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Welcome to Coffee with a Coastie. As we chat with Central Coast local Blake Wilton. Who at 21 has been behind the camera lens capturing local surfers since the age of 14 and more recently working with Kyal and Kara on their Blue Lagoon build that aired on Channel 9.
We were grateful to have been given the opportunity to sit down and chat with Blake about his journey, growing up on the Central Coast and his advice to the next budding 14 year old. For any younger members of the family or older for that matter that want to be inspired by more of what Blake had to say, be sure to listen to the full interview online here.
You recently had the opportunity to share your creative journey live on stage at the adobe make it event in both Sydney and Melbourne. Can you tell us a little bit about how that opportunity came about?
When I first started out filming, I would go to the local North Shelly board riders event and do lots of filming. It was there I met Jamie Ragen who works for Adobe. We developed a great relationship over the years. He invited me to share my story on stage at the first Adobe Make It event in over 2 years since Covid. It was cool to share my journey since the age of 14, though very nerve racking and scary at the same time.
I watched the show reel you did for the adobe make it event and understand you watched it over 250 times. At the beginning is a long haired little dude saying ‘I’m Blake Wilton, I’m 14 years old and I’m a surf photographer’. How do you feel when you watch that moment of you at 14 saying that?
It’s really cool to look back on that. I think it was from a school project at the time. I was encouraged to put it in there albeit I found it cringe worthy at the time I’m so glad I did. Jamie wanted me to put something together that really showed where I’d come from. It’s a moment that shows I was as committed and passionate about it then as I am now.
You obviously don’t have a problem saying yes. Where do you think the ability to just say yes comes from and what is your advice to someone who is afraid to say yes?
I’m not sure, it might have come from my parents not being so outgoing. So, at 14, I was being a bit rebellious. I was a very outgoing kid. I was always happy to talk to adults when all my friends wouldn’t. I like to think that’s half my success, being able to talk to people and communicate with people. I think you’re going to be bummed if you say no. Saying yes to things and just having a crack and learning from it is seriously the best. I can’t recommend it more. Just have a go. Who cares? If you stuff up, you learn something new.
You’ve said you credit your success to the individuals around you on the Central Coast. What advice can you give someone about building a network of like–minded people around them?
I give most of my success to the relationships I’ve built. My biggest jobs have come from chatting to someone I don’t know, telling them what I do and then six months down the track because you were nice to this person, as that’s just who I am, or someone has put in a good word. They’ve said he is a good kid, give him a go and then I’ve tried my best and worked my hardest and that’s paid off for me.
What is your vision for the future of film on the Central Coast?
It’s just expanding as more people are moving here. It’s going to be a real hot spot. People are going to realize that they don’t need to go to Sydney to shoot their TV ads. They don’t need to go to Brisbane to do something in a studio there. They can do it all here and that’s just not film and photography or stuff like that. There are creatives from sculptures, painters, artists and musicians, everything it’s great. It’s good to see.
With all the work you have done both in Australia and abroad. What’s been your favourite project to work on and why?
A few years back now I did a six–week trip in Indonesia with Riley Laing. It was my first big Indonesia trip. We went to a few islands; I was still in school. It was so cool to jump islands for almost two months and create a film we were stoked with. In Bali we got talking to one of the surf photographers and he invited us to come to Telo Island and stay in this brand new resort for two weeks for free. We got flown out in a private plane to this island and got put up in these crazy villas. We were so lucky they had a spare spot, and we just created content for them.
Finally, Blake’s words of wisdom. What advice would you give someone that’s 14 and thinking they would love to get into photography, film or anything for that matter?
I think starting early, stop thinking about it and start. The earlier you get in and the earlier you start, the more ahead you’re going to be down the line, I feel I fell into this by accident. Don’t be scared to ask for what you want, reach out to people you never know who might be open to working with you.