Archive for Interviews
April 9, 2009 at 5:44 pm | Spongercity Interviews News
Glenn Taylor Interview “In the shaping bay” with Glenn Taylor
We spent a couple days in Port Macquarie, Australia while tripping on the east coast (of OZ) a few months ago and got the opportunity to stay two days with Glenn Taylor, headshaper at TURBO SURF DESIGNS. Glenn took us to the TURBO factory for those 2 days and we had the great opportunity to stay at the factory all day and film Glenn when he shaped us a board and shoot pictures of everything we wanted to shoot. Even got to help Glenn a little with laminating and stuff. Pretty cool days at the factory.
The result is this 12 minutes documentary on how to shape a board as well as a massive amount of pictures taken while Glenn was shaping our board and a bunch of other boards. We filmed the whole process (it takes about 3+ hours to shape a custom board, depending on the options you’ve chosen) but only kept 12 minutes of footage, edited into 30 steps to have the board build. It would have been too long to watch 3 hours on video hey!
If you don’t know how a board is shaped you definitely wanna watch this ! If you wish to download the documentary feel free to subscribe to our podcast (it’s free on iTunes), we have uploaded the 12 minutes clip on it last night ! If you’re already a subscriber, then just refresh the iTunes podcast page on your computer.
The last thing we did once we had gathered all the footage and pictures was to interview Glenn. Glenn shapes the TURBO custom boards in Port Macquarie, Aus. pretty much everyday of the week and all the boards are shaped by hand as you will see on the video. We asked him how he started and what it’s like to be headshaper for Turbo, how he started Turbo with his bro and what his next projects are.
Enjoy.
EXCLUSIVE VIDEO CLIP – Watch the video “In the shaping bay with Glenn Taylor”
EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS – Launch the photo slideshow from “A day at the Turbo factory with Glenn Taylor”
Hi Glenn how are you ? can you introduce yourself and what you do ?
GT: G’day, I’m Glenn Taylor Owner / Shaper for Turbo Surf Designs
You started Turbo Surf Designs with your brother in 2007. Turbo was based in Hawaii/USA in the 80’s and 90’s (correct me if i’m wrong) and you guys are in Oz, pretty far away… Can you tell us what Turbo Surf Designs was in the old days for those who don’t know and can you tell us what motivated you and you brother Gregg to buy the Turbo license and put Turbo back on its feet ?
GT: Turbo Surf Designs (Turbo) was founded in Hawaii in 1983 by the legendary Russ Brown (“Captain Turbo”). Russ Brown’s passions were Art & Bodyboarding, so this is where the name TURBO came from (The Ultimate Russ Brown Obsession). Turbo rocked the bodyboarding industry by providing a viable alternative to the Morey Boogie dominance –a stiff board that could be custom tailored to suit your riding preferences. Prior to this innovation, the bodyboard was a soft over-flexible piece of foam. Turbo revolutionized the sport of bodyboarding and has set its own course since. This is where vinyl printed graphic decks, contoured decks & hard slicks started from. Turbo progressed to the top of the bodyboarding food chain in the 1980’s and 1990’s as they continued to push the boundaries of the sport of bodyboarding. Turbo was the premium brand in the world of bodyboarding.
What motivated both Gregg & myself to return Turbo to the premium brand in the world of bodyboarding is that we are genuinely passionate about the grass roots of the sport and we are committed to developing bodyboarding to the next level. Turbo is a brand which helped mould the sport of bodyboarding into what it is today and we believe Turbo is the brand to lead bodyboarding into the future.
The Turbo stock boards are made overseas but all the custom boards orders and all the team riders boards are hand shaped in Oz by yourself. Can you tell us what your job is as the Turbo head shaper and what your everyday job consists of ?
GT: My major focus as the Head Shaper is to design the Turbo range of boards. This involves using my own experience and feedback from our global team riders to experiment with new board designs and materials. The team riders along with myself test the boards and we fine tune them to the perfect specifications. This years range is the result of an 18 month process and I am really satisfied with the new Turbo range of boards.
My typical day at the Turbo factory consists of making the custom board orders from all around the world. It is basically heads down in the shaping bay for most of the day. With having the Turbo factory located here in Port Macquarie (the Bodyboarding capital of Australia ) I have a lot of regular visits from the local crew, who come in to fine tune their next board design. This is where I get a lot of personal satisfaction, in showing them the range of different materials & explaining what different combination of core/shape & stringer systems would work best for them. For the guys who cannot make it to the factory, I always try to speak with them over the phone or email to make sure they get the full benefit of a custom designed board.
Where and how did you learn to shape ?
GT: I started working for Manta in the early 1990s, this is where I gained all my knowledge. I was taught by Terry Fleming (owner/creator). Manta boards were 100% manufactured here in OZ so I learnt every aspect of board construction from working for countless years in the production line. In time this led me into custom boards for the Manta team riders, who at the time were one of the strongest bodyboarding teams in the world.
You shape almost everyday all day and the demand for custom boards keeps on growing, do you think custom boards are more and more popular ?
GT: Yeah for sure custom board design has become very popular, especially here in OZ as riders are more aware that board design is an individual thing. Riders know that different cores/stringers provide different flex & personal specs can be used to fine tune each board for specific wave conditions.
There are tons of bodyboarders in Port Macquarie so you obviously shape a lot of customs for the local rippers who want to buy themselves custom boards but you’ve told me you will soon be offering this service to customers worldwide. How much is the average board ? What kinda cores and options can the customers choose from ?
GT: As a special introductory offer for the European market we are offering a fixed price of 250 euro for a custom made board delivered to your door. Delivery time should be less than one month from the day of placing the order. The material that we offer range from 4 types of cores; Beaded Poly Pro (BPP), Extruded Poly Pro (PP), FRC ( Flex Response Core) & Polyethylene (PE). I also use 2 types of stringer ; Standard tube stringer plus a Springer flex tube stringer, 2 types of deck materials; 8Lb PE & WBS (water barrier skin) & we use only the best slick available (Surlyn), in combination with a huge range of special features such as nose bulbs and deck contours. Please check out www.turbosurfdesigns.com for more detailed information under the Customs section.
You shape boards for all the Turbo team, like Mason Rose, Morgan Brown, Chad Jackson, Andre Botha etc. What do those guys ride ? They probably all have their little habbits ? Who’s the most picky rider with his boards ?
GT: Guys like Mason, Andre & Chad they mainly use PE boards and Morgan, Garth, Jacob & Robby use PP boards. Chad Jackson has recently converted to a contoured deck for his boards. Each rider has their own individual needs. In saying that none of the team riders are really too picky. Andre likes to have his boards really thick & Garth like his board to be really thin with a bit of rocker, where Mason likes his slightly reversed.
What are the current trends you see in the custom boards orders right now ? narrow boards ? PE core ? Are kids asking for boards that look like their favorite riders’ baords ?
GT: One of the main requests is core thickness, as lots of people are asking for thinner cores with thin noses. And yeah narrower boards definitely seem to be more in demand. As for cores that is still pretty even, but now with BPP & FRC available for customs, people are trying different material combinations to best suit them. In regards to the shapes that are requested by many kids, most of them are usually just asking for their favourite riders template but with their own colour combo & size.
