Takahiro Morita's love of skateboarding, dedicated to skate videos.

Takahiro Morita ("Morita")Does this mean I'm allowed to talk anymore?

plainIt's okay. This lecture is an unscripted event (laughs).

rice field used to grow cropsThen I'm glad. Once again, this is Morita. Good evening. Well, where should I start? I've known Ozawa-kun and Taro-kun since the time of "WHEEL magazine". I started skating when I was in transition*, and I started skating when I was in my late twenties.1In the 80's, the skate scene was at its peak, and from there, the skate scene declined slightly into the 90's.

For me, skate culture has something in common with delinquent culture. It was the image of local yankees hanging out with skateboards. They would have beards and look like old guys at school, but after school, when they went to the park, they would be jumping and spinning on cool rides that they had never seen before.

When I saw them, I felt that they had a fashionable sense that was different from that of mere yankees. That's how I got into skateboarding.

note (supplementary information) symbol1Generally, a generic term for structures shaped like an arbor or ramp in a skate park. Also known as a tranny.

plainYou mean you started skating when you were in middle school, right?

rice field used to grow cropsThat's right. I started skating when I was 13 years old, and from then on, I took skating seriously, entered many competitions, and got my first sponsor when I was 16. I started skating at the age of 13, and from there I started skating seriously, competing in many competitions, and got my first sponsor at the age of 16.

kozawa (Clausena lansium)That's very fast (laughs).

rice field used to grow cropsYes, but that's also what inspired me to make skate videos.

plainWhat was it?

rice field used to grow cropsInjury. I used to be a skater, and I used to be on the receiving end of being filmed, so I always wanted to skate during filming, and I didn't want to be on the filming side, but then I got a serious injury that took about three weeks to heal, and for the first time in my life, I experienced the frustration of not being able to skate.

So after a while, an older guy who was a local surfer took me surfing, and he handed me one of his video cameras. As for me, I couldn't surf and I was injured, so I decided to watch the seniors surfing up close, and he told me to film them as I saw fit.

So I did as I was told and filmed while on the beach and in shallow water. I was almost swept away by the rough seas, and I had some dangerous encounters, but the images I captured at that time were so powerful. Looking back on it now, I wonder if it was at that moment that I subconsciously knew I wanted to make a video.

plainIt all started with surfing. That is a surprising fact.

rice field used to grow cropsFrom there, I gradually started filming by myself while skating. From the time I started filming, I was always aware that I was making a film, so I was thinking, like a child collecting Bikkuriman stickers, that my film needed that skater's tricks, or that I needed to film in that place, and so on.

plainBy that time, I had already met some skaters I wanted to shoot.

rice field used to grow cropsYes, I had already skied at Jabu Pond by the time I was 14, so I had met Toru and other "NEW TYPE" people.

plainIt's the jab pond that was discussed in Vol. 2 of HSC. If you came to that installment, you will recognize it. Or if you could take a look at the past articles. By the way, Morita, did you watch American videos or something back then?

rice field used to grow cropsOf course. It's how I started skating.

plainFor example, what kind of films did they watch?

rice field used to grow cropsI knew it was "public domain" after all.2 can't miss it, right? I wonder if everyone knows the existence of this masterpiece video.

note (supplementary information) symbol2 Released in 1988 on the Powell Peralta label, this was the fourth album by the skate team. It is often called a masterpiece along with "Animal Chin" and "Ban This". The film features many skaters who have now become household names, including the young Steve Caballero, Tony Hawk, Tommy Guerrero, and Rodney Mullen. It is also said to be the film that started the street skating craze.

plainAh, I knew it. I see. How old were you when you did that?

rice field used to grow cropsI think I was 13 years old. It was a shock. Everything looked new.

kozawa (Clausena lansium)I still wonder if it was the way it was directed or the way it was edited that was helpful.

