The 11 episodes released so far include parts 1-6 of Skate and Create, parts 1-3 of Graffiti and a couple of brief artist profiles on Swoon and Os Gêmeos…

Visit the site to check out all the episodes so far at…

http://www.wk.com/wke/show/diy/

“MAKE IT COUNT is a four-part documentary, which showcases Element’s defining moments and delves into its compelling story. From its humble beginnings, to a forward thinking global brand, this film covers two decades of stories and imagery.”

Here’s links to the Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 posts with embedded video as above. Visit the Make It Count website to watch and download each episode in a variety of resolutions.

“The first incarnation of Element came in the form of a small collaborative, East Coast company called Underworld Element. Most often referred to as Underworld, the company was inspired by the hip-hop movement and used a mixture of urban styles and reflected a raw and controversial vibe.

Soon after its inception, Underworld was plagued with many challenges, and the business began to collapse. Its original crew had all moved on, and Johnny was left with two choices: either turn the struggling brand around, or abandon Underworld altogether and start something entirely new.”

You can watch the above on the Element site at a variety of resolutions here.

If you’re into the documentary then the first Element video ‘Fine Artists’ (above) is a good follow up move.

“MAKE IT COUNT is a four-part documentary, which showcases Element’s defining moments and delves into its compelling story. From its humble beginnings, to a forward thinking global brand, this film covers two decades of stories and imagery.

In creating Chapter 1 of 4, “WIND” Kirk Dianda (director) followed Johnny Schillereff (Element founder & president) and dug into his history, interviewing the very people that have shaped his life and the company. The opening and closing sequences give you a small taste of the diverse community of people interviewed for the entire project, topics covered, and nostalgia that was un-earthed.”

The remaining three chapters are to be released on the first of each month. Use the button on the bottom right of the player to view full screen. Alternatively, you can watch and download in medium and high resolution here.

“Few skate spots on earth can claim the notoriety of philadelphia’s love park. its location and design have made it the focal point of east-coast skateboarding. for the first time, ricky oyola, stevie williams, josh kalis, kerry getz, tim o’connor, and a host of local notables tell the tale of this legendary landmark.”

I forgot about Epicly Later’d for a while so going back to check what I missed and finding this, really made my week. All 16 parts is going to take you over an hour but it’s so worthwhile.

From VBS… “This is the John Cardiel episode of Epicly Later’d. It began like all the episodes of the show begin, just meeting up with a dude to talk about skateboarding. But John is such a legendary skater with such a long and amazing personal history that to try and crush everything into a normal 15-minute episode would have been a joke. Over the course of filming and editing, this thing just grew and grew until now I almost want to say it’s a full-length documentary.”

“From his youth in the sticks of Grass Valley to becoming one of the most loved and respected skateboarders of all time to miraculously recovering from a horrific, paralyzing injury, we are proud to bring you John Cardiel’s story as best as we can tell it.”

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

You can find the three clips above along with the remaining parts 4-16 via the Epicly Later’d page on VBS.tv

A name that gets less than it’s fair share of recognition is Natas Kaupas. To me, one of Skateboarding’s greatest strengths as a culture is its ability to be different things to different people and Natas really personifies what it’s meant to me over the years. The guy got involved on his own terms and carved his own route, that’s what it’s all about. Later, he would use that same personalized passion and drive as he began to get involved in related business ventures. Eventually finding himself as an art director he continued to turn his dedication and love for what he was involved with into some seriously fresh, original and influential styles.

Below is a 4 part ‘On Video’ biography on his career from pioneering skate legend of the 80’s to his post injury art direction of the 90’s. Don’t sleep on this if you’re feeling it’s not an area of interest to you, the cultural significance of this guys attitude and approach goes way beyond the context of skateboarding…

Part one…

Part two…

Part three…

Part four…