You guys sponsored the Pipe event this year, how was that ? You went to hawaii and organized everything and enjoyed the show ?
GT: Getting to sponsor the Pipe comp this year was an amazing opportunity. There are so many people involved in a comp setup. So we cant take the credit for everything. For example the Pipe comp is run by the IBA, which consists of guys like Terry McKenna & Jason Bitzer who organize the whole package, with other guys like Big Todd , Bob Thomas & a crew of officials. We personally had Keith Sasaki & Eddie Solomon over seeing the preparation from start to the finish. The whole pipe comp was an amazing experience, to be able to watch one of the best & most competitive Pipe comps in the sports history was surreal.
Apart from worldwide custom boards service, what are the futures plans and projects for the brand and its riders in 2009 ?
GT: A big part of Turbo’s plans for the future is to continue to support Bodyboarding at all levels. We want to be involved in helping the sport to progress into the next level.
Mason, Chad and Andre all have just released their new signature boards that we are all stoked with. The Turbo IV is now available in 3 core options and gets better each year! We also have released a Stand Up bodyboard, which is perfect for those typically small summer days.
In collaboration with Robby Gray, we have launched a performance board designed for younger bodyboarders at a more affordable price. This board is branded the ‘Shock Monkey’ board.
We have recently launched a women’s bodyboard label called ‘Milkshakes’. The Milkshakes label provides a range of boards for the female rider ranging from entry level to advanced.
More information about the Turbo board range, Designs customs, Milkshakes and the Shock Monkey can be found at www.turbosurfdesigns.com
Turbo and Milkshakes are launching in Europe in 2009 and we are in the process of building a European team.
Thanx Glenn !
Cheers,
Theo
EXCLUSIVE VIDEO CLIP – Watch the video “In the shaping bay with Glenn Taylor”
EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS – Launch the photo slideshow from “A day at the Turbo factory with Glenn Taylor”
December 31, 2008 at 7:18 pm | Spongercity Interviews News
To celebrate the new year we decided is was high time to interview Chad and Kane Waldron last week. How is that ?
With the imminent release of the BEN PLAYER PROJECT and its premieres in Australia this January it was the perfect timing to interview movie makers Chad and Kane Waldron.
Just so you know those 2 brothers are behind 80% of all major bodyboarding DVD release since their first movie VAGUE OPPORTUNITIES. Since then they’ve released DENIS, LEROY, INSERT NAME HERE, THERE IS NO I, the BOOM! Podcast and NMDtv episodes, and now the BEN PLAYER PROJECT.
Here’s what the bros have to say about the upcoming BEN PLAYER movie, about filming, editing and making a living out of bodyboarding flicks: CLICK HERE TO READ THE INTERVIEW.
December 22, 2008 at 6:00 pm | Spongercity Interviews News
Click on the artwork to start the Waldronbros interview slideshow or click on individual slides here: Ben Player Movie Project Scene 01, Ben Player Movie Project Scene 02, Ben Player Movie Project Scene 03, Chad filming, Chad Invert, Chad and Kane, Chad Portrait, another Chad pic, Chad underwater, Hawaii, Kane, Kane again, Philippines trip, Hawaii, There is no i trip, Hawaii, There is no i trip (2),
With the imminent release of the BEN PLAYER PROJECT and its premieres in Australia this January it was the perfect timing to interview movie makers Chad and Kane Waldron. Just so you know those 2 brothers are behind 80% of all major bodyboarding DVD release since their first movie VAGUE OPPORTUNITIES. Since then they’ve released DENIS, RAISED HEIGHTS, LEROY, INSERT NAME HERE, THERE IS NO I, the BOOM! Podcast and NMDtv episodes, and now the BEN PLAYER PROJECT. Here’s what the bros have to say about the upcoming BEN PLAYER movie, about filming, editing and making a living out of bodyboarding flicks:
Howdy guys ?
Hey mate!
Can you quickly introduce yourselves for those who dont know who the Waldron Bros are ?
Chad: Hi everyone I’m Chad.
Kane: And Im Kane. We have been making Independent Bodyboarding films for the last 5 years. If you’re not familiar us our title consist of, “Vague Opportunities”, “Raised Heights”, “The Joker” (edited) “Denis”, “Leroy”, “Insert Name Here” “There’s No I” and the most recent one “The Ben Player Project”
So you’ve just finished editing the whole Ben Player project and you’re now working on the business part and premieres organisation, how did the whole project go ? When did it all start?
Chad: Its been insane editing this movie. It’s usually Kane that does most of the editing (I might have done 1 section for each DVD) but just recently I have found a new love for editing and I took the reins on this one so to speak.
Kane: The Project started 3 years ago just after BP won his first world title. I was speaking to Ben on the phone and we both wanted to do it so we went from there. The Project went really well, there were a lot of ideas that got tossed around in the early days until we found something that we all liked.
Who was behind this project ? Ben or you guys ? or NMD/Mez ?
Chad: It is us and Ben behind it, along with Murray Bell working on it too. The 3 of us worked together on ideas and direction of the film and Mez from NMD supported the film from the start and we could not have done it without him.
We’ve seen some pics and behind the scenes shots in Movement Mag, and it looks like you guys really went creative and worked on some cool ideas like that plane scene. How did the whole creative process go? Did everyone have ideas and share them or did Ben have some things in his mind and really knew where he was heading ?
Chad: When we all first sat down and started talking about the DVD, we all pretty much had the same idea. We all just kinda bounced off each other and ended up with these crazy studio scenes and motion graphics that tied each section together smoothly.
Kane: That wasn’t our original idea, but it was the better one that we brainstormed down to. Just something fresh and fun to watch and create.
Is there a lot of bla bla bla in the movie?
Chad: haha, nar. We tried to cut back on that as much as we could. Sometimes its hard trying to tell a story without the blah blah blah but with the help of Murray’s skills in after effects and illustrator and some smart planning we were able to tell the story with very minimal talking.
Kane: We didn’t just sit down and interview people and hope it would make sense once cut together. So I wouldn’t call the talking in this movie Blah Blah. It is actually interesting and as Chad said we put a lot of planning into it.
Is there any old footage of Ben when he was a kid and stuff or is it pretty much all new footage like Ben seemed to say in that Movement Mag article?
Chad: There’s a little bit of Ben when he was younger that we used to show everyone that he hasn’t always been the insane bodyboarder that he is now. About 90% of the DVD is new unseen footage.
Kane: We basically, just fast forwarded the first 15 years of his bodyboarding career.
Most biographical movies are pretty boring (my point of view) until the Hardlyfe II which was really nice with beautiful images but not really creative though. Do you guys think you pushed the envelope with this Ben Player project and manage to make it both creative and cool and well-edited?
Chad: Yeah, I would like to think that’s what we’ve done. It’s sometimes hard to make it both creative and cool. Sometimes the creative can just get in the way of the cool surfing, but I think we have found a happy medium in the both.
