Wonder where I have been????

it is hard work pull this video stuff off people! enough said...

Nintendo flashback..

I spent hours trying to beat this game when I was a kid. I need to learn digital animation.. this would be so fun to make...

Mike Tyson's Brunch Out - The Meth Minute 39

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Can I sleep yet.. please?????

I am 6 days deep into a non stop edit to get this project done for RedBull Germany. I just had the correct translations done for one of the kids in the piece. My German is not that perfect... yet! He spoke so fast in certain parts even slowing it done to 'Charlie Brown' speed did not help.

This is my break before I set forward and finish the whole project all out. It goes in the mail on Friday and I focus all my energy back to the PITCREW video. The video from Change Of Guard will be online next week for the world to see.

Back to the final stretch... 6 days... 14 hours on each everyday... it will be all over tomorrow.

I can't wait to catch up on the new season of 'The Office' after I am finished...

back to work.....

T-Mobile Extreme Trainwreck...

I was at the T-Mobile Extreme Playground Pro contest this weekend in Berlin and it was a train wreck to me. I was the guest Press Member at the event and was shocked to how some of the contest was run. Dave Duncan and the crew handled there business as always but the staff the Veldrom had showed why people who don't understand skateboarding should not work at skateboarding events. I guess when a person with a press pass or an athlete pass comes through.. don't believe them at first.

With an Access All Areas pass (thanks to people skating in the event hooking it up) I was given a ton of hassle still. I was not allowed to go on the floor the second day with the press pass but a 9 year old girl with a video camera was. I guess her myspace page is going to blow up after the event! seriously people... i don't get the stupidity sometimes...

I was also amazed at the cameramen from MTV Germany. Some of the worst angles I have ever seen. It was an 'Extreme Sports' event so tilting the camera all around and making you feel like you were drunk watching the TV was a must I guess. It seems all the 'real' cameramen I have some across at live sporting events are just idiots... I am not saying all of them but the large percentage are.

After finishing an interview out of the event, the door people would not let Alex Mizurov (who won the street contest) and myself re-enter. He had the check and award in his hand too... It took one of the people throwing the event to check her. I could not believe how serious this girl took her job. I was blown away...

The contest was cool overall. Tom Penny was there!!! Enough said... I got to see all the vert kids and had a good time minus the staff working at the venue.

Now back to importing a ton of footage from the last 6 days. New videos to come soon.. and the PITCREW video is still in the works! I have not forgotten about it.

Until the next rant and rave...

Change of Guard

This week is going to be a little crazy from the sounds. I am working with Jürgen Horrwarth on an event he is throwing called 'Change of Guard'. It will be a lock-in at Jürgen ramp here in Berlin. Included in the shoot will be Renton Millar, Sandro Dias, and PLG. I am excited to see Pierre again.It has been since the Osiris video, 'Subject to Change', that I have worked with him. We were out 4 days a week on the mission for his part in the video.

The T-Mobile Playground contest is happening here in Berlin on the weekend too. Ronnie Creager and Tom Penny will be there... What a week!!! Lets hope for good weather that Monday and get these guys to the Kulturforum for a session afterwards!

Back to the music hunt again... I need stuff for the PITCREW video.

Check in later this week....

Back to Business....

So things never stop as a videographer. After the super fun premiere in Hamburg this last weekend, I am back in Berlin on the mission to get my article for the December 'Limited' Mag done. I am shooting a piece about my move to Berlin. I have some rad sequences already for it. One more and I am done already... Not too bad off the mission. Today was a great session with the guys. 6 sequences in 2 hours of some tech stuff. Lets say my week is in the bonus from here on out.

Next week is a Redbull shoot for a project Jürgen Horrwarth is putting together. It should be sick. Pierre Luc Gagnon, Renton Millar, Sandro Dias, and some ill new euro vert rippers will be there. A lock-in at an amazing park and an overnight vert session with some amazing skaters.. not too shabby I think. The project will be done at the end of the month.

The new PITCREW video is still in the works. I am headin back to the US soon but i need to make the HD money before I come back. It is time to upgrade the gear over the holidays.

Check in complete...check out of the blog in progress. photos coming later this week...

Hope everyone had a great Octoberfest (which ends on Sunday).
To all the Americans, Oktoberfest does not go the whole month long and you don't drink Miller or Coors Light for it. Just a reminder.

Thanks to everyone who took 5 minutes to read my full thoughts in 1/2 sentences.
Until next time...

Physical Therapy

I am 2 weeks into my physical therapy after my knee surgery. Bending my knee and getting it back into shape is the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my whole life. It is a lesson in patience and will. Plus, the doctors say it will be better in a month the way I am going now. 30 days is a long time and a lot can happen. Everyday I can bend it a little more, the better I feel.

This foto was taken a few days ago, only after I had my stitches taken out (oh did that hurt!) and the swelling had shrink by over 1/2. It was the size of a small melon before.



This is how it feels everyday trying to bend it. i am straining just like this to bend it to a 90 degree angle. I bet my neighbors love me right now...


