2014 Videos #1: Plan B Video

Not much needs to be said about the long-awaited, now cliche release of the Plan B Video. We know it's going to be good, no question there. The crew is super well-knit and the perfect size for a full length video with full parts from everyone. The question is when, or if really, the video will come out. Now after some good teaser trailers this past year, we can hopefully assume that the video will be released. The time has been long enough that a date later this year would make the most sense. And plus, how long can Plan B sit on the footage of Sheckler's backside flip down El Toro? Something's gotta give and I feel like 2014 is the year.

While I'd think the obvious contenders for last part would be Danny Way (Superfuture section above) and Ryan Sheckler, with most likely mind-blowing tricks, that doesn't mean every single other guy on the team won't have a phenomenal part. There's been so much time since Superfuture that even with some injuries and downtime, all of the guys HAVE to have some heavy footage stacked up for Plan B. And the sweetest thing is that Plan B is considered one of the best teams in skateboarding for a reason. We just need a reminder this year with the video!

2014 Videos #2: Vans Video

I'm sure everyone's heard something about the upcoming Vans Video. All of the Vans dudes have been getting coverage and the company has been consistently coming out with gnarly ads lately. While the news about the video, which I can only assume is coming out this year without any specific trailer or release date, has been making its way around the internet, I still think Vans is one of the most underrated teams out there. A good reason for that is probably their lack of contest presence, besides say Curren and Pedro, but that makes the team that much rawer. With a crew like Vans, you can be sure every dude is out in the streets stacking sick footage, which makes me wonder who may end up with the last part. The uncertainty of what these guys have been up to makes the anticipation for the video that much heavier. And with a legendary company like Vans, this video has the potential to shake the skate world much like Pretty Sweet did. Get hyped!

Just a few of Vans' skaters and reasons why you should be pumped too:
AVE - I don't even have to pull the age card here because he's been going hard!
Gilbert Crockett - His Life Splicing was one of the rawest things I can remember and we know he can efficiently produce high quality footage from his Old Dominion part and just this week his pro shoe clip.
Andrew Allen - Been a fan ever since Prevent The Tragedy (remix above, absolutely love this edit) and hope that he's got some similar ripping hidden footage that has flown under radars recently

(Those are just my picks, but there are a bunch of other dudes that can easily have an epic part too: Geoff Rowley, Chris Pfanner, Chima Ferguson, ... that's just how good the Vans squad is!)

2014 Videos #3: Outliers (Transworld Video #26)

Not much is know about Transworld's 26th video except for a few details given by Chris Thiessen (1:02). The video is coming out sometime this summer or possibly even in the fall (though TWS is pretty good at keeping deadlines compared to other companies) and it will be called Outliers. Transworld consistently comes through with some of the best videos every year and this one should be no different. Not only are the filmmakers quite extraordinary, but the lineups are very easily the best mix of 5/6 skaters you'd never think of putting together. But that's what makes every TWS video so great: the epic lineup and seeing how the dudes can come together over just a year with incredible skating and those good homie vibes. Now after speaking of the lineup enough already, here it is with some video part reminders of the gnarliness:

Neen Williams - Chicken Bone Nowison
Brad Cromer - going pro for Krooked part above, and Lo-Fi
Lee Yankou - Never Gets Old and Business As Usual
Riley Hawk - Lakai x Baker feature and Shep Dawgs 3
Zered Bassett - State of Mind

2014 Videos #4: LRG Video

It's pretty interesting when a clothing company comes out with a full length video in skateboarding. I can't think of too many instances of this happening. Ambig came out with a solid 15 minutes or so of insane shredding with great editing via Modern Art, but that's definitely a promo as opposed to a full length video. I was super stoked on Ambig since the video and their sick team, but after a few team member cuts I can't back them as much. Anyway, LRG is the other clothing company in my memory that has pulled off the legit full length video just a few years ago. Give Me My Money Chico turned out to be really sick; it combined a pretty versatile and stylish team with editing inter-connectivity to give a consistent vibe throughout the whole video. And everyone's parts were definitely memorable to still be brought up today. A good 35/40 minute video with full parts from everyone is priceless these days in the increasingly viral world of skateboarding.

Since then, the team has changed up a little bit (I still find it funny that almost immediately after GMMMC came out Tommy Guns, Billy Marks, and Tom Asta were added to the team) and has some new heavy hitters now: Felipe Gustavo, Carlos Ribeiro, and Trent McClung. Recently, LRG introduced Miles Silvas to the team (welcome video above), who has been on an absolute rampage this year with coverage and sponsors. With that welcome video I saw that LRG is officially working on its next full length video for 2014. With a lineup that LRG has now, a full length video can be extremely epic. Definitely something to be hyped for this year.

A quick highlight run through of some of LRG's skaters to be ready for their upcoming video:
You know what Billy Marks, Tom Asta, and Carlos Ribeiro are capable of.
Tommy Sandoval - just look at his Cold War part
Miles Silvas - can't wait to see probably the biggest back noseblunt ever!
(And if any of their international dudes have parts too...oh boy!)

In addition to the LRG video, I should probably mention the upcoming video from Gold Wheels: Gold Goons. I just saw the trailer this week, so I didn't plan on posting about it. But just looking at the lineup in the info underneath the trailer, there are so many tight dudes on the team that even semi-full parts from some of them would be satisfactory. I'm not too sure which ones have been stacking clips for Gold Goons specifically, but a lineup like that leaves plenty possibilities for a full length video.

2014 Videos #5: Shane O'Neill

Now there's not very much to go on here, but according to Twitter and directly from the man himself, Shane O'Neill will be dropping a full part through Thrasher soon. I don't remember/can't find exactly where, but I'm pretty sure there was word that the part would be out in 2014 as well, which really makes sense the way pros can come out with parts every year if they really worked for it. I also heard rumor that a good portion of Shane's Chronicles part (above) was "filler" footage, which is also understandable since we know what Shane is capable of. Again, that was just rumor and there's no official trailer or footage for the video part, but nonetheless this is Shane O'Neill. Filler or not, his Chronicles part was insane. Anytime there are ridiculously tech and beautiful NBDs in a part it's gonna mark its place in skateboarding history. All things considered, I cannot wait for whatever Shane's cooking up for his next part.

Here's a few of his mind-boggling and super steezy parts from earlier years:
Not Another Transworld Video
Going Pro Berrics Part
Debacle (with Theotis Beasley)
Am Chowder

Next Week: Videos to Look Forward to in 2014

Though it's already a couple weeks into the new year, there's still time to express my top 5 videos I'm looking forward to in 2014. Not much else to say except that there are definitely some big releases to be hyped for this year.

One thing to look forward to not only this year but basically the next decade or so is Mark Suciu. Technically, since I don't think there are any specific releases for Mark scheduled for 2014 yet, I'm not officially including him in this week's top 5. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't expect more quality footage from him. And loads of it. After one of the craziest years for Mark in terms of the absurd number of good parts he put out, capped off with his wonderful 8 minutes of smart skating in Search the Horizon, there's no doubt he'll impress once again in 2014. Add in the fact that he is a new professional for Habitat and there's a really good chance we'll see some incredible stuff from Mark this year.