Kane: I actually prefer biographical bodyboarding movies, when there is an amazing bodyboarder with a great story, they are such a better subject for a movie. As for being creative, that is really someone’s point of view as well. A lot of kids think its creative when you use editing effects and flashes of light leaks from film, but that’s all been done before and I’m over it. I just set out to create a great movie that captured Ben’s world class riding and his personality and achievements.
Last time I saw you guys in Oz I wondered how you manage to work together as brothers (you Kane and you Chad) coz there was more time when I thought you were gonna kill each others than edit together in nice “I like my brother” mood. hahah. How did this project go ? No killing each others?
Chad: HAHA yeah we do argue a lot when we work. I don’t like giving in to Kane and Kane doesn’t like giving in to anyone, but this time around I was by myself most of the time when I was editing and then Kane was only round to check up on things and add a little direction here and there.
Kane: Working with a family member is HARD, I don’t think anyone should do it. Brothers fight enough without work involved. You should see the Player’s fight, they’re hilarious, and Toby always wins too, ha ha. We worked better together this project Chad and I are both passionate about what we do and being brothers we just say exactly what we are thinking that generally turns into an argument. But being able to say exactly what you think about someone work only makes a better product. And when the person you’re making the movie on is such a perfectionist and passionate person then you’re pushed even more to produce a better product.
Any exclusive info about the movie ?
Kane: I quit.
Chad: Kane Quits.
Where did you travel and film for the Ben Player Project ? Which destinations? How many years of footage ? How many hours in the Waldron editing room?
Chad: We went to Hawaii, all over Australia, Chile, Canaries and Bali.
Kane: 3 years of filming, plus archive footage from other people.
About 2 months in post production.
Ben came to your place and edited with you ? Did he really had a lot of input in this project ?
Chad: I would have liked him to come and edit with me. But he was very busy training for the world title. We emailed him sections and he replied his feedback. It would have been a bit easier if he came to WBP HQ to edit. But it wasn’t possible
Those premieres are gonna be crazy hey, what do you expect ? Thousands of crazy kids running around. Millions are sharpies pens to sign autographs ?
Chad: We loved the old NF prems back in the day. That’s what got me into it in the first place. We want to try to bring it back. This is our biggest tour since Vague premiered at a local surf club in 04. We have 10 stops in total starting at Sunshine Coast and going all the way to Perth. Tickets got put online 1 week ago days ago and they are already selling like hot cakes. ITS GOING TO BE HUGE, you would hate to miss out.
We heard the DVD was only gonna be available at the premieres, what’s that all about ? (Keep a copy for me by the way ! heheh). What’s up with distribution for the rest the world ?
Chad: It makes it cheaper for the customer. Instead of paying $20 for the prem then another $40-45. Now all its going to cost you is $30 and you get the lot. Overseas distribution is going to be the same as we usually do it. Unless someone wants to put the events on for us over there????
Is this the biggest bodyboarding film you’ve done ? Was it way more expensive to produce ?
Chad: Yeah for sure!!! Usually it only takes 1 month to edit our DVD’s. But Ben’s vid has taken us a good 2 months or more to edit, due to the fact we have ridiculous amounts of footage. And we are making one of Ben’s dreams come true, so we wanted to put as much effort into it as we possibly could. I think we have succeeded. This one was a lot more expensive cause of all the motion graphics and Studio shots we have had made for the DVD. But in the long run that’s what’s going to set this DVD apart from all the rest of the muppets out there.
Kane: See this is why we always argue. The motion graphics and studio pieces are good. But I’d be going to watch this movie because the level of Bodyboarding is higher than any other DVD we’ve ever made. Heck, I’m going to throw it out there, it’s a higher level than any other Bodyboarding DVD I’ve ever seen, every section is good enough to be and intro for our previous movies.
Can you actually make a living from being video makers or is it really hard? Kids always think it’s a dream job and it’s easy and you can make money but I reckon it’s definitely not that easy and it’s not lucrative. What’s you’re say about this?
Chad: We have always found it very hard to live off the DVD’s. It would probably help if we’d stop buying new camera equipment all the time. We have both always had part time jobs to get us by. It’s kind of tough too cause its hard trying to find a job that will let you bail down the coast at the drop of a hat.
Kane: I haven’t made one single cent out of this biz, I work every weekend in a bar and kids wonder why I’m there. We are not Hollywood and we can’t afford to have people pirating our work. Why do you think Chris White stopped making Tension, No Friends have stopped and many other as well. There will be no bodyboarding DVD’s in 2 years I think. I know that one QLD rat named Brandon Thorpe Waluew doing it and to be honest I would keep doing it if there was some money in it, but you need money to live off.
Alright, enough with the Benny project questions. Back to the Waldrons Bros. What are you gonna do when the premieres are over?
Chad: Detox
What’s your next project ?
Chad: I want to concentrate on the BOOM podcast. That thing has taken off. We have been top sports podcast in Australia for a couple of weeks straight on many occasions beating ALF, car racing, BMX and even skating. I think it’s a great medium and the kids love it cause its free. Not to mention it’s a great way to advertise your products/brand.
Where are you going next? On vacations? On a film trip again ? Stay home?
Chad: Here is that exclusive you wanted. This will be the LAST DVD we will work on together. Kane is moving on to pursue other things and I will only be doing the BOOM! podcast’s. I’ll only make another DVD if I’m contracted to do so by a company.
Do you guys wanna add anything ?
Kane: Thanks for your support Theo
Thanx a lot for time and collaboration !
Cheers,
Theo
December 11, 2008 at 11:30 pm | Spongercity Interviews News
A hard cover coffee table style book, 160 pages, over 200 photographs, about 9,500 words, years of dedication and hard work: here comes DLUX. We never interviewed Phil Gallagher before and although this is a mistake, well, the release of his new book was a really good way to repair the mistake and eventually have a chat with Phil. 15 Q’s with Phil. Some Q’s about his book, and some about his life and job as a professionnal photographer.
Click here to meet Phil and read his interview.
December 11, 2008 at 5:51 pm | Spongercity Interviews News
DLUX preview slideshow continues here with photo 02, then photo 03, photo 04, photo 05, photo 06, photo 07, and ends with photo 08. Get yourself a book for more !
A hard cover coffee table style book, 160 pages, over 200 photographs, about 9,500 words, years of dedication and hard work: here comes DLUX. We never interviewed Phil Gallagher before and although this is a mistake, well, the release of his new book was a really good way to repair the mistake and eventually have a chat with Phil. 15 Q’s with Phil. Some Q’s about his book, and some about his life and job as a professionnal photographer. Meet Phil.
1- Howdy Phil ?
Hello there my cyber friends.
2- Can you introduce yourself for those who might not know who you are ?
My name is Phil Gallagher i am 29 years old and i live in Australia.
3- Your friends call you Toinz, where does this come from ?
Believe it or not your the first interview to ever ask that! Its a long story but it all started when i was around 15 and made some pretty big calls about a looming weather system. There was a weather man called phil Toinby and then people started to call me toinzy. Nothing too amazing just stuck and then its been with me ever since.
