Beth O’Rourke

The Surfer’s Journal

FEATURE: IN HARM'S WAY

Timeless Areas, Beth O’Rourke’s biopic of Elissa Steamer, is a transcendent portrait of skating, surfing, and sobriety.

By Matthew Shaw
Photo Beth O’Rourke

The Surfer's Journal is a publication based out of San Clemente, California. Founded in 1992 by Steve and Debbee Pezman, the reader-supported magazine comes out six times a year. It is edited by Whitman Bedwell and published by Brendon Thomas.

Primarily reader-supported, the magazine focuses on waterman culture—primarily surfing—with emphasis on long-form journalism, high-end photography, and ocean-inspired art.

Surfer Magazine Interview

April 16, 2017
In Frame: Beth O’Rourke
THE CREATOR OF SEALEVEL TV DISCUSSES HER FORAY INTO MAKING SURF DOCUMENTARIES
By Ashtyn Douglas

“In today’s realm of surf cinematography, there’s no shortage of hi-fi, hi-shredability, action films. Admit it, each time you go online or check your Instagram, you’re watching some new clip or full-length film filled with hard-charging surfers hunting down yawning tubes or lightfooted aerialists chucking themselves six feet above the lip. But when Beth O’Rourke, one half of the duo behind SeaLevel TV, dipped her toes in the world of surf filmmaking, she decided to focus on the surfers themselves and the interesting life stories many of them carry. In the past few years, O’Rourke has produced beautiful documentaries about surfers of many different walks of life––narratives that keep you interested from the opening scene to the closing number. And while she’s worked with more well-known characters like Skip Frye, Marc Andreini, and photographer Sachi Cunningham, O’Rourke also aims to tell the stories of lesser-known surfers who make our sport the interesting melting pot that it is. We caught up with O’Rourke recently while she was working on a few projects at home in Ventura, CA.”

“Lady Days” interview with Beth O’Rourke

January 2019
Written by Mia Bolton
"Lady Days” is an inclusive community celebrating courageous and empowering women.

Our conversation reminds me of Beth’s most admirable traits, including her ability to self reflect and share in an honest and raw way as well as her ability to laugh at herself. We decide to go for a surf, and Beth loads our logs into her white VW van and shuttles us a few miles down the road.

Everywhere we go, people say hi to Beth and Beth says hi to people. She knows everyone. I understand how loved she is and how many lives she touches with her work, her down-to-earthness, her fun-loving personality and her humanity.

After the Devil Winds, Fires, and Floods

February 2018 for Whalebone Magazine
Written by Beth O'Rourke
Videos by Beth O'Rourke/SeaLevelTV

In the immediate aftermath of two of California’s most historic back-to-back disasters, resilient neighborhood volunteers sowed seeds of healing and recovery through a direct action organization called Help California.

Ten Surf Filmmakers You Should Know:
Highlighting the world’s best women surf shooters

July 26, 2017
By Devyn Bisson for Surfline

Every surfer knows the storytellers of our sport. Surfing is unique this way. It’s dependent on the life of film to echo stories from out in the lineup to the audience on shore. Even with the strong individual nature of surfing we have a community connected by our time in the water together, grown by the stories we share. Our tribe is stronger because of film.

Today, surf videographers are first class filmmakers and it’s easier than ever to jump from surf-film-fan to full fledged production. No longer do we have to haul film to a processor and get it developed or set up a screening in a school auditorium to get our footage seen. With DSLR cameras, GoPros, and the internet the game is open for anyone to jump in --- and just like there’s a growing number of girls out in the water there’s a growing number of women holding the camera.

With all that’s rolling forward in women’s surfing, and with a few bad ass female filmmakers out there willing to capture it no matter the funding, there’s no doubt you’ll be seeing these ladies continue to push content forward --- and you should know them.

Liquid Salt Magazine Interview

June 12, 2017
BETH O’ROURKE: SeaLevelTV
Interview by Glenn Sakamoto

“Beth O'Rourke is a California-based surfer/filmmaker and the founder of SeaLevel TV, a documentary film company dedicated to telling "Salty stories of substance." Her own story is a fascinating path filled with wonder, creativity and taking that big risk. We recently spoke with Beth to learn more.”

Interview with Filmmaker Beth O'Rourke | Worm Dreams Big

August 10, 2016 
Interview by Davina Grincevicius

WORM DREAMS BIG: A TRIBUTE TO THE BENEVOLENT BAD-ASSES OF THE WOMEN'S LONGBOARDING COMMUNITY was selected for the 4th Annual NYC Women's Surf Film Festival 2016, featuring surfers Erin Ashley, Jen Smith, Julie Cox, Shaney Jo Darden and directed by Beth O'Rourke and and Jeff Den Broeder.

Erin “Worm” Ashley’s has a big dream: raise awareness about the importance of early breast cancer detection by partnering with The Keep A Breast Foundation and throwing a good, old fashioned style surf contest with the best women longboarders in the world at First Point, Malibu, California.

Worm, professional logger and aloha gladiator, has a truly unique vision that run counter to the high-pressure, stress-inducing, modern surf contest rules. She believes (and proves) that rewarding surfers for skillfully sharing waves is the perfect recipe for celebration and revelry. Worm’s states, “Share in the good times, thow[ing] down zero bad vibes...that’s what I’m trying to maximize”. “We haven’t gone so far as to call it a contest. We’re more hanging out, having a good surf. One of the things we miss is...sharing a wave together...it takes a lot of the contest out of contest. Showcasing women’s longboarding...is an epic thing. But to be able to do it for an incredibly rad cause is more important.”

“Salted Spirit Podcast”: Interview with Beth O’Rourke

July 6, 2017
Interview by Stacie Vanags

Why You Should Always Look For Clues; Uncovering Your Destiny

Listen to a clever conversation with Filmmaker Beth O’Rourke from Ventura, CA. Hear about the inspiration behind ‘Salty Stories of Substance’ and SeaLevelTV, and the challenges and logistics of owning your own media company. Go deeper into how she grew up foraging off the land and learning from her grandmother, and how she passed these traditions along to her teenage son to bring her love for the earth full circle.