Filmmakers

Story

Ben Kopke & Trip Hosmer

Screenwriter

Trip Hosmer

Screenwriter Trip Hosmer is an award winning writer and creative director in the advertising industry, and formerly a noted drummer and guitarist in the Brookyn music scene.

Directors

Caddie Hastings & Ben Kopke

DISTANCE will be directed by Caddie Hastings and Ben Kopke. Caddie is a graduate of Wesleyan University's Film Studies program. In addition to her work producing trailers, TV spots and behind the scenes featurettes, she has produced and directed a number of short documentary and narrative films. Her documentary credits include a three piece series on Pedro Almodovar titled "Viva Pedro", "Timekeepers" - a short documentary on drummers - and "The Coolest Guy in the Room", a documentary on Elmore Leonard. She is also an accomplished photographer with an international client list. Caddie will be joined in direction by Ben Kopke. Ben is the Creative Director at Mixed Media Workshop, an award winning and Webby-nominated digital studio.

Caddie and Ben co-directed the short film REUNION, starring Juan Riedinger (Narcos, Riverdale) and Agam Darshi (DMZ, Funny Boy, Sanctuary). REUNION closed its festival run at the first ever Festival Sayulita in Mexico.

Director's Statement

Surfers

Kassia Meador

Surf consultant Kassia Meador is one of the more recognizable surfers on the planet. A style icon, The Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Anthony Kiedis dubbed her "Ginger Rogers on a surfboard".

Kassia was signed at sixteen by Roxy, Quiksilver's action sport fashion brand for young women. For almost fifteen years she was the face of Roxy as it became the leading brand of its kind worldwide. In 2014 she left Roxy to found her own brand, Kassia+Surf.

Kassia's film and video credits are numerous. She has appeared in Dana Brown's "Step into Liquid", Thomas Campbell's "The Present", Nathan Oldfield's "The Heart & The Sea", Tiffany Campbell and Andria Lessler's "Dear & Yonder" and many others.

Leah Dawson

Leah Dawson is one of the most diverse talents in surfing. With over twenty years experience in both longboard and shortboard competition around the world, she is a a two-time winner of both the Women's Pipeline Pro Longboard and Deus 9' and Single events. A board shaper herself, Leah is known for her ability and style on diverse boards in all types of waves.

a close up of two people holding hands on a beach, backlit by a setting sun

“And that is a wrap on REUNION. Seriously one of my best on set experiences!”Agam Darshi