The Challenges of Making It as a Canadian Skateboarder

It’s widely known that the skateboarding industry is heavily concentrated in the United States, particularly in specific areas of California. Many skaters have moved to California to pursue their dreams, a bold move in itself. However, choosing to build a skateboarding career outside of the US is an even greater challenge, with only the most exceptional talents succeeding.

This article explores the difficulties faced by Canadian skaters trying to make their mark in the industry, a topic highlighted in a short documentary by Evan Rissi and Alex Doyle. Canada, often seen as the US’s quirky counterpart, shares many similarities but not a prominent presence in professional skateboarding. There seems to be a tendency for Americans to hold Canadian skaters to higher standards, making their journey even more challenging.

Q&A With Filmmakers Evan Rissi & Alex Doyle

Why do you think Canadian skaters don’t get the recognition they deserve?

Evan Rissi: When an industry is rooted in a specific location, anyone outside of it is judged by those standards. The “good, but not American good” trope is a reality. Skaters not constantly present on the scene can easily be overlooked, making it even harder for foreign talent. It’s like an exclusive club that’s been in place since the 90s. Although it’s rare, skaters are now finding success without relocating, and that’s inspiring. The Canadian skate scene doesn’t need to feel inferior, but it’s often a part of the culture. Distribution companies often act as farm teams, and if the skaters perform well, they might get to move up to the major leagues. However, brands like Dime and Jenny are challenging that model and doing things their way. Alltimers is essentially Canadian, and that’s good to see.

Alex Doyle: Not every skilled skater, Canadian or otherwise, can get the recognition they deserve. Nowadays, it’s often about having the right people supporting you or knowing how to self-promote without seeming arrogant. Social media platforms have allowed skaters to pursue their dreams without moving to California.

Who is a Canadian skater who should have gone pro but didn’t?

ER: There are many, but Travis Stenger is a cult favorite. It’s unclear what the Crailtap camp was thinking with him. Even now, he could easily sell boards without doing much. Other incredibly talented skaters include Paul Liliani, Antoine Asselin, Chad Dickson, JS Lapierre, and legends like Torey Goodall, Phil McKnight, Derek Swaim, and Skylar Kehr. Many others didn’t make it in the US but went pro for their own companies, which is equally valid. There are many young skaters coming up who will make it happen.

AD: Stenger is definitely #1. The mystery surrounding him today is kind of cool, and his career might have been different if he had gone pro.

How was involving Skylar’s parents in the film?

ER: It was easy since they are great people. We had a good time getting drunk with Skylar’s dad, then did the interviews the next day. Doyle doesn’t even remember the interviews. I had mostly realistic questions, then added some narrative-driven ones. They did an amazing job. Others in the film had acting experience and followed directions well. I gave everyone scripts to prepare, and they made it work. Skylar deserves credit for playing along with my silly film idea, including acting, slamming, and putting himself out there for internet laughs.

AD: Skylar’s parents don’t have acting backgrounds. They could speak easily about Skylar because their comments were mostly true.

“It would be hilarious to make a film where if our moms, or whoever, watched it, they’d take it at face value and think that that’s really how skateboarding works.”

Why was a 540 chosen as the turning pro trick?

ER: I saw footage of Skylar trying 540s as a joke and he seemed close to landing it. The 540 hasn’t been relevant in skating since the 80s, but to outsiders, it might seem like a highly coveted trick. Skate culture is exclusive and esoteric, so I thought it would be funny to make a film that moms would see as a realistic representation of skateboarding. I made the film and the entire premise was that Sky needed to land it, and he still hasn’t done it [laughs]. That part is real. His girlfriend also left him, so maybe the 540 has more meaning than we think.

What are some annoying tropes in skate documentaries?

ER: I have to give it to Ty Evans for being great at what he did, and then becoming the opposite. Films like We Are Blood and The Flat Earth are cringeworthy. When skaters are forced to talk about what skateboarding means to them, it’s unbearable. Early examples are fine, but for the most part, it’s an immediate stop, eject, and stomp. The dramatic musical score is also something I find comical and had to bring my friend Matt Chalmers to do for this.

