by The Editors on April 7, 2009
Today Dogtown Z-Boy turned director Stacy Peralta is using the first post on his new Huffington Post blog to talk about how difficult it was for him to get his new film Crips and Bloods Made In America financed.
It seemed so obvious to me, a slam-dunk, a downright compelling true life American story. The story of how the Crips and Bloods — two of the world’s most ‘iconic’ gangs — have been allowed to wage a virtual war within one of the richest cities in the world for 4 decades, a war that has taken over 15,000 lives in that time. . . .Yet I couldn’t find any studio or production company interested in financing my documentary. I went door to door, pitching my project to all of the ‘right’ people in Hollywood. All of them said it was a great idea and needed to be done — but no one would write a check.
Couldn’t he just shoot more Burger King commercials? Click the link for the rest of this amazing story.
[Link: The Huffington Post]
by The Editors on April 6, 2009
by The Editors on April 3, 2009
by The Editors on April 2, 2009
Wondering why your favorite skateboard industry head isn’t returning your calls today? They’re all holed up at Woodward West from April 1-3, 2009 skating the parks, drinking, and sitting in rooms listening to themselves talk at the Skateboarding Industry Summit 2009.
“So, how many people did you guys lay off last week? Really? That’s nothing. We gutted the entire finance department. No sales, no accounting. I heard you’re using a new paint on your boards. How’s that working for you? Phht: Twitter, yeah, I’m taken a dump right now world isn’t that cool? Don’t you wish more people were buying our boards. Maybe a prayer group would work. And how! Nike sure does suck. We’re focusing all our marketing efforts on social media this year. Social what? Did you enjoy your Woodward palace last night? Oh, shhhhh, here comes that guy from Converse. So what exactly are PR people supposed to do?”
Sounds like fun, huh?
[Link: International Association of Skateboard Companies]
by The Editors on April 1, 2009
As baffled as we are by the timing of this announcement (no, it’s not an April Fools joke), it would appear from a story posted on the Transworld Business website that Transworld Media reduced its staff today by eight people.
Here’s what Transworld Business Publisher Rob Campbell said:
We’ve had to report on a lot of layoffs over the past six months. Unfortunately, those stories usually involved friends and great people we’ve had close working relationships with for years. Today, the news hits especially close to home. . . TransWorld has eliminated eight positions within the company. Departments affected are TransWorld Business, Transworld Surf, TransWorld Skateboarding sales, marketing, and finance. More specifically, TransWorld Business lost two editors.
These “eight positions eliminated” do not appear to include a change made yesterday in the sales group at TransWorld’s Tustin office.
[Link: TransWorld Business]
by The Editors on April 1, 2009
This year’s celebrity skateboarder for the Long Beach Grand Prix Toyota Pro/Celebrity race is Danny Way (Bucky Lasek won the event in 2006). Already the Las Vegas line is picking him to win against stars like Adrien Brody, Keanu Reeves, Raven-Symoné, Alex Trebek, and P-Diddy’s butler Bentley.
As the world’s longest-running and most prestigious celebrity racing event, the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race has introduced more than 500 celebrities to the sport of real race car competition. Pitting popular personalities against professional racers, the 10-lap sprint around the 1.97-mile downtown Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach street circuit gives celebrities the chance to put the pedal to the metal from behind the wheel of race-ready Scion tCs.
Too bad about the cars, though.
[Link: Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race]
by The Editors on April 1, 2009
When Naples Police Officer Jullian Cercone, 26, caught Jose Vega, 13, his brother Michael and their two friends skateboarding in an area where they weren’t supposed to she could have roughed them up. But she didn’t, according to a story in Naples News.
Instead, she found a solution that would make the businesses happy all while keeping the boys rolling. . . “If it wasn’t for her, we wouldn’t be skateboarding,” Jose said. . . . Cercone also used her encounters as an opportunity to build a relationship with kids in the community. . . .“I think it’s important for the young kids in the community to develop a good rapport between themselves and the police department,” Cercone said. “They are the future of our county.”
Cercone went so far building rapport that she actually paid for the kids’ membership at the local skatepark. See, not all cops are power mad authority freaks. Apparently, it’s just the dudes. . .
[Link: Naples News]
by The Editors on April 1, 2009
[April Fools Day Story 2009] With Proactive Ink-X there always is a second chance and no one knows that better than Antwuan Dixon, Jereme Rogers and Braydon Szafranski, all of whom have reportedly signed on to back Proactiv’s new face tattoo removal creme, according to a press release posted on the South Of The North blog.
Known for its wide range of celebrity supporters, Proactiv will feature the three new members of the skate world in the brand’s 11th national television program, which began airing nationwide in America during peak face tattoo season. The new cycle will serve as a unique platform for the skaters to share his experience of what a face tattoo has done to their position in society. . . adds Rogers, “When you put it on your face, you can feel it actually getting the ink out. It feels like you have a brand new face. I might get a face tattoo of a dolphin sitting in a recliner hitting a bong like my friend Jimmy got in Cabo on spring break. I mean shit, it ain’t nothin’ Ink-X can’t get out.”
Hey, we never talk shit about a man’s need to get paid.
[Link: South of the North]
by The Editors on April 1, 2009
[April Fools Day Story 2009] Looks like Sole Technology’s Mr. Party All The Time Don Brown is throwing in his big red Skatepark of Tampa drinking cup, according to a press release sent out today.
“I just know it is time for me to jump from this DRINKING SHIP sinking ship. I’ll always remember partying myself into the slammer in Tampa with the SPoT hooligans! I just know that they have bigger bankruptcy issues to focus on right now than bailing me out of jail, so I’m quitting their Party Team for now,” said Don Brown, former SPoT Party Team Member. “Without the SPoT Party Team to regularly bail me out of jail I might find myself locked up with no alternative, so I will be seeking sponsorship from Liberty Bail Bonds. Does anybody know their team manager?”
Never thought we live to see this day. . . follow the jump for all the info.
[click to continue…]
by The Editors on April 1, 2009
[April Fools Day Story 2009] Looks like even the coolest guys in the skateboarding world can be dumb with their money. In a story released this morning the Skatepark of Tampa has announced that it will be filing for chapter 11 reorganization protection after opening too many stores and running up nearly $20 million in debt to a Tampa gentlemen’s club.
Owner Brian Schaefer said that he hopes the bankruptcy filing, while painful, will allow the company, which is celebrating its 16th anniversary, to begin the healing process and return to being a strong company with 993 stores instead of 1001. . . “We look forward to creating a great Skatepark of Tampa that is an asset to all of its partners,” he said. . . . Schaefer and GM, Ryan Clements, have met with 30 vendors in the past three weeks to explain the situation, Schaefer said. He said vendors have been very supportive and have said they will ship fresh goods to Skatepark of Tampa on a COD basis. Some have even said they will offer SPoT credit terms as soon as Skatepark of Tampa filed for bankruptcy, Schaefer said.
For the rest of the sad, sad story and a chart featuring the top 20 creditors click the link.
[Link: Skatepark of Tampa]
