August 2007 – With the up coming release of the NF10 dvd “DECADE” and the massive success of V*I*D*E*0, we thought it’d be cool to interview the man behind both vids and see what he has to say about the new NF dvd and bodyboarding video editing in general. Todd Barnes kindly answered our boring questions and here you go: The Todd Barnes Interview. Read, learn, get inspired, go surf, film, edit… and watchout coz NF10 is about to smoke your TVs! Oh… and keep frothing with this little photo gallery from NF10 that Todd send us: View the NF10 Decade Gallery.

View separate pics: Photo1 | Photo2 | Photo3 | Photo4 | Photo5 | Photo6 | Photo7

Hi Todd, how are you?
Busy

Can you introduce yourself for those who don’t know you?
Todd Barnes, 23 years wise

You’re the man behind the great VIDEO DVD; can you tell us how you got into bodyboarding, video editing and eventually editing bodyboarding videos?
Bought my first camera at age 17, practiced the ancient art of scrunching paper, then BOOOOOM…. VIDEO was born

You’re into art / fashion design as well with the « I am none » clothing aren’t you?
I’ve studied Fine Arts & Graphic design, and recently started the clothing brand
« I AM NONE ‘ with fellow art fag Dave ‘I’m way too tall’ Fox.

So this year you got involved with No Friends for their 10th video. How did this happen?
After continuous meditation, I was channelling spirits to move events and inturn have Ross McBride call and ask me to be their new editor… it happened.. WOW!

Ross and the NF crew had a precise idea of what they wanted for NF X « Decade » or did they let you do your thing?
Apart from being chained to my computer for months at a time, I had complete creative freedom. Obviously certain sections had to be created.

So, basically Liam O’Brien filmed everything and gave you the footage to edit?
Yeah Liam Shot tonnes of cool shit for me to edit with. In particular one crazy day in Mexico with Dre. Although this footage wasn’t included in the DVD, anyone wanting to view it can on you tube…. Just search for ‘Dangerous and maybe illegal things to do in Mexico’

You kept your own style of editing and tried to adapt it to the NF feeling?
For sure… actually not sure… I just tried to make something people will want to watch over and over…. That’s what I used to get from the older NF DVDs

Did you feel the pressure to do good because it’s NF and you knew it was a challenge to do this?
Not sure if pressure is the right word… I would say I always have high expectations for every project I’m involved in and this one was no different. Meeting those expectations meant putting in 12hr sessions to make sure all edits were super tight. As far as Pressure from Ross and Liam they were cool.

Stoker used to film and edit the NF videos ( from 1 to 5 ) then he didn’t get much time to film so he basically edited what Crawley filmed ( from 6 to 8 ) then Liam took the reins from both Stoker and Crawleys hands, and now you’re editing Liam’s footage. Do you think it’s better to film and edit your own stuff because you’ve got more control on everything and your own way to film or is it comfortable sometimes to wait until someone gives you footage and then you do the rest?
When it comes to filming you have an idea of what you’re trying to capture… a big move, heavy barrel, some sort of moment, a rider’s character etc… So when it comes to editing you are just cutting those moments together… When it’s someone else’s footage you’re editing, you have to in compass what the filmier was trying to capture as well I guess.

I remember Stoker said it’s quite hard to edit someone else’s footage because you don’t have the same approach and you don’t know what to expect. Do you agree?
I wouldn’t say hard, id say it’s harder… Especially when you run out of footage for an idea you have. But I could never say editing bodyboarding films is hard, I like them too much

What can we expect in the video? Oz? Tahiti? Hawaii? Any new locations?
Pixels, Explosive Bodyboarding, Glitches, Stupid Interviews, Amazing fisheye angles, A World Title, TV Screens and more… O yeah Massive Chopes !!!!

Any Roach part in it?
No. Although there is a Lackey Section and he is BLOWING UP !!!!

Is there a sort of retrospective on the last 10 years?
There are a few parts in the DVD that reflect back on some of the first few Films… some classic old footage and a few stories.

The Teaser is awesome, we can easily recognize your style of editing in it. Does The whole video has that same arty / rock n roll feeling ?
Teaser is a 50min DVD squeezed into 1 1/2 minutes… there may be minor differences

What about the soundtrack ? Did you chose it or did you discuss about it with the riders or the NF crew ?
The only one I had contact with was Ross. He requested his own song. As for the rest I found an old BOYS II MEN mix tape from the nineties and went from there

Did you watch NF1 back in the days ? Did you ever thought you were gonna edit NF10 one day ? How cool is that ?
To be total honest I didn’t get caught up in the Whole NF craze till about the 3rd or 4th Film… I was more concerned with crossing my legs, wearing Churchill’s, doing drop rolls and bashing letterboxes (sorry to all those innocent victims). But as I got more into filming I defiantly acquired copies of all the earlier releases and needless to say I was inspired

Todd, thanx heaps for your time and for answering those questions. This is the last question, you can chose it. What would you want us to ask you ?
This isn’t a question rather a PLUG…. Go check out I AM NONEs latest range of TEE’s & HOODIES at www.iamnone.com… then buy some and look cool

Any thank you’s ? Love you’s ? Hate you’s ?
Thanks to my computer for not crashing, I love you

xox

THANX HEAPS TODD
Spongercity.com