Cut+Run’s Sean Stender Cuts Sweet Tricks for Levi's Skateboarding Film

Cut+Run’s editor Sean Stender collaborated on a Levi’s Spring/Summer 2015 “Skateboarding in Oakland” campaign. The project captures the boundless joy of grinding wheels, scraping boards and the near fearless young riders that inhabit West Oakland’s De Fremery Park aka Town Park. 

High school teacher and community activist Keith “K-Dub” Williams approached Levi’s Skateboarding to help realize his dream of a permanent skate park in his West Oakland neighborhood. A community effort supported by Levi’s made this hope a reality. Imprint Projects, known for culture-driven projects for Levi’s, Sonos and many other clients, collaborated with director Ryan Reichenfeld to highlight this endeavor. Instead of only turning the lens on the effort behind this renovation, Reichenfeld, a former pro skater, and Imprint Projects Creative Director, David Kramer, embarked on a process to engage and illuminate the local kids whose lives are simultaneously grounded and elevated by the skate park and its community. Accompanying a number of skateboarders to the park and around Oakland over the course of several months, they earned the trust and captured a candid portrait of raw sporting talent and the sheer determination to triumph over often embattled circumstances. 

In between filming sessions, the team collaborated on the edit, and discussed any needed scenes and footage for the next shoot. They worked closely, and spent time crafting the story, which would ultimately be shaped into a 10-minute film. Nearly everything was shot MOS, with recorded interviews of staggering candor which where layered over dreamy, sun soaked visuals. The juxtaposition is a striking contrast of private lives and public release. Stender also edited 60 and 15-second spots, where music is a driving narrative force and action is supreme. 

“It was amazing, and initially daunting, to work over such a long period of time,” explains Stender. “Ryan’s creative vision was very specific; but he also understood that the conversations and actions would provide direction along the way. It was an honor to be involved in the story shaping with Ryan and the agency throughout.”