Building Gnarnia's video: Project Teaser 1 - Contextualizing

Hey, thanks for watching my first full self-produced ride edit. I'd like to take the opportunity to let you know that this is just a teaser, however, for a project much larger than - though by no means exclusive of - developing my style of riding. About four years ago, I started linking my personal experiences as a BMXer to much larger historical and political contexts. This grew from a few napkin notes into a full-length book, which I hope to follow up with a series of collaborative ride edit documentaries. What I've found so far is that the timing and form of each major phase of BMX and skateboarding can be correlated to social, political and economic landmarks as America continues to restructure itself. These transitions have been built into the physical forms of our cities and suburbs, and each new stage has provided new terrains for BMXers and skateboarders to play with. With the growth of BMX and skateboarding, the interaction between riders and their cities' architecture has become increasingly complex, as architectural trends have influenced riding style at the same time that developments in riding style have influenced architectural trends. By looking at BMX and skateboarding, we can learn a lot about the subtle contours of our society's power structures. Similarly, by looking at the ways in which changing city forms and methods of governance have already influenced BMX and skateboarding, we are in a better position to identify new opportunities - and pitfalls - for emerging riding styles. By situating BMX and skateboarding within a larger socioeconomic context, several things become apparent. For one, there are new forms of built space emerging in our cities, and it is still up in the air as to how BMX and skateboarding will interact with these new surroundings. Can we see the budding of a new branch to the riding style tree? Furthermore, it is safe to say that BMXers and skaters will continue to engage the power dynamics of how our cities are structured and governed. As American society continues to change, however, so do the power relations that BMX and skateboarding are a part of. I'm glad to say that many of these changes are very promising. Others, however, may have some seriously f*cked up implications for ourselves and others, regardless of intentions. So how will BMXers and skaters negotiate their new landscapes and power relations? I hope that other riders are similarly interested in taking a serious look at the direction of BMX. I am currently finishing up my first rough draft of the book, and am excited to get it out to you as soon as possible. That being said, there's still a long way to go before that final product, so in the meantime I'll be dropping more teaser edits, especially during waiting periods in the editing process. Till then, keep riding and thinking and having fun :) ~pat