The behaviour of fans at a gig is a key part of the relation between them, the band, and the music. Crowd surfing, along with pogoing and moshing, is often read as an act of rock ’n’ roll defiance - a demonstration that you are there in the thick of it, lost in the music.

The Pit: A Film About Crowd Surfing is filmmaker, Dave Depares’ journey into the complex politics of crowd surfing, which shows the fans in action and tells their story.

The fifth entry in the 2011 Short Stories film competition fuelled by Relentless Energy Drink, The Pit takes viewers into a world of bodies and bouncers. Depares introduces us to the fans who risk ejection from the venue, the musicians who live it every night (including Liam Cormier of Cancer Bats and Lee Spielman of Trash Talk) and the bouncers who try to keep everyone safe. The film contrasts the focused energy of the band with the seeming chaos of the pit. Check it out below...