4- So you just released your own photography book called DLUX, i went thru all the pages today and i must say i was amazed. It’s probably the first real photography book in the history of bodyboarding. It’s the shiznit, the papa of all photo books i’ve seen. How long did you work on this project ? Was it your idea ? did your friends talked you into putting together a book ?
Firstly Thanks for the praise on the book, I started this project around a year ago and put the thoughts in motion for something to happen i did not really know where it would end up but in the end it became a book. It stemmed from being tired of working with magazines and never really having the final say on how your images where displayed. I wanted to show people a quality collection of images and words on bodyboarding thats all i knew. My friends all have been amazing some with the skills and talents which helped produce this book and other with the total support and praise throughout the project
5- Mate, even the packaging is sick, i’ve kept the box. Are you sure you’ll make money selling these ? The book looks like it should cost twice the price.
The cost of these is very cheap for the customers i know, I did not set out to make a huge amount of money from this more of just getting it out there and enjoying the project. I only wanted to make enough funds to pay me for my time spent on this and thats it. as for the packaging i just love any little extra things you can do to keep it fun.
6- Was the choice hard among all the shots you had ?
It was without a doubt the hardest part of the process, I had so many images which all meant alot to me for different reasons. In the end i tried to make a mix of what i thought people would like to see and what i wanted to make people see, In a way its really putting myself out there for you to look and judge so i wanted it to represent who and what i am.
7- Whats the percentage of digital versus classic film photos ?
50 – 50. nearly all the first section in film and alot of the lifestyle and portrait work is film. All the new action is digital.
8- Your lifestyle pics are awesome too, this is what’s cool with the book as well. You obviously like shooting all kinda subjects, is there anything or any places you like better ?
I love the desert of Australia and the urban crazy scene of the US for landscape images. As for surfing i think you can not go past OZ, Europe and Pacific.
9- Do you bodyboard when you’re not shooting ?
Sometimes, I used to ride alot thats where my love of shooting bodyboarding comes from. These days if the waves are good i will shoot but if i can sneak a session in i will. I love DK.
10- Among all the shots in the book is there anyone you’d pick over all the other ones ? or any epic souvenir attached to one picture in particular ?
I can not pick any one image to tell the truth but the dolphin jumping over Chris James is some what amazing a real once in a life time chance.
11- Who do you shoot the most or who do you like working with ?
I try to work with a big mix of riders as it helps your skills be trained in all conditions and levels of riding. But the Guys in WA like Brad Hughes and Chad JAckson are by far the best crew to call when its going to be big and crazy. we go along way back and we all know each other so well that it all just seems to easy when we join forces.
12- Is it hard to make a living as a pro photographer (specially a bbing pro photographer) ?
Its hard but its a lifestyle choice plain and simple. If i wanted to make a lot of money i would shoot something like fashion or studio work. But i love the adventure and travel so i choose my passion over cash. I do shoot alot of other things besides bodyboarding which helps when the waves are flat.
13- What equipment do you currently have ? What would you buy if you had unlimited budget for your photo equipment ?
I have all sorts of equipment, it ranges from Canon Digital bodies, film bodies and nikon digital. All types of lenses from super wide right through to telephoto big suckers. Studio equipment including lighting, backdrops and a range of lenses and film bodies i use all meduim format. 3 Water housings, and every other thing you could think of. Actually i have more gear than most other guys out there but i like to be ready for anything and love to experiment. If i had unlimited funds???? I would buy the latest and greatest large format digital equipment and some portable lighting setups plus a new car to drive it around in.
14- Do you shoot stand ups and sell pictures to stand up mags as well ?
Yeah i choose to shoot who ever and what ever is around. Stand surfing is a totally different style of riding so it keep it nice and fresh. I also like to shoot long boarding.
15- If you could do it all over again since the first time you ever touched a camera, what would you do ?
I would try to gain some on the job experience to cut down on the learning curve a little bit but i am happy with the way i have progressed through my career. I always worked hard in jobs to be able to afford my gear and one day i packed my bags and left on a job and i have not worked a single day for someone else since. If you want to do something you just have to believe in yourself and have a goal.
Thanx for you time and once again, congratulation on your brand new book mate.
Theo – Spongercity.com
You can purchase this book through my website at www.philgallagher.com/shop
October 21, 2008 at 11:48 am | Spongercity Interviews News
We just interviewed Mason Rose. Mason is a Dk legend, super talented and stylish rider. Read what Mason has to say about the current state of Dk riding, his projects, his work, life in general, and his upcoming trip to Europe.
Read the interview.
October 20, 2008 at 5:48 pm | Spongercity Interviews News
Check Mason’s bodyboarding photo gallery: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15
Check Mason’s breakdancing photo gallery: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12
When it comes to drop kneeing there’s a only a couple names that come to mind automatically: Roach, Lyman, McGee, Jack The Ripper, Kyle Maligro, Phil Harnsberger, Crispin Hughes, Fred Booth, Lackey, and Mason Rose.
We might have forgoten a few names, please forgive us ! Anyway, you can’t talk about dk without mentionning Mason Rose. He’s one of the most talented and stylish Dker out there. Huge backside snaps, massive frontside airs, throwing buckets every turn, and a unique and powerful style.
Unfortunately – or so it seems – we didnt see too much footage of Mason recently and havent heard about him for a while. This until we read his interview in a recent Movement Mag issue. Is Mason back in the light ? Nah. Don’t call it a come back. Mason’s been here the whole time, ripping and doing his thing, working and producing films and events.
We had the great opportunity to interview Mason two weeks ago, right before he leaves home and travels to Europe in November. Here’s what Mason has to say:
Hi Mason, how are you ?
I am very good, because i am coming to france to meet all the boogie down brothers! yewwwwwwwww!
Can you introduce yourself ? where do you currently live ?
Yo whats up my name is Mason Rose i have been riding for 20 years, i was born in a coastal town called Port Macquarie on the east coast of Australia, started travelling when i was 15 years old, im 6″1 and weigh 80kg.
So you’re about to hit the road, jump in planes and travel around the world hey ?
I work hard for 5 months of the year filming and editing things like music videos, commercials, dvd’s, i also produce events, after i finnish all this work i have enough money to start bodyboarding, travelling and relaxing…So this year i have planned a trip to europe.
I have to work filming in france for 5 days in november but its something im looking forward to anyway…I im filming the REDBULL BCONE Breaking aka Breakdancing championships. After this event im heading to the coast to surf and shoot for my movie…i hope to see some tallent there cause i know there is alot!
What’s the itinerary ? where did you plan to surf ?
Germay first off in mid october, i am going to surf the rapid wave before they knock it down, after there im going to switz for a bboyin event called circle kings, after that spain, after that paris france for 5 days then heading to the coast on the6th nov…im only going to be surfing the french coast unless there is some dope ass swell in the canaries.
It seems like we’ve seen you a lot more in the recent mags, does this coincide with you having a new board sponsor ? or did you just get involved more with bodyboarding again ?