rice field used to grow cropsNo, I wasn't thinking that much about it at the time, but that's my overall impression. But after watching it many times, I can say that this work is really very calculated. I had to do a lot of analysis in order to make use of it in my own videos later on. For example, here is an effective "McRAD" *.3I've heard that you use the sound of "I'm sorry.

plainYeah, yeah. I don't know why, but music and sound effects used in skate videos are naturally imprinted in my mind.

rice field used to grow cropsYou can tell that the "POWELL PERALTA" people are really trying to change the skateboarding scene through this video. That's how much spirit I feel.

plainThe director of this video is Stacy Peralta*.4You are a skater of yesteryear, aren't you?

rice field used to grow cropsLegends. LORDS OF DOGTOWN, the movie*.5But he is famous. I think he is the real pioneer of skate videos.

plainWhat attracted Morita to this work? Of course, the overall impression is probably the biggest factor, but let me go a little further.

rice field used to grow cropsThis work begins with a scene of rich young people skating in a luxurious space. I felt that I wanted to promote skating to a wider audience, or to show that skating is a bubbly thing.

plainI see. And Stacy Peralta's works always start with him skating as the subject. Why is that?

rice field used to grow cropsDon't you know why? Because "skateboarding = me." That's because he was the Skater of the Year* in the 70s.6I think it is also due to the fact that he was the first recipient of the "POWELL PERALTA" award. Besides, he named his team "POWELL PERALTA" after himself. That's how much he has absolute confidence in himself in expressing skateboarding. I think that's why he is so proactive in the videos he makes.

plainIn this work, Tommy Guerrero is working with the BLKTOP PROJECT*.7Chuck Treese* plays drums at the8You also come up with

rice field used to grow cropsYes, I know. I was really struck by this video. It was just so cool. It gave me a ray of hope that I could be like that. And as a result, I was able to shoot videos like this and become a professional skater. In that sense, I have a deep attachment to this video.

plainIt is a milestone work for our generation.

rice field used to grow cropsYeah. It's no exaggeration to say that I've been working hard on the video to win this one.

kozawa (Clausena lansium)You said that Morita is the reason, or rather the driving force, for making the video.

rice field used to grow cropsOf course, I want kids who are just starting out to skate to watch my films, just as I did. Of course, I want children who are just starting to skate to watch my films, just as I did, and it would be great if the number of skaters increases through my works.

At least for me, my entrance into skateboarding was video, and skateboarding has completely changed the way I live my life. It changed my life in a really fun way. I want as many people as possible to experience that kind of excitement, and that's what I want to express in my work.

plainYeah, yeah, yeah. By the way, this was not the first video you watched?

rice field used to grow cropsWell, in terms of skateboarding videos, I think the first skateboarding video I saw through a cathode-ray tube was on an old TV show called "World Shocking Video".

plainIt's like a surprise video. It used to happen a lot in the past.

rice field used to grow cropsThe international skaters I was watching at that time were the same as the older, scary local skaters I admired. They were wearing flashy shirts, caps worn backwards, and had the appearance of delinquents.

plainYou were together.

rice field used to grow cropsBut the older Yankees in our hometown were all rich delinquents. They lived in high society, but were a bit bad in school.

plainSkateboards were not cheap for those days and for us. Going back a bit, Morita's most memorable video was "public domain," and I am sure that young people today will have their own deeply memorable works as well, but I guess things change between now and then. How have skateboarding videos evolved over the years?

rice field used to grow cropsIn my opinion, skate videos were made by a limited number of creators with a passionate spirit and spirit in the 80's, but I think that skate videos became widely popular around 1992 when skaters in California started to adopt home videos.

plainI have a feeling that's the case.

rice field used to grow cropsWhen I saw the footage, for the first time, I thought, "We can do this, can't we? I thought, "We can do this. In Japan, Toru Yoshida of "NEWTYPE," whose name was mentioned earlier, was very quick. I watched them from the sidelines and envied them. They had a full-scale video camera and were blessed with many friends.

plainEven if you got a video and got a group of friends together, back in the late 80's and early 90's, you couldn't edit it. Do you have any memories like that?

