LRG 1947: Kyle Camarillo

LRG has always been a brand that can stand in a few different worlds, but they have always stayed true to their roots in skateboarding. Between having a top notch team and a great brand direction they are constantly pumping out rad photo and video content via the hands of Kyle Camarillo. Kyle has been working the cameras for LRG for a few years now and doing rad things with the brand. One great thing that LRG does is help to keep the full length skate video alive. In a day and age where attention spans are shortening by the minute... no, by the second... shit what was I talking about? Kidding, but it's seriously cool to see a brand like LRG still traveling the world and making classic style skate videos for us to enjoy. Kyle is the principal film maker behind the new 1947 video that LRG has been working on and we got to sit down with him and talk a bit about the making of the video and what to expect. He also hooked us up with a stack of photos he shot during the travels for the video. So take a few minutes to hear what he had to say and check out his photos of the LRG team. Your eyes will thank you.

So Kyle, who are you and what exactly do you do? I’m a photographer/videographer from San Francisco and I work for LRG Clothing. I handle everything media-wise for LRG skateboarding and also do some catalog and lookbook stuff.

What do you think occupies more of your time, photography of video? Right now, video. We are working on LRG’s second full length skate video 1947 so video has really been the focus.

Just shooting photos or filming on a trip by itself can take its toll on someone. How do you balance both cameras while being on the road for long periods of time? How do you stay sane? Well, I always have help. It usually depends on the situation. If we are working on a Transworld article and one of their staff photographers joins us, then I mainly focus on video and will photograph some stuff here and there. If we aren’t working with a specific magazine on a trip then I will shoot photos and video and bring a second filmer to help when I’m shooting photos.

LRG has a pretty diverse team. Did you have any hand in putting the crew together? I am happy to say I did. I began working for LRG full time just after the Give Me My Money Chico video came out. I was able to help Tyrone Romero (Team Manager) as well as the team, to bring on Carlos Ribeiro, Trent McClung, and Miles Silvas. I’m really happy with how the team has grown. The additions were never a random person. We involved the team a lot. Especially with Miles. The team really wanted him to be fully Am since we have been flowing him for quite some time.

Going on trips with dudes like Tommy Sandoval and Felipe Gustavo must be interesting as far as spots go. How do you guys balance ledges and El Toro’s while on the road? It’s actually totally easy! Everyone on the team is super hyped on each other and what they do. For instance, if Tommy wants to skate something big, the team is stoked to watch. If Felipe wants to skate something tech and time consuming, the team just skates it how they can with him. We really have a supportive team and everyone is stoked on each other.

Where did the name 1947 come from? 1947 is a slogan that LRG’s late co-founder, Jonas Bevacqua (1977-2011) has been putting into the brand for years as a tribute to his mother Helen. Her help and encouragement had a lot to do with LRG’s fruition. To LRG it means family. It’s the support, love, and respect we have for each other. We went back to the slogan for the video in honor of Jonas and his family, as well as the unity of our team and their connection.

Will the whole team be having full parts in 1947? Yep. All 9. Miles Silvas, Carlos Ribeiro, Chico Brenes, Trent McClung, Tom Asta, Tommy Sandoval, Rodrigo TX, Jack Curtin, and Felipe Gustavo.

No one ever wants to play favorites, but who has been putting in serious work for the video? To be honest they all have. I’m sure that sounds like a nice way to get out of the question, but it’s true. A few of the guys had some injuries that set them back as much as a year from filming. But they have been working just as hard as the guys that have been 100% the whole time. The dedication the team has is what’s making this video great. This is many of the guy’s first full length video parts. So they are really excited to get it out.

What have been some of the most memorable places you guys have been to film for the video? I love Japan. We went there twice for this video and it’s always incredible. Food, spots, people. It’s just a rad place.

How important do you think it is to travel to film a video? It’s not. I mean, sure it helps. But it’s only as important as you make it. Rad skateboarding is rad skateboarding. If you can do that in front of your house then who needs the 15 hour plane ride? But if you can do that in India, and you have the money, then go to India! It’s really what you make of it.

You guys seem to love going to China. What’s the appeal of a place like China for a skateboarder? HA! We do love going to China. Well, if you haven’t seen We Are Blood yet, China is awesome because it’s still new there. People aren’t so threatened by it as they are here. No liability BS. Security guards don’t really care. It’s just easier. And on top of that they have ridiculous skate spots. Marble, marble marble. It’s endless.

Do you run in to any trouble due to a language barrier when you’re in foreign country’s working on the video? Yes and no. Sometimes it helps to not know the language because you can just play dumb and get away with skating some rad stuff. But we usually have someone with us that can speak the local language and help us out. We have been lucky to have awesome tour guides every place we’ve gone. Super stoked on all the friends we have made around the world.

Do you think it matters more to have hard tricks or unique spots in a video part? Neither. Just rad. More rad.

When can we expect a finished product? 1947 will premiere this October! Sooooo, SOON! Thanks CCS!