The polatics that come with being a professional sometimes sux balls especially when all the Magazine editors are your age and once upon a time used to compete against them back in the day – they tend to palm you off to the shadows, i have had some dope shots never ran in mags cause the editor has no clue on the real shit! they’d rather give you some pop song photo for all the lollypop lickers (ohhhh shit – snap!), the thing is i try and stay under the radar, i don’t give myself to every photographer or video maker out there, i like to work with ppl on my level, innovators not money makers!…
I love bodyboarding and i won’t ever stop riding, either if its stand up on the bodyboard, dk or prone i love feeling different out in the water, i always try and make my moves, no bail outs and moves just for the shot and i try do them as fresh as i possibly can, i guess what im trying to say is if your seeing alot more of me lately its not because ive been more involved but maybe because people are getting sick of seeing the same thing….I have alot more years in me yet!
You’ve got one of the best styles out there on the knee, where did you learn to drop knee like this and who inspired you ?
AKA LYMAN Period!
He is style, the natural steez – there is aggression and then there is smooth power, Aka is smooth power and thats my inspiration, he is the ultimate!
…just a bit below that would be roach, its funny because there are 2 names that come to my mind and i think its because im older…roach and aka….legends of the sport and ive dedicated my life to their teachings “RESPECT”? I feel that these guys should be classed as the best, i feel i will never reach that level they reached, i will try but i feel even if i tried my hardest id still only get half way! I need to move to hawaii and for the Dropknee Kings! hahahaa…I just like to add not only do they ride with style but they cruise with style to and they are both so very humble not to mention KOOL!
Who inspires you today ?
Prone wise and new gen wise i’d say in no order, mitch rawlings, Pierre, micah mcmullin, dubb, bud, garth mcgreggor ohhhh ishhh there are alot of dudes from hawaii that i respect and the reason im coming to europe is to discover the tallent there…i want to see it for myself…i want to meet everyone i can i want to do an instore promo and talk to the bodyboarders, get to know them and see the personallity of the people…Lets make it happen….Show me some love France!
You used to prone and be really good at it from what i can remember, you never prone anymore ? what motivated you to stop prone and go DK 100% ?
I used to compete heavily against the best and without seeming cocky or up myself i used to win events against hardy, kingy, stewart etc..
Style was my focus…I have alot of tapes of me when i was younger and in the movie im bringing out you will see me proning…hahaha…its been along time but i still can do it, i feel i could still win an event but after a while of proneing competitively i felt like i wasn’t getting the chanllenge i needed to stay motivated and ive always been versatyle in my riding and so i decided one day i want to make my mark in dropknee history and it came naturally, i remember when i was 12 years old i got my first compliment for riding dk…
I started as a surfboarder at the age of 5 and did a few comps at 10years of age but i just wanted to have fun in the barrel and so i got on the boogie and been maseboogie ever since…
Is it hard to be a pro DKer nowadays ?
It is hard to promote yourself and make movements in the industry, Its hard cause alot of the mag editors are prone riders, back in the day dk was a focus and the editors were dk riders…In this day and age people have no idea of the history/heritage of the sport, i see so many dk riders but alot are not motivated to become famous or professional, they just do it because they love doin it and i respect them for that, i also resent them for that…for me i wanted to educate and motivate and for them to not want to make their mark makes me feel like ive failed…
DK riders are always going to be the stand outs, the bad kids, the rebels but also the leaders…a dk rider is an indervidual that has respect among his peers!
Do you have to work or does bodyboarding covers all your needs and you’re pretty making a living out of it ?
Turbo Bodyboards have me working for them as directional marketing director, I get paid as an employee and a rider and so it works well for me as i have a say in the production of the boards and if you don’t know already i am one person to be very presice with quality, materials and also the shaping, this company will deliver the best quality boards for bodyboarders worldwide, there are no shitty bad quality boards in the production of Turbo, period!
We are about bringing the original heritage of the sport back and making moves that will help bodyboarders around the globe…
I am also scouting 2 team riders for Turbo while in Europe…so impress me yo! I want to sponsor you!
Do care about the Dk scene in Oz ? the bbing scene in general ? or you jut do you own stuff and this is it ?
I care about the world wide scene…we need to filter out all the wack companies who are not putting back into the culture!
I like to do my own thing aswell but i do have alot to say about the direction of the sport ive been here since the beginning, ive seen the mistakes and have been fucked over by my sponsors to many times!…i never want to make anyone go through the ish i have gone through…if anyone i feel i deserve to be where i am now in the sport…i have payed alot of dues during my carreer and all i want to do now is make sure we don’t make the same mistakes we did in the past…i want to teach our industry and learn from all the bodyboarders around the globe!
Any kids you’ve seen ripping on the knee ?
Like i said there are heaps of kids…HEAPS but who are they? what is your name? i want to be inspired but you gotta make an effort, have a dream, want to travel, want to tyr and beat me!…I don’t want to name names because its not fair…ill say one kids name…keegan cronin, he could be good if he opens up and breaks free! but like i said its up to the soul of yourself, maybe you just want to do a 9 to 5 job and surf on the weekends but i say thats a waist of time and tallent! get out there my brothers!
Do you stand up surf too ?
Yes, but only twin fin fish tails or my danny kim bodyboard…and only in waves under 4 feet.
When will we be able to watch your world trip footage or pictures ? Are you going to film and shoot ?
I am working on a mason rose movie…due out hawaii 2009…as for the photos…i will have a photog with me shooting the whole trip..his name is conan whitehouse He has alot of tallent…and is a funny mother f#cker hahahahaaa…I will get as many of the shots to as many mags as i can worldwide…
Do you mind letting us know what kinda board you ride ? Which dimensions ? Core ? Stringers ?
I forget my dimensions cause i have been testing alot of different styles for my new Turbo limited edition board but i use PE or dowe core with 2 stringers, 50/50 rails i think i use a 10.5 inch nose…I freaking love my boards…i seem to not fall off these days bhahahahahaaaaaaaa….jokes
Do you have any kind of preferences when it comes to shapes, rails etc. ? It’s pretty hard to find a good dk board, how did you find what works best for you ?
Years of riding and testing…i feel simple works best, my Turbo pro models are exactly what i ride…you gotta try it out to believe!
What’s your favorite bbing video ?
fumanchu
untouchables
untimate wave riding vehicle
no rules
boogie knights
rot
the inside
bodyboarding video magazine
hawaii nine o
hawaii nine 1
hawaii nine 2 etc etc
momentum 1
Favorite wave in the world ?
Lighthouse Beach & Sandy Beach
Where do you reckon is the best place to be a dker ?
Hawaii – Sandy beach and rockypoint + LHB
You’d rather ride a long and shreddable wave in indo with plenty of speed and walls to pump like crazy or a hollow, intensen, heavy and short slab in oz ?
indo for sure…but id rather ride a wave that has set ups like a skate park…i just want to hit lips and fly like Jordan…
Are there any limits to dropknee big waves or really hollow waves ?
