Four years after the release of Timescan, the acclaimed independent video from Japan, filmmaker Rob Taro is back with Timescan 2. This new epic features four years of filming, a cast of 54 skaters, both well-known and underground, and a unique perspective on Japanese skateboarding.
Timescan 2 distinguishes itself with its distinctive spots and the unique style of Japanese skaters. To delve deeper into this project, we talked with Rob Taro about managing a large cast, the long hiatus, finding spots in Japan, and the current state of skateboarding.
Here’s what Rob had to say:
The official banner for Timescan 2.
How did skateboarding’s Olympic debut in Tokyo impact the public perception of skateboarding in Japan?
The Olympics changed skateboarding forever. Skateboarding was once an escape from societal pressures, but now we see parents pushing their young children to learn tricks for contest scores. Street skateboarding is becoming increasingly regulated. What is skateboarding without freedom? At one point, I felt like I didn’t belong anywhere.
The industry in Japan seems to value numbers over contributions to the community. Success is often measured by contest results or social media followers. This makes it hard to find genuine, interesting content.
“It can be challenging to get Japanese people to appreciate their own culture.”
There’s increased travel between Japan and the US, with pros visiting Japan and young Japanese skaters traveling to the US. Have you observed any impact on Japanese skaters’ styles, such as a growing American influence?
Absolutely. Skateboarding from the US and Europe has always significantly influenced Japan, and this extends beyond skateboarding. Even brands that don’t produce skate videos can gain popularity simply by featuring “New York City” on their clothing. It’s rare to see a Japanese flag displayed in Japan. Many people are drawn to you simply because you’re from another country. It can be a huge challenge to get Japanese people to appreciate their own culture.
However, there are still crews dedicated to preserving ‘Japanese skateboarding,’ often operating underground. Some of my favorite are ManWho and Toriotoko. I’m also collaborating with Yoji Mizusawa, who created some really cool videos with Color Communications.
Ryo Sejiri executes a switch back-side slappy with precision.
Nobu, a favorite skater, seems to be back and better than ever. Have you figured him out yet, or is he still a mystery?
Nobu would be stoked to hear that you guys feel that way. He’s a close friend, but he definitely has an air of mystery, which makes him so interesting! I admire his dedication to skateboarding above all else. He recently quit his job and moved closer to a skatepark to open a tiny skate shop in his apartment called Trust Skate Shop in Osaka, near Nagai Skate Park.
“I never planned on filming for four years straight. It just happened, and I’m glad it did.”
The length of the video nearly doubled since the first Timescan. What changed for you between filming the first and second?
The whole world changed! So much has happened during these four years. I never planned on filming for so long, but it just happened, and I’m glad it did. The first Timescan created a platform for skaters of all ages and styles, sponsored or not, to gain exposure in Japan and worldwide. It’s challenging for skaters in Japan to get noticed because we are so isolated, and there’s also a language barrier.
Thanks to magazines like Jenkem, Timescan attracted more skaters who shared my skateboarding mindset. We bonded naturally. I’m not just a filmmaker; I skate with everyone. Having lived in Japan longer now, I’ve immersed myself more in Japanese culture.
This video features many natural transition spots. How many of these spots do you think had never been skated before you guys filmed there?
I wouldn’t say we are the first ones to skate it, but maybe the first ones to capture it the way that we did. I like to capture the overall vibe of the day or the trip, not just the tricks.
The video includes an old-school pool that looks like it was dug up and placed next to farmland. What’s the story behind that?
My friends from Hokkaido built it. They find land and construct the gnarliest, tightest, and sketchiest bowls. It’s easy to get hurt there, but they don’t care. One of my closest friends, Takuya Isumi, also known as EZ, is from that area. He’s a legend. You know the legendary Mikasa, also known as ‘the lost bowl’ as Jake Phelps called it? EZ and his crew would camp there overnight just to repair the whole thing.
He’s done a lot for me and my projects, and has been killing it lately. He’s one of the few dudes out there putting skateboarding over everything else. He literally wouldn’t mind sleeping in a curry shop, surviving in a car throughout mid winter, or in an abandoned mansion just to keep up with skateboarding! Whenever I’m going through a hard time, I always remind myself that is EZ putting himself in difficult situations and he always makes it out like nothing happened.
“Skateboarding itself is not easy, but balancing that with adulthood is what seems to hurt him.”
What’s it like filming with Gou Miyagi? Does he already have these wild spots or are you guys searching together?
We never went searching for spots. He already had spots he would go to. Most of his tricks were all filmed in the same park that he often skates at. The park has all these weird rails and even the park people don’t know what they were made for. These rails eventually turned into Gou’s spots.