rice field used to grow cropsYou couldn't. In the case of "NEWTYPE," you had the video store's son to make it possible.

plainOh, I see. I had actually made a video before, but I had no idea how to make it, so I had to stop the VHS deck once, take full advantage of functions I had never used before, and somehow connect them together through trial and error.

rice field used to grow cropsThat's right. We were like that, too. In those days, video cameras were expensive, and if you used it for skateboarding, it would break down immediately. Not many people had them.

plainMm-hm. By the way, what kind of video camera was Morita using at the time?

rice field used to grow cropsIt was a model called "SVHSC" from Victor at the time.

plainAh, the VHS-sized ones.

rice field used to grow cropsYes, yes. I happened to have that video at home, so I used it all the time at first. Whenever there was a skateboarding competition, I would bring it with me and film it for the record.

plainWhen I first started shooting with my friends, we used VHS-type models. It was just too heavy (laughs).

rice field used to grow cropsIt was heavy (laughs).

plainIn comparison, the people who made "public domain" used completely different equipment.

rice field used to grow cropsI think he used a lot of different things. And we used film, too. Oh, by the way, there's an interesting story about Tony Hawk*.9You know that he is a superstar and one of the people who pushed the level of skateboarding to the next class, right? His father was a soldier and president of the American Skateboarding Association at the time.

So, like the kids in the parks in Japan today, Tony Hawk received a lot of investment and guidance from his father. Of course, he himself had considerable talent and worked hard, which is why he is where he is today, but as a thoroughbred, Tony Hawk's talent began to blossom, and he ended up playing the last act in "public domain". This is my speculation, but the gossipy backstory is that there must have been financial support from the association.

plainI see (laughs). It's not impossible.

rice field used to grow cropsI heard that the profit from this work was also outrageous. Skateboarding videos cost about 10,000 yen back then, right? If it cost that much, wouldn't you seriously watch it?

I bought such an expensive video, I thought I would watch it 10,000 times, and watched it until the tape was worn out. That's why we put so much effort into making a video.

plainI can tell you that.

rice field used to grow cropsAs a further aside, "public domain" is the fourth work of "POWELL PERALTA" and an unquestionable masterpiece, but there is a work that completely changed their style, and that is actually their third work, "Animal Chin" *.10What is it?

plainIt had a documentary taste, like a movie. I liked it.

rice field used to grow cropsYes, yes. When this film first came out, it was controversial. I myself was not around when I saw it for the first time, and although I enjoyed it, I didn't think it was cool.

plainI am two years older than Morita, but I liked "Animal Chin.

rice field used to grow cropsDid you think it was cool?

plainI'm glad I got to see it. The first skate video I ever saw was for "Thrasher," and although "Animal Chin" has less street skating elements, I was influenced by it in terms of fashion and music. Well, I guess it's like "public domain" for Morita.

rice field used to grow cropsI wanted to surpass "public domain," but at first I was just following their example for a long time. I thought it would be great if I could capture cool music, cool skaters, and cool skating on film and deliver it to everyone without worrying about sponsors, so I made my first skate video, "Far East Skate Network I made my first skate video in 1995 with my first release "Far East Skate Network".11Yes.

kozawa (Clausena lansium)Morita's skating life as a filmer will start anew from here, right?

rice field used to grow cropsThat's right. Incidentally, the first person to appear in this first film of mine is Eguchi-kun*.12Actually, he was the one who taught me about the "public domain" work.

kozawa (Clausena lansium)That's right. So I guess each performer has his or her own story.

rice field used to grow cropsYes, it was. It wasn't just anyone, you know.

plainBy the way, what lens are you using at this time?

rice field used to grow cropsAt this time, I think I was using a Sony semi-fish type thing, a kind of 0.4.

plainIt wasn't completely fish-eye, was it?

rice field used to grow cropsYes, yes. And besides Eguchi, Hatchaki-kun*.13I also have a skater who is like a mentor to me, who is also a skater.

plainAh, you are Hachioji's Hatchaki-kun, aren't you?

kozawa (Clausena lansium)The follow-up release was "SUBWAY," which came out six months later in 1996*.14I am amazed that you made it in six months. It is amazing that it was made in six months, but I wonder if this title had any meaning.

rice field used to grow cropsI don't have any particular origin story, but at this time we were suddenly listening to East Coast hip-hop, not punk, and the intro part of the video is real live*.15I think the music is also different from the previous album in terms of color. In terms of music, I think this album has a different color from the previous one.

