Greg Hunt Talks Creating 'Propeller': Vans' First-Ever Full-Length Skate Video

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In its almost 50-year history, Vans has never had a full-length skate video. It’s surprising, and it’s a big deal because Vans is skateboarding. Timeless silhouettes such as the Old Skool or the Era are definitive silhouettes, and although they’re well-integrated into the canon of popular shoes, they’re recognized – first and foremost – as skate shoes. The same goes for Vans as a whole, which might be part of the impetus behind the video; Propeller stands as a portrait of skateboarding in 2015 – with all its recklessness and brazen disregard paid off in moments of pure glory.

Over the course of the past few years, director Greg Hunt – revered for his 15-year tenure as one of the preeminent skate videographers behind Mind Field and The DC Video – has been working with Vans’ team to accurately portray the team as it stands, right now. For those unfamiliar, creating a skate video is a bit like painting a still-life of a buzzing bee: the subjects are rarely static enough – even on a personal level – to capture in one take. To sidestep this, Hunt has spent the past few years with each rider on and off the board, using countless minutes of memory on skateboarding’s myriad complex personalities to capture their definitive moments – if only for a second.

The goal of Propeller then, as Hunt notes, is not to revolutionize skateboarding or the industry landscape. Instead, the (master)piece forms a mosaic of characters that fit under Vans’ ethos; it’s about skating and its various approaches, much like Vans itself. After the launch last week of Vans’ Propeller on iTunes, we were able to catch up with the director to discuss the making of Vans’ first video, which, even in Hunt’s modesty, is monumental.

How would you best describe your overall mission in Propeller? What kind of general statement were you trying to make?
I think if anything my thoughts were to not make any statement, to make it just about the skating. Everything else comes after. I just wanted to come through for the guys in the video, they all worked so hard.

One of the first things that struck me was the use of music, which was well-done by yourself and Lory Vincent. With the final cuts of the part, can you give some examples of what you were trying to indicate about each character through the songs?
A lot of the music was picked by the riders. There’s always a bit of back and forth with me and them but ultimately it’s up to the skater, they’re the ones up on the screen. So a lot of how they are represented is by their own choices. With music in skate videos I just look for some feeling and a good structure. You could have the best song but if it doesn’t have the right structure for a skate part then it’s kind of pointless. There needs to be solid changes and some sort of emotional ride. And ultimately, it needs to feel right with whoever’s on the screen.

I came out of the video noting the use of a lot of new, rough, and unorthodox spots both in the U.S. and abroad. For instance, I remember Elijah Berle skating that bump to sign towards the end of his part. Was that part of your focus in filming or something that happened more organically with the guys?
Well again, those guys choose what they want to skate and I’m usually just there pushing the red button. That sign is around the corner from Elijah’s house! But I did make a conscious effort to stay away from the China and Spain marble plazas that you see so much nowadays. These guys are all pretty raw so I thought it would just look better to keep it crusty. I’ve always liked the look of Midwestern U.S. spots plus it’s so much easier to travel there.

Where was your favorite place to film over the course of the years? Which was the most epic trip?
One of the first trips I went on was to Tasmania. That was an epic one, we camped out a lot.

Who did you skate with most often throughout the filming of this video?
Van Engelen, Trujillo and Gilbert are who I probably skated with the most.

Who of the younger guys were you most surprised by? Had you worked with any of them prior to filming Propeller?
The only guy on the team I’d worked with prior is Anthony Van Engelen so everyone else was new for me. Of the younger guys, they were all so incredible but I was definitely surprised by Rowan because he came in at the end and filmed that entire part in less than a year. Also Pedro Barros, I spent so little time with him and I can’t believe what he produced.

I wanted to take a second and talk about Kyle Walker, who I think a lot of people were and will be blown away by. What was the filming process like with him?
Kyle filmed most of his stuff with Cody Green. Cody was my main filmer during the whole process and he was on the streets daily with many of the younger guys. Kyle has the magic mix of natural talent, good style, and an unwavering determination. Some things came easy for him, some things were an insane battle, but he almost always came through.

For the older guys, a lot of people’s family lives – children, especially – were referenced in the b-roll (Rowley, Pfanner, etc.). Do you see those parts as a transition of sorts for those guys?
Man, I would definitely not put Pfanner in an older guy category, he’s not even 30! I just tried to document these guys as they are outside of being on the board. Some have kids, so they ended up on the screen. There was never a discussion of a part being someone’s last… I would never want to have that conversation!

With that in mind, can you speak on the amount of footage some people – perhaps those with less time – contributed to the video?
People take everything at face value when watching a skate video. So much goes on behind the scenes that can lead to someone not having a lot of footage. Dill filmed for the Supreme video then hurt his ankle and had major surgery. I think he was out for almost a year. Andrew Allen was out for almost a year also. So everybody did the best they could, it’s not decided by a meeting at Vans or anything. It just comes down to what’s in front of me when I’m doing the final edit.

At this particular time in skating, what do you think the keys are to making a video people will remember? On that note, is there a better digital way to distribute video parts than on iTunes?
I think that the same thing creates a memorable part today that always has. It’s about great skating and a good feel with the music and everything that’s built around it. As far as digital distribution I have no idea… The video is also available on Amazon and Google Play. I think it will be on Netflix eventually. How else do you digitally distribute parts? I’m not sure. It’s hard because with the music licensing you need to have everything outlined before you finish the video, so you can’t just wing it and try new things.

Is Propeller most likely your last full-length video?
I have no idea.

From the next generation of videographers, who do you think is doing the best job filming these days? How has the discipline evolved since you started?
A lot of people are making cool stuff these days.

Next generation? I’m not sure… I really like Chris Mulhern. He’s a younger guy whose work I really like. The discipline has changed quite a bit. Filmers need to be a lot more savvy than they used to be with all the cameras and edit software. But ultimately I think the same rules apply, and they are the same as when riding a skateboard: Don’t copy everyone else. Do you own thing. Work hard at it. That’s what people will respect. When I look at a lot of my favorite recent skate videos – “cherry,” “Destination Unknown,” “Trocadero Days” and any Palace videos… they are all enjoyable because they don’t give a shit and just do it their way.

A special thanks to Kathy and Chris at Vans for making the interview possible, as well as Greg for his honest answers. If you haven’t already, support skateboarding and download Vans’ Propeller on iTunes now.

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