The Schism began out of the need to make a Senior Project we felt we could enjoy working on, forming a passion project with a possibility for real world growth and expansion. Within approximately 2.5 months, the group of friends conceptualized a unique project, starting from approach and strategy to something starkly contrasted from the status quo results of past projects. Our group comprised of Chris Ello, Darion Stewart, Markus Heuer, and myself. We embarked on an unknown journey of possibilities and uncertainties with the task to actually go out and do a project forcing us to tap our potential. How could 4 high school kids, 4 black high school seniors, or 4 skateboarders get received by the community about skating in the name of ‘a school project’? These were my initial questions on how we’d be perceived out in the communities we explored. Guided by our panel of Senior teachers, we were initially on the path to make 2 PSAs to voice the opinions of seemingly opposed perspectives. The perspectives of skateboarders (or at least skate-culture supporters) versus non-skaters, primarily being business and property owners who might feel the only certainty skateboarding equates to is lawsuits, injury, and property damage that’s bad for business.
While utilizing contacts and inquiring through our friends and classmate community, word of mouth and a little effort, seemed to produce experiences in a hastened rate we only imagined. We utilized all time off campus allotted for Seniors in order to set up meetings and film whatever and whoever we thought was relative to our topic. Via social media, email and in person; we sought out security guards and administration of popular skate spots we knew of; Pro, Amateur and local skateboarders, as well as people who worked within the corporate sector of the skate industry. We found it much easier to find skateboard supporters than antagonists because we were part of the skate community and most of the antagonists couldn’t take seriously enough, our honest inquiry of their perspective, to talk to us.
Besides the Term Paper on the Senior Project experience, ‘The Schism’ video was meant to be our school fulfillment that had to be finalized and condensed to a certain duration before the ‘Senior Showcase’. That said, all the great people and interviews we were able to complete were just too time-consuming to conclude in ‘The Schism’. Early on I voiced to my group that we should somehow still get these never before seen videos to the public otherwise nobody would understand why we were so hyped in class when presenting our progress of what we had been doing out of school as field work. One would just have to see it to believe and better understand it.
West L.A. Courthouse was used as our project’s point of reference attempting to show how private or public property owners and skateboarders can cohabitate in equilibrium although each has their own respective idea of usage for the same properties. During the ascension of the project’s possibilities, we were able to reach out and be kindly embraced by certain Nike Reps, a City official (Jay Handal), and the ‘middle man’ between them being Alec Beck. They all had admirable roles in using their abilities and platform from both sides to help Alec bring a popular skate spot to be funded and backed to re-introduce it as a no-hassle (legal) skate spot. Unlike an enclosed skate plaza like nearby Stoner Park (which Alec and Jay also had a hand in) it is fully public and open, coexisting as a place of business (a city’s Courthouse) and recreation (a place to skate). The fact that all the major parties involved with the undertaking were: 1) open to meet us, 2) interested in us and let us pick their brain, 3) gave suggestions on how to further the similar possibilities; was beyond expectation and lit a fire in us all.
Like anything in life, a lesson can be learned. We learned first-hand on how precious time is and that 15 second spotlights fade quickly. Inevitably, when we graduated, plans to continue the project during the summer as soon as possible halted. The division of the group from relocating for colleges, focus on the project dwindled as real life was settling in and we transitioned and the High School phase was kept in the past. Even when some of us would get together to edit, or make little strides toward progress, the motivation diminished once the hype dimmed over time. Multiple re-edits and versions were made in the at the one year anniversary of this whole project period but surprising last-minute disagreements with editing, footage rights, and credit by from the outside caused additional setbacks. We can look back now, accepting the lessons learned on this project from when the project began to present. I learned an important phrase, “No Excuse, Just Produce”, and am reminded as I look back and understand the process, how the systems in place can work for or against you depending on relationships you build and maintain.
Thanks Da Vinci Design High School for allowing us to grow in many uncountable ways. Thank you to the Nike Reps who welcomed us and our efforts throughout our project. Thank you Jay Handal for so sincerely highlighting the positive aspects the work Alec Beck and you all brought to changing Courthouse to what it is and can continue to be. Special thanks to Alec Beck, for being a role model to ‘The MiddleMen’ and bridging the gap as a representative to both spectrums of the schism of skateboard perspectives that have shaped skate culture. Thanks to all the skaters and contributors of skate progression on the local and more corporate level, who were part of our films. The presence and support from everyone who lent their voice and insight made the project what it was, honest and true. We appreciate everyone who took a willing chance on being apart of what we wanted to create. Thanks even goes to the doubters and those who shut us down throughout our attempts in this project. I guess we can only try to win all the time.
Class Assignment: Video Editing | Community Interviewing | Research Paper Rationale: Full Interviews that could not be fully included in entirety for the final mini-documentary. Specifications: 2.5 month deadline
This was the group’s very 1st day in the field trying to interview people for our project. This was our first time coming to Courthouse and it just so happened 3 recognizable skaters were casually skating there and were willing to help us with our project. It was cool, to have a great first day of the project, and it hyped us up for the potential moving forward with our project before we had to present it to our Senior class. Thanks goes to Kelly, Sewa, and Marquis.
This was the group’s 2nd day in the field trying to interview people for our project. This day we tried to see what we could film and accomplish within the community. Initially awkward and seemingly unfruitful, we were eventually able to get someone willing to help us with our project in El Segundo, still within a blocks from school. Thanks goes to Christy at Dwindle and Erick at Active El Segundo.
This interview happened by chance, thanks to being at the right place at the right time. Our school was walking distance from Dwindle Distr. and we were told to ask for Eric Sentianin by a friend who knew him. This video was intended to get the perspective of Business people within the skateboarding industry. With some effort, we were at least able to briefly meet Eric Sentianin and Sam Smyth.
This interview happened by a little effort and reaching out to the right, helpful people. We were able to interview Joey Brezinski, somebody familiar with the skateboarding industry as a skater and entrepreneur.
This was the filmed before our 1st-take interview of our main mentor throughout the project, who we tried to emulate as a point of reference. Thanks goes to Alec Beck.
This interview happened by chance, before Neal Mims, a friend of our main mentor throughout the project (Alec Beck), was on his way out the complex.
This interview was done on campus, our group had been excused a lot of days for project work out in the field. Our teacher wanted us to slow down, but we were still able to be uphold our momentum with a productive on campus by setting up a time to Skype with our former Principal who called all the known skaters of the school into her office and told us about neighborhood complaints when we would skate next to the school in the mornings. We sought her insight and tried to get her perspective of what that situation was like. She gave a lot of suggestions and the business and education perspective we needed for balance in the project. Thanks goes to Da Vinci Design High School. Special thanks goes to ‘Mrs. O.B.’
This was the groups’ attempt to cover the business/property owner perspective although it was tied to education and school property, another common avenue of street skating. We knew Costa had been featured in various video edits over the years. Over many attempts to reach out to the school via email to no response, we decided to just pull up and ask in the front office. After about 2 other visits we finally were able to meet with the Principal directly. Thanks goes to the Mira Costa front office and Ben Dale for help with our school project.
This was the 2nd-take interview of our main mentor throughout the project, who we tried to emulate as a point of reference.
Though these locations have been in countless skate videos before this date and still down to this day this was my first time seeing them in person and this was what unfolded.
A contributor to the project, and key mentor to many of our connections and point of references skateboarding in Los Angeles.
