“With every movie I’ve made there’s always been one or two guys that need some support and in this instance, Mateus is that guy. It’s been heartbreaking to see him lose his sponsors and be a heat shy of making the tour for the past couple of years. There’s no question his ability belongs there and I’m going to do whatever I can to support him to get him to all the Challenger events so that he can make the CT,” said Snapt founder Logan Dulien when I asked him about his decision to back Brazilian wonder kid Mateus Herdy.
Logan, under his Snapt banner, which has now produced four movies, with a fifth and final one due to be released this summer, is no stranger to supporting up and coming surf talent. The Snapt movies have been an integral part of surf culture for many years and have played a pivotal role in elevating the careers of numerous professional surfers.
In addition to the movies, Logan has also had first hand involvement in supporting particular surfers. One of the most recognisable cases being that of Clay Marzo, who, after not having a major sponsor since leaving Quiksilver in 2023, signed a six figure deal with RVCA last year. Logan was instrumental in brokering that deal for Clay and for years prior, he often covered Clay’s expenses for particular trips in order to allow him to focus on his surfing.
“I just like giving back. I’ve been involved in the industry for a long time now and so I trust my gut when I see a natural talent. For me, it’s way more gratifying getting behind guys when they lack support or things aren’t going their way.
“In the case of Clay, everyone wants to see him travel and surf more. When I first connected with him, he had zero support and so I basically took matters into my own hands. I just want to see Clay do what he was on put on this earth to do and I’m always willing to put my money where my mouth is.”
Logan has developed close relationships with a number of other surfers including Jack Robinson and Parker Coffin – who has previously admitted he owes a lot to Logan for featuring him in Snapt 3 after he had just lost his major sponsors.
Fast forward to today and the current production of Snapt 5; this is where Mateus fits in.
“Mateus has come so close to making the tour the past couple years. There’s no question to me, he has the ability to do it. He’s got the air game and is doing some crazy stuff, which also makes him great at filming for a surf movie. He previously had the deals with Quiksilver and Red Bull, things have come close but not always gone his way and next minute he’s on his own. I truly believe in this guy and I told him if you need help getting to the Challenger Series events, you let me know. I actually got him over to Hawaii recently, so he can do some filming.
“I’m not going to tell brands to sponsor this guy, but I’ll put my money where my mouth is and when he makes the tour, produces a sick part for the film and brands see that I’m willing to get behind it, they’ll have no choice but to sponsor him.”
Mateus is not the only up and coming talent that is set to feature in the final Snapt movie. Bronson Meydi, Levi Slawson and Taro Watanabe will also feature alongside household names such as Harry Bryant, Noa Deane, Mason Ho, Clay Marzo, Yago Dora, and more.
“Everyone is still filming for their parts now but we’re getting there. I’m hoping to have it out by this summer and we’re looking at doing premiere’s all around the world. There seems to be so much energy and such a buzz around surf movie premiere’s again, I’m absolutely loving it.”
When asked why this will be the last Snapt film, Logan replied: “Having these guys put away their best clips for a couple of years is such a huge ask in the social media age, especially when there is so much pressure from sponsors to be getting a certain amount of clicks and views. I put together Snapt for the love of surfing and I want to leave it all out on the court for this final film. I want to help these guys as much as I can and work hard to produce the best movie possible. I want to leave behind something special and I know that the longevity of these films will surpass any YouTube vlog or Instagram clip.”
While we eagerly anticipate the arrival of Snapt5 later this year, you can rewatch Snapt4 by clicking the link below.