Comes down to the rider but yes i feel dking big waves is limited…dk is about the moves and the style, for the big waves we should turn to the jack stance, outside grabrail bottom turns…board innovation aswell, tow ins and ish…i want to do it for sure but for me…i just want to do hectic turns, floaters and air tricks with combos…i want to do everything as stylish as possible…i want to stand out when im the only bodyboarder out in a pack of surfboarders etc…i want to be powerful!
It seems all good dkers have had problems with their knees doing snaps or floats, did you hurt yourself before ?
bhahahahahaaaa….yeah i did but it was my fault…i didn’t wax up my new board and was trying some stupid floaters, came down wrong and tweeked my knee…oh well…what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger hahahaaa.. werrrrrrrd!
You’re also a super good breakdancer, does this help with bodyboarding and vice versa ?
Hell yeah…it helps alot, im not super good but i love it and more focusing these days on funk styles rather than bboying now…i love the music or more importantly I LOVE MUSIC!
What helps most to get fit ? dancing or bodyboarding ?
Bodyboarding…but dancing isn’t far behind, i feel breaking hurts more and recovery takes more time but you also build more strength with bboying…
What kinda music do you listen to ?
anything from funk to bosa nova, hiphop to disco, newjack to electro, soul to RnB, gangsta to Rap, pop to rock, slow pace to indie…i love original artists!
Did you prepare a special playlist for your world trip ? WHat’s gonna be rocking in your headphones on the plane ?
bhahahahahahahahaaaaaa…..just like any wax digger i don’t give out my pepper hahahahaaaa…i got alot of mastered vynal and if your putting on a party ill lay down some party tracks for everyone to get down to but i ain’t seriously giving the track to everyone who reads this on a platter…hahahahaaaaa….any good dj will know what im talking about. werrrd!
I hope we’ll see you during your trip ! We’ll let our visitors know where you are and where they can see you surf mate ! Do you wanna add anything to this interview ?
Respect the oldskool, learn from the best and have fun cause thats the main thing…having fun with your friends! my friends are my family and i love them till im in a grave also don’t let the world get you down and come between your friendships…the governments are fucked up and there plan has been set in place way before our time we just gotta keep our eyes open and ears to the ground and if ish don’t seem right….stand the fuck up and make it known! its end days if we let it be end days…
Just go surf and make love! stay healthy and keep learning. have fun TODAY!
Peace to the zulu nation and check out my site www.sevenshadows.com if you want a copy of the sevenshadows dvd i Produce. PEACE to all dk riders and peace to Spongercity.com !
Maseoneskee 2008
Cheers,
Theo
Spongercity.com
July 14, 2008 at 5:39 pm | Spongercity Interviews News
Check Dan’s shaping photo gallery: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10
The Dan Sivess Interview – Spongercity.com – July 2008
Hey wassup Dan ? Where are you right now ? What are you up to ?
Hey mate, things are good. Just sitting by the pool with my laptop at the Hyatt in Jakarta, finally found a free moment to focus on this interview. Sorry it took so long! I’m up here taking a weekend away from Surabaya to spend some time with my girlfriend and relax.
How was your Bali trip with the VS and NMD teams ? looks like you guys had a good time.
Yeah the trip was sick. Was good to meet all the team guys and see them all surf. I was only there for the first week of their trip but felt really privileged to have an opportunity to be there with what I would consider to be the worlds best bodyboarders. I think everyone out there will be pretty excited by some of the footage the boys got, i know Nick’s (Nick Mesritz) has some cool plans for it all. The trip was pretty full on for Nick and myself with all the driving and late night airport pickups and early morning surfs, I think we got an average of about 4hours sleep for the first few days!
Can you introduce yourself and what your job is for some of our readers who might not know who you are ?
My name is Dan Sivess, I work in the bodyboard factory in Indonesia with Nick Mesritz. My main role here is to oversee production but i guess i do a bit of everything and anything. A lot of my time is spent converting the shapes customers want into our 2 cutting machines, making the sheets and specs for our production staff to follow and making sure our boards are of the best quality. In the time between I build customs for team riders. Most people who do know me, know me from my customs or DSC but in actually fact that is only a small part of my job. That said, shaping customs is definitely my passion and I am very lucky that i get to shape for a great mix of riders.
How did you get into shaping boards ? is it something you were always interested in or did it just happen coz you had an opportunity to try and learn from someone ?
I guess it was a bit of both. Ever since i started work in the factory back in New Zealand I’ve tried to push myself and tried to be the best at what i do. It wasn’t until Nick came back to work for Broady (the company name in NZ) and I saw him shaping customs that I discovered there could be something more to the job then what i’d been doing up till then. Since then I wanted to learn to shape but it wasn’t until coming to Indo with Nick in 2002 that i finally got the opportunity to learn. My job in NZ had taught me the basics and given me time to refine my skills in the finishing side of board making such as healing the chines, noses and tails and then laminating rails and finish rolling etc. Nick taught me all the rest, how to map out the dimensions, cut the template and shape the core. I owe much of where i am today to Nick’s mentoring.
How did you end up managing the biggest bodyboard factory on earth with Mez ?
I started working for Broady in 1999 the year after i finished College. In 2002 the company was forced to move to Indonesia due to the rising cost of labour and overall costs of running a factory in NZ. Nick asked me if I would join him. Most of the guys in the factory at the time had no intention of moving to Indonesia and to be honest i also had my own doubts about it all. I was 21 and leaving everything i knew to move to a city called Surabaya on the island of Java to make bodyboards was pretty damn intimidating. I’m glad i took the risk though. The first couple of years were really really tough. We had to start the business from scratch, train staff while dealing with the whole language barrier and being away from all our family and friends.
What do you guys do at the factory basically ?
To begin with we were doing a hell of a lot of the actual production, working on the floor everyday with the boys, sweating our nutz off, training staff, running machinery and doing whatever needed to be done. These days things run a lot smoother and we have a great bunch of staff who we can trust which allows us a bit of time to breathe and focus more on creating good shapes and improve on the little things that give boards from our factory that something extra. There is quite a bit of time spent on emails and communicating with the customer to get their ranges dialed in. We also have to build spec sheets and keep a close eye on quality control and dealing with any problems that come along. In between these things i fit in my customs for the team guys.
Can you tell us more about living and shaping and working everyday in Java / Surabaya ?
It’s tough…. The hardest part is being alone, away from family and friends and it certainly took quite some time to get used to that. Unfortunately Surabaya is not what people imagine when you tell them you live in Indonesia. It is basically a big concrete jungle and we have NO BEACH! Luckily Bali is only a half hour flight away for when we get the chance to get down there and get some waves. It was pretty hard to get used to the way people here work, in that it is necessary to have at least double the man power to do a job that would have taken one person in NZ, but once you learn that European work ethics have no place here and relax things seems to flow a lot smoother. There are definitely perks to living here though, we have a maid at home that lives with us and cooks and cleans and a driver that takes us to and from work everyday. The everyday living costs here allow us to save some coin too which was and is a huge plus to living here too. One thing most people notice almost straight away when they come over is the traffic, it’s chaos out there! The heat is also pretty in your face and took a fair while to adjust to.
You are one of the 3 star shapers involved in the great VS project, along with Todd and Jarrod from QCD, what does your job consists of with VS ?
