2 posts tagged “skateboard videos”

Since the first video tape recorder was sold in 1951,  reality has appeared directly on screens. Today, with digital cameras as common as wristwatches, and websites like youtube and myspace constantly growing in popularity, just about anyone with a laptop or cell-phone can upload clips from their lives to share with the entire world within minutes.

 
The art and science of skateboarding was forever revolutionized with the introduction of the home VCR. Released in 1965, "Skater Dater" is thought to be the first movie ever released which focused solely on skaters doing tricks. This revolutionary look at a relatively unknown sport was nominated for an Oscar in 1966 and also won the Golden Palm Award for the Best Short Film category in the same year.

 These days it is a standard part of the promotion departments for many skate companies and shops to sponsor skateboarding teams and release skateboard videos of competitions and practice sessions. The availability of these videos represents a quantum leap in the art of skating instruction, making it possible for today’s skater to study directly under the tutelage of the finest athletes in the field. By watching these videos repeatedly, at different speeds and with the ability to pause those split-second movements, the 21st century skateboarding student can learn in a single afternoon skills which once took months to master.

 
Notable movie director Spike Jonze, cofounder of Girl Skateboards, has raised the stakes of professional skateboard videos. Most well known for his role as co-creator of MTV’s Jackass, his Academy Award nominated film Adaptation, as well as the cult classic Being John Malkovich, Jonze directed Girl’s groundbreaking video Yeah Right! featuring trick skaters doing never-before documented moves captured on film by other skaters.

Famous original Zephyr team member Stacey Peralta has also tried his hand as a director of skateboard videos. Focusing on the history of the movement and the evolution of styles more than specific technique tips, his documentary Dogtown and Z-Boys, is one of the more significant entries in the field, covering the inside scoop on skateboarding’s key players and pioneering moments.

Vert skating legend Tony Hawk has risen to the edge of superstardom, flying under the sails of his popular Trick Tips videos and Secret Skate Park Tour series. Though he is the subject of controversy and strong opinions, the world champ is undeniably one of the greatest names in the sport, and his DVDs continue to be highly coveted as well as fiercely defended from critics. A truly compelling video will usually combine step-by-step instruction with gravity-defying courage and a little humor.

 Skateboard videos are consistently among the most viewed entries on sharing sites such as Blip.tv and Vimeo. And no wonder; for action, drama and pure belly laughs, few sights captured by camera can offer so much as footage of the skater in his natural habitat.

         Once upon a time, skateboarding was a strictly local phenomenon. All the boards at the skate park bore a suspicious resemblance, and aspiring Tony Hawks were at the mercy of the ordering habits of the master reseller in town. Custom parts were hard to find amidst the mountain of different catalogs..

Whether you stick to street skating just to get around, or prefer kick-flipping, ollying and grinding over all kinds of obstacles at your favorite skate venue, you have probably had a frustrating time or two at a local skate shop that just didn’t have what you needed.  This is especially true for skaters living in small towns where, if you’re lucky and have a sporting goods store, they might have a small rack of boards next to their hoodies and shoes.

            Now that internet access has spread to the far reaches of the globe, anyone can browse skateboard websites. Imagine an unlimited inventory of the most exotic specialty parts available. Customizing your board is now as simple as surfing your way to the supplier, ordering all your specs, and kicking back until they arrive at your door.

            While you’re waiting for your special order to be speed-delivered, you can check out the many skateboard websites which feature videos full of clips from your favorite celebrity skater. On the other hand, perhaps you prefer watching amateurs taking a dive instead. Whatever your pleasure, the hard part will be signing off.

There are a number of skateboard websites and plenty of general video-sharing sites like YouTube, where you can find how-to videos teaching you how to perform all skill levels of moves and tricks. You can now get tips as simple as getting onto your board and basic riding to learning how to execute that 360 backside pop-shuvit that’s been landing you on your backside more than your board.

Thanks to digital video cameras and skate related websites, you can now get personal tips and tutorials from the original pros on their signature tricks. If you think you’ve got something important to teach the newbies, just get a friend to record your best moves so you can upload and share your clips.

There are also plenty of skateboard-related forums, where you can get together with others to trade trick tips, debate the merits of various brands and equipment, ask any questions you can think of, and discuss the skills and styles of publicly known names in the skating world.

Thanks to the miracle of the internet, your community of skaters now spans the globe. Knowledge and opinions fly freely online at the lightning fast rate of a satellite connection, bringing the growth of skating to heights that were simply unimaginable during the humble days when a select elite surfed the sidewalk. Today, the skater on a quest for the perfect board or trick to perform on it surfs the World Wide Web as well.