When you think of young talents, you have to have Russell’s face stuck somewhere in your memory bank. Russell is one of these new talents that is already making a huge impact on skateboard filmmaking with only a handful of productions under his belt. Incredible technician, Russell masters light, camera shutter, and filters like no other.
Check out “Filter”, his part in “cinematographer” and the latest (and last) Dylan Rieder commercial for Gravis. Filter, starring Dylan Rieder and Sammy Winter, recently won for Best Photography at ISFF 2012.

Russel’s composition for the Filmmaker Challenge mixes technicity in both skateboarding, editing, camera mastering (even through a fishbowl) and an appetite for that new angle that makes the difference. The music is composed by his brother. No goldfish has been harm during the filming… Maybe a little shocked by the skateboarding.

Residence: Los Angeles, California

http://youtu.be/ZOjldEFFWcQ

Skate journalist for the past 13 years and part of the original Tokyo «Z-Boys», Takahiro is the visionary genius behind the underground cult skate film, Overground Broadcasting (2008). He excels at integrating the Japanese culture and the western skateboard culture into a special blend opened to the world. His partnership with the French crew who produced «A Tribe called Minuit» could be a surprise but isn’t really.

In “Missing”, his creative genius reaches a level unbeknownst to skateboarding. Mixing classical music and special effects, an outstanding screenplay and an editing work that defy the standards.

Feel free to watch on repeat.

Residence: Nakano, Japan

http://youtu.be/bQ1_dOKC3-s

Dan’s access to skate cinematography stardom is an example in the making. “Grew up in Westchester, PA skating & filming with his friends, started going to Philly after high school. met Ricky Oyola and crew around 1994 and moved to Philly in 1995, filmed Eastern Exposure 3. Got a job offer from Element Skateboards, moved to Orange County… Didn’t like Orange County so moved to San Francisco in 2000. Ended up working for Deluxe and did Real To Reel with Gabe Morford. Ended up doing some ad & video work for Ipath. Started working with Deluxe again in 2010 and have been working at Deluxe since.”
You can’t go wrong with that.

His piece for the ISFF+ GoPro Filmmaker Challenge is carved in the same wood.
Please, enjoy.

Dan won the 3rd place!

Residence: San Francisco, California

http://youtu.be/svJ-88hV2W8

Since his very first step on a board (floating or rolling), Craig R. Stecyk has been on a personal mission to understand and give skateboarding its tools to access the status of true art form.
From his early work documenting the rise of the Z-Boys (being at the very core of it) to his latest contribution in Bone Brigade: An Autobiography or a Nike Skateboarding ad campaign without overlooking is very own short movie Fin, Craig is, without a doubt, one of the godfathers of skateboarding.
Historian, photographer, artist and writer, Craig has been honored with the «Classic» award at the Festival’s inaugural year, and has been serving as one of ISFF’s Academy judges when he isn’t contributing to one of the submitted productions.

Stecyk’s (short) piece for the ISFF=GoPro Challenge reflects his uncanny way to synthesize and intertwine pop culture and skateboarding.

Residence: Santa Monica, California

One doesn’t introduce Mark Gonzales. His imprint is modern skateboarding is so deep that there’s not a single trick that “The Gonz” hasn’t perform ages ago and with more style than it’s humanly possible.
Then he started drawing and painting and sculpting… Creating with whatever medium he can put his hands on. Give him a GoPro camera and you’ll be sure to have something poetic, outstanding and completely out of the norm…
Welcome into a very small portion of Mark Gonzales’ mind.

Residence: New York, USA

Thre3 is a true journey through music (that Sebastien created) and motion. Living in the historical little town of Biarritz, France, famous for being the birth place of both surfing and skateboarding in Europe. Sebastien has capture the essence of both in a surreal mixed feeling. A new “Nouvelle Vague”… Looks very much like it.

Sebastien is  a «motion designer» (as he describe himself). He began skateboarding in 1991 and started filming in 2000 after a suffering from a knee injury. As he got more and more involved in the editing, filming and post production process, it opened his mind to other subjects. He likes to mix images with music to try to achieve the perfect alchemy.

Feedback to the Future, one of his latest productions, was nominated for the 2012 edition of the Festival. In  this 4min short movie (excluding the Eastern Eggs hidden here and there), he goes thru a short time travel recollecting images – almost like souvenirs- of his history as a filmer/filmmaker.

Residence: Biarritz, France

James loves the open spaces and the cultural open mindedness skateboarding carries within itself.
His past work “Altered Focus Burma” and “Youth of Yangon” are thoughtful trips where skateboarding is an excuse to meet different way of living but where hope and the love for life is ever present.
For his participation to the Filmmaker Challenge, James turns his eyes toward his own country: New Zealand. “Long White Cloud” (the original name for New Zealand translated from the Maori language) is the modern transposition of a dream (taking your skateboarding literally “somewhere else”) but in a true kiwi fashion. You can’t help but think “pirates” (which was almost the first name for this pretty cool display of what you can do with a couple of GoPro Hero3 Black Edition cameras. If some of the aerial sequences smell like “Lord Of The Ring”, don’t panic, it’s normal.

Residence : New Zealand