I basically supply the shape that I think is best for the stockboards based on the boards I’ve dialed in year by year working on Pierre’s customs, give my input on the colourways for the model and anything else that I think could help the brand.
Do you communicate with Todd, Jarrod and Mez to work on the VS image and brand ? work with riders and shapes etc. ?
Not so much. I only really communicate with Nick but the concepts and direction for the brand is all him. We do all give him our 2 cents worth and help out with anything we can. More so we work on the custom shape of riders and the board design side of things.
You’re more specifically the PLC’s boards designer / shaper for VS, how is that ? how do you work with Pierre ?
It’s great. I love the concept of rider and shaper and am proud to have been asked to be a part of it. All the materials and colours are exactly what Pierre, Mitch and Ryan ride so I reckon it gives that custom feel to each board and allows the public to ride a board which is pretty much exactly what their favorite riders are using. The only contact myself and Pierre have had is really through email as obviously we are limited by where we live. It was good to catchup on the VS trip to Bali, talk on his boards and see the kid surf… Goodtimes! 
Is Pierre picky with his boards or he just tells you what he likes and you go from there and he rips anyway on whatever he rides ?
Pierre is pretty good and not too picky. It’s always a process with every rider and all guys tend to make slight changes here and there until we get the magic formula. The best boards always tend to happen when the rider has a fair idea what he wants but allows me to experiment or change things here and there where i believe it necessary or think the shape needs it. With Pierre I think we have the board pretty perfect for now but I’m sure we will slowly have to scale up the size of his board as he grows.
Any little changes for the 2009 on the VS range of boards ? any new stuff coming ? How is the new PLC board by the way ? We want an exclusive scoop from you for Spongercity ! nah just kidding !
Yeah we’ve got a few changes this time around. We have a new CNC machine this year to cut out the boards, this means super clean, super accurate shapes and they have never looked better! I’m happier than ever with Pierre’s shape and can’t wait to see how everyone likes it. Nick’s has also come up with VSAP (Versus Art Project) which combines a sick artist to each of our rider/shaper models… The art these guys have come up with is crazy and i think everyone is going to love the new look.
How long do you spend every week shaping boards for the VS team riders and the other pros you shape for ? Is it hard to switch between the shaping room and managing people and stuff in the factory ?
It’s kinda hard to say as the custom orders don’t come through in any sort of order. I tend to get a crap load in one hit and more often then not everyone needs them at short notice. I guess I spend a bit of time most days shaping and just try to fit it in between the rest of my work as best as i can. It’s a bit of a juggling act at times, especially when Nick’s back in Aussie and I’m up here on my own. In the beginning I was focussing a little to much on the customs and had to kinda take a small step back and focus more on the factory but I think I’ve found a good medium now and learned to have my mind on the managing things even while in the shaping bay.
Do you still surf as much as you want to ? Bali is close to Java but you guys seem to work like crazy and have very little time to enjoy the Bali reefs and beaches actually hey ?
Yeah dude, seems crazy but we hardly ever get down to Bali even though it’s around a 30 min flight away. I probably only get a surf once every few months which sucks but at least when I do get in the water the waves are generally pretty good. Work has kinda taken over my life! hahaha…
Do you go back to NZ to see family and friends quite often ?
Only at Xmas time and if I’m not too busy once in the middle of the year. That was my biggest sacrifice with this job and I know it is also hard on my parents only seeing me once or twice in a year. It’s amazing how much you learn to appreciate your family and friends when you don’t get to see them so often. I’m lucky to have great parents who have supported me throughout even when all the crap hit the fan with the Bali bombings etc. I’ve lived here in Surabaya for 6 and a half years so basically this is home for me now.
Did you watch the new Isolated DVD from NZ ? we’ll review it next week, looks like there’ heaps of good waves in NZ.
I actually did get a chance to watch it when i was home last and thought the guys did a nice job. NZ waves can be pretty Isolated so the dvd is pretty aptly named. There is a very hard core, passionate group of bodyboarders in NZ and it’s great to see them getting their own dvd out there. We aren’t very well known for our waves down there but if your willing to search there are definitely good waves around.
You’re also involved in the design / shapes for the HB team and brand, can you tell us more about that ?
I’ve been working with Terry at HB and his team for quite a few years now. I help them out by working on the range, give them my opinion on board models and any extra features and design the shapes for each board. I’ve also worked with the HB team guys on their customs and injected a lot of those shapes and ideas into their stock models.
Who’s the most picky rider you shape for (all teams or brands included) ? and who seems to know what he likes better and is the most easy rider to work with ?
Hmmmm their are a few picky riders but the one that springs to mind would probably be Dean Fergus (HB), he always wants every feature under the sun! I’m not a big fan of cluttering boards with too many features, i prefer to keep it cleaner. The easiest rider to work with is a hard one to pick. I like working with guys who know what the direction they want to go with their board but leave the templates up to me and trust my judgement on the dimensions and are open to trying something new. I also like working with guys who give me feedback about their customs so i can see if any small changes i may have made worked or didn’t work and if they liked them. I’ve been enjoying working with guys like Jose Marquina (BZ), Amaury Lavernhe (Sniper), Brad Hughes (HB) and of course Pierre Loius Costes (VS) because of those reasons.
Most pros seem to ride a PE/stringer or PE/stringer/mesh combo these days, and i’m sure a lot of readers are wondering why since PP seems more durable and has more projection even though PE has more control ? What’s your idea on materials and material combos ? You’re riding a PP+mesh board and it seems to be quite a good combo isnt it ?
A major reason for the Pro’s preferring to ride PE surlyn boards is that they are riding in bigger, more powerful waves where gaining speed from their board is easier and control of that speed is more important. The PE core allows them stall and control their speed a lot easier than with the stiffer PP core. PE core can be a lot less forgiving and is better suited for more experienced riders that know how to use a waves power to create speed. The Pros can all get free boards from their sponsors so don’t have to worry as much about the boards lasting so long whereas your average grom needs a board thats going to last them as long as possible. PP stringer boards are definitely a good option for most people out there who want an all round board which should, assuming they have a good shaped board from a solid brand, last them a fair while and be well suited in most waves. Many of the Pros who normally ride PE are actually giving PP boards a bit more of a go these days though especially in smaller, comp conditions. In the end it is a feel thing where each rider has to test and ride what feels the best for them and complements their personal riding style. I love my PP/Mesh/No Stringer board as it has the perfect flex for me and I can always shape up another if it gets hammered but I wouldn’t recommend it to someone who expects their board to last forever or someone who is busting and landing solid airs as you’d probably bend her in half after not too many of those.
How would you advise younger people to take full advantage of their boards, playing with materials, shapes and water temps or type of waves they surf ? is having a quiver of boards a good idea ?
