Checkin in with Shane Auckland

Skateboarding seems to be progressing at a frightening pace. Companies are going through dramatic changes and more gizmos have been bought in, to capture the crazy tricks of today. Therefore, it's refreshing when you come across a company such as SK8RATS which embodies Shane Auckland's outlook on skateboarding. His decision to film with both HD and VX cameras shows his dedication to producing aesthetically pleasing videos. 

Did growing up in NW, Washington DC inspire your videography at all? What was the skate scene like?

 The local homies Jordan Sanchez and Andy Froberg and all the older guys from Snohomish and Seattle we’re the ones that inspired me the most. Andy Froberg taught me how to use a vx1000. The Seattle Skate scene is awesome. I miss it so much. I wish I could move back to Seattle but there are so much more options running SK8RATS out of LA.

You started your own skate company SK8RATS did this simply manifest from your YouTube channel or has it been a long term goal of yours?

It all started back when I was like 14-15, I made my first skate video called SK8RATS with a bunch of friends, the name stuck with our little click of friends and then around 2006 YouTube came about and I made my YouTube channel and called it sk8rat, and just kept making edits and people would call me sk8rat. And then when I was working for The Berrics, I had my own video segment called SK8RATS. And then when I parted ways with The Berrics I got my business license and sellers permit and trade marked “SK8RATS” and have been doing my own thing sense.

You recently released a full length video ‘Rat Poison’ were you happy with the final product and how it turned out?

Yeah I was pretty hyped on it, for sure super nervous but after the first week of it dropping, I was super hyped on the way it turned out!

What was the hardest part about making ‘Rat Poison’?

The hardest part was probably finishing up everyone’s part. Probably about half way through filming the video almost everyone moved away from LA haha. My buddy Jake moved to Nor Cal, Cory moved back to WA, Bert Wootton was living in Florida and then moved to LA. Jesse Alba got hurt really bad and was out for like 5 months. So having everyone scattered about made it a little difficult. But it all worked out in the end. 

You've filmed with both VX’s and HD cameras, do you have a preference?

For anything Im producing I always try to keep it VX for my edits and what not. My commercials for SK8RATS, I like to do it HD. Gonna try to keep my VXs alive as long as I can.

Once upon a time you were a filmer working at The Berrics, was it a dream come true living in LA working with some of the best skaters in the business? 

It was indeed! Will never regret those days. Still will always be surreal. 

 Living and working in Los Angles which most consider the center of the Skate industry, was it an experience you’re grateful for?

For sure, there is so much networking you can do down there. But then you always see the kooky side of the industry and can bum you out on skating too haha.

How do you keep your patience when you're filming a trick?

Luckily I just have so much patience haha. But in the end you just gotta be filming because you love it. Gotta be doing it for the right reasons.

Are there videos in and out of skateboarding that you draw influence from?

For sure on that, so many rad filmers out there. Tys videos and Jasons work, all of it you can draw something from it. Beagles wildness and Vics Market, can always spark ideas.

 Do you have any tips for filming a video part?

Creativity and originality, try to do your own thing and find your own style. Get your framing right if its VX or HD. Don’t chop heads. Find that right pocket when filming fish. And find songs that fits the skater, something that the skater will be hyped on and not just the editor. You wanna make the skater enjoy his or hers part.

 What’s next for Shane Auckland? Any new projects in the works?

We are working on our fall line right now and for sure wanna do another video down the road but gonna concentrate making some more gear right now. Just working on building the company up. More SK8RATS wildness to come!

 Thanks Shane, any last words? 

No worries man! And keep skating fun! Never let it get too serious, and always support your local skate shop! 

INTERROGATING JACK TURNER

The Jack Turner Interview

When I told Jack about this 'interview idea' he pretty much welcomed it with an open mind and appeared hyped to participate. I was slightly skeptical about whether Jack would turn up but he did and it led to a thoughtful and honest interview.

So for the sake of those who might not be aware yet, do you want to introduce yourself Jack?

Yeah, I’m Jack Turner, I’m 17 years old, I’m a skater been skating for 4 years now, love it! Just finished my first year of college.

So you’re from Coulsdon, how did you come across skating in such a small Town?

Well the first time I skated was when I was in year 3 at my local, Skaterham. I remember one day I just went there to check it out and I loved the atmosphere, seeing all those guys on the ramps and stuff it was just sick. So my mum let me go onetime and Ads the guy who works there introduced me to it and showed me all the basics and I loved it. Something happened though at the park and I had a gap and then came back shortly after with a few friends and just had so much fun, we just carried on skating. 

When I was away at University I heard you quit skating for a while, what was that all about?

Yeah, it’s easy to just stop skating, its so fun and when all your friends are doing it, it’s great. But at our age you can just get carried away with going to parties socialising with other crowds.  I swear I have two different wardrobes, skate clothes and going out clothes, you just get carried away with other stuff and you forget about skating.

