Utah stars in pro skateboarder’s video

(Brett Novak/YouTube)


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SALT LAKE CITY — Professional skateboarder Kilian Martin wanted to make a different kind of skateboarding video, and that vision included the natural beauty of Utah.

Martin, 27, worked with filmmaker Brett Novak for this their seventh skate video collaboration, but the pair wanted to do something different than the “look-at-my-big-sick-tricks” video.

“We wanted a completely different concept,” Martin said. “We didn’t want the typical skate video filmed around here because there are so many done.”

What resulted was a dream-like short with unique scene transitions where the locations became the stars. The pair filmed “Searching Sirocco” on the streets of New York City, in huge greenhouses in Santa Barbara, California, at the Bonneville Salt Flats and among the red rocks in Moab.

Martin, who is originally from Madrid, and now lives in Carlsbad, California, is no stranger to Utah. His wife’s family lives in Logan, so a Utah backdrop for his video was an organic choice.

Picking unique locations for their nontraditional skate videos proved to be a skating challenge, Martin said, requiring on-the-spot creativity. Without obvious jump spots and obstacles, and without the typical concrete surfaces always available, Martin had to come up with new ways to show off his skills.

“It lacked some technicality when it comes to some of the tricks of skating, because the ground’s not perfect,” Martin said.

Kilian Martin skates in "Search for Sirocco" (Photo: Brett Novak/YouTube)
Kilian Martin skates in "Search for Sirocco" (Photo: Brett Novak/YouTube)

The Salt Flats proved particularly challenging for Matin. He first saw the Salt Flats online and was impressed by the amazing visuals. But when he arrived, he didn’t expect the heat and glaring reflection the flats give back on sunny day, nor the the gritty surface of the flats that didn't allow the wheels on his board to roll properly. They first filmed over two hot days at the flats.

“The worst part that the grips would get full of salt, and it was really hard to stick to my feet,” Martin said. “I was (also) doing some handstands, my hands were completely destroyed, they were so dry.”

After wrapping shots at the Salt Flats, the pair drove five hours to Moab for a striking change of scene. Martin said while filming he stuck to the routes popular with bikers in the area.

“To me, it’s so beautiful,” Martin said. “I really wanted to respect and not destroy anything with a skateboard, so I had that in mind.”

Not only does the film respect the chosen Utah spaces, but it also honors their unique beauty. The finished product is edited together with for dream-like quality that is more like a floating and elegant dance than a trick-laden show of skateboarding skills.

Martin has lived in the U.S. since becoming a full-time professional skateboarder in 2010. He is sponsored by Powell-Peralta and Vision Street Wear, and he owns his own company, Kilian Clothing. "Search Sirocco" was also made with help from Lehi-based company, XanGo.

To see more from Kilian Martin, follow him on Facebook, Twitter or visit his website.

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Martha Ostergar

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