When someone goes pro or gets a shoe/colorway, they make the same generic edit. Stories of how their parents saw their talent early on, childhood friends, mentions of “timeless style” and “old soul,” etc. Then, you add a huge budget and get a corny product like Waiting for Lightning and other Ty Evans films. These stories are fine, but they are overused. We tried to clown on that while staying true to reality and parody, because the first four minutes of our film are actually accurate. When you take something as carefree as skating and shoot it with expensive gear and special vans, that’s a no for me. Zero humor, and the opposite of what I want to see. However, We Are Blood gave us Tiago Lemos, so we still love you, Ty. Make Chomp 2 and all is forgiven.

“Any time you force a skater to narrate what skateboarding means to them, it’s unbearable.”

What are some of the best and worst skate documentaries?

ER: The Hot Chocolate Tour is one of my favorites. I still quote it often. I always liked the original Epicly Later’d web series by Patrick O’Dell because it was raw and made for skateboarders. It wasn’t pretentious. I remember the anticipation of waiting for new episodes. It was the first of its kind. The Brian Anderson short by Giovanni Reda about coming out is great, and what’s key is the re-watchability. Jeremy Elkin’s new film, All the Streets Are Silent, is also really cool. Gleaming the Cube is another great film.

The worst ones are feature films that aren’t made for skateboarders. They are trying to reach a larger audience to sell energy drinks, get free equipment, and go to the Olympics. Mission accomplished, I guess. Surprised there wasn’t one in 3D.

AD: I like the “Out There” series from Thrasher. Tom Knox and Austin Kanfoush have great ones. The “Evolution Of…” videos are also cool. Short, documentary-style videos about skateboarding, but not focused on individual skaters, are more interesting to me. I’ve shared the VX1000 history video with people who don’t understand that camera’s importance.

Do you think the Canadian skate scene is growing and will it eventually not depend on American brands?

AD: I think it’s growing, but skaters worldwide will probably always depend on the big American companies. While there are some cool Canadian board/apparel companies, it’s difficult for them to grow as big as American ones. It depends on the end goal, whether it’s online validation, making a living from skating, or something else. Without a major Canadian shoe company, people will still rely on America for footwear.

It’s possible for Canadians to stand out without American help, like Zander Mitchell. With the younger kids improving so much, there will be more like him. It’s still difficult to make a career from skating for most people who want to do that, but maybe that will change.

ER: They are growing, and there have always been Canadian brands that gained success thanks to talented skaters. Red Dragon is an example. DC and Girl are also half Canadian, but they didn’t support the talent here properly. Dime is doing its own thing and killing it. It’ll be hard to be self-sustaining, but that’s common in every industry. Could they make a living? Sure. Do people make a living making Canadian movies? Yes. Are they worse than Hollywood films? Yes, due to the inferiority complex and infrastructure in place. Talent will always be pulled south for more opportunities, unless the culture changes completely.

Is this your first “mockumentary?”

AD: I didn’t put much thought into shooting it. It was just a straightforward week, and I hit record when needed. Evan did most of the planning. Perhaps, I was subconsciously inspired by Borat.

ER: I’ve made mockumentaries before, but “spoof” or “fake” might be better terms. I made a 20-minute fake doc about Freestyle Canoeing, a sport that is like paddle dancing and figure skating in a boat. People actually take it seriously. I didn’t mock it much since I had to learn how to do it. I’m currently developing that short into a show. Christopher Guest movies are great inspiration. The jokes write themselves when you highlight something real that’s funny, like a Best in Show dog competition. I was also attracted to trolling people who wouldn’t know it was fake. Only skaters will understand it. I’ve always been a troll, and I even considered trolling this whole interview [laughs].

Video by: Evan Rissi & Alex Doyle

Evan Rissi is a Toronto writer, director, comedian, and former editor of King Shit Magazine, currently releasing his first feature film.

Alex Doyle is a lifelong skate filmmaker in Vancouver, currently finishing up his next VX full length video when he’s not working his day job on the new Skate.

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