DONE

The documentary is complete and I think it turned out really awesome! It's a little over 7 minutes long, short and sweet. I didn't want to go too nuts with the length because I thought it would get sort of boring and repetitive for those watching that are not that into skateboarding. The voice overs turned out great and really add a nice touch to the video footage I have. It doesn't take you out of the moment like I think traditional interviews kind of do. Asking the same questions over and over to different people from a straight on camera angle with no really aesthetic view just did not sound appealing to me. I wanted to do something that would add to the video not take something away. I like the flow of the video and think it transitions well from scene to scene and I think the musical choices work very well with the feel and the pace of the video. Overall, I really enjoyed working on this project and enjoy watching my video, which I cannot say for some of the other video projects I have created. This was about something I actually like and wanted to film and wanted to do a project on so I am very pleased I got the opportunity to do this project and pleased on how it turned out. I think it will make the skaters proud!

Getting There!

So, to update, the documentary is coming along great and I have my voice overs ready to go for importing. Having the voice overs in there and finished I think will really bring the documentary together and really push the concept. It is nice to also have a voice that goes with all the images. You may watch people skate, but you don't really understand what they are feeling. What it really feels like to skate in the most simple terms. Skate boarding is a freeing experience, it's expressive! It is not only a set of wheels, an actual mode of transportation, but it is also a metaphorical vehicle. I always liked skateboarding a lot, but putting this video project really has made me realize why this sport is so appealing to me. Even though I do not skate, I have an appreciation for those that do and the skateboarding as a whole. After putting this together, the appreciation I have is even greater than it was before. I am really excited about how it has come together. While it does lack a convincing counter viewpoint, I think it just means that no one really has anything negative to say about skateboarding anymore. With child obesity at such a high rate, parents certainly have no reason to complain about something that gets there kid off the couch and moving. It is also a good way for kids to build friendships and be creative. I can't stress enough that skateboarding, the act, is like an art form. The conscious choices and sometimes unconscious choices  made that affect how a person skates is very artistic. How tricks are done and linked, not to mention where the trick is done is all creative and expressive. This is a public service announcement for all the haters that continue to judge skateboarding by the appearances and stereotypes associated with skateboarding. Open your eyes and recognize how amazing it really is! Watch the film and maybe you'll get the picture...

The Other Side

So far I am really liking the direction my documentary is going however I don"t really have an opposing side. I'm not sure if this is because skateboarding isn't regarded as something hoodlums do anymore or if it is because there are so many skate parks that skateboarders are no longer a nuisance. Either way I feel like without this other viewpoint my documentary will kind of suffer. Not really sure what to do since the people I have talked to with the thought of them having a negative view do not. In other news the footage I do have combined with some nice audio is really giving this project some nice flow!

Kick, Push, Coast...

The process continues and I have hit a bit of a wall. With the change in the weather, it has become more difficult to find people skating outside to film. I could film in a skatepark setting, but I would much rather film them skaters out doors because to me it is much more visually appealing and street skating is just much more expressive. The choices made by the skater like what spot to skate, what ledge to grind, or how to gap different urban objects is much more interesting to watch then just cruising around an indoor skate park. In other news, I have starting compiling some stills as well as a library of music that I would like to incorporate into my film. The stills are usually of shots I deemed would be much harder to shoot on my own or of a skate trick more advanced than those I have been working with. Sometimes it also captures the viewer more when they see a familiar face rather than just random people. The music I will be including are songs from skateboarding video games, songs my friends listen to while they skate, and songs I have heard used in past skate videos for sponsors.

Skating... A lifestyle

So I'm about to create this documentary on skateboarding culture. What does that entail you ask? I would say a little bit of everything, an overview if you will, of everything skateboarding. What does it mean to be a skateboarder? Why do you skate? Who or what inspired you to skate? Who is your favorite skateboarder? Do you dress differently because you skate? How are you perceived in the community as a skateboarder? All of these questions will be answered by either friends of mine or by people on campus who skateboard. I will also attempt to shed some of my own insight, being a former skateboarder and avid fan of the  sport. However, while I am passionate about this culture, this documentary isn't just about skateboarding in a positive light. I would possibly like to interview a police officer about their views on skateboarders as well as other non skateboarders who may be opposed to the sport for whatever reason. All in all I really just want to people to have a better grasp and more knowledge on this widely popular and continuously growing sport.