Sonny Miller

{{short description|American film director (1960–2014)}} {{Infobox surfer | name = Sonny Miller | image = Sonny Miller Palm Tree Shirt.jpg | caption = Sonny Miller enjoying a beer after a long filming session at Teahupo'o | alt = Sonny Miller enjoying a beer after a long filming session at Teahupoo | birth_name = Sonny Miller | birth_date = July 18, 1960 | birth_place = San Jose, California | death_date = {{death date and age|2014|07|08|1960|07|18}} | death_place = La Jolla, California | nickname = Cap'n Fun | height =  | weight =  | sponsors = Rip Curl | major_achievements = ''Searching for Tom Curren''<br /> Video of the Year by ''Surfer Magazine'' in 1997.<ref name=Surfline/> | favorite_maneuvers =  | website = }} '''Sonny Miller''' (July 18, 1960 – July 8, 2014) was an American cinematographer and waterman specializing in surfing and nature photography. He achieved success filming surfing related dramas, ''In God's Hands'' (1998). ''Riding Giants'' (2004), ''The Big Bounce'' (2004), ''Lords of Dogtown'' (2005), ''Blue Crush'' (2002) and ''Die Another Day''.<ref name=ESPN/><ref name="The Inertia"/><ref name=INentertainment/> Miller experienced a heart attack and could not be revived just one week after the death of his mother, Suzanne Gilliland.<ref name=INentertainment/><ref name="Huffpo Sonny Miller"/> Married to Debra Levinson (1999-2009)

==Early life== Born in San Jose, California in 1960, Miller moved to Encinitas, California, sometime prior to 1971, where he learned to surf.<ref name=Surfline/><ref name=surfertoday/> He attended San Dieguito High School and studied photography at Palomar College.<ref name=DiscoverSD/> His career began with the accepted submission of still surfing photographs to ''Surfer'' and ''Breakout'' magazines,<ref name=SurferMag/> he was also a contributor to ''Snowboard Magazine'' with his work appearing on the début cover.<ref name=SnowBoarding/> Miller soon expanded into 16 mm film for motion photography.<ref name=ESPN/>

==Career== Also known as Cap'n Fun,<ref name=surfertoday/> Miller and Tom Curren teamed to produce the series, ''The Search'' (1992).<ref name="Rip Curl"/> Filmed and directed by Miller,<ref name=Surfline/> the series would travel the world and focus on Curran's freestyle surfing as most of the footage at the time, focused on Curren in competition.<ref name="Rip Curl Youtube"/><ref name="Encyclopedia of Surfing"/> Miller's surfing documentaries include: ''Breakin’ on Thru'' (1992), ''The Search'' (1992), ''The Search II'' (1993), ''For the Sea'' (1994), ''Beyond the Boundaries'' (1994), ''Feral Kingdom'' (1995), ''Aloha Bowls'' (1996), ''Tripping the Planet'' (1996) and ''Searching for Tom Curren'', which was awarded Video of the Year by ''Surfer magazine'' in 1997.<ref name=ESPN/><ref name=SurferMag/><ref name="Encyclopedia of Surfing"/>

In 2000, Miller's work began to include Hollywood feature films,<ref name=surfertoday/> his work includes, ''In God's Hands'' (1998), ''Blue Crush'' (2002), ''Riding Giants'' (2004), ''The Big Bounce'' (2004),<ref name=INentertainment/> ''Lords of Dogtown'' (2005) and the James Bond film, ''Die Another Day''.<ref name=ESPN/><ref name="The Inertia"/> He appeared onscreen opposite Michelle Rodriguez and Kate Bosworth as a surf contest announcer in ''Blue Crush'',<ref name=Hollywood.com/> and his work is said to appear in the remake of ''Point Break'' (2015).<ref name=DeadlineHollywood/>

In 2014, it was announced that Helen Hunt's, ''Ride'', Miller's final film, would be dedicated in remembrance of Miller.<ref name=Dedication/> In 2015, Hunt memorialised her friend and their experiences in "Sonny Miller's Lesson for Us All: 'Nature Dictates'", for the ''Huffington Post''.<ref name="Huffpo Sonny Miller"/> At the time of his death, Miller was filming, ''Ricochet Surf Dog'' for an ESPN feature, a story of a service-dog whose balance helps to allow the disabled to enjoy the experience surfing.<ref name="The Inertia"/><ref name="Ricochet ESPN"/>

==Film vs videotape== Miller was known to have a preference for film over videotape and the (16 mm film) format likely due to its compact size for action filming. Film boasts distinct differences in contrast, resolution, color and unlike videotape, 16-millimeter could also be filmed in slow-motion. Miller's work was transferred to videotape after editing.<ref name="Encyclopedia of Surfing"/>

