We analyzed the best skate videos of all time, consulted legendary experts, and applied physics, mathematics and trigonometry to uncover the hidden secret of ultimate skateboarding.
Here is the secret: have fun.
Yeah, this is for a street skate video contest… But if you go out and have fun, then you’re already a winner. Your section is already great.
A good strategy for having fun is to create your section with a friend. Go out and take turns filming each other. Push each other. Do weird stuff. Be goofy.
This is not the Olympics.
You’ve been filming yourself for years now and the clips are just stacked up. All that’s left to do is string together your favorites, film a short intro, and release your 1-minute “greatest hits” album. What have you got to lose?
Film your whole clip in a single day. A minute of footage isn’t that much. Head out with a friend and work with each other. Start with your go-to moves, and build to harder and harder stuff. This approach leads to a nice continuity (same board, same haircut, same scabs) and gives you an achievable deadline. One and done.
If you don’t like editing, this is the approach for you. Have your filmer follow on a skateboard and film your favorite line. This is actually a better showcase of your talent anyway because no tricky editing can hide how many attempts a trick actually took to land. Just plan your line out carefully and film it over and over ’til you nail it perfectly.
Roll along with your subject. Travelling shots always feel more like skateboarding.
Vary your shots. Close. Far. Rolling. Locked off. Try some weird angles. But also let the skating be the hero, not your fancy camera tricks.
Tell a story with your edit. Beginning, middle, and end. Include some falls. Some funny moments. Some personality. It’s not just great tricks that make a great section. People appreciate authenticity as much as anything. That’s what style is.
Did we mention having fun?
Do that, and you already won.
(PS: If you really just want to win-win, you gotta game the voting system. Contact friends, family, classmates, church groups, and even your local congressman to get them to vote for your section.)
NOTE: Over the next five months, Gabb Life will be hosting a series of different contests showcasing your talents. So if skateboarding is not your thing, well, hopefully something else is. The final contest will be our $10,000 Search for the Next Gabb Ambassador so start limbering up for that one. It’s a doozy.
Follow along with all the fun here on GabbLife.com
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We would love for you to participate, but first we need you to get your parent or guardian to agree.
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Your child wants to participate in the Gabb Ambassador Search, but needs your permission to enter!
Gabb Life’s mission is to encourage kids to #LiveBeyondtheScreen and #DoCoolStuff. This contest highlights kids who have accomplished great things by living beyond the screen. Our Children’s Privacy Policy sets forth what data we collect from your child when they enter the contest, and how we use and share that information.
To allow us to collect this information, we ask that you provide your billing information (including a payment card number). We will only charge $1 to confirm a parent or guardian over 18 years old has consented.
*Gabb Life collects the following information during this contest:
Your child’s video, along with their first name, last initial, city, and state will be publicly posted on Gabb Life’s website.
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Enjoy the contest, and good luck!
This contest is only for kids that are 15 and younger...
