With videos from companies beginning to look the same over the past few years, it's nice to see some people breaking the mold every now and then. Now, don't get us wrong, we're still fans of Fully Flared, the recent Transworld vids, Ride The Sky, etc., but sometimes, the formula can get old. Not to take away from the production value of those larger videos, but if you watch them enough it gets tiresome. From the intro and lifestyle shots, to the use of slow motion and the ever so popular "dolly shots" as of late, it's hard to not get sucked in to what everyone else is doing, and to do your own thing.
One person who has been doing his own thing for a while now is Justin White of Popills.com. This New Jersey native has been generating his own style for years, and while he hasn't put out a video until recently, you can see the effect he's had on other independent filmers like himself. Combining the use of Super 8, 16mm, and DV is no groundbreaking formula, but it's not always the equipment that makes the video -- it's how you use it, and who you use it on.
Beginning with the "intro" you can tell that there's going to be a few things different about this video. Right off the bat it starts off with a shared part from Adrian Vega and Bubba Heckman, which seamlessly transitions into the intro. Not only do you get to see sick skating right away, it gets you excited to see the rest of the video when you see "New Thirsty" on the screen in bold letters. From that point on you could tell that this video is going to become a favorite.
Featuring skating from the NY/NJ/PA area, you could expect what kind of skating you would see in this video. Harsh spots, less than desirable weather, and unique trick selections make up a good part of the video, but just where you think things are going to be predictable, it becomes the exact opposite. From the tech skating of Brandon Grandstrand, to a full on tranny section, New Thirsty covers all aspects of skating.
With parts from Bill Spice, Brian Foley and Darren Baskinger, as well as a shared part from east coast veterans Andy Bautista and German Nieves, each of them bring their own flavor to the table, making for a very enjoyable video.
While the big company videos are generally the ones that get noticed the most, it's the independent ones that get to reach cult-like status. Maybe it's because they're easier to relate to or because it's refreshing to see some new faces, but the independent video has a time and a place, and that time is right now. New Thirsty is full of great skating, filming, and editing, with an artistic touch that doesn't seem forced like some other videos. If you pay close enough attention, you can tell when artsy-ness in videos is forced, and when it's natural and sincere -- New Thirsty is most definitely the latter.
Get it here.