Gou told me the most fun aspect of skateboarding to him is the imagining part. The most difficult part is making his incredible ideas work. We were both experimenting as we were filming. He is so tough and is one of the strictest people I have ever met. Even if it takes him hours to land something before his long night shifts, he would still want to refilm it over and over again.
The craziest part is everytime we would refilm something, he levels up. It’s incredible to see the progress in person. There hasn’t been much footage of him over the years because he didn’t have anyone around him that had the patience to work with him. That’s why for the longest time he felt it was better for him to just let his phone do the filming.
The Timescan crew captures the essence of Japanese skateboarding.
Gou seems like a man of mystery… What else can you tell us about him?
Gou isn’t the type of skater to just tag along with a crew and go filming. He needs someone he can trust. Building that trust took a very long time. I sensed that he had a lot going on in his past and present. He’s 45 years old. He’s trying to recover from a knee injury. He’s working night shifts. He’s got a family. Skateboarding itself is not easy, but balancing that with adulthood is what seems to hurt him.
The reason I’ve been in Japan all these years has a lot to do with the impact Gou has left in the world of skateboarding. Since he blessed me with the opportunity to connect with him, I wanted to do everything I possibly could to make him happy. Gou’s dream was to make a video part that is all circle rails. He wanted to make a video part that he can look back on and be glad he did it. Although it was a huge mission, I think it’s safe to say that it was a success.
What are your filmmaking influences? Do you have any films you think are must-watches for people who are into experimental filmmaking?
I like to take inspiration from things outside of skateboarding. I always loved Michel Gondry’s music videos. Before I left for Japan nine years ago, my friend gave me a documentary DVD on Michel Gondry and it’s incredible. How he is able to incorporate childhood memories and traumas into his work to create something epic with my favorite musical artists. It’s just so cool.
“There is no room for content to breathe anymore.”
Are full-length videos alive and well in your opinion? Or is it a dying model?
I don’t know about dying, but it’s for sure not alive and well. I feel the same way about skate videos in general. It’s pretty obvious why less people are filming skateboarding, because in most cases, it’s not fucking worth it.
Imagine putting hours, days, and years of work into a single project, being on call to work with everyone’s schedule, and funding everything out of your pocket just to drop the video online for free and it to get buried under more content the next day like nothing happened. There is no room for content to breathe anymore.
There were many times during the process of filming this movie where I questioned myself and wondered why the hell am I putting myself through this. It can be very hard to motivate yourself in a world like this. That goes for anything, not just skateboarding.
Masaki Hongo executes a boardslide fakie in Nagano.
Well you’ve done a killer job at keeping the tradition alive, what’s the secret?
I believe there are three key things that keep full-length videos alive.
- Homies: I was very lucky to have very talented friends around me who were motivated to do something together. All 54 skateboarders believed in me and I believed in all of them. The guys who had full parts, Ryo Nobuchika, Shintaro Hongo, Masaki Hongo, Ryo Sejiri, Kazuaki Tamaki and Gou Miyagi; and everyone else in my video are ALL so underrated. My main motive behind my projects is to get all of these guys more recognition all over Japan and out to the world. They all really fucking deserve it.
- Shops: Skate shops from all over Japan and some overseas were very supportive of my projects. In 2023, without any help from a distributor, 80+ skate shops from all over Japan ordered DVD’s from me. Also, The Palomino Club in London, and Josh Stewart at Theories of Atlantis were both cool enough to distribute DVD’s for me. This is proof that DVDs are still well and alive in Japan and some places in the world. Thanks to the skate shops and those supporting them for keeping the culture alive!
- Premieres: All the skate shops I’m connected with out there are skater run and have such a wonderful scene. When I had video premieres at these local skate shops, you can really feel the love in each community. Some shops could be in the middle of the countryside. Maybe ten people show up but they are like family. It could be raining and still there would be that one guy barbecuing outside while others are chatting and some even have their kids on their shoulders all watching my movie with smiles on their faces. I also did two big screenings in Kobe and Tokyo. Then in New York at the Greenpoint Palace and NJ Skate Shop. Thanks JD and Steven at NJ for making this happen! Lastly, Nikola gave me the very special honor to have Timescan 2 as the curtains to the Vladimir Film Festival in Croatia.
All of these precious moments will have a safe place deep in my heart. These are all moments that remind me how glad I am to have worked on my projects. I am so thankful for my friends. Blessed to have been involved with the world of skateboarding.
The Timescan 2 DVD, a symbol of dedication and community.
Check out the Timescan Store here!