At least I have a goal in site... back on my board by the end of April. I need to kick into gear but it has only been 3 weeks since my surgery. I can walk a bit now so life is a lot better.

So many video projeckt are jumping off now... PITCREW, Radio Skateboards, Search and Destroy... just to name a few....

Projekt 5.1 premiere is Friday in Hamburg.... See everyone there and don't forget to wear your 'Jan Kliewer has a fan club' t-shirts there. Time to send more mails and make some more movie magic happen.

bis Freitag!

Another amazing 'Blueprint' Moment

I have to thank Dan Magee for the being the genius he is. Thank goodness there are companies like Blueprint.

Del...

This is one of my favorite Del songs of all time. It still gets me hyped after all these years. This is an example of good hip hop that is timeless.

Another Video Projekt already???

It seems like once you finish one project, another one jumps into your lap right away. After wrapping up Jan Kliewer's part for Projekt 5.1, I have jumped back into the hotseat to start working on the new PITCREW video. With a full fall schedule already, I am going to have 6 weeks to wrap the whole project from start to finish. Seems like a long time but it really is not in the span of things. The time flies by so fast it feels and I am also producing stuff for 'The Daily Habit' on FUEL TV in between. I am looking forward to vacation time in December for sure!

So over time, the shop team has changed. People who were skating a ton a few years ago are now working and just skating for fun. In other hand, the younger guys have stepped it up and now are the new faces of the shop. And you cant forget there is always the younger ripper who has come into his own and now is ready to step into the spotlight for the first time. That is the brilliant part of shop videos. No two will ever be the same.

The premiere for the new PITCREW video will be in November. There will be a new trailer sometime next month. So in the meantime, check out the old trailer, Zach Lyons part from the last video, and one of the new faces on the team Benji Ross.

Enjoy the weekend...

PITCREW



Benji



Zach

Jan Kliewer and Projekt 5.1...

I am currently working on this video projekt here in Germany called Projekt 5.1. It is a one skater working with one filmer. I am personally teamed up with Jan Kliewer and stoked to be a part of it. Now with crunch time coming, we have to wrap the part up by the weekend.

Here are two parts for you to check out in the meantime of Jan. Get your fill of Jan's shred sled skills here in anticipation for the new part...

September 28th... mark your calenders!


Cliche : Bon Appetite




Jart: Now or Never

Bobby goes Pro

Congrats to Bobby Worrest for going pro.. It was just a few years ago I remember playing 'tricks for Chipotle' and trying to wrap up his part in the PITCREW video, 'Where I'm From.' After dropping 5 more parts in the next two years, Krooked finally gave him that board. I want an autographed board for the collection Bobbo...

To be reminded why Bobby has his name on a board now, check out his PITCREW part and 'Get Familiar' part and go skating...

Where I'm From:


Krooked:

Now that I am a blogger...

For all that don't know me, my name is Mark. I am a kid who loves his skateboard and his video camera. Somehow I have found a way to make a living (or even part of it) for the last 10 years with my favorite things in the world. More about me later... lets talk about what is happening with me now.

I ran into some trouble in Italy earlier this year. Due to legal reasons, I can only say it involves a crazy girl, her hot temper, her hate of skateboarders, ill will toward non-Italians, a broken vx-1000, Italian police, a torn ACL and MCL ligament, and spending 3 days in jail with Michael Mackrodt. If you don't know who he is, he skates for Element Skateboards. Once the drama is done with and I tell the world and be shot into 3 minutes of my '15 minutes of fame'. The whole story will be told soon enough.

Due the actions of the girl's male friend in the situation, i had to have acl replacement surgery on September 4th. I know have the respect to every pro and amateur athlete who has ever come back from this injury. So after a 5 day hospital stay and time to start the recovery process, it looks like I will have a considerable amount of free time to update my blog more than once a month. Instead of 8 hours a day of skating and filming, it will be Yahoo, Youtube, and crazy black man videos my friends seem to always find. There are crazy white people to don't get me wrong but they are nowhere near as fun.

So for the skateboard side... big ups to Alex Mizurov for winning the Amateur 'Game of Skate' this year. I just went on a road trip with him this year and I was impressed. It is hard to go off a hype of winning a flatground game but the kid did it. He has flip tricks but the kid is more than just that. Looking forward to the Projekt 5.1 part from you. And we need to go off the mission when you come to Berlin next time Alex. Ich habe spots für dich!

Jan Kliewer's Projekt 5.1 part due this week. Thanks for the shout out Michel. I am handling it....

more useless information to come your way soon...

lights out from Berlin...

The reason of having a blog

The reason of having a blog is simple I think. It is to let your friends and family plus the world know what you are thinking and doing. But what happens when you have barely enough time to do everything out in the real world??? Your blog suffers!!!

With the world holding on to my every word and letter I type, I have to apologize to my readers. With all the amazing things happening everyday to me, I would have to not do something amazing to come tell you about all the other amazing stuff that has already happened. I like to keep you in suspense... See it is actually part of my master plan really. haha... Now I sound like Steven Colbert... Not too bad!!!

So while you wait for my next adventure filled & action packed blog entry you have ever read, turn off your computer and go walk outside. You knows, you might find your own amazing story you can start a blog about that I can read sometime...

