JENKEM – Ground Glass: Brad Cromer

Very few skate videographers attempt to capture an entire video on 16mm film. At $50 a minute, you’re at the mercy of high costs, old equipment and the consistency of skaters. Videographer James Thompson was up for the challenge and wanted to start capturing the timelessness of skating on film in 2021. Like a nod to an old Transworld montage, the crispness and warmth of film creates a sense of beauty that you get from mixing the archaic gear with a modern landscape, something digital footage of today doesn’t quite capture.

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JENKEM – Watching “5ive Flavors” With the Mad Circle crew 23 years later

In 1998, Justin Girardi and Mad Circle released “5ive Flavors,” a beautiful video of classy street skating in San Francisco and New York City. Jenkem was able to get the whole team back together along with photographer Mike Blabac for a video call in which the guys reconnect, reminisce, and rewatch the parts through the long lens of over two decades past. All of these pioneers have continued to be involved in skateboarding in the 23 years since “5ive Flavors” was released, working with or owning various companies including Supreme, Adidas, Polar, Maxallure, etc. This condensed edit of their conversation captures a bit of what it was like for them to grow up together skating in a golden era.

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JENKEM – The Earthers Ep.7 – Exploring Crust in Detroit with OJ Wheels

Detroit has given the world a lot of great things, like Motown, techno, and the modern assembly line. Its contributions to skating haven’t been quite as grandiose, but that doesn’t mean that there’s a lack of skate culture in Detroit. Jenkem sent the crew and some OJ Wheels guests to check it out for themselves. Lots of bondo and patience were necessary for this one, but if there’s one thing the Earthers are it’s resourceful. Featuring Ryan Townley, Mike Krok, Alex Foy, Kevin Braun, Pat Galloway, Jake Keenan and Adam Mueller.

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JENKEM – John Gardner’s Tips for Building Up Your Mental Health

Phrases like “mental health,” “stress,” and “anxiety” sometimes feel like empty buzzwords that get thrown around too freely these days, but when you read into what people are actually talking about, you’ll realize we hear these words so often because so many people are dealing with real mental health issues and finally have a way to talk about it.

John is obviously not a doctor or certified expert, but he is someone that has been working on himself and is passionate about improving his own mental health and our community’s, too. Hopefully tools like this can play a small part in breaking the cycle of losing skaters to self-harm and suicide. – JENKEM

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JENKEM – Brandon Turner and Brandon Novak Skate Around NYC

Brandon Turner and Brandon Novak are two skaters who really have been through it all when it comes to drugs and alcohol. We’ve all seen them go in and out of recovery, and heard about various near-death experiences as a result of their usage.

Now, they are both living clean and have come together to create a support phone line that they hope skaters will feel comfortable using if they ever feel like they need help managing their mental health or drug use.

JENKEM spent a day with them during National Recovery Month as they skated around the city and offered their energy and guidance to anyone who felt they needed it.

If you ever find yourself in a position where you feel like you have nobody to talk to, just remember they’re now available to you and help is only a call away: (858) 249-9033en>

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