TJ Schneider interview
HUCK talks to the long time pro about his art and putting the fun back into snowboarding with his video blog, The Snowboard Realms.
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HUCK: What's the story behind The Snowboard Realms?
TJ Schneider: I was driving home from Seattle with my girlfriend and I was like 'I want to make a web movie'. We thought of a name and then shot the first episode with my cell phone in the bathroom. I didn't really think much of it at the time. I just like making movies and thought it would be fun.
Your videos seem to have a very no-frills / DIY feel. How much work goes into them?
It's a lot of work editing everything and filming but they all fall together pretty naturally. I'm not trying to be Mack Dawg or Transworld. I just wanted to more or less have a journal of my riding and what I was doing. It has been a lot of work but it's also been a lot of fun.
What are you trying to get across in the videos?
Just that it doesn't really matter how good you are. As long as you're having a good time, it's worth it.
There is so much snowboard footage on the internet nowadays what with teasers, podcasts, etc. How do you make yours stand out?
I don't really try to make things stand out , if they do that's awesome. I'm just having fun making what I make and I think people can see that. Hopefully inspires them to have fun.
You've been pro for some time now, how have things changed in the industry?
Most obviously is the level of riding. Shit is crazy these days. I think it's also turned into a lot more of a business. Everyone has to sign contracts now rather than just knowing that things are cool.
Is it harder to remain a pro after such a long time?
I'm sure it is but I have a pretty rad group of people supporting me so I don't really know. I don't search out sponsors too much.
Would you be able to tell me a bit more about your art?
It's just something I have to do. Some people have to drink beers or have sex with babes, I have to make things or I get bummed out.
How does your art relate to your snowboarding?
I guess it depends on what you consider my art. I make snowboarding videos so I guess you could say it relates a lot. I say that they don't relate because when I paint, it has nothing to do with shredding. Painting is about what I'm feeling - real feelings inside my heart or in my head. Snowboarding is super fun but it's an escape from those feelings. Painting is diving in and exploring them.
Check out TJ's The Snowboard Realms via his blog.
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TJ Schneider interview (text) by Ed Andrews is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
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