Video of the Week: Jet Caputo in FOOTAGE PARTY

For some pretty random guy to come out with a part, an 8 minute part for that matter, and have it be worthy of multiple viewings takes some skill and luck. What caught me off guard was just how easy and fun the entire part felt, so that by the time he's actually dropping some hammers near the end you have to double take to realize it. Casual and enjoyable but also inventive and gnarly at the same time, Jet Caputo's part in FOOTAGE PARTY is one of those break out parts that's worthy of remembering.

Some other sweet videos:
Dillon Constantine - Video Check Out - a hammer-filled rail assault with a vigor you don't see too often
Ben Gore - SF Nights - a short and sweet part with all the right ingredients: SF, night skating, and stylish Ben Gore
Truman Hooker - Ditch Demon - Thrasher said it best: the spot search alone makes this an interesting part, but Truman's ditch skating skills seal the deal.
Huf - Australia for Tour - The team is too good and Sammy Winter kills it! Huf needs to get him on there.
HYPE - Totally Original - The HYPE squad rips and keeps the video tasteful.
JP Oliveira - Mag Minute - another strong member of the new breed of tech-gnar
Ishod Wair and SOTY Naawwsty - The crew alone is epic but the skating and fun-having is just priceless.
AJ Zavala - Shep Dawgs Teaser - I only saw his name tossed around in Shep Dawgs montages but now I can finally put a name to a face and a sick style. Pumped for Shep Dawgs V4!
Danny Dicola - SLAVE - The vibes are definitely relaxed but Danny's spot selection is far from it.

Video part remixes are the best way to give old footage new life and new vibes, the aspects that make some video parts truly memorable. Now there were a couple sweet remixes from this week, including a Brandon Westgate one of just NYC footage from his past 3 or 4 parts. That's the kind of thematic remixing that Quartersnacks does best and it really comes out well to see Westgate ripping the Big Apple in this video. Then there was one of Chase Webb, reminding us how gnarly he is and how he's been powerfully coming up the past couple years. It's good not to forget his steady stream of bangers in the internet's vortex of ripping Californians.

Next Week (and maybe the week after that): Gone Skating

I didn't want this to come, but maintaining this blog with new topics every week is becoming a bit too tricky to handle. Every day you can look on skate websites and find loads and loads of new videos to occupy your time, but I started this blog to take a look at videos probably lost in the abyss of the internet and have them resurface with a new purpose. I just don't want to post a video and list a name every day without backing it up with an analysis of why it's worth watching/re-watching and why it's worth remembering within the topic for that week. And for that, I have decided at least for a little while to hold off on the weekly topics until the time comes that is actually free enough to provide quality posts for the week. My selection of Videos of the Week will keep going as a way of filtering through the packs of daily videos. But the next weekly topic that Skateboarding High Fives is built on may be in a few weeks, maybe a month, maybe a few months, maybe summer...I don't really know. As quantity is pushing down on quality of skate footage these days, I hope to provide the posts that are worth reading and watching. So while I take the time to thaw my legs out from this winter and skate a bit and focus on my other responsibilities, I'll leave it with this VX piece by Gravis, featuring Jake Johnson and Sammy Winter. If this doesn't emphasize quality over quantity, I don't know what does. 

Video of Last Week: Rodney Mullen TEDxTalks On Getting Up Again

There were a great deal of solid skate videos this week, but I must give top honors to Rodney Mullen's recent TEDxTalk. Even though the video came out prior to this past week, I didn't see it mentioned until this week and it is just too critical of a video to pass up mentioning.
Rodney has to be one of the brightest people on this planet. Finding enough physical and mental strength to progress any physical activity like Rodney has with skateboarding is already a feat in itself, which explains the whole industry behind professional athletes. But it takes a truly brilliant mind to pick apart at that psychological/physical teamwork to express the process behind doing what we do as skaters. I'm sure everyone's had those instantaneous fleeting thoughts right before you pop a trick that result in the board being kicked away and busting yourself, and just like Rodney said, you tell yourself that you're not going to do that the next time. I believe Rodney called it a "cognitive override" when he referred to getting back up again just to conquer the trick. His ability to put into words the evanescent thoughts that fly around in our heads to analyze skateboarders like no one else has before is remarkable. Personally I really enjoyed hearing him discuss skateboarding as a language, which is a relatively common connection, but going further to describe how "environmental components" shape our "physical dialect", a comparison I've never thought of before but really do admire now.
Rodney has intellectually conquered his body to the point of knowing his limits when it comes to ripping apart scar tissue, and through that has converted his physical setback into the most legitimate switching of stance possible for skateboarders. At least, that's what is currently considered because who knows what skaters will accomplish ten years from now...much like how Rodney established that learning tricks through others is merely learning that tricks are possible after being materialized from some innovative skater's thoughts.
I have boundless respect for Rodney and this video captures a lot of the reasons why he is one of my greatest inspirations.

On a more standard level of skateboarding videos, this week had a nice dosage, so listed below are some videos worthy of views:
Pat Rumney and Taylor Kirby's shared bonus part in the Deathwish Video, spawned after this week's welcome video for Pat onto Supra Footwear.
JP Souza full video part via Thrasher
Dashawn Jordan's pretty crazy raw clips
Alex Schmidt's exclusive part for The Skateboard Mag
Bert Wootton's Sequel video part

And last but not least, congrats to Sammy Winter for turning pro for Cliche! I love the whole Cliche squad and Sammy is definitely one of the sickest underrated dudes out there. Also in honor of Sammy turning pro this week, we have a short film by the one and only French Fred, Sammy's remixed part by Manolo from Bon Voyage, as well as his original part from the Cliche vid.