented by Samsung and Verizon Wireless, SURFER Magazine is pleased to announce the Video Award nominees.

A pivotal year in industry filmmaking has made the nomination process harder than ever. Twenty-six feature-length films are currently in the running and the SURFER staff has been poring over footage non-stop for weeks. “The volume of potential nominees in each category was overwhelming this year,” says SURFER’s Editor-at-Large, Joel Patterson, who is directing his third SURFER Poll this year. “The whole SURFER staff spent weeks watching films, debating their merits, and creating a list of nominees. With so many incredible films this year, just making it onto the nominee list is like an award unto itself.”

The nominees in each category are:

Best Barrel (Watch Nominees Here)
• Andy Irons, Desert Point (High-5)
• Andy Irons, Costa Rica (High-5)
• Jamie O’Brien, Backdoor (Who is J.O.B.)
• Jamie O’Brien, Desert Point (Who is J.O.B.)
• Brian Conley (My Eyes Won’t Dry III)

Best Performance presented by Skullcandy (Watch Nominees Here)
• Julian Wilson (Scratching the Surface)
• Jordy Smith (Modern Collective)
• Andy Irons (High-5)
• Dane Reynolds (Seen/Unseen)
• Jamie O’Brien (Who is J.O.B.)

Breakthrough Performer presented by New Era (Watch Nominees Here)
• Owen Wright
• Craig Anderson
• Jadson Andre
• Chippa Wilson

Best Maneuver
• Jamie O’Brien (Who is J.O.B.)
• Flynn Novak (High-5)
• Julian Wilson (Scratching the Surface)
• Mitch Coleborn (Modern Collective)
• Jordy Smith (Modern Collective)
• Dion Agius (Modern Collective)

Worst Wipeout
• Aamion Goodwin & Cody Graham (The Arena)
• Dane Reynolds (Scratching the Surface)
• Ian Walsh (Scratching the Surface)
• Julian Wilson (Scratching the Surface)
• Derek Dunfee (Down with the Ship)

Digital Short of the Year
• Dark Side of the Lens by Allan Wilson & Mickey Smith
• Lino by Karim Rejeb
• Innersection: Peter Devries by Jeremy Koreski
• Cypher Vision by Jamie Tierney
• Innersection: Ozzie Wright by Jimmy Kinnard

Heavy Water
• Jamie O’Brien (Who is J.O.B.)
• Derek Dunfee (Down with the Ship)
• Fergal Smith (High-5)
• Brian Conley (My Eyes Won’t Dry III)

Best Cinematography
• Scratching the Surface
• Idiosyncrasies
• Who Is J.O.B.
• 180 South
• Castles in the Sky

Best Documentary
• Going Vertical
• Stoked & Broke
• Idiosyncrasies
• Sea of Darkness
• God Went Surfing with the Devil
• The Westsiders

Movie of the Year
• Who Is J.O.B.
• Modern Collective
• Sea of Darkness
• Seen/Unseen
• Scratching the Surface

A judging “academy” comprised of staffers, industry experts, filmmakers, and unbiased eyes will watch the nominees and vote on the winners.

For the first time ever, readers will have their say in the decision of a video award category, Digital Short of the Year. Voting begins today at surferpoll.com and runs through November 18th.

The 40th annual SURFER Poll and Video Awards presented by Samsung and Verizon Wireless will be held on Monday, December 6, 2010, at Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu’s North Shore. Attendance is by invitation only, but be sure to catch all of the behind-the-scenes and red carpet exclusives along with the event via the live webcast at Surferpoll.com beginning at 7 p.m. Hawaiian time.

Follow SURFER Mag (@SURFER_Mag) and SURFER Poll (@Surferpoll) on Twitter for sponsor prize pack giveaways and updates on what’s going on in the surf world.

Special thanks to presenting sponsors, Verizon Wireless and Samsung, and additional supporters of the 2010 SURFER Poll: American Suzuki, Red Bull Surfing, Skullcandy, Pacifico, New Era, Peligroso Tequila, and the Vans Triple Crown.