Cyrus’s Wild Idea: To continue to learn about our planet, people, and our passions by making films about these topics and sharing them with the world. To be interested instead of just interesting.
Cyrus Sutton is an incredibly thoughtful and introspective person. A director, filmmaker, surfer, adventurer, and sought-after brand ambassador, Cyrus has produced Emmy Award-winning films, including Stoked and Broke, and is the founder of Korduroy TV, a website that explores creativity and sustainability in the outdoors. His latest film, Island Earth, documents how we grow our food, and explores the challenges between using conventional agricultural practices (including the use of science and chemical solutions) versus using ancient techniques to feed our population and our planet.
Cyrus has travelled all over the globe, lived in California and even spent some time living and working out of a van. He now resides in the Pacific Northwest where he is working on growing his own food and enjoying documenting others who also live off the land and are interested in permaculture and sustainable ways of living. I’ve always been interested in Cyrus’s ideas and films, and enjoyed this conversation a lot. There are some true gems about following your dreams, the unique world of social media, the power of storytelling and the reality of what it takes to make a career around your passion.
Listen to this Episode if:
- You are interested in pursuing your passion full-time.
- You care about organic, non-GMO food.
- You love adventure sports.
- You like watching surf films or you are a surfer.
- You are a curious person who loves learning.
- You love Hawaiian culture.
- You want to know the pros and cons of living, working or traveling in a van.
- You grow your own food or want to learn how.
- You want to be a filmmaker.
Key Takeaways
- 3:30 – Why and how Cyrus first got behind the camera.
- 8:00 – How the adventure culture attracts people who want to learn.
- 10:00 – How travel has expanded his horizons.
- 11:30 – How Hawaiian culture created surfing culture.
- 14:30 – How Cyrus overcomes fear and finishes his stories.
- 16:00 – The unexpected allies for the planet.
- 19:45 – Why he decided to live in a van.
- 22:50 – Cyrus’s views on having a mentor.
- 25:30 – The void that social media has created.
- 30:15 – How social media is evolving and where Cyrus thinks it’s going.
- 32:35 – How being a brand ambassador or sponsored athlete is being redefined.
- 34:45 – Three things to know about #vanlife.
- 39:00 – How Cyrus finds balance.
- 42:15 – Cyrus’s influences, including his parents.
- 44:05 – What Cyrus has learned about growing his own food.
- 53:00 – Why you should invest in taking time to learn.
- 54:40 – His passion for the ocean and the environment.