Last Saturday was the LA premiere of Animal Bikes QSS6 video. A good amount of riders came out to the On Some Shit store to enjoy the video and meet Nigel Sylvester and Ralphy Ramos. The kids were hyped, the video was awesome, and good times were had by everyone.
Kids outside the store waiting to see the video.
Stevie Churchill deciding whether or not he can three whip this motorcycle.
Nate Richter.
Alfredo Manusco looking extremely surprised to have his photo taken.
Ralphy Ramos and Nigel Sylvester throwing out some Animal goods to the kids.
Every person for themselves during the product toss.
Nigel Sylvester poses.
This helmet probably went on Ebay right after Nigel gave it his signature.
Brooklyn based skate photographer Jonathan Mehring is featured in The Berrics next installment of their Shoot All Skaters series. Being one of the most well traveled photographers in skateboarding, he’s got an incredible body of work to show why. I advise you to Click here and check it out.
The Daniel Johnson exclusive edit posted earlier today on TCU was filmed and edited by this man, Cooper Brownlee. In fact, Cooper has had a hand in the majority of the BMX media that has come out of Southeastern Australia. As a filmer, editor, photographer, graphic designer, product designer, art director and team manager (upon other various job titles) Cooper still finds time to ride. I’m actually a big fan of his style too. How does he do it?
Colony web video from 2012
Cooper’s part in the Colony DVD from 2011.
What came first, the bike or the camera?
Definitely the bike, I think I got my first camera about a year after I started riding so I could take photos of us riding our trails, it was just a shitty point and shoot that my mum had but you gotta start somewhere! Not long after that my friend had a video camera and so did my parents so we would use them to make videos via the old tape to tape style. It was such a good feeling going out riding all day, having fun, filming clips then we would stay at our friends place that night and mess with the footage. Everything just evolved from that.
How long ago was that?
I would say like 15 years ago? Not long after I started riding.
How old are you now?
Just turned 32
Focalpoint “Into The City” Mixtape #1 – filmed and edited by Cooper
Do you shoot and film in equal proportions or does one take priority?
It goes in stages but lately filming has definitely taken priority. I still shoot photos a lot just haven’t used my flashes much of late, just really into documenting the lifestyle side of things as cliche as it sounds.
Yeah video and photo wise I do, along with Division Brand and Academy BMX. We get help from other guys to get clips of dudes in other countries but overall yeah thats mostly my work. With Focalpoint the video stuff is me but photo stuff is a bit of a contribution base.
Do you ever get overwhelmed trying to ride and document at the same time, as well as enjoying the moment?
Not really, sometimes I wish there was another person shooting photos if I am filming but it’s all good. Riding wise, yeah I don’t get to ride as much but I love shooting as much as riding so I dont get too stressed. These days getting clips of myself I find planning it out and just doing it on a seperate mission is working better. On trips I barely get to ride because I really try to focus on filming and getting as much stuff as I can because I know when I start editing if I slipped getting something cool I will be pissed haha.
Alex Hiam 2013 web video – filmed and edited by Cooper
I find that a lot of photographers and filmers ride a freecoaster- when did you start riding a freecoaster?
I’ve had a freecoaster for about 6 years now, never going back! I also run a 23t which is partly to do with having to ride around everywhere with a camera bag on my back.
How often do you go out riding without any gear on your back?
Basically never! We drive to most spots but I always have my bag in the car and will take it in to spots all the time. When we ride the city I usually leave my flashes at home and also sometimes the HPX because it’s dark most of the time we are in there. I would love to roll around the city with no bag but I just know the day I do I will miss something haha.
What gear are you using these days?
Panasonic HPX-170
Nikon D800 – I just recently got this from having a D700 and I am love with it, dialed for photos and filming with it is on point! Filming wise I mainly use it for lifestyle sort of stuff and timelapses as it has a built in function which is basically the best thing ever for someone that is into timelapses! I sometimes use it for fisheye clips aswell but the 16mm isn’t as wide as the Canon lens and I would prefer the $300 lens get hit then the $1,000 lens.
Canon 7D – I use this just for filming fisheye lines, no photos shot with this.
Canon 50mm 1.4
Rokinon 8mm Fisheye
Eazyhandle for filming lines with a mod on it to hold both my mic and light
2 LED camera lights but I usually only use 1 of them.
Rode Mic
A Hoodman LCD magnifier for lifey shots and some fisheye stuff, which works pretty well I just wish I got one that had a 90 degree angle on it.
Manfrotto tripod and a shitty $20 tripod just for city missions as it’s nice and light and does the job
I have a Primary deck for my filming board with Penny board wheels on it which are nice and big.
Mick Bayzand 2013 – filmed and edited by Cooper
Tell me a little about the current format of Focalpoint. It’s kinda like a scrolling web mag.
