On the Blog again...

With the winter here, the work keeps going. I though since it was cold, I might get a little time off. That has not been the case but I am not complaining. I am now really motivated to start blogging again for some reason too. Spending more time in front of my computer than I do, can i really do that? Plus I don't know if anyone is reading this but I can at least ramble in cyberspace and keep my mom up-to-date on what i am doing. That is one way to think about it. So I go on on my drive along the Information Superhighway and see what happens along the way.

Check out Chris Pfanner's Mag Minute and Remix up on 'The Skateboard Mag'. I am super stoked to see friends over here in Euroland getting the coverage in the U.S. they deserve. I had been sitting on that footage for awhile and glad to get it out finally. Keep it up Chris! Glad to see you out there killing it!

PITCREW just launched their new website in which we have a lot of video stuff planned for. Visit the site when you have a chance: www.pitcrewskateboards.com
We are also working hard on our Shopliftin' part for the DVS contest. We are 1 of 100 shops in the world invited to be a part of it and everyone has been stacking footage for it.

As for other PITCREW team riders, Bobby Worrest is now working on a Transworld part for the new video. Honestly... it is about time! It is going to be off the hook of course. It is from Mr Worrest, enough said.



Zach Lyons has just wrapped up his new video project with Organika. Look for it on store shelves during the holiday shopping sprees before Christmas. Besides that, he is all over the new Adidas commericals and website too. Is 2009 the year of the Lyons? We will have to see...




Josh Stewart was also through Berlin not too long ago. He was here with Vice shooting something on the European skateboard scene. It will be online in February or so and should be super interesting. I just was there for the interview with Claus Grabke. Jimmy Pelletier would have been in heaven talking with him. It will be a good one to watch so look out for it at the start of next year.

While he was here, I talked with Josh about his upcoming project which has no working title at the moment. I helped Josh out on Sean Mullendore's part in Static 1 & Soy Panday's part in Static 3. For the upcoming video, it looks like Jan Kliewer and Berlin will have parts. The DC part in Static 1 was pretty damn good! I am just hoping to match it in my new home. 2009 will be a big year again here in Berlin from the sounds. First, we have a long cold Berlin winter to get through then we are back to business.

That is it for the moment. I am going to unwind after finishing a music video I have worked the last two weeks on non-stop. Color Correction and Color Grading is a b*%th! So for now, enjoy Sean and Soy's parts from the Josh's past videos and have a Glühwein. It is one of perk of the cold German winter! Until soon...

Sean:


Soy:

Back again..

After a long break and cold weather coming quicker than most people want, I am spending a bit more time home sitting in front of my computer. My days are now full of logging footage and enjoy a little time zuhause.

With all this extra time, I plan on playing catch up from all that has happened over the summer and continue with all the new things happening.

To start it off, enjoy the Matix road trip I did this summer with the US and Euro teams. Good times for sure!



Until next time...

A flash of originality in the skateboard world

You have to love people outside the box... and the fact he is not in the mix of California saves his love for skating. Enjoy the fun!

'Holland' at your boy!

I have had Bas Janssen staying with me for the last few days filming for the Element Europe video due out at the start of next year. With the Euro 2008 also going, he had to rep the homeland while here in Berlin. With the way Holland has been playing, this foto of Bas in front of the local shop was pretty accurate. Can not wait until the match with Russia this weekend. It should be a good one!

In the meantime, Germany is in the semi-finals after beating Portugal 3-2. The Turkey match will be insane tomorrow. If Turkey wins, Kruezberg is on fire! Germany/ Turkey to go to the finals... lets see it!!!!

Back to importing. I have video deadline around the corner right now. More news to come soon on new projects in the works.

Wonder where I have been????

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

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.

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

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...