There is something unique about the sound of a skateboard rolling down the pavement. Every time my dog hears it, he runs to the window and starts barking; he barks at anything on wheels. Skaters, whether they are on a skateboard or on roller-blades, are a nontraditional community all of their own. They all seem to have a lay back attitude, just taking it one day at a time, they all have a similar sense of style, which I call the punk look, and most important of all they all come together because of an interest, gliding on wheels as I call it.
I have started going around the spots where I have seen some of them and started to ask questions such as, would I be able to find you guys even though the weather is getting cold out, and where else can I find you guys? While I was asking my many questions, I found out that the cops are picking on skaters and giving them tickets for just doing what they love. Union Square on 14th street, one of the many places where you would see skaters, now has a “No Skateboarding” sign. It was a weird site going there and seeing people sitting on their skateboards being watched by the police instead of working on their tricks and putting on a show for the by-passers.
Now it is up to me to find other spots where skaters come together to do their thing and then give you a tiny glimpse of their world. I need to start fast before the bad weather comes and it starts snowing; if not, I will end up with nothing, nothing to show and an “F” in the class.
I love that you added some humor to your proposal.
I think it’s a very intersting idea and definitely fits the non-traditional community. You will have a lot to work with. I’m sure that the sport is not the only thing they have in common. It probably brings them together and then leads to development of more complex relationships, as well as adds other events and activities to their everyday life. They could even have their own slang, which would be interesting to know about.
Depending on how deep you want to penetrate this world, you might need an insider to bring you into this community as well.
On the other note, I love the way you started your proposal, it had a poetic sound to it. And I like the part about the police now picking on the skateboarders. It is definitely a new development and I am curious to see where this goes.
Good luck!
Your first challenge is to hang out with skaters and to be accepted by them. This will give you genuine access into their world. Try to speak to as many of them as possible –ask sharp questions and get direct quotes. And, of course, shoot as many pictures as you can. You might even shoot video of them in action.
Video would definitely be great for this project. There will also be a lot of opportunities for you to take mid-trick stills as well (ie kick-flips, varials, etc). I can almost guarantee you that, being a former skater myself, whoever you decide to take pictures or video of will welcome it. Many of them view what they do as a romanticized, underdog-like culture. They might not outwardly, however, describe in that way. I’ll have to disagree with what was mentioned before about skating being the only thing they have in common. You’ll find they generally enjoy many of the same things with the exception of the truly dedicated skaters the skate their brains out morning noon and night.
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