Focalpoint started out as a free print mag and we kept it in print for about 8 years but printing and postage costs killed my bank account so we moved it to online via issuu which was also good but I wanted to do something that was more consistant and had frequent original content from Australia so that’s what we have now and I real, real psyched on it! Like you said it’s kind of got the aesthetics of a mag look to it but in web format.
Which websites do you check on a daily basis?
TCU obviously along with various other BMX sites. Outside of riding I hit up these 2 sites on the regular as they are always posting up good photography/design work…
Riding wise… All my friends that I ride with on the daily. Dudes like George D, Will Jackson and Lino Gonzales growing up. I will always be hyped on footage from Alex Kennedy, Daniel Johnson and Nathan Williams. I am a mad flat ledge jibba these days so anyone killing it on the streets and being creative will get my vote.
Artists wise… Jeff Staple, 13th Witness, Ricky Adam and Mike Manzoori
Tom Stretton 2013 – filmed and edited by Cooper
What do you have planned for this year?
Filming a fair bit right now for a Division project we have in the works, the web videos for Colony seem to never end so we always have them in the works. In a couple weeks some of the Colony team is coming to Melbourne to shoot this cool video project we have planned which should be alot of fun and also give Melbourne riders a few new spots to ride as well.
I am heading over to the USA for a month sometime in March to film which I am looking forward to. Hopefully Daniel Johnson will be coming with me. I’ve been trying to travel a bunch here in AUS so hopefully we can keep that rolling aswell.
Anyone you’d like to thank or shout out?
Thanks to my parents for being so damn awesome! Clint Millar for giving me the best job and for supporting BMX so much. My girlfriend Sarah and all the crew I ride with be it everyday or once every few months. Shoutout to anyone that supports the brands and is enjoying BMX.
Thanks to Scott and all the TCU crew for the interview.
Originally, Rados had uploaded a photo of the same trick in the same location with the same lighting, but without the rider framed in the lit rectangle. I thought it strange and commented on the photo, asking why he hadn’t done so. He replied that he actually had, and uploaded that image. That image is what you see before you now, the Photo of the Week.
“It was a hot summer day in Belgrade and around 37 degrees celsius. Bike Festival was held in city center. I got call from my friends to go there, so I packed my gear, took my bike and rushed to the festival. Half of the streets were closed because of a bike race and thats why route to the center wasnt complicated. Once I got there, there was a flatland demo session after which we went to ride, we found couple of places which would be impossible to ride if there wasnt bike festival. One of those places was this old building without windows and without roof, it was perfect place for shooting. The light was getting through opening of a window and thats what gave me idea for this photo. I asked one of my friend Miroslav Springelj aka Mire to throw some flat line on the spot where the light was, plan was to capture his shadow there. Setup was simple, only one Nikon SB24 flash (on the right side, behind the wall) triggered with wireless trigger. At the end of the day I finished with couple of great shots and one of them was this one.
For me, photography is more of a fun hobby than anything. It doesn’t come with the same pressure of shooting video. I shoot mostly for fun and when the situation presents itself. The following photos were shot in conjunction with filming for Animal’s QSS6. The majority of the stills have accompanying clips in the video. I wanna thank all of the riders for being patient with me when shooting and allowing me the opportunity to shoot them. Gear- Canon 5d MK3, Canon 8-15mm F4, 70-200mm F2.8, 50mm 1.4 –Ryan Navazio
Most of these photos have been posted on Instagram already, but we’re guessing that they’ve been forgotten about. Here they are again, in all their pixeled glory.
The usual Flip Clips plus a little extra time and effort. The usual McCarren skatepark clips plus some Europe and Cali footage. The usual ragtag cast and crew plus Blackman and Hamilton and a cameo by Regis Philbin. The usual soundtrack that no one seems to like plus TV samples that may or may not make sense. Enjoy, enjoy!
“Remember the name Wesley McGrath. He’s one of a new breed of talented BMX photographers. Judging from this photo gallery we’ll be seeing his photos for years to come.
Over the last couple years I’ve gotten to know Wes pretty well and it’s been awesome watching his skills as a photographer grow. This past year it seems like he has really hit his stride and is starting to make a name for himself. They say hard work pays off and Wes is one of the hardest working photographers in the game. He’s always out shooting and has extremely high standards for the images he puts out into the world. The thing most notable about Wes’s work is his ability to make even the simplest tricks look extraordinary. His images are full of energy and you can’t help but wish you were there to witness that one 1/500th-second in time. I can’t wait to see what 2014 will bring for Wes and I’m glad to not only call him a colleague but also a friend.” – Chris Mortensen
In the BMX world, Steven Hamilton needs no introduction. I wanted to talk with him more in-depth about his numerous, varyingly experimental and always entertaining video projects. Having just finished his latest video “13”, I called him to get the inside scoop while the process was still fresh in his mind.
So, what’s in the name “13”?