Helen Hunt recalls, "He carried this box, this box that paid for his house, and his motorcycles and his dying mom's care, and his food and his way of life. I don't know what that was, his way of life, but I heard rumors it included putting up friends and their babies who found themselves between places to live, five dogs, that sort of thing. All paid for by this box he made to make movies in the water. That thing never left his side. I took him to breakfast once, and he brought it to the table."<ref name="Huffpo Sonny Miller"/>

The box that Hunt refers to is the waterproof camera housings that Miller specialized in. In a recently discovered interview of Miller, filmed at his home and workshop coined "Rancho Relaxo", in Escondido California, Miller displays a collection of waterproof housings containing various 16 mm, 35 mm, videotape, high-definition and high-speed cameras.<ref name=Interview/>

* "Sonny Miller, one of surfing's finest lensmen." ''Surfer Magazine''<ref name=SurferMag/>

==Awards==

{{awards table}} |- | 1997 | ''Searching for Tom Curren'' | Surfer magazine's Video of the Year<ref name=Surfline/> | {{won}} |- | 2006 | ''X Games Eleven: Surfing'' | Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Camera Work<ref name="2006 Sports Emmy"/> | {{nom}} |- | 2007 | ''ESPN: Down the Barrel'' | Sports Emmy Award Outstanding Camera Work<ref name="Down the Barrel"/><br /> <small>Shared with: Jeff Alred, Brian Brousseau, Samson Chan, Pascal Charpentier, Daren Crawford, Matt Goodman, Mark Healy, Craig Hoffman, Trent Kamerman, Maik Kuhne, Garrett McNamara, Joel Parkinson, Per Peterson, Michael Prickett, Kelly Slater, Mike Stewart, Raimana Van-Bastolae </small> | {{won}} |}

== References ==

{{Reflist|2|refs=

<ref name=ESPN>{{cite web|author1=Jake Howard|title=Surf cinematographer Sonny Miller dies|url=http://xgames.espn.go.com/surfing/article/11199909/surf-cinematographer-sonny-miller-dies|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140711195819/http://xgames.espn.go.com/surfing/article/11199909/surf-cinematographer-sonny-miller-dies|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 11, 2014|publisher=ESPN|accessdate=14 July 2014|date=10 July 2014|quote=Miller was largely considered to be one of the great filmmakers and photographers in the history of surfing.}}</ref>

<ref name="The Inertia">{{cite web|title=Filmmaker Sonny Miller Dies; Surf Community Remembers|url=http://www.theinertia.com/news/filmmaker-sonny-miller-dies-is-remembered-by-surf-community/|publisher=The Inertia|accessdate=14 July 2014|date=9 July 2014}}</ref>

<ref name=Surfline>{{cite web|author1=Jamie Brisick|title=SONNY MILLER: 1960–2014 Longtime surf filmmaker (aka "Cap'n Fun") passes away at 53|url=http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/sonny-miller-1960-2014_111877/|publisher=Surfline.com|accessdate=14 July 2014|date=9 July 2014|quote=There was no such thing as a bad time with Cap’n Fun. Plane delays, flat tires, waveless weeks at remote surf spots --Sonny always saw the bright side, always found the humor. }}</ref>

<ref name=Hollywood.com>{{cite web|title=Cameraman Sonny Miller dies at 53|url=http://www.hollywood.com/news/brief/57191004/cameraman-sonny-miller-dies-at-53|publisher=Hollywood.com|accessdate=14 July 2014|date=11 July 2014}}</ref>

<ref name=INentertainment>{{cite web|author1=James Marriott|title=Sonny Miller has died, leaves us with amazing films|url=http://www.inentertainment.co.uk/20140710/sonny-miller-has-died-leaves-us-with-amazing-films/|publisher=Inentertainment.co.uk|accessdate=14 July 2014|date=10 July 2014}}</ref>

<ref name=surfertoday>{{cite web|title=Surf filmmaker Sonny Miller passes away|url=https://www.surfertoday.com/surfing/surf-filmmaker-sonny-miller-passes-away|website=surfertoday.com|publisher=Surfer Today|accessdate=14 July 2014|date=10 July 2014|quote="We did a mission to Tonga in '92 together and I realized then that no matter how far from home or how bad the surf, Sonny was always happy and positive and truly epitomized the meaning of being stoked," reveals Kelly Slater.}}</ref>

<ref name=DeadlineHollywood>{{cite web|author1=Anita Busch|title=R.I.P. Legendary Cameraman Sonny Miller|url=https://deadline.com/2014/07/rip-legendary-cameraman-sonny-miller-802012/|website=Deadline Hollywood|access-date=14 July 2014|date=10 July 2014}}</ref>

<ref name=SnowBoarding>{{cite web|title=Rip Sonny Miller Pioneering Snowboard Photographer 1960 2014|url=http://www.snowboarding.com/news/brand/rip-sonny-miller-pioneering-snowboard-photographer-1960-2014|publisher=SnowBoarding.com|accessdate=14 July 2014|date=11 July 2014}}</ref>