For sure but you’re back on it now?

Yeah totally! Now it’s summer everyone wants to get back on it, I just want to get back on it for the atmosphere.

What's your current motivation to skate? Is there a crew you go out skating and filming with regularly?

Well I've always had the same main crew which is you (Tim), Juan, Jack and if I want to skate they are always on it to go skate. It’s a case of if I want to skate, I can and that’s the motivation and I've just been put on flow for a company, so I've got the motivation to make an edit.

Leading on from that, is there anything in the works, a Jack Turner 2014 street edit?

Yeah of course there is. Every time I've tried to film a part it takes so long. You get a few clips and you’re hyped but then you got too wait another week until you can get more.  If I’m as hyped as I think I am it’ll come out sooner rather than later but there most definitely will be a Jack Turner part.

Straying away from skating, what do you do when you’re not on your board? Do you have a job or any other pastimes?

I did have a job but I had to quit because it was so far away and I’m the worst in the mornings (laughs) but social wise, a lot of my friends just smoke a lot of weed (laughs) so I guess I've been drawn into doing that. I’m not 18 yet so there’s pretty much nothing else to do usually just go to a friend’s house and just jam. 

It’s pretty well known you have some overbearing friends; does it ever get to intense?

Yeah it does obviously get intense (laughs).  It can be annoying when I want to have a night in and they force you to come out. It feels like they are always making the decisions for you, that can get annoying. Sometimes though I’ll tell them straight but I can be a bit of a pushover (laughs), I just try and be nice to everyone and it just backfires.

Yeah, there was that time when one of your friends just turned up at your house at 3am.

(Laughs). Yeah to anyone that’s just a bit weird (laughs) but there’s two different perspectives, from his perspective he was naive enough to think that was okay but for me I was just shocked it’s a bit rude as well, coming round without notice at 3am but in the future I wouldn't want that to happen. 

You've got a girlfriends at the moment, is it a struggle juggling the overbearing friends with the girlfriend? Who wins?

There have been times when both have wanted to meet me and I've blown my girlfriend off for my friends but also blown my friends off for my girlfriend so it equals out. Shout out to my amazing beautiful girlfriend Hannah Judge who I will love forever.

You’re in 6^th Form at the moment but we were speaking earlier about you’re in danger of being kicked out, what's that all about?

Since year 11 which is when I started smoking weed. For this interview I’m saying weed is bad its cool everyone does it but it makes you tired and because of that I've been scraping through college. I've barely gone it but when I do I'm good.  I guess I don’t do homework, I hardly go in and it’s a shame because I could have done better and I’m ruining my time in education but If I get into my 2^nd year I’ll give it a good shot. If not I’ll just get a job, earn some nice money.

Do you have any plans for after 6^th Form ?

My dream plan is too hopefully get through next year and I’ll be so amazed if I do get through college. But I’d take a gap year out because I’m not sure if I want to go Uni as I’m not motivated enough to go yet. I really want to go work in a Ski chalet, not even as a skiing instructor but just behind a bar enjoying life. Experiencing something new for six months and just enjoy getting drunk with mates. I want to go by myself because if I went with my friends it would just hold me back. I want to go by myself and make loads of new friends and when I come back I feel I’ll be more mature and then might even want to go Uni. 

Its early days but it seems clear that you want to start working.

Yeah that’s the thing, for me as soon as I start working I want to carry on in that industry I don’t want to change jobs continuously.

Yeah so you want to get it right first time round?

Yeah, I want to specialise in something but before I do that I want to travel and enjoy my life before I settle down.

Do you have a profession that really interest you at the moment?

I've got a few on my mind my backup is the film industry because of my dad. I love films and have many links into that industry. There’s three sides to it; exhibition, distribution and production and for me I’d like to maybe give acting a crack which is production. I’m good at it and it’s one of my talents so at this age why not give it a crack because it could work. It’s so rare to get onto the big screen which is the only place I’d want to be. But I’m not obsessed with films but I’d happily fall back on that whole industry. I’d love to get into another passion like skateboarding but there’s not a wide range of things to do in skateboarding apart from setting up a company or riding for one. It’s just about finding something that I’m dedicated enough to do.

You mentioned how you’d perhaps be an actor, and we often joke about how you come from quite an attractive family (laughs) does anyone in your family have previous acting experience? We know your family is quite heavily involved in the film industry.

Yeah, my mum and dad met in acting school, my dad is such a charismatic guy I guess I get it from him but it’s just fun being over dramatic and just making people laugh, it has definitely come through the family. My granddad was also in the film industry so it is a generation thing, I think they’d be quite disappointed if I didn't follow that route but it’s not like I have too I know they are happy with me being open minded.

Sweet, that’s a good place to leave it. Any last words?

To the world?

I don’t know, anyone you want to thank?

I want to thank Tim for this interview it’s my first one of these types of interview and I think he’s done it well so shout out to Tim (laughs).