GIF Magic

Really not much to say about this other than it's awesome and it was awarded GIF of the year, check out the other winners HERE.

Video: Shredder Orpheus (Full Film)

The weekend is upon us and it’s supposed to be pretty cold and snowy here in NY so why not grab some popcorn and a beverage and curl up to your computer screen and enjoy the 1990 Robert McGinley “classic” Shredder Orpheus. For the uninitiated the film centers around a skateboarder named Orpheus who travels to Hell to stop television signals that are brainwashing America with the help of a kickass super-powered guitar designed by Jimi Hendrix. The soundtrack features members of Ministry and includes a lead performance by legendary Seattle poet, Jesse Bernstein.

Thanks to my buddy Anthony for throwing this my way.

The Chargeboard

A student designer has built a skateboard that harnesses the kinetic energy from the motion of the wheels to store power and charge your device. It's called the Chargeboard, and its creator, Bjorn van den Hout, who designed the board as a school project for the Willem de Kooning Academy of art and design in the Netherlands explains, "The two dynamos in the in the rear axles generate 6V each, this electricity is then converted back to a 5V current and gets stored in to a powerbox. So when you'll plug your iPhone in the dock your phone gets charged and in the meanwhile you can listen to some of your favourite tracks."

That last part calls to the Chargeboard's third function, an iPhone boom box. Van den Hout has added an extra component to the underside of the board, between the two axles, a dock speaker. When you dock your iPhone you can play music through the speakers.

According to the specifications, one hour of skating will generate enough energy to charge your phone, and the built-in battery can store enough power to charge your phone eight times over.

Although it's a graduation project, van den Hout would like to take his Chargeboard further. "Chargeboard is now still a prototype in development," he wrote. "If there is a brand, product developer or anyone else interested in Chargeboard it can hopefully be further developed."

Of course no self-respecting skater would be caught dead riding a long board as they tend to be viewed as a tool that allows people who can't skate to sort of hop on the skateboarding culture but in theory this should be able to work on any type of deck with some modifications. 

Contribute to the Kickstarter campaign HERE and start getting that playlist ready!

Thanks to Matt for the tip.

Video: A look at ALL THIS MAYHEM (Tas & Ben Pappas Documentary)

VICE documentaries’ All This Mayhem is a searing account of what happens when raw talent and extreme personalities collide. An unflinching, never-before-seen account of drugs and the dark side of professional skateboarding that stars brothers Tas and Ben Pappas. Chronicling the intense bond and charisma that took the siblings from the pinnacle of their sport into a spiraling world of self-destruction; All This Mayhem at its core is a film about what happens when raw talent and extreme personalities collide.

Utilising endless handicam footage taken at the time, paired with interviews from Henry Sanchez, Lance Conklin, Dom Kekich, Bill Weiss and others, director Eddie Martin, who has ties to Exit The Through the Gift Shop and Senna, touches upon the brothers’ revolutionary style, feuds with Tony Hawk, their ferocious appetite for mood-altering substances and where it ultimately landed them.

If you haven't seen the film and have an interest in the subject matter, really try and do so. And given we live in the age of the internet you can stream the film online HERE for a reasonable price. But if you still need some convincing or perhaps just want to know a little more before jumping in, check out the 20 minute video below where those involved talk a bit more about the project.

Video: A Conversation with Supreme Creative Director Brendon Babenzien & “How Can I Be Down” Extended Trailer

By Such and Such shared a 13-minute conversation with Supreme creative director Brendon Babenzien who provides some insights into how he entered the industry and his take on style versus fashion. Of course Brendon has a pretty well-known history with Animal Farm/Pervert post Don Busweiler joining The Brethren cult so we are going take advantage of history by making this a double post highlighting both the interview mentioned and sharing a new extended preview for the captivating “How Can I be Down” documentary.

This eight minute preview includes chats with Erik Brunetti, Eric Haze, Rick Klotz, Alyasha Owerka-Moore, Shepard Fairey, Ian MacKay and many more. Obviously the parallels between the cult like fandom people have for their streetwear and an actual cult is not lost on me or the folks being interviewed which makes this documentary all the more interesting; but If you have no idea what in the world I’m talking about take some time to watch the clips below and you should be all caught up.

How Can I Be Down (Extended Trailer.) from Louis L on Vimeo.

Go Buy These: Henry Leutwyler Ballet Skateboards

“In ballet and skateboarding, fearlessness rules. No half-measures or marking the trick. Just passion, grit and blood.”

Photographer Henry Leutwyler released two fantastic limited edition skate decks featuring some of his trademark ballet photography. The two images are quite powerful when displayed side-by-side and beg to be hung as art. Purchase them while you can HERE.

Video: "The Killing Season" A Motorbike/Skateboard Trip Through Vietnam

Skateboarder Magazine’s Senior Photographer Jonathan Mehring got together with the globetrotting filmer Patrik Wallner to plan and film a skateboarding trip to Vietnam. The ambitious trip was especially difficult on old school motorbikes, the only method of transport used while there. But as they say, the bigger the risk, the bigger the reward, which is probably why the likes of Jerry Hsu, Keegan Sauder, Joey Pepper, Javier Mendizibal and Michael "Michi" Mackrodt were game to accompany them on this journey down nearly the entire length of Vietnam despite some of their limited past experience's with doing so." The trip didn’t  produce a whole lot of skating but The lush surroundings that make up Vietnam are the real treat in this very well shot twenty plus minute film. 

Directed, Filmed & Edited by Patrik Wallner

Skateboarder Magazine - 'The Killing Season' from Patrik Wallner on Vimeo.

Video: Aaron "Jaws" Homoki X Games Real Street 2012

We have been sharing video’s of some of the most technical skaters out there so why not share some  clips of the most “big” skaters out there. Arizona skater Aaron "Jaws" Homoki fits the bill perfectly as he goes big in this 2012 video, reeaalllly big. Video was shot and edited by Buster O’Shea with music from Fool Moon.

Video: Trash Talk - "Slander", Jay Howell video

Artist Jay Howell has been teaming up with animator Jim Dirschberger for a while now and their collaborations seem to be getting tighter and tighter.  Their latest team-up came in the form of an Adult Swim-esque music video for hardcore band Trash Talk, for their song "Slander".  It is quick and to the point and will make your eyes bleed.

Creature skateboards will also be putting out a commemorative skateboard using artwork from the video.