<ref name=DiscoverSD>{{cite web|author1=Chris Cantore|title=Sonny Miller, legendary local surf filmmaker, dies at 53|url=http://www.discoversd.com/news/2014/Jul/09/sonny-miller-encinitas-surf-death/|publisher=DiscoverSD.com|accessdate=14 July 2014|date=9 July 2014|quote=Arguably one of the most well-regarded and prolific surf filmmakers of his generation, Sonny is the creative force behind groundbreaking surf films including The Search, Tripping the Planet, and Searching for Tom Curren.}}</ref>

<ref name="Encyclopedia of Surfing">{{cite web|title=Miller, Sonny|url=http://encyclopediaofsurfing.com/entries/miller-sonny|publisher=Encyclopedia of Surfing|accessdate=14 July 2014}}</ref>

<ref name="Rip Curl">{{cite web|title=Sonny Miller: 1960–2014|publisher=Rip Curl}}</ref>

<ref name=SurferMag>{{cite web|author1=Justin Housman|title=R.I.P. Sonny Miller, 1960–2014 Cherished filmmaker passes away|url=http://www.surfermag.com/features/rip-sonny-miller-1960-2014/|website=surfermag.com|publisher=Surfer|accessdate=14 July 2014|date=9 July 2014|quote=Beginning in 1992, Miller made a number of movies for Rip Curl, all beautifully composed and lavishly shot on 16-mm film. The Search, Feral Kingdom, Tripping the Planet, and Searching for Tom Curren remain among the finest surf films ever made.}}</ref>

<ref name="Rip Curl Youtube">{{cite web|last1=Miller|first1=Sonny|title=Live The Search Series: Tom Curren Collection "Jeffrey's Bay"|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGDt18yECrY|publisher=Rip Curl YouTube Channel|accessdate=14 May 2015|date=11 June 2013}}</ref>

<ref name="Ricochet ESPN">{{cite web|title=Surf dog Ricochet on ESPN's Sport's Center KLEENEX ALERT|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=907AZkWid-c|publisher=Surf Dog Ricochet Surf Dog Ricochet|accessdate=14 May 2015|date=27 August 2013}}</ref>

<ref name="Huffpo Sonny Miller">{{cite news|last1=Hunt|first1=Helen|title=Sonny Miller's Lesson for Us All: 'Nature Dictates'|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/helen-hunt/sonny-millers-lesson-for-us-all-nature-dictates_b_7180194.html|accessdate=14 May 2015|work=The Huffington Post|date=30 April 2015|quote=They made exactly one like him. "Nature dictates." I'm going to be like that. In the water, smile on my face, loving the world anyway. I am like that, just not quite as much as him.}}</ref>

<ref name=Dedication>{{cite web|last1=Fleming|first1=Mike Jr.|title=Helen Hunt's 'Ride' Gets Screen Media Deal|url=https://deadline.com/2014/09/helen-hunts-ride-gets-screen-media-deal-831939/|publisher=Deadline Hollywood|accessdate=14 May 2015|date=9 September 2014}}</ref>

<ref name="2006 Sports Emmy">{{cite web|title=2006 Sports Emmy Award|url=http://awardsandwinners.com/category/sports-emmy-award/2006/|publisher=Awards and Winners|accessdate=15 May 2015|date=2006|archivedate=15 May 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150515205138/http://awardsandwinners.com/category/sports-emmy-award/2006/}}</ref>

<ref name="Down the Barrel">{{cite web|title=1 The 29th Annual Emmy Awards for Sports|url=http://www.emmyonline.org/mediacenter/_pdf/sports_29th_producers_proof.pdf|publisher=Emmy Online|accessdate=15 May 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150515204913/http://www.emmyonline.org/mediacenter/_pdf/sports_29th_producers_proof.pdf|archivedate=15 May 2015|date=2007}}</ref>

<ref name=Interview>{{cite web|title=TALK STORY: SONNY MILLER (1960–2014)|url=http://www.surfline.com/surflinetv/featured-clips/talk-story-sonny-miller-1960-2014_112173|publisher=Surfline|accessdate=15 May 2015|date=2014|quote=Shortly after it was shot, the computer the footage was on crashed, and we thought it was gone forever. Somehow, someone backed it up on a forgotten hard drive and it was recently discovered at Surfline's HB office.}}</ref>

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== External links == {{Commons category|Sonny Miller}} * {{Official website|sonnymiller.com}} * {{IMDb name | id = 0589345 | name = Sonny Miller}} * {{instagram|sonnymillerfilms|Sonny Miller Films}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Miller, Sonny}} Category:Surfing mass media Category:American cinematographers Category:American documentary film directors Category:1960 births Category:2014 deaths