Filming skateboarding is something that really speaks to me. You could spend a whole day out sweating your ass off, from sunrise to midnight, and not get a single clip you want to use. And I love that. Some people, when I say this is what I want to do, for some reason, think that it’s childish and think I should put my time into something more “professional” or “serious”. And I just think they’re so stupid. Firstly, who said filming skateboarding isn’t as professional as docos, or music videos, or feature film? I argue that skateboarding filmers have way more skill than any other filmers. Why? Well, take this linked video for example. New Balance are know for having amazing looking videos and great skaters. When filming a line in skateboarding, there are heaps of variables that go into pulling off a smooth line. The most important thing is, consistency. Both the filmer and skater don’t know when the skater is going to land their trick, so the filmer has to be ready every single time. When filming a line, it could take up to a few hours, or even days for the skater to land it and this can get tiring. But at the same time, the filmer need to be ready and on point every try. After the hours and days of such consistency, this is where the skill really develops, and it shows in this film by Russell Houghton. What would happen if you put the likes of Emmanuel Lubezki, or Hoyte van Hoytema in a situation like this? Secondly, “serious”? I’ll just leave you with, “The second narrows”….