Well the reason that it’s called “13” is because I worked on it through all of 2013, among other reasons… It’s was a big year for me because I was born on December 13th, and it was 12/13/13, and since there are only 12 months it can never actually be 13/13/13. Also that thing about how the world was supposed to end on 12/12/12, then the next day would have been my birthday, so… It was a big year for me. And I finished the video on the 13th of this month.
It’s possible that this is also your 13th video release, no?
Yeah, I guess it’s possible. If I were to count all of the VHS tapes and DVD’s I’ve made it would probably be close to 13.
Was the whole thing filmed with your TRV-900?
Yeah.
And that modded Lomo fisheye?
Yeah, the fisheye I hacksawed off of a little Lomo camera. But I got a new fisheye for Christmas this year so video 14 is gonna have a real fisheye.
What are some of the filming locations?
Off the top of my head- Columbus, New Jersey, The Bronx, Dayton and Philly…
Is this video anything like your previous videos? Can you compare it to any of them?
Yeah, I’d say it’s a mix between “The Price is Right” and “Inception 1”.
You mean “The Price is Wrong”?
No, “The Price is Wrong” was that Animal video, “The Price is Right” was my video.
Really? I had no idea. What is Lobsterspine Productions?
(long silence)
You’ve never seen “The Price is Right”?
No, I’ve never even heard of it. Where can I see it?
Well it’s sold out now but it was the first DVD I ever sold through Empire.
Do you guys venture outside of BMX or you just do BMX videos?
Just BMX videos.
Where did that name come from?
I was walking around Seattle one night- all night- and in the morning I found this thing… Well what it ended up being was the thing that holds nails for a nail gun, but I couldn’t figure out what it was, I thought it was a sort of bone or something. I was like “What could this possibly be?” and the only thing I could come up with was a lobster’s spine. Then I remembered that lobsters don’t have spines, but I thought it was a cool name, so I kept the name.
When did you get your first video camera, and when did you make your first video?
I got my first video camera in the eighth grade, then I finished my first video, “Inception 1” during my senior year in high school.
How many copies of these videos were you making?
I probably made 50 or 80 copies of Inception 2.
Damn. All on VHS?
Yeah.
Just VCR to VCR?
Well we had a stack of ten VCR’s so I could make ten copies at a time.
What’s the deal with you deleting your Vimeo account?
It was a couple years ago, but what happened is that I had put so many videos on there- I had over 100 videos and a lot of them were repeats or just the same video edited a little bit differently and I just got sick of it… But I don’t really like Vimeo that much anyway so I just thought “Screw it, I’m just gonna delete it” so I just got rid of it. I kinda regret it a little bit though because some of the videos that were on there I don’t have backed up anywhere. I still have the footage but a lot of them were live videos where I had my camera hooked up directly to my computer or had two videos playing at once… I kinda wish that I had kept the account and just made some of the videos password protected, but I just ended up saying “Fuck it” and deleted the whole thing so it’s gone now.
What kind of music is in “13”?
It has a mix of punk rock, indie rock and hip-hop.
Who has full parts?
Eric Probst, Ian Fendrick, Darius Hart, Jimmy Kleoudis, me, Damian Racut, Mike Rose and Luke Padelski.
You said you edited this video in one session. How did that go?
Yeah, normally once I get going with editing I don’t want to stop, so I just banged it out and did the whole thing in one editing session. I was up for… I don’t know, as long as I could possibly stay up and until the video was done.
What is your editing process, as far as the soundtrack goes?
I kinda lay out a couple clips then try to come up with a song, then once I have the song figured out I’ll edit to the song. Sometimes I’ll have an idea for a song and I’ll see if it works, then edit right off the song.
What is your favorite video that you’ve made?
Right now I really like “The Price is Right” but “Inception 1” will always be my favorite because I worked so hard on it and it was the first video I edited and I spent so long on it.
Do take your camera with you every time you go riding?
No.
Do you film anything outside of riding?
I film my dad’s basketball games every Tuesday.
How important to you is the quality of the picture? Do you clean your lenses and set the white balance and all that?
I usually set the white balance, not necessarily on something white but the cleanliness of the lens does’t really concern me that much. I’ll wipe it off with my shirt or something, but it’s not really that important to me.
You just stuff your camera into a backpack, yeah?
Yeah I’ll usually just wrap it in a sweatshirt and throw it into my backpack.
What software do you use to edit?
iMovie.
Do you watch all the current BMX videos that are released?
Yeah I try to.
What is your favorite movie outside of BMX?
Right now my favorite movie is “Raising Arizona”.
You also shoot still photos- will you ever do a project with those?
Yeah, hopefully someday I’ll do something with my photographs.
How is “13” packaged?
The DVD’s are contained in handmade folded paper sleeves.
So how can people get ahold of the video?
It will be available through Empire this Thursday.
Will filming for “14” begin immediately?
Yep.
You have any big plans for this year?
Just filming for the next video. I’m pretty excited to film with this new lens. I just got a new bike too so I’m excited about that as well.
Push It A Stop 