BRAINWAVES Support the film
Key art: Shawn Dollar's profile dissolving into a breaking wave, a surfer dropping down its face

A feature documentary

Brainwaves

The hidden cost of riding the impossible.

Big-wave surfers chase the last wild frontier on earth. For some, the pursuit comes at an unimaginable cost. This is their story, and it's almost finished.

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The story

Every mountain has been climbed. Every forest mapped. The ocean is still wild.

Big-wave surfers ride mountains that move. The wipeouts are the obvious danger. The quieter one is years of hits nobody sees, slowly rewiring the brains of the most fearless athletes in the world.

Brainwaves follows Mavericks world-record holder Shawn Dollar through a catastrophic brain injury and the long road back, alongside the surfers, doctors and families living with the same invisible cost.

Traumatic brain injury is a leading cause of death and disability under 40, and it's still widely misunderstood. Most people picture football. Surfing shows it in a new light.

“It was the final frontier. We were seeing how far we could push the human body and mind.”

Shawn Dollar

From sea to science

A chorus of voices

The surfers who live it and the doctors who can finally see it.

Shawn Dollar in a wetsuit, sitting in the water

The subject

Shawn Dollar

Mavericks world-record holder. The film follows his injury and the long road back.

Kai Lenny in a cap, looking out to sea

Big-wave surfer

Kai Lenny

The modern waterman, blending technology and training with raw instinct.

Albee Layer during an interview in a garden

Big-wave surfer

Albee Layer

A fearless Jaws charger confronting his own traumatic brain injury.

Peter Mel seated among surfboards during an interview

Big-wave surfer

Peter Mel

The voice of experience at Mavericks.

Dr. Daniel Amen talking in his office

Brain imaging

Dr. Daniel Amen

His scans make the invisible visible.

Also in the film: Spanning generations of big-wave surfing to the frontiers of brain science, Brainwaves features big-wave legends Flea Virostko and Skindog Collins, rising star Zoe Chait, and medical experts and researchers Dr. Chris Giza, Dr. Matt Cook, Dr. Scott Sherr, Dr. Mark Gordon, Dr. Emina, and more.

Jenn Dollar during an interview at home

Shawn's wife

Jenn Dollar

On what it costs to love someone whose injury reshaped their marriage and their family.

Mavericks under heavy fog, surfers waiting in the channel

Mavericks, Half Moon Bay, California

Photo journal

Behind the film

01 / 24

The road here

Eleven years in.
Nine months to go.

From the 2015 wipeout to a festival-ready film in 2027.

Complete production

The last shoots, archival prep and review of new footage.

The plan to finish

Wrap the shoot this year.
Festival-ready by summer 2027.

  1. Complete production

    The last six shoots (the first is done), archival prep and review of new footage.

  2. Finish the story

    New footage goes into the cut. Music and archival clearances begin.

  3. Picture lock

    Final selections and runtime.

  4. Sound, color, master

    Mix, grade, graphics, credits, captions and QC.

  5. Festival-ready

    A finished film ready for submission and its first audiences.

The last six shootsOne down, five to go
  • P01

    Ocean Safety Summit

    The surf community puts brain-health awareness into practice.

  • P02

    The next generation

    A young charger's view of the risk she's signing up for.

  • P03

    Surfing and risk

    A voice from inside the culture on what surfers tell themselves about their brains.

  • P04

    The long view

    Long-term medical insight, and Shawn's life in recovery today.

  • P05

    Mavericks

    Crew, boats and drones on the water for the scale and stakes of a big day.

  • P06

    A big-wave legend

    Preparation, risk and longevity from one of the sport's greats.

The team

Made by insiders

Born and raised in Santa Cruz, where big-wave surfing is part of the town's DNA. Not everyone could make this film.

Bryan Rawles

Director

Marine Corps veteran and award-winning commercial director for Google, HPE and the Ad Council. His most personal film.

Toby Thiermann

Cinematographer

Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind (Sundance, HBO), NOBU (Telluride, Tribeca), Music by John Williams (Disney+).

Shawn Dollar

Subject and Producer

Mavericks world-record holder, living the recovery the film follows.

Christopher Hall

Producer

Pixar, Industrial Light & Magic and three Sundance premieres.

Shane Rogers

Producer

Serial entrepreneur and performance junkie.

Clayton Worfolk

Editor

Marvel's Behind the Mask (Disney+), Blackballed (Roku), Who Is Michael Jang? (Independent Lens).

Brooke Wentz

Music Supervisor

Former ESPN music director who helped launch the X Games. Founder of The Rights Workshop.

Support the film

Fund the finish

Your gift funds the last shoots and keeps a hyperbaric chamber on site at Mavericks for surfers after a hard wipeout. Tax-deductible through the Healing Brainwaves Foundation.

Donate any amount

Looking to invest? Join the producing team ↓

$3,000films one full interview day $10,000puts the crew, boats and drones on the water at Mavericks $15,000scores the film

Invest

Join the producing team

We're bringing a small group of investors and executive producers into the film for the finish and festival run.

Request the producer brief

Tell us a little about yourself and we'll send the brief and set up a call with the producers.

Request the brief

Or write to us at [email protected]

Support the film

Help us bring it in

The last shoots are this winter. Get on the boat.

Donate Join the producing team