Josh Stewart brought his beloved series of independent skateboarding videos to a close with Static VI. In this final instalment of Stewart’s extended feature from Closer Issue 6, he shares the story behind the six-year long journey of how the closing chapter came together.
Brett Weinstein, frontside lipslide, Chicago. photo: Josh Stewart
Interview by Andrew Murrell
Photography by Josh Stewart & PEP KIM
FILM stills courtesy of josh stewart
Christian Maalouf, frontside kickflip, Chicago. photo: Josh Stewart
What were your major inspirations and motivations whilst working on Static VI?
I really planned on being done with the series after Static IV and Static V. Over time, I ended up skating with Brett Weinstein and John Baragwanath a lot and naturally accumulated footage. Skating Chicago for the first time was visually inspiring so it started sparking me creatively. John and Brett were mostly unknown. It would be rad to introduce them in a full-length, so I started entertaining the idea of a new video.
I started getting some 16mm concepts going that I liked and wanted to implement in something more than a web edit. Then I met Brian Powderly and saw such a unique style in him and decided if Brian was down then we’ve really got something cool going here between him, John and Brett. Once Brian agreed, it was on.
He and Christian Maalouf are two guys whose skating I really enjoyed and I invited them onto a filming trip to Chicago and St. Louis. Once we were a few days in, it started to feel like a new video was definitely in the works. The line-up was already sick with just those four guys and I started looking out for others to help cap it off. That was 2017 and I knew by then another Static video was inevitable.
SKATERS FEATURED IN ‘STATIC VI’
Brett Weinstein, Trevor Thompson, Christian Maalouf, Jordan Trahan, John Baragwanath, Brian Powderly, Kevin Taylor, Jahmal Williams, Steve Brandi, Aaron Herrington
Brett Weinstein, melon grab, St. Louis. photo: Josh Stewart
YEARS SPANNED
2017 to 2023.
John Baragwanath, switch backside smith, New York. photo: Josh Stewart
Who had the easiest and hardest parts to film?
Brian Powderly’s was the easiest in that it only took a few trips for his part to form into most of what became the final edit. Everything he films is pretty captivating to me. I’m more fascinated with his style and personality than what trick he does.
John Baragwanath’s part might have been the hardest, because I was filming with him the longest and most frequently. When you work on something for too long you start to over-analyze it. John is one of those skaters who looks so good in person but translating it to video is often difficult. Figuring out music and editing that did him justice which showed the audience what those of us who know him see took some time. I’m happy with the result but I still think people need to see him skate in person to get the true John B experience.
Kevin Taylor, nosebluntslide, Philadelphia. photo: Brian Weglicki
CITIES VISITED
Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, New Haven, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Miami, St Louis, Baltimore.
Aaron Herrinton, 5050 to 5050, St Louis. photo: Josh Stewart
Wildest story throughout filming Static VI?
We were on a Midwest trip with Aaron Herrington, who seemed to be saving himself for something. We drove from Chicago to St. Louis and the next morning Aaron asked to go peep a spot he had a pin for. It was 10am, way too early to skate, and absolutely freezing.
We get to the spot and it’s two massive rails at the edge of a field with an eight or nine inch gap between them, and the wind was whipping. It was the most miserable conditions possible. The other skaters were so cold that three of them were literally cuddled up together in a Snuggie, watching from inside the van. It was uncomfortable just to be filming. He rode up to it for a while, waiting for the wind to die down, but it wasn’t happening. When he got the courage up to hop on a couple, it started fucking snowing.
Somehow, he didn’t throw in the towel. He rode it out, tried a few more and then took a slam, sacking the second rail. I thought it was over, but, apparently that’s what he needed, because he rode up to it four or five more times after, waiting for the wind to simmer. The next one he actually tried, he did perfectly. I was so shocked I jerked the camera sideways, like a pure rookie, but thankfully still got it. The trick was mad impressive, but we were all more shocked by his focus and determination. So gnarly on its own but with the conditions on top of it that was one of the more impressive things I’ve ever witnessed in person.
CONTRIBUTING VIDEOGRAPHERS
Jake Todd, John Valenti, Jon Schmoldt, Tristan Mershon
DV TAPES
200 plus…
Steve Brandi, gap to backside lipslide, New York. photo: Cole Giordano
“At a certain point, the biggest obstacle for a long-running series becomes the history of the series itself.”
Any surprises or drama in the editing room?
The “drama” for Static VI was all in my head. At a certain point, the biggest obstacle for a long-running series becomes the history of the series itself. A struggle develops between respecting the history and vibe while also trying to give it a new look and introduce new concepts.
I never want to just make the same video all over again, so it takes some work and searching for inspiration to come up with some new concepts and a new vibe for a video. Static VI had me baffled. I’m not sure why but I had writer’s block for years. I was at my wit’s end and had some serious editing room meltdowns over the process before I eventually settled on a theme that I felt was relevant to what it felt like being in America over the last five years while working on this video. I don’t know if it’s going to translate well or if it will resonate with people, but my mind just kept gravitating towards this theme so I inevitably just ran with it.