When I first started skating, I was attracted to the San Francisco skate scene, but at the same time, the hip-hop scene in New York was booming, and I was attracted to New York. I mean, everyone has that period of time when even a single subway logo looks cool over there, right?

I also had the concept of expanding the underground network through skate videos, like a subway, so I wanted to link with these underground dwellers as well.

kozawa (Clausena lansium)I see. And you've hooked up some young, unknowns in this film.

rice field used to grow cropsThat's right. Soichi Kitajima*, who was a complete no-show at the time.16I was the first to use a skater named "Stare*". Although he had no name value, he was a steer*.17His tricks of the trade were top-notch. In addition, he had a lot of nerve, and no matter what spot he went to, he was able to make it up quickly*.18He was a great guy. He was a great guy.

kozawa (Clausena lansium)Also, one thing I was wondering is that in Morita's time, it was common to edit footage that had been shot and send it out to the world as a physical work of art, but nowadays, we can deliver real-time footage on Instagram and immediately deliver images, do you have any feelings about that?

rice field used to grow cropsI think it is not just that only deep things remain as visual works. The hurdle has been raised for those that remain in the physical world, or perhaps it is more like only the real thing can remain. So what we are doing is the same. In terms of one rule of skate culture, it is important to do what no one else is doing.

kozawa (Clausena lansium)So there is a show of style there as well.

rice field used to grow cropsI guess. So, while we were consistently making video works, we wanted to find new ground to show that we were not only skating, and in 1999 we had our first session with a music artist. That was "Enbu," a work based on live footage of our good friend "THA BLUE HERB.19Yes.

kozawa (Clausena lansium)What was your first encounter with THA BLUE HERB?

rice field used to grow cropsWe were first struck by their music. We greeted them by saying, "We are also doing this with the locality of Nakano in Tokyo on our shoulders, so please at least remember us by name.

kozawa (Clausena lansium)Around this time, did you start to develop an interest in video creation other than skateboarding?

rice field used to grow cropsRather, they were the first people I was interested in outside of skateboarding. I simply wanted to film them. I was always listening to them when I skateboarded. That's why I ended up doing this.

kozawa (Clausena lansium)I think this kind of close-up video work is completely different from the skateboarding videos you've done in the past.

rice field used to grow cropsIt took me almost four years to finish shooting this video. I think it was 1995 when I started filming. The second video, "SUBWAY" and "TOZAINANBOKU "*.20was made based on what I had been shooting for a long time, so in effect it was a force video "43-26"*.21I devoted almost all of my time in the late 90s to these people, until just before the release of Of course, I did make commercial movies and promotional shorts for companies and brands.

kozawa (Clausena lansium)With such stimulation from different fields, "43-26" was released with a full heart.

rice field used to grow cropsYes, that's right. When I was making this work, I was in a period of mental instability and loneliness. I wondered if people could cry through skate videos. I thought to myself that I had never cried, though I was moved, so I thought, "I'll make such a video myself," and edited it.

plainSo there was such an underlying theme.

kozawa (Clausena lansium)Moreover, I remember that it was Morita who pioneered the screening of skate videos in movie theaters, which is, of course, a mainstream method in other countries. I remember that it was Morita who pioneered this method, which has now become the norm.

rice field used to grow cropsOf course, we were conscious of this. I wanted the sound to be heard in a high-quality environment, and the "pauses" that are unique to video. After "43-26," I started to think of skate video as a visual science, and I was studying how the visuals and background music are input into the brain. It was during this time that I realized that sound is a big hook in skate videos.