It’s always a good idea for people to try out different types of cores, shapes, sizes etc. until you know what you like. I guess a lot of younger guys are influenced in their choice by what their friends or favorite rider uses but it doesn’t hurt to keep an open mind with boards. Most people know that cores get stiffer in cold water so should think about the sort of flex they want in response to the water temp in their area before choosing between PP and PE. If you live in a country with hot summers and cold waters it would be best to have a PP and PE in your favorite shape, use the PP in summer and the PE in winter. As i said above I definitely recommend purchasing a board with a stringer as it will last longer and you’ll get better value for money. Having a quiver is good if you can afford it but if not find a shape you like and go from there. Don’t be afraid to try something new maybe mix it up with your mates boards and see how different materials and tails feel. Always check the boards out carefully in the shop and choose the board with the flattest rocker and the one that looks the best quality wise, not necessarily the best colour combo 
Do you have your own little shaping habits ? any little things you like doing and no one else seems to do ?
I don’t really know… I suppose I like to have everything pretty organized before even starting the board. I prepare all the custom sheets with all the dimensions, colours, materials and the speeds, heats and pressures that i’ll run the slicks and decks and all the screen printing info first so that it’s ready when i step into the shaping room. I also heal my chines, nose and tails with the slick up rather then down and like to use a small knife for my trimming instead of a drag knife.
How do you come up with a rider’s model ? shape ? stamps ? logos ? etc. what’s the process ? Do you feel like you decide most of everything or some riders seem to be more involved or interested in their shapes ?
I don’t have my own brand at this stage so aside from my DSC I’ve never really had to worry about creating the logos. All the brands we make here have their own artists and art direction for their board model logos etc. I know Nick does all of the NMD logos himself but he definitely works with Ben and Winny on the ideas that he comes up with. In regards to the actual shapes myself and Nick have a lot of input and either help the other brands by coming up with shapes or make sure that the shapes they supply us with are suitable. Most times a riders signature model will be loosely based around their custom board and then scaled from that original template into the different sizes.
What does it take to be a good shaper ? Any advice maybe for people who might wanna shape boards one day ?
Patience, hard work and like any sort of trade a willingness to start at the bottom and work your way up. All the best shapers spent years just sanding cores and running laminators and doing the basic, day to day shit that comes with working in a factory. I think you also need to really enjoy making things with your hands and much of the time need to be willing to put work before play which can mean sacrificing time in the water for time in the shaping bay. Bodyboard shaping is a tough industry to get involved in these days as the majority of the companies are based in Asia or are small custom facilities that need very little manpower. Unless your an absolute legend and can teach yourself and create all your equipment and everything from scratch then i guess you gotta get lucky and know someone in the industry who needs an assistant and is willing to teach you the ropes.
You learned from Mez who learned from Buzz @ Toobs in the US, that’s a pretty cool way to pass the shaping knowledge, who’s gonna learn from you and Mez now ?
No one it dies with us! muhahahaha. Jokes jokes… Hmmmm it’s a good question, the first Indo shaper maybe?? Nah, seriously though I have no idea, we will have to wait and see mate…
Thanx a lot for your time Dan !
Talk to you soon,
Cheers
Theo
Spongercity.com
June 5, 2008 at 5:39 pm | Spongercity Interviews, Moving Pictures News
NMD launches NMDtv, an internet based video division that will showcase the many talents of the NMD and VS teams. Over the coming months, in association with BOOM! bodyboarding Podcast (Waldron Bros), NMDtv will release progressive podcast episodes of the recent team trip to Indonesia, showcasing all the sessions, interviews and out-takes with NMD team riders Ben Player, Dave Winchester, Joe Clarke, Max Arent, Thorpe Waleuw and Charlie Holt. Also staring the VS project riders Mitch Rawlins, Ryan Hardy and Pierre-Louis Costes. Be sure to keep an eye out for brand new episodes launching monthly on Boom! bodyboarding.
First up on NMDtv is Joe Clarke. To Download and subscribe go here or click here to go directly to iTunes.
We already watched the Joe Clarke stuff and it’s super duper. We got to see Joe surf last month in Indo while we were there and now seeing the complete footage on the podcast is sick. Smooth style and perfect leg crossed reverse’s.
Here is a photo preview of the Joe Clarke Profile and NMDtv clips: The NMD and VS crew in Bali last month, a cool Winny invert, Joe Clarke making friends, and Padang Padang…
November 14, 2007 at 5:37 pm | Spongercity Interviews News
SPONGERCITYINTERVIEW_BENPLAYER_LASTWORDS
INTERVIEW done on the 8th of March 2005 – “Last Questions” with Ben Player
BEN PLAYER not only works at Movement Mag but he’s everywhere : he’s in every single Mag and video, he competes on the world tour and makes it to the top 10 if not the top 5 of the RIPTIDE peer poll every year for the past five years (#6 this year). Ben’s surfing is creative and as stylish as it gets, he’s impressive in the water and super cool out of the water. He was probly out of the water and at home in Oz the other day when i asked Ben if he was ok to be interviewed for playbord.com coz he said yes pretty quickly and answered his emails for a couple days. We got lucky… Anyway, both me and Ben thought that a real interview is kinda boring and lacks of spontaneity and authenticity so we agreed on the ‘Last Words’ interview format (which i must admit i borrowed to TransworldSURF Mag). I sent Ben the 30 or so quick questions and got my answers the next day. That was last week, we cant be more fresh than this on playbord ! So here are Ben’s last words and facts :
Last surf you had : Yesterday at Black Rock. 4 ft and flawless. I surfed for 9 hours.
Last mind-blowing barrel : Backdoor January 05
Last board you loved : The board I have now, Grey top, white pin and red outside rail.
Last trip you went on : A road trip yesterday ; a 4 hour drive each way.
Last bodyboard movie you watched : Raised Heights, Waldren Bros. Video…insane
Last rider who blew your mind : Morgan Brown ; an local aboriginal at Balck Rock yesterday.
Last time you got dropped in on : Yesterday and got a nose of a board in my ribs
Last time you were scared : January 24th at Pipe 12-15 ft and no one out.
Last thing you bought yourself : A coffee this morning…Cappucino
Last car you rode in : My Holden Barina..small and cheap.
Last time you got lucky : A while ago…too long.
Last injury you had : mmmm, popped my shoulder yesterday and am killing today.
Last song you loved : Modest Mouse…that bling bling one.
Last thing that made you cuss out loud : All ways, I swear too much.
Last punch you threw : Ages ago…stupidly.
Last time something changed your life : The other day when I broke up with my girlfriend.
Last video part you were stoked on : Raised Heights
Last time you stand up surfed : 1 year ago.
Last thing you broke : My Apple G4, I fractured the LCD screen.
Last time you took a picture : 1 week ago with one of those LOMO cameras
Last book you read : Da Vinci Code
Last website you visited : Porn over the last couple of days…he he.
Last magazine you read : Movement
Last time you lied : The above question.
Last girl you kissed : Catherine my ex girlfriend
Last time you wished you were alone : After I kissed her goodbye…not.
Last time you wished all your mates were here : Today
Last time you thought you were gonna die : At Teahupoo a couple of years back.
Last time you felt inspired : Every moment I have time to appreciate life
Last time you said « it’s the last time » : The last time I broke up with my girlfriend.
THANX A LOT BEN
Spongercity.com
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