Derek Percoski is one of those people who always seems to be up to something. He is always filming, and has had many video releases to his credit over the course of the last so many years.

There is more to his story than just another accomplished skater who films or accomplished filmer who skates, Derek has been involved in just about all aspects of skateboarding on the local level here in CF.

I'm thrilled to have Derek as the first one to be featured in this new section I am starting on the site which intends to spotlight individuals who add something unique and valuable to the local skate scene. Derek is someone who has always done that and through his work he has been able to influence and inspire many.

Recently Derek relocated to Denver, Co where he continues to skate and film. No longer having him as a regular part of the skate community will be something everyone will notice, but Derek has left an impression here that won't soon be forgotten.

We can pretty much count on him continuing to do his thing: filming, skating, snowboarding, nerding, etc. So chances are you'll see him in action from time to time in the form of a quicktime, or eh... quicktime alternative.

Please enjoy learning a little more about Derek, what he has done to receive such an illustrious honor of being featured on this outstanding source of skate media know as SOUTHSKATE.COM, and what he's been up to lately out west.

Hey Derek, how are things going for you these days?
I’m doing great! I’m skating more than ever, and learning new tricks every day. Life is fun, and that’s what’s important to me.

Tell us about living in Denver and what it's like skating there.
I rarely skated parks in Orlando, but that has changed. There are 40 skateparks within an hour drive from my place, all of them free and no helmets required. It’s like a skate paradise. Chad and I are basically a 2-man crew. We only know a few of the street spots around here, but the local videos show how strong the scene is. The two main shop teams here are sick. I guess that’s what happens when you grow up in a place where every neighborhood has its own skatepark.

What brought you to the realization that you were done with Orlando?
I wasn’t burnt out on it, but ready for something new. When I moved there in late ’99, it was like starting a whole new life; everything is so fresh and exciting. I’m going through that again, only better.

I remember that there was a series several very unfortunate events in your life right before you left. What was that about?
I got robbed 2 consecutive weekends. First my vx setup, ipod and digicam were stolen from my car. The following weekend my car was stolen. That part sort of worked out for the best, because I just drove here in a rental. A lowered Integra probably wasn’t the best for snow anyway.

What was your first camera, editing suite, and computing machine?
A Sony 8mm and 2 VCRs :P. I didn’t own a PC until I moved to FL, but that’s when cameras were going digital and non-linear editing was affordable.

How did you learn how to film and edit? Did you take a class?
I got better at filming just by practicing, and watching skate videos. I learned to edit by making horrible skate videos that slowly got better.

Your videos definitely got better and better with each one, do you have a favorite?
At any given point, I pretty much only like the last one I made. I’m proud of Spotless, and the little USS team montage we made a few months later.

What made you decide to completely nerd out on that mini ramp?
I had a shitty backyard mini growing up, so I always had a good bag of ramp tricks. Like 4 years ago I had a vision of a mini ramp montage that was a steady flow of really tech tricks. I put one together on the USS ramp, and that was in the 2nd USS video. Last year I heard about someone getting rid of a mini ramp, so I snagged up the offer. Once I had a 3’ in my backyard, I just wanted to see what I could come up with. I’m so stoked on the response I got from it. Web lurkers like to hate on the size, but I doubt any of them would say, “No thanks, I don’t want your free halfpipe because it’s too small. I refuse to skate it.” I had fun riding it and so did all of my friends.

You actually got some shine from that on the Enjoi website. That was wild, huh?
That was pretty amazing. I guess they just found it on youtube. I hope someone at Dwindle showed it to Daewon and Haslam. That would be the ultimate honor!

Do you plan on getting more footage of your snowboarding now that you're living in the Mountains?
Maybe bust out the digicam for fun, but I don’t know about bringing out the whole setup. Eventually I’ll probably want to get some footage just to see it, but nothing too serious.

Do you have any plans to film for one of those snow/ skate crossover videos? I know lots of those type videos come out of the north west and it seems some of them even get picked up by huge distributors like Blockbuster, or Target. Would you consider getting in on something like that if it paid the bills?
I do a lot of freelance work, and I’m always excited when I get to do anything with video as opposed to web or graphics work. Making a living as a skate filmer is near impossible, so you have to keep an open mind and be happy making money in any digital media type of job.

Is snowboarding something you enjoy as much as skateboarding?
Skateboarding is by far a better sport, but the fun in snowboarding is that it’s all new to me. The learning curve is much stronger at the beginning of any sport, and learning something new is a great feeling. So far I’ve had fun when I go snowboarding, but I’m realistic…I know it could get stale after a while. Skateboarding is the ultimate trick-based sport, and nothing will ever top it.

Is it harder to film snowboarding than it is to film skateboarding?
I think you have to film lines on skis, since you can’t regulate speed on a snowboard without turning. Your hands probably get cold, too.

Lets do some word association:

Handrails: dangerous

Intel Macs: expensive

Ryan Sheckler: great contest lines, mediocre video parts

Action script: too tech for me

Public Skateparks: great if they’re done properly. Too much of the budget is put into bowls at almost every skatepark.

24p: aka artsy mode

Tight pants: I wore the huge pants in ’94, so who am I to judge?

PHP: why write code when you can copy/paste someone else’s?

AJ Burnett: pro

Full Sail Real World Education: don’t bother. Go to real college.

UCF Digital Media Program: I forgot to finish

Purple Tie Dye: as if!

Fresh powder: hopefully

420: waste of time.

 

That was fun!

Have snowboarders started wearing tight pants on the slopes, because I can't picture that being practical.
I never thought of it until I saw a sequence of a snowboarder doing a handrail with jeans as tight as they come. High tech materials will soon allow snowboarders to rock this fad on the slopes.

For many years you were closely affiliated with USS here in the Orlando area. You worked there, you built their website, you managed their team, produced four full length skate videos for them, among other things even. What was it like working with that shop and why did it all seem to end so abruptly?
USS brought so many opportunities into my life. I’m very greatful for everything that Todd and his crew did for me.

So you got a new camera and she's a beauty. Are you two developing a strong and supportive relationship?
My last 4 cameras were Sony, so there’s a bit of a transition to be made. I’m stoked on the progressive modes, but the audio seems to be weak. The DVX has more advanced controls, but I usually don’t play with it too much when I’m shooting. That’s the trade-off with trying to skate and get footage without a designated filmer who doesn’t care if they get to skate or not.

Any compromises from what you have been accustomed to in the past (in regard to your new camera)?
Spend $800 on a fisheye and get vignetting…what’s up with that? I guess they want you to buy the $3500 Tye Evans signature lens.

What do you miss most about Orlando?
Homeys! And I used to ride at OWC and Adrenalina occasionally. If you haven’t tried the flowrider, it’s the most difficult board sport ever. The water’s going like 40mph, so it’s like bombing a hill at that speed and eating shit in the blink of an eye, just without the road rash.

What do you miss least about Orlando?
Humidity

Any plans to come back to Orlando anytime soon?
I don’t have any family there, but plenty of friends. I plan to make the occasional trip out there just to hang out with everyone. I should be stopping by in the fall.

Thanks for your time and enthusiasm for doing this, Derek. Any last words, thank yous, and or disclaimers?
If you skate, it’s a part of who you are. Don’t ever lose sight of that by trading it for partying or girls or “the real world.” You can balance all of those things and lead a better life. To me, life is about the experiences you have and friends you make along the way. I’m fueled by having fun and seeing what I can accomplish.
Thanks to everyone in Florida who helped me out, supported what I did, or was simply there to be a friend. You should move to Denver and join the underground Orlando sub-culture, which currently consists of myself and Chad.

Interview by KMC