Just a thought...

My 1 Year Anniversary

July 20st is my official 1 year anniversary of moving to Europe. What a year it has been. Just returned from a trip to Eastern Europe as well. That was much better than landing back on German soil from the US.

The upside of the move has been unbelievable... I have started learning German, I can make a living with skateboarding once again, I have made some amazing new friends, see some places I have never seen before, and the list goes on.

The only downfall of living here is I miss all my family and friends in the States. Plus I miss going to PITCREW.

I will fill the world in on the 'that is a 10% tip' tour through Eastern Europe later.

I have a Harry Potter book to go buy now.

Saying so much, without saying a word

A word can give someone power but the lack of usage can leave someone powerless. Sometimes just acting without saying a word can be way more empowering than saying anything at all. I have spent a lot of time in my life trying to empower kids with words and forgetting exactly how I really did it, through action. Thinking back, I have not done everything I said I was going to. I did try but it never panned out always. So I have a new motto starting today. It is an old proverb that is so simple yet so wise; 'Actions speak louder than words...'

Another thing you have to have is a purpose. What are you doing it all for? Money, Power, Respect... or the chance to hear Lil Kim sing it and it sound catchy??? hahaha... There is a method and a reason behind every madness.

So what does this have to do with skateboarding? everything really and nothing at all. Just an idea I had cross my mind and I needed to get out. Maybe it can be a reminder to me as well to get up, get out, and do something since we all need that swift kick in the ass sometimes. I just recorded my to a digital format for the world to see.

So this is what I ask of you, the blog reader... find something you said you wanted to do or have promised yourself you were going to do for a long time. Next, go to it! Who knows what it might lead to, it could be nothing or it could change your life forever. Small things can be a catalyst for change that lead you somewhere in the grand scheme of it all.

So there is some knowledge Plato, Confucius, or Oprah would have drop... in another language and time. Just be glad you didn't have to sit through any commercial breaks. This photo below says it just perfect to me. I saw it on New Years Day and has set a tone for me I feel.




Please Inspire... hope, ambition, the drive to better ourselves is part of what pushes the human race. Without inspiration, the world would not be where it is today (good and bad). The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. Be inspired to take that step today. Why should you?... 'Why Not?' is more the question you should ask. Take what you want from these words but I know I will re-read them numerous times over. I like to take my own advice sometimes too.

And here my spirit guide has left. I have nothing else for you. Maybe next time I can channel a leprechaun and find out 'where the gold at...'
thanks for tuning in and don't forget to visit the guest shop on the way out.

Music you have never heard of before...

Music helps you calm down after a stressful day or hyped you up in the middle of a session. Being overseas, I get a chance to hear so many new groups that will never be heard in the US. Friends in different countries are always turning me on to new groups all the time. The downside to this is I also miss out on groups in the US or hear about them 3 months after they are already played out. I am not losing sleep over it though...

So here are one artist you have never heard that you should HAVE to see. I know after you will be blown away. His name is: Speak, The Hungarian Rapper
Just watch the video... the whole thing and then see the influence the US has on the rest of the world. Enough said...

My Fully Flared Blueprint Moment aka London

London was amazing even thought the weather had been off and on.
Colin Kennedy showed up at Southbank out of nowhere one of the days. I have know Colin for years and it was good to see him again. To everyone out there he did the DVS 'Skate More' video. Good stuff for sure...

So while there, one of the guys working with Ty Evans on Lakai's 'Fully Flared' was shooting... That video is going to be AMAZING!!! Check out the kit below. Fully HD Flared...



The Girl Demo was pretty rad at Southbanks. I got to see the hype man himself, Brandon Biebel, in full effect. I just wish I could have seen the Milton Keynes session afterwards.

After $10 extra value meals, $4 cokes, $8 subway trips, etc... I had to come back home. London is great but a little too high stress for me. Thanks to the Matix UK guys for a good time, Will Harmon, all the kids in London, and anyone who helped make the trip good. Good looks on a crazy trip Vivien. Next time, I am all about the Wales sessions. Going back to family roots then.

Videos coming soon...

To the start of a good trip London

I am in London now shooting with my friend Vivien Feil and the Matix UK team. Day 1 of the trip has been a blast and some good footage already logged to the Lappy 486. I should have some new clips up on the youtube site soon from the looks. London is calling and yes i will accept the charges at local dialing rates.

For all the kids in the States, check out American Misfits starting next month on FUEL TV. I have a segment on the show this season called European Misfits. It is the reason I am here in London shooting. Click here for more info on the show.

Bedtime for me now. Until the next entry... skate krooked..

First Blog Entry... Welcome to the Web

So welcome to a start of an adventure I don't know how often I will keep updated. It was only 3 months ago that I finally started posting my old videos online. I have been so out of of the tech phase for so long that I felt like I lived in rural West Virginia in the age of the Pony Express. Knowing my OCD, I will have it updated all the time..haha...

Ladies and Gentleman, Boys and Girls... welcome to the madness I call my life. I hope you enjoy a brief window into my existence.