kozawa (Clausena lansium)Mm-hm. I can see the essence of Morita's work little by little. Was the existence of "THA BLUE HERB" the catalyst for this change and evolution?

rice field used to grow cropsNo doubt about it. After all, that's what happens when you listen to BOSS's lyrics, isn't it? Moreover, at that time, I was more in league with the members of "THA BLUE HERB" than with skaters. I think I was influenced by them even if I didn't want to be. I skated during the day and went to "THA BLUE HERB" shows at night.

It was more for fun than work, though. After that, I continued to direct videos for "THA BLUE HERB" and a live video for an artist named "Calm" whom I met through them, and I realized that I had not released a skateboarding video for about 5 years.

So I thought it was about time to make a film that would freak out all the skaters in Japan, and that's what "UNDERGROUND BROADCASTING "* was born.22made.

plainWith this work, I feel that you have established your position as a filmmaker in Japan. Not only as a visual work, but also in terms of editing skills, I can see that you are improving rapidly.

kozawa (Clausena lansium)Mm-hmm. That's the essence of Morita. By the way, did you have a reason for wanting to photograph skaters at that time? What do you mean by "tendencies"?

rice field used to grow cropsIt's whether it feels good or not.

plainIs that skateboarding-wise?

rice field used to grow cropsBoth in terms of the human aspect and the skiing. I was chasing people whom I intuitively felt would be pleasant to photograph.

kozawa (Clausena lansium)That's very Morita.

plainNext up was "overground broadcasting," a masterpiece that finally transformed Morita from "Japan's Morita" to "the world's Morita.23.

rice field used to grow cropsI wanted this to be a global version of the previous "UNDERGROUND BROADCASTING," with more than half of the skaters being from overseas, not just Japanese. Ricky Oyola*, who is also my mentor.24And it's also out there.

plainThis is being filmed in the US, of course, right?

rice field used to grow cropsI agree. I may have more enemies, but during this period I was thinking, "Japan sucks. We made this work, the production, the design, etc., in three months.

plainThree months. That's great.

kozawa (Clausena lansium)How was the response?

rice field used to grow cropsThe French came to Japan and began to connect with us because of this work.

kozawa (Clausena lansium)I see. But when I look back at the works from this period, I see that Morita's style is really going full throttle without even looking aside. I think Taro must have watched a lot of his works around this time.

plainThat's right. Video works from that period had a newness that was unprecedented in the world. It was like watching a guy who started making videos because he admired "public domain" and then realized that skate videos were overtaking skate videos all over the world.

With this work, it became known overseas that "Morita is a little different from other guys. In a word, it really boosted the image of Japanese skate videos.

kozawa (Clausena lansium)Yes, it is.

plainWell, if we're talking about skaters as players, then Gou Miyagi*.25I guess you are the same way. But when I look at this work again, I can feel the "public domain" style in many places. There are dramatic compositions, elaborate staging, etc. But on the other hand, there is a fascination with weaving between fish-eye and normal lenses. But at the same time, the mix of fish-eye lenses and normal lenses was an idea that I had never seen before. In any case, I think this work was an explosion of Morita's talent.

kozawa (Clausena lansium)Of course in Japan, but all the prominent skaters overseas have seen this film. Rick Howard*.26I was very surprised by this film. It's a masterpiece that no top skater has ever seen.

rice field used to grow cropsOverground Broadcasting" is the most emotional of all the videos I have worked on. To be honest, when it was completed, I thought to myself, "This is what I have been working on all these years, making videos. I have always wanted to surpass my previous four works, and in a sense, this was the culmination of my work as a video artist.

plainAt the same time, you were very conscious of America, weren't you?

rice field used to grow cropsI was determined to beat American videos. As I mentioned a while ago, with the spread of home video, skateboarding videos became available to everyone, and now skaters were competing on the difficulty of their tricks rather than the quality of the video work.

