Huddled over a black and white piece chessboard among eclectic couch cushions with a teapot next to mugs, two skaters wait to be interviewed.
On the left is Memphian Zac Roberts, 25, a senior film student at The University of Memphis, and on the right is Germantown High School junior, Adrian Akin, 16.
Roberts said when he was younger he was a troubled kid, but that changed when he started skateboarding at 10 years old.
“Skating saved my life,” Roberts said.
Roberts, along with Kirkwood Vangeli, 21, of Dallas, Texas, produced a short film, called “Aesthetics”, which documents Memphis skateboarding.
“I hung out with these older guys that taught me how to be a man, like I was their little brother,” Roberts said. “So I owe it to people like Adrian, and a few others in the video, to be that guy. Like a torch metaphorically passed down.”
Vangeli, the second producer of the film, is a junior political science major at Rhodes College. He’s been skating since he was eight years old.
“This film offers a fresh perspective,” Vangeli said. “We hope to get people excited and bring people in. I would be most honored if this film could translate into someone else’s inspiration.”
Akin is one of the advanced skaters in the film. Yet, he’s only been skating for four and half years.
“I wouldn’t be the person I am right now if I hadn’t started skateboarding,” Akin said. “It’s taught me all my life lessons; how to be happy, how to accept life and live it to the fullest. It’s changed my life for the better.”
Memphis skateboarding bridges the gap between the racial, social and economic divides that still exist in this city, Roberts said.
“With skateboarding, there’s a hundred different colors of people from a hundred different backgrounds brought together,” Roberts said. “There are super rich kids that have everything they ever wanted and there are kids skating my old decks.”
Roberts and Vangeli are premiering Aesthetics on wednesday at Crosstown Arts with musical guests, Purple Cat Jane and Heavy Pull. Doors open at 7 p.m. Cost is $5.
Free beer will be provided at the event for those who are of age.
“We wanted to make something that looked great and displayed what Memphis has to offer,” Roberts said. “Professional skateboarders never come here.”
Roberts and Kirkwood made this film during a nine-month period.
“I owe a lot of the way this video looks to the stuff (professors) Roxie Gee, Steven Ross, Craig Leake and David Appleby taught me,” Roberts said.
The film showcases the best skaters in Memphis and is 35 minutes total.
“There’s just so much passion in this video,” Akin said. “A lot more than any other video I’ve been in.”
Kirkwood said skateboarding is an art. It’s why they chose a gallery for the screening.
“We’re a bunch of really creative, intelligent, artistic, humble people,” Roberts said.
Roberts described how skaters still get a bad rap in Memphis. He’s been stopped on the street and told to get out of downtown.
“Southern hospitality still exists in skateboarding,” Roberts said. “We’re not all stoner kids or hoodlums.”
Popular parks in Memphis for skaters include Tobey Skatepark behind Christian Brothers, Al Town in midtown off Roland and Houston Levee Skatepark in Germantown.
“It’s a small, but tight knit community that’s hardworking,” Vangeli said. “People will encourage and support you.”
Vangeli said anyone could join the skateboarding community too.
“Just show up and keep coming everyday,” Vangeli said. “Earn your place, be consistent and learn. We will welcome you.”
Roberts and Akin described the skateboarding community as family. Akin said “ninety-nine percent” of his friends came from skating.
Vangeli talked about the everyday human interaction it brings in a media-driven world.
“In every city there are skateboarders. We want people to be excited about living in community,” he said.
Roberts, Vangeli and Akin all said how deeply skateboarding has affected each of them.
“I don’t think I’m ever going to stop skateboarding,” Akin said.
“It means everything to me,” Roberts said.
Zac Roberts, 25, and Adrian Akin, 16, say skateboarding helped mold them into the people they are today.
