Big Wave Productions’ Cornwall Office Scores First Commission

Big Wave Productions has been commissioned to produce Cornwall’s Wildest Wave by BBC One, marking the first commission for its new Cornwall office.

The documentary will track 33-year-old Cornishman and big-wave surfer Tom Butler and his attempt to ride The Stones, a mythical, unridden large wave off the coast of Cornwall. The film will be part of the BBC One strand Our Lives, celebrating diversity across the British Isles.

Mike Cunliffe, who has been based in Cornwall for 15 years and worked with Big Wave on projects such as Operation Whale and The Measure of All Things, will direct the documentary. Sarah Cunliffe will executive produce for Big Wave.

“The film is a beautiful celebration of Cornwall, of wild weather and extraordinary waves,” Mike Cunliffe said. “But above all, it’s an intimate character profile of Tom Butler, his love of the ocean and gives a unique insight into what it means to be a surfer.

“Along with the obvious synergy of this being a Cornish story being made out of our Cornwall office, it is stories like this which are the beating heart of the Big Wave Productions’ ethos—bringing all that is remarkable about the natural world to the screen, with all that is mystical, beautiful and to be treasured about our environment. It’s at the very core of everything we do.”

Diana Hare, commissioning executive at BBC England, added, “BBC England is committed to bringing stories about people from every corner of England to the screen. Tom’s determination and passion for Cornwall make this film perfect for the Our Lives series, which showcases the lives of people across all four nations. Big Wave have overcome considerable technical challenges, including our unpredictable weather, to bring this remarkable tale to life.”