Transworld: The Studs in Their Duds
The videos produced by Transworld Skateboarding have throughout their 20-year history been a proving ground for budding professional skateboarders. To get a part in a Transworld video has been, and still is, a pretty big deal. It means a skater is on his way to being someone within skateboarding. However, it has come to our attention that despite the prestige associated with these videos, many of them are, overall, less than memorable. Why is that?
Here's our speculation on why some of these videos were easily forgotten, and why they're worth another watch:
Video: Interface
Year: 1997
Why we shouldn't forget it: Tons of b-roll footage from Timecode and Mouse, making for some of the best montage sections in any Transworld video. The Huf and Friends section shows 90's NYC skating at it's finest and is a good look at the early days of Supreme. This video also contains a shared Richard Angelides and Chany Jeanguenin part that shows what rippers they both were in their day.
Why we forgot: The very meta footage of opening folders on a 1997 Mac desktop between sections is as annoying as it sounds, and an entire part of Bob Burnquist skating street in Oakleys.
Video: I.E.
Year: 2000
Why we shouldn't forget it: Daewon Song has a part that is 95% skating Cali benches and picnic tables in out of the ordinary (death defying) ways, Mark Appleyard makes his first major debut as a gangly, not quite mature Canadian on Habitat (holy shit, his ender!?), and Pappalardo has a part. Truth be told, we think this part is better than his part in Photosynthesis, which came out in the same year.
Why we forgot: Photosynthesis. Also, Diego Bucchieri's song sounded like it was straight from The Matrix soundtrack, and the all skatepark, or "TF", Rob Dyrdek / Caine Gayle part for sure had something to do with this video's ignored status.
Video: Subtleties
Year: 2004
Why we shouldn't forget it: Stefan Janoski made the world of skateboarding take him seriously as a long term pimp in 2003 with his Mosaic part, and a year later he let us know that wasn't a fluke by putting out another amazing part in this Transworld video. We also shouldn't forget Clint Peterson's game-changing front crunt, Kyle Leeper surfing (on mute), and Wenning.
Why we forgot: All we know is that must suck to put a part like the one Brian Wenning delivered in Photosynthesis and have to follow it up. Pat Duffy's comeback part was also pretty ¯\_(ツ)_/¯, this was a little closer to what we had been hoping for.
Video: A Time To Shine
Year: 2006
Why we shouldn't forget it: This video is actually pretty awesome. It has an amazing Chad Tim Tim part, Dylan defined himself as a beautiful man loved universally, but....
Why we forgot: Ronson Lambert. He didn't quite have the... Prestige the average Transworld skateboarder had.
Video: Let's Do This!
Year: 2007
Why we shouldn't forget it: A switch backside crailslide from Danny Montoya, Brian Brown brought the East Coast flavor, and Clint Peterson showed us a wild backside 360 before it was a standard move.
Why we forgot: Maybe it's the fact that this video has a notably bad soundtrack, or maybe it was all the stalls, but certain parts in this video were a lot stronger than others.
Video: Hallelujah
Year: 2010
Why we shouldn't forget it: Most of this video is pretty boss, but most importantly it contains an amazing Pete Eldridge part.
Why we forgot: It could just be that Chris Ray and Jon Holland (the makers of the video), although amazing independently, didn't have the best chemistry when working together. This video really feels all over the place.
Video: Not Another Transworld Video
Year: 2011
Why we shouldn't forget: Nestor Judkins proved he wasn't the little kid from San Jose in the Tiltmode videos anymore. His line in the tiled fountain alone is worth a rewatch. Future SOTY Wes Kremer locked down his spot in our hearts as the unconventional "ATV" skater and received a well deserved "curtains" part in the video.
Why we forgot: A Jimmy Carlin goof part made us avoid this video for a while, and Shane O'Neill's part feels like it's comprised of his throwaway footage (we know how good you are dude).
Video: Perpetual Motion
Year: 2013
Why we shouldn't forget it: Oregon's finest: Josh Mathews and Silas Baxter-Neal.
Why we forgot: Out of spite. Silas not having the last part seriously felt offensive. See above.