Often, famous skaters and teams were resting on their name value. I was worried that the skate scene would never grow like this, but when I looked at the underground skate scene in New York, I found that it was not rotten at all. There were a lot of guys who skated really well, had style, and were making cool videos.

kozawa (Clausena lansium)It's a matter of mastering style as a way of attracting people or mastering the skill of skate tricks.

rice field used to grow cropsWhen a skater can do 30 steps of steer, he or she is more like an astonished human being than a skater. I think it's amazing, but it's not the same as being cool. There are a lot of people who can't get away from that.

I don't mean to denigrate skaters who challenge big tricks, but it will continue to increase the number of insensitive skaters who can no longer be impressed without such big tricks.

I think this is because skate deck companies wanted to sell their boards, and that's why they started this trend. If a skateboard breaks when you do a difficult trick, you can sell a lot of boards.

kozawa (Clausena lansium)He said it is also an economic issue.

plainLike image brainwashing.

rice field used to grow cropsYou know how they put in footage of people intentionally folding skate decks? That's unbelievable to me. From my point of view as a Japanese skater, it's like a leisure activity for rich foreign skaters. I don't know how they can handle skate decks like that.

kozawa (Clausena lansium)That leads to Morita's feelings toward the American skating scene.

rice field used to grow cropsThat may be so. In my opinion, the ideal form of a skate video is to bring out the true appeal of skateboarding to the fullest. It's also to show people that skateboarding is something that enriches your life. You mentioned Instagram earlier, but no matter how many new media appear, skateboard videos will continue to be a part of the culture, so I believe they will never disappear.

plainWith these thoughts in mind, Morita is going against the trend and the mainstream, isn't he?

rice field used to grow cropsI used to ride the same skate deck for a year or so. No matter how battered it got, I would keep riding it until it broke.

plainThere was a time like that. It was around this time that Morita began to think about what skate videos should be and what should be communicated to the scene through skate videos.

rice field used to grow cropsI think it is a good idea. Recently, there have been many negative topics such as the news about the dangers of street skating in Shibuya.

plainThis is a story that has become a bit of a hot topic in the skater community because of a recent incident that made the news about skaters hanging out in Shibuya during Halloween.

rice field used to grow cropsThis was a big problem for me. The reason is that I usually ski only in the city. I don't feel comfortable in the park.

plainYes, I think so, too. Actually, I have many thoughts about the incident, and I think there are skaters who blame the skaters who were featured in the news. I think there are skaters who would blame the skaters who were featured in the news, saying, "There are people like you who are making it impossible to street skate. Or, there are skaters who say, "It's a bad idea to do something like this even though the Olympics are coming up.

rice field used to grow cropsI have an interesting story about that. When I used to go skating in Izumo, Shimane Prefecture, there was a street section* in the city that I had never seen before in Tokyo.27I was so excited that I was skating, and a police car and a guy from a local skate store who called us came flying out and said, "Morita-kun~ I'm sorry, you can't skate on the streets in Izumo! Street skating is not allowed in Izumo! He said, "You can't skate on the streets! (Laughs.) "Is there any city where you can't skate on the streets? (Laughs) I was culture-shocked.

plainHeh~. I wonder why. Is it because there is a God or something?

rice field used to grow cropsWhen I asked him why that was, he said it was because he built a skate park.

kozawa (Clausena lansium)Oh, I see.

plainIf you're going to ski, you should ski there. There's a big division between the park and street groups.

rice field used to grow cropsWhat I felt here in Izumo is that when you bring rules and regulations into the skate culture, there is always trouble. People say things like, "The skatepark will be closed because of a guy who skated on the street," or "The skatepark will be closed because of you.

plainYes, yes. Nowadays, there are many skate parks, the number of children skating is increasing, Japanese skaters who win world championships are being born, and the technical level is improving. I am actually feeling the same kind of fear as Morita.

rice field used to grow cropsNow is the time for skaters to be aware.

