Social
Tag: stories
100%0
Relentless Short Stories: "The Pit - a film about crowd surfing"
God, I love these. The behaviour of fans at a gig is a key part of the relation between them, the band, and the music. Crowd surfing, along with pogoing and moshing, is an act of rock’n’roll defiance, a demonstration that you are there in the thick of it, lost in the music. “The Pit: a film about crowd surfing” is film maker, Dave Depares’ journey into the complex politics of crowd surfing, which shows the fans in action and tells their story. The fifth entry in the 2011 Short Stories film competition fuelled by Relentless Energy Drink, “The Pit,” takes viewers into a world of bodies and bouncers. Depares introduces us to the fans who risk ejection from the venue, the musicians who live it every night (including Liam Cormier of Cancer Bats and Lee Spielman of Trash Talk) and the bouncers who try to keep everyone safe. The film contrasts the focused energy of the band with the seeming chaos of the pit. The director draws on his dual experiences of directing music videos, and reviewing hundreds of gigs as a music journalist, to get under the skin of the fans and show how they see the art of crowd surfing. “I’ve always been fascinated by crowd politics, the way different crowds respond to different bands, the changing energy levels, the positioning of various crowd members within the venue and their roles within the crowd. There are the planks, the head-nodders, the dancers, the pogoers, the moshers, and the crowd surfers.” The short film is a kinetic portrait of what it is to be lost in music, showing both the beauty of the energy involved and the violence of the actions themselves. It’s a real eye-opening look at a world a lot of us may never have seen. “The Pit” is being released on August 11th via www.relentlessenergy.com
0
Relentless Short Stories: Good Morning Gravity
Check this out, another one of those sweet ass short stories for the Relentless Short Stories competition. This one is called, Good Morning Gravity. Injury is something that Professional BMX riders have to deal with, it comes with the territory. However what happened to Niki Croft at the London Cycle Show on the 10th of October 2010 was something else entirely. The third entry in the Relentless Energy Short Stories 2011 short film competition, Good Morning Gravity, has been directed by BMX videographer Richard Forne, and tells the story of Niki’s recovery after an accident that nearly cost him his life, put him in a two day coma, and left his memory shattered. Beautifully shot, and combining action footage with evocative cinematography, the film is both tragic and uplifting. The film also features a soundtrack composed by Richard and Laurent “Lags” Barnard, guitarist with hardcore punk band, Gallows. For Richard, the reasons for choosing Niki as a subject were obvious. “his accident affected the entire BMX community and I feel his story is inspirational. His recovery and return to his bike had a huge positive effect on me, and I would like to share that with everyone.” Relentless Energy Rider, Niki tells the story in his own words. The affect the accident had on him is obvious, as is his focus on not letting it hold him back, in both his riding and his day-to-day life. “If you have to give up everything you love, then it’s not really life is it. You need to be doing these things to be living, that’s especially true with me and BMX. It makes me feel alive.”0
Relentless Energy Drink presents Short Stories: “All In”
Pro-shredders and all-round European scene legends, Lennie Burmeister and Christoph “Willow” Wildgrube, star in All In, Mark Nickels passionate tribute to the joys of skating, set in the vibrant metropolis of Berlin. The second entry in Relentless Energy Short Stories 2011 short film competition, All In, is very much a personal expression for skate videographer Mark Nickels. The Washington DC native, now operating out of Kreuzberg, Berlin, has managed to capture the feelings of skaters across the world. Hooking up with German pro-skate heroes, Lennie Burmeister and, Relentless Energy rider, Willow, Mark paints a stirring picture of what it is to love your sport. Not to do it for the fame or the glory, but to make sacrifices, work jobs you don’t want to, all for those moments when the wheels hit the pavement and you can focus on the thing you truly care about. Set against the back drop of the Berlin streets, Mark succeeds in bringing this unpredictable city to life. The title, All In, was inspired by Mark’s father’s dedication to his own passion. “My dad was a professional poker player later in his life, after his 31 year career in the US Air Force. He worked all his life to support our family and when he retired, he did something he had a real passion for. He lived my story…We had so much in common and I saw my dad have the same ups and downs as I was having with skating.” Using a combination of narrative film making, a strikingly honest voice over, and, of course, the awesome skills his two subjects, Mark has created a film that is full of heart, a testament to his focus and dedication, and a great example of what Skate film making should be. “'All in' is also a mindset, if you are not willing to do what you have to in order to make something happen, then why try? If you are going to do anything in life, you have to go for it 200%. I want to have no regrets in my life…”0
