GA/CHI

Daisuke Takahashi

What was it like filming around Toyko for “Gachi”?

I'm happy that the riders have started suggesting spots and tricks they want to film. For some spots, we had to visit them multiple times and capturing footage is much harder than it looks. I'm grateful to everyone who gave their best and skated seriously in these tough conditions.

Were the sessions big or were you mostly filming with one skater at a time?

Keyaki, Daisuke, T4, and Motoryo live in Tokyo, so on days when our schedules matched, we would all go filming together, but basically, each person filmed individually according to the spots they were targeting. The filming team consisted of me, Kenya Koto handling the sub-angles, and photographer Nobuo Iseki. With support from Nike SB Dojo, we visited various shops, parks, and local skaters in different regions, and with everyone’s help, we were able to complete this project.

Can you talk about the choice to have the soundtrack blend and sound more like a continuous song?

Since we were creating a short-form video, rather than selecting a variety of music styles for each part, I thought it would be better to ask one person to create a cohesive sound. So, I asked Yoppi (Yoshifumi Egawa)—a member of the Tokyo skate team T19—to choose the music. I’ve always thought he was cool, whether it’s his skate style, fashion, or when he’s DJing.

What editing choices did you make to show everyone’s personality and individuality?

I wanted to create an authentic atmosphere, so I used a lot of 8mm film, Single-8 in Japan, which is an old Fuji format that’s no longer in production, for the B-roll. By using an 8mm camera, I was able to capture a different side of them than when filming on video.

Do you have any favorite spots or tricks that made the edit?

Keyaki's last trick (backside feeble) was filmed at a spot where Gou Miyagi landed a frontside 50-50 and Hiroyuki Matsuo did a backside 50-50 in the past, so it's quite a famous spot. On that day, Keyaki had been filming at a different spot, but later we just happened to stop by this spot and he nailed the trick with his sunglasses still on his head!

How did you land on Gachi for the title?

The word “gachi” is a term young people use a lot these days, and it comes from the sumo term “Gachinko Shobu” (a serious match). Keyaki and Daisuke used it frequently during filming, which gave me the idea for the title.

Keyaki Ike

Shortly after you got on SB you moved solo to Tokyo. Did being in a new city change your approach to skating?

Before moving to Tokyo, I mostly practiced for contests, but after coming here I had more opportunities to skate in the streets. I think my choice of tricks and ability to adapt to different spots has changed a bit.

There's a lot of history on the rail you back feebled as your ender. Do think about what you can bring to a spot and how it becomes part of its legacy.

I think it's going to be a spot that gets more attention in the future. Skaters on tours in Japan might check it out and step up.

Can you talk about picking clothes for a spot and why that's important to you?

Since we filmed during winter, it was the perfect season to wear different outfits for the shoot. It really boosted my motivation.

Do you have a preference for day or night footage?

I love both day and night in Tokyo. During the day, the rows of buildings look cool and at night the streetlights are beautiful.

Yuto Horigome is not only a friend but a mentor. How do you push each other?

Yuto and I have been hanging out and skating together since way back. There were even times when we’d plan to skate, but end up spending the whole day at the arcade instead. That’s the kind of friend he is. These days, he’s the senpai I rely on the most—he gives me advice about skating and the future.

Having over ten years on video, can you talk about what you wanted your part in Gauchi to say about you and your skating now?

One thing I focused on for this part was getting footage at spots people can actually visit, like the chain rail in Shibuya or the handrail in Harajuku. The second thing was not to get too hung up on details. I’ll keep making parts, so I’ll save other things I want to do for the next one.