plainYeah, I guess so.

rice field used to grow cropsAlso, it is not good to be too overprotective. If a skater gets hurt or has an accident while skating, it is his/her own responsibility.

plainIndeed. You can't make a blanket statement that only street skating is dangerous.

rice field used to grow cropsWe are currently running a free skating school in Nakano Ward with government officials and Mr. Hagiwara of "FAT BROS," where we teach skating to children, of course, but we also tell their parents what skateboarding is all about.

plainMm-hmm.

rice field used to grow cropsSo, I am often asked what I think about the Olympics. Some people think that my promotion of street skating means that I am against the Olympics, but the opposite is true. I am in favor of the Olympics.

Because it gives kids dreams and goals. But there is a difference between that and the movement to eliminate street skating. I made it clear to the government that I was against it if they were going to hold street skating hostage and promote parks as an example.

plainIt's a statement of willingness to fight.

rice field used to grow cropsIt's not about fighting.

kozawa (Clausena lansium)I would like to hear a little more about why Morita is so passionate about the streets. I'm sure it would be more convincing to hear it in the words of Morita, who has been shooting images on the streets for some time.

rice field used to grow cropsIt's the fun of conquering the city's abundance of structures with a single skateboard.

kozawa (Clausena lansium)He said he could take buildings in the city that were not originally built for skateboarding and turn them into playgrounds.

rice field used to grow cropsYes, I did. Also, the first video that impressed me was street skating. It's like an initial impulse. If it was on a ramp or in a park, I think I would be skating mainly on those even now.

plainThe same thing happened with "public domain," didn't it?

rice field used to grow cropsThat's why the influence of visuals, or skate videos, is so huge. That's how hard it is to convey the appeal of skateboarding through visuals, and it's an amazing thing.

plainYes, that's right. I strongly feel that too.

rice field used to grow cropsI have mentioned many times that we live in an age where videos can be easily distributed via Instagram and Youtube, but amateur filmmakers who are unaware of this fact end up distributing misleading videos. This changes the direction the skate scene is heading in. That's why I want the recipients to be very careful about that.

plainMaybe that was the moment when Morita's awareness of making skate videos really changed.

rice field used to grow cropsThat's right. Before I started the school, I was so biased against the park proponents that I thought I would dare to make a story that street skating = criminal, and make a video titled "STREET KILLER" if that was the case (laughs). But that was only because of my experience with skate schools that I could think, "Oh, this is different, different" (laughs).

plainI guess the children's faces were in my mind (laughs).

rice field used to grow cropsMaybe it's just that I've grown up (laughs).

kozawa (Clausena lansium)Listening to Morita's story in this way, we can see that his thoughts and mindset at that time are clearly expressed in his video works. For those who watched the videos in real time at the time, I think they will discover something new if they watch them again after listening to this story. By the way, do you have any advice for people who want to watch skate videos for the first time? Just as Morita became devoted to street skating after watching his first skate video, the first video is very important, isn't it?

rice field used to grow cropsThe only way to do that now is "OVERGROUND BROADCASTING".

plainThat would be true (laughs).

rice field used to grow cropsThe next video was "LIBE BRAND UNIVS." which was released as a promotional video for my clothing brand.28That's right. There are many more, but I am proud to say that this area is a must-see in the foreground.

kozawa (Clausena lansium)LIBE BRAND UNIVS." was something like 1,000 yen, right? That's a bargain compared to skate videos that cost more than 10,000 yen back then. For beginners and people who are new to skate videos, it's easy to pick up.

plainYes, I guess so. I still have a lot of questions I want to ask Morita, but may I ask as much as time permits?

rice field used to grow cropsPlease go ahead.

plainWhen Morita shoots an image, what is the most important thing he is conscious of when confronting the subject? As a tip for taking good images.

rice field used to grow cropsIt is to suppress the person's true colors.

plainIt's hard to know when to point the camera, isn't it?

