Aaron Meza on Fully Flared

What was it like to film a video part with Guy Mariano, considering that it's his first full part in 10 years?
Guy went from being totally out of skating and not really communicating with any of us to coming back in to our lives, to skating a little, to filming a little, to getting on Lakai and to having a full part. All in a relatively short amount of time. So each step of the way seemed like an amazing feet. To have it pan out the way it did is beyond anyone's wildest expectations, but in the same breath, Guy is one of the few people that can pull something like that off.

When doing a video with so many talented skaters involved, some even legends, do you fan out from time to time, or is it just like a walk in the park?
I think we've known each other for so long that the fan out part is long gone. We all get really excited for one another though if someone gets a good clip. I do thoroughly enjoy their company, especially Beibel's.

Did you ever imagine that the videos you guys make, Girl/Chocolate/Lakai, would have such an impact on a whole generation of skaters?
You kind of do because the skaters involved are so influential. We just have to make sure we don't blow it

Music seems to be an important issue in Fully Flared. Do you think it's important, musically, to challenge the audience's conception/idea of what might "fit" in a skate video?
It shouldn't sound too much like a made-for-skate-video type of song. Some indie rock songs you can just imagine them in a video the second you hear them. Sometimes that works but sometimes it's a little too predictable. Music has become a such a big issue for skate videos it's become a slippery slope. People take it as if the skater is wholeheartedly endorsing the band and the song. Too much has been put on it as a reflection of the skater. You just use what you think sounds good and makes the skating look good, really. It's one of those things that undoubtedly you're going to bum some people out. I'm talking about skate videos in general. I think only two songs I offered up made it into the video.

The team seemed to have done quite a lot of traveling for this video, what was the most exotic location? Any stories worth mentioning?
The furthest I went was Australia and Europe. I think with the amount of traveling these days, finding yourself in an alley between two school portables just outside of Dallas, seems to be more exotic. Well anyway, that's where we filmed Guy's noseblunt slide nollie heel shove.

What trick in the video was (maybe) the hardest one to get?
Marc tried some things for a very long time, while other guys are sleeping in the van. He'd get it too.

Favorite part in the video?
Guy and Alex's stress montage.

With skate videos being released left and right, how is it possible to stand out, let alone have the drive to continue doing yet another video?
Again, I think the skaters on the team are so good people will always care. And sometimes it looks like we're having fun, which goes a long way.

Best and worst memory from the making of Fully Flared?
The premiere was the best memory and I always like the time driving from state to state just chit chatting in the van. The worst memory is driving from state to state just chit chatting in the van.

What is it like working with Spike Jonze? Is his approach to filmmaking the same, be it skateboarding or drama?
He's really enthusiastic even if it's just filming the littlest thing. Like I can imagine him filming a home movie and getting really into it. He seems to be having lots of funny and never looses his cool.

Who came up with the idea for the intro? How high were the danger factors for the skaters during all the explosions?
From what I can remember Rick Howard wanted to have things blowing up and breaking throughout the video. Like a board goes into the street and it makes a car flip and explode and I think with Spike's guidance that got turned into what the intro is. Then a few of us sat around and figured out where to do it and plot out all the obstacles and how they should blow up. It ended up being more dangerous than we expected. They had full Hollywood explosive people there. When Cairo first tried the Hubba, which was the first thing to go down, it really blew up beyond our expectations, especially his. His was pretty gnarly and Lucas got pretty fucked up. Mike Mo's was really intense because it was the only one that had a fire explosion in it and he had to do the hardest trick. The guy pushing the button didn't skate so it's harder for someone like that to know if it's a make or not. If he bailed and they hit the switch it would have been really sketchy. He did it first try and the fireball was seriously so close to him and like four stories tall, at least. The place erupted like it was the World Cup and someone just scored the winning goal. It was fantastic!

Photo: Ben Colen