- WSL / Pierre Tostee
- WSL / Pierre Tostee

Filmmaker Justin Gane's Instagram account @pulsesurf shows the best of his archive of late 1990s and early 2000s surfing. It's struck a chord with the surfers featured, but also surf fans of that era.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Gane was Australia's closest thing to Taylor Steele. He started by documenting his friend Brendan "Margo" Margieson, but also chronicled the rise of Joel Parkinson and Mick Fanning, as well as Aussie powerhouses Trent Munro and Lee Winkler.

His surf movies Tempo, PULSE, Supa Dupa and Odyssey captured an exciting time when Australian surfing was in a transition phase. Struggling to emerge from the shadow of the Momentum Generation, the films provided inspiration for Australia's new crop of surf stars and fans.

Around two years ago, Gane started drip feeding single morsels of that high-voltage surfing from his extensive and unparalleled time capsule.

"I just wanted to show power surfing which is the surfing I love," Gane told the WSL. "And with the guys on thinner surfboards and the big boardshorts, it just showed a special time in surfing."

As the likes started piling up, Gane started to get more serious about the account 12 months ago. He discovered a willing audience who loved the power carves and the lurid wetsuits of the 1990s. Its success was based around the footage standing the test of time remarkably well.

"By showing the footage it became an interesting platform to discuss that era," says Gane. "Many of the actual surfers featured and like minded fans have been chatting with each other about that time."

Such has been the response, Gane has been motivated to start a new project. While he's been a professional filmmaker for the past two decades, he hasn't filmed much surfing lately, until now.

"These days I'm looking for the same type of surfing I liked back then," he says. "That type of rail surfing that comes with a beautiful or unique style."

He's been shooting with Margo, who at 48 has lost none of his power or grace. His son Micah too also fits the Gane template. Based on the NSW North Coast he has also had the chance to see the next crop of Aussie stars coming through. He cites surfers like Jack Robinson, Morgan Cibilic, Noa Deane, Creed McTaggert and Dakoda Walters as the next generation who have impressed him.

"I'll start filming over the next 12 months and see what happens," says Gane, "but the goal is to flick back and forth between the old and the new generations. All the old crew are keen to surf, so hopefully we can bring the new guys with us."

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