rice field used to grow cropsAh, yes, that's true. But if you want to take good shots, you have to be the best at skating first. You have to motivate yourself, and you have to create the mood of the place.

kozawa (Clausena lansium)My impression is that Morita was very particular about lighting and other things. He used to cover his video camera with a bag from a convenience store to soften the light.

rice field used to grow cropsYes, I do. I don't do it now, but I am still conscious of lighting and light effects, and I am studying them. Basically, skateboarding shoots are often done at night, so the way shadows appear is very important. I am sure that Taro is a specialist in this field, but it is the same for skate videos.

plainI see.

rice field used to grow cropsAlso, once you start making skate videos, it is important to distance yourself from skate videos and get inspiration from movies and music.

kozawa (Clausena lansium)At some point, when I watch Morita's works, I sometimes feel as if I am watching a movie, you know?

rice field used to grow cropsAlso, the feeling of editing may be similar to that of DJing. I used to play in clubs as much as I skate, you know.

plainMorita must be particularly inquisitive.

rice field used to grow cropsIncidentally, MISSING OUR BROTHER (THE LAST EPISODE OF A SERIES)*.29In the "The Last of Us," we shot the entire film using a Go Pro in order to explore the possibilities of video, including lighting.

plainThis work is also amazing. It is somewhat similar to "public domain". I would like to touch on some of your recent works.

rice field used to grow cropsThat's right. I made a documentary video* with rappers BES and ISSUGI for the "RedBull" project.30and music, as well as an exhibition held this summer at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Ichihara, Chiba*.31MY FRIEND "BABU "*, which introduces the life of Kitakyushu skater and carver BABU, the person who has inspired me the most recently.32I'm making a lot of different kinds of works. I make a lot of things.

kozawa (Clausena lansium)In Morita's case, I get a glimpse of him as a really good filmmaker rather than simply a filmmaker. Do you usually prepare storyboards or plots for your creations?

rice field used to grow cropsIt depends on the occasion. Sometimes I just go with the flow. But there is always a concept or theme. However, I think I like to make experimental works. It is my mission to create something that no one has ever started before.

kozawa (Clausena lansium)It's about breaking down stereotypes. Just like Neil Brender in the "Skateboarding and Art" episode.

plainYes, it is.

rice field used to grow cropsIt's like doing spray art during a contest.

kozawa (Clausena lansium)The good thing about skate culture is that no matter what the theme is, there is always something that can be understood.

rice field used to grow cropsIt's not so much about breaking down stereotypes, but more about the fact that stereotypes don't exist from the beginning. I have talked a lot about skateboarding, but at the end of the day, skateboarding is about freedom. Even if you are not skating, if you like skateboarding, that's fine. Racists are the worst.

As a creator, I am naturally particular, but as a player, if it feels good, it's OK. Skateboarding is a world without envy or comparison, and there is no hate. That's why I get along with the security guards (laughs).

plainI've seen several videos of Morita skating on the street after befriending a security guard (laughs).

rice field used to grow cropsAfter all, we are human beings. If we can understand each other, we can spot seek*.34Because it's easy and the shooting goes smoothly.

plainThat's right.

rice field used to grow cropsI have also made a video of my skating life that started at the age of 13, and when I watch it again from time to time, the origin or the basis of my skating life has not changed.

plainMm-hmm. After listening to various stories, I was relieved to hear that Morita is, after all, the one and only, and that he still maintains the same style as in the past. Then I regret to say goodbye, but the time is almost up, so I think I'll call it a day around here. Actually, I have much, much more to tell you.

kozawa (Clausena lansium)I'd love to talk about it in a spin-off session or something. Maybe a Morita installment at that time.

rice field used to grow cropsGreat, I'll talk about anything (laughs).

plainThank you. Now, next time, we would like to invite another guest with a different color and hold the theme of "Skateboarding and Fashion".

kozawa (Clausena lansium)It's time to do a mid-term test in this course class.

plainI have to make a problem (laughs). Well, everyone, I will see you on Wednesday, December 12~.