Brian Powderly, 180 nosegrind, Baltimore. photo: Josh Stewart
What’s your favourite song on the soundtrack and how did you find it?
Brian Powderly’s song has been haunting me for years. It’s a rare live performance of David Bowie covering a Simon & Garfunkel song [“America”] that helped inspire the theme for Static VI. I was worried Brian would hate it but once I edited his part to it, I thought: “There’s no way in hell we’re not using this song.”
It haunts you and pulls emotion out of you that you never expect to feel from watching a skate video. It matches what watching Brian skate does to me. It’s hard to explain but it’s powerful and I hope it makes people feel how I feel when I watch it because it’s one of the more special parts from the series in my opinion.
Brian Powderly, pop up to pivot, New York. photo: Josh Stewart
“I easily could’ve worked on the video for another year, it was like a creative Rubik’s Cube that I couldn’t crack”
Why are you proud of Static VI in particular?
It’s another where I’m simply proud to have pulled it off. Static VI was such a battle for me. I easily could’ve worked on the video for another year, it was like a creative Rubik’s Cube that I couldn’t crack, but I’m super proud of each part and I feel, for a couple of the guys, this could be the part that they’ll be remembered for. I also really like how the video showcases skaters from different cities circling the whole country. I wanted this one to be different from Static IV / Static V and that really helped to separate Static VI into being its own stand-alone project.
What’s the first clip that comes to mind, or a highlight from the project, when you think Static VI?
Hand-cutting the pages out of all of those fucking books! I never did it the smart way, I just held a loose razor in my fingers and slowly hacked away until my fingers were glowing red or bleeding.
For clips, probably Jordan’s closing kickflip. It was a rare moment where I knew it was going to be his last trick and then when he did it, it was like the most beautiful kickflip I’ve ever seen in person.
By June 2023, I had developed a sciatica problem in both of my legs and feet and I had to stop filming. I had been planning one last filming trip to New Orleans to get this final clip of Jordan on 16mm that I wanted to be the last clip in the video. I figured my sciatica would be bearable if I was riding in a car from spot to spot, instead of walking and skating like in NYC.
Jordan decided to handle the big trick on our first day, despite the fact it was 96 degrees. It was a battle because he’d have to take like ten minute breaks after every two or three tries, it was so insanely hot. After two and a half hours of melting he did it so beautifully — I couldn’t believe I was able to capture it on both 16mm and VX. I flew home and had to wait nine days for the film to be processed and transferred. You can only imagine how much my heart sank when I saw that the entire roll had a light leak and his trick was ruined. Some light leaks can look cool, but this one was catastrophic. I’m still a little destroyed over this.
A different Jordan Trahan kickflip in New Orleans to what’s discussed here (you’ll have to watch Static VI for that one). photo: Fred Simonson
Thank god his friend showed up to film a second angle on VX, and he filmed it so freaking well it still works as the closer to the part and the video. But hot damn, that 16MM angle would’ve been the icing on the cake. That’s how it goes with shooting film, that’s part of what makes it so rewarding when it works out, and so gutting when it doesn’t.
It was also New Orleans in peak summer at 96 degrees and like, a million percent humidity, and he was just about to throw in the towel. The relief and joy was at an all time high as he rode away. It was so perfect for an ending because it wasn’t about what he did but, how he did it. That’s kind of the main theme of Static, all these years.
“it wasn’t about what he did but, how he did it. That’s kind of the main theme of Static, all these years.”
Signing off with Jahmal Williams, diamond plate, and a cellar door — key players in the Static series. photo: Cole Giordano
A condensed version of this feature originally ran in Closer Issue #6 as part of ‘End of the Line — The Conclusion of Josh Stewart’s ‘Static’ Series’.
Previously in this story
- Part II: Closing Doors — Josh Stewart on Static IV and Static V
- Part I: Starting Light — Josh Stewart on the original Static Trilogy
More from Issue 6
Favorites from the print edition of Closer
- ‘Have You Met Nelly Morville?’ — An Interview with Limosine’s Breakout Star
- Ariana Spencer — One Rad Mom
- Topography: Wallrides with Silas Baxter-Neal
- The Long Play with Mason Silva: Early 2000s Skate Video Soundtracks
- Louie Lopez on AVE’s Green Bench
Closer Skateboarding | Issue #6
Featuring
End of the Line: The Conclusion of Josh Stewart’s ‘Static’ Series
Plus
- Jake Johnson: The Chrome Ball Interview
- An Audience with Leo Romero
- Clyde Singleton’s Most Slept-On Pro Skateboarders
- Jason Adam — 50 Years to Life
- Ben Colen — Artist Feature
- ‘Control’ photo feature and more.
