"It's kind of mesmerizing and nostalgic, but maybe more so for us than for spectators."

Margarida Santos talks about her new video, around Mallorca. "My dear Vanessa suggested Mallorca, as the Al Carrer family had already had some great adventures there. Even little Nahia had been there on tour with her dad. When Vanessa mentioned renting a caravan, driving around the island, and sleeping on the beach, of course no one objected. "

 

© Margarida Santos

Last October, I went to Barcelona to skate and film, and I stayed at my friend Mica's house. She introduced me to the crew, and they welcomed me with open arms. I started filming them and soon came up with the idea of making our own video. Then, in conversation with Mica and Vanessa, from the Al Carrer family, we decided we needed a group trip, not only to make the video, but also to spend time with friends outside Barcelona, explore other spots, and get away from the city routine.

 

What was the main purpose of this trip?

The trip wasn't super planned, it was all very simple. Mica and Vanessa bought their tickets, and little by little the rest of us joined in. We didn't know how many of us there would be at first, so we went with few goals in mind, we just wanted something different. Each of us had our own goals, but the common one was just to live in the moment, and if the moment allowed us to film some clips, then great, but never force anything.

 

What message or feeling do you hope to convey with the video?

I would say that the main goal of this video is to show the crew as a whole, but also the uniqueness of each member. To make sure that each one feels well represented.

It's a video with a lot of skateboarding, but the main topic ends up being more about friendship and its relationship with skateboarding. The environment around us greatly influences the way we relate to skateboarding, so I think it's important to explore these ecosystems.

 

Is there a scene or moment that you consider to be the highlight of the video?

I'm not sure... maybe the intro. It's kind of mesmerizing and nostalgic, but maybe more so for us than for outsiders.

 

What made this trip different from others you have taken?

Well, as a crew, we've never done a trip like this before (at least with me included). We knew we had a caravan, 12 people, and one island, Mallorca. Everything else was a surprise. But from a personal point of view, this trip was very different from others I've done, both in terms of the lifestyle: sleeping 12 girls piled up in the caravan, showering at random street faucets, and pooping in the woods...and also because we were constantly together, all the time, yet at no point did I feel overwhelmed and the camper never seemed full. I've never felt so free in such a small space.

 

How did you choose your destination or the places you visited?

My dear Vanessa suggested Mallorca, as the Al Carrer family had already had some great adventures there. Even little Nahia had been there on tour with her dad. When Vanessa mentioned renting a caravan, driving around the island, and sleeping on the beach, of course no one objected.

As soon as we chose the destination, everyone started looking for spots. I got lost in Google Maps Street View and found a few around the island, so I created a map with pictures so that everyone could choose where to go.

 

© Mica / Cami

 

What was the best skate spot of the trip? And the most difficult?

Ufff, that's a tough question... especially because everyone has their own tastes. But one spot that everyone enjoyed was a DIY built in an abandoned theater (I think).

The most difficult was probably a mosaic spot near the center. The spot itself was already a bit strange, but the biggest difficulty was the rain that kept coming back after it stopped. I don't know how many times we had to dry the spot so it could be skated... all this in a race against time because Coti had to go to the airport.

Did you encounter any unforeseen events or incidents that ended up marking your trip?

Well... driving a giant caravan through the center of Mallorca was definitely an adventure (thanks, Vanessa)! But one of the most memorable moments was on Coti's last day. We went to a mosaic spot near the center, perfect for her, but when we got there, it started to rain. As soon as it stopped, we all started to dry it. Then it started raining again...

Some of us used pieces of clothing to cover the floor, others took cardboard and plastic out of the trash, and we managed to control the situation so that it didn't get too wet. The rain would stop and then start again...then some men passed by and offered us a mop. We finally managed to dry the spot, but we were still racing against time because Coti had to go to the airport. She gave it her all at that spot and managed to nail it, but I think that day was just there to test us... one camera ran out of space and my angle turned out terrible. That's okay, Coti and I have to go back to redeem ourselves.

 

© Coti

 

How was the dynamic between the group during the trip?

I didn't know what to expect, especially because I hadn't spent much time with some of them and it was a very diverse group. I think they all needed to get away from the routine and chaos of Barcelona, and that was enough for everyone to get on the same frequency. There was no friction or lack of communication, everything was shared. During that week, we lived like a family, in a house that was always full, but no one felt cramped.

 

Was there any special connection with the local communities?

We had one funny moment when we went skating a bank right in front of a kindergarden. Some parents who had come to pick up their children stayed to watch the session, and suddenly the spot that had been empty when we arrived was filled with people.

 

Who was responsible for filming and editing?

I came up with the idea of making a video, so the editing and most of the filming were my responsibility. Vanessa took Al Carrer's P2 and joined me for the entire trip, always filming. It helped a lot to have her with me. Coti also took a camera, of course. She's as obcessed as I am, always filming. The three of us were the core group. But also, during the several months I wasn't in Barcelona, they were filming each other, so the list of people who filmed is quite extensive, hahah.

 

What kind of equipment did they use?

Wow, we used a lot of stuff. Mica's iPhone, a P2, my Panasonic, a couple of random handycams, Coti's VHS...

We had little time to make the video and during most of that time I wasn't with them, so they improvised. I know that visual consistency can be important and there are a lot of people who would never make a video with so many different cameras, but this video is ours and for us, and I even think that all this variety gives it a special touch. I would rather do it like this than try and make something “perfect”.

 

Was it difficult to reconcile the technical side with the spontaneous side of the trip?

Not really, I think the only difficulty was charging all the cameras in the caravan, especially since we didn't have the power to do so. Sometimes we had to invade cafes for a few hours to be able to charge everything.

 

Was there any aesthetic or narrative inspiration for the video?

I think my only inspiration was the group itself. I just wanted to create something that was like a love letter from me to them and make them feel well represented as individuals and as a group.

In terms of aesthetics, everything came together as I was editing.

 

How long did it take from the end of the trip until you had the final video ready?

I think I started editing 1 or 2 weeks after the trip and it took me almost 2 months in total to edit, with a few breaks in between due to creative blocks.

 

© Margarida Santos

 

What does it mean to you to present this video in Barcelona, at a skateboarding festival?

When we started filming the video we already knew we were going to present it at Born Fest.

Vanessa, Leandro, and the Al Carrer family embraced this project from the beginning, and I am very grateful for that. I think the fact that we already had this premiere guaranteed, at such a cool event, motivated us a lot and helped us value this project from the start. "Preserve la cultura!"

On the day of the event, they showed several videos, one of which was ours, which was the only video with an all-girl crew. I was very nervous because a lot of people who live and breathe skateboarding were going to watch my first project.

I feel that it was very important to present the video in that setting because it made it very clear that it is important to do independent projects, even if they are hard work and empty your wallet. I think it was also very important for the crew to be seen, to have their own moment.

 

Did you have a clear vision for the video from the outset, or was it something that developed during the journey?

Honestly, I don't think I ever had a clear idea for the video, mainly because I didn't know if we would be able to film a lot of things before the event. I prefer it that way, without expectations. When we finished filming, I looked at what we had and built it up little by little.

During the trip, Vanessa named the video “Hypnosis,” and that title gave me some direction. I just knew it had to be hypnotic in some way.

 

What was the biggest challenge in filming while everyone was living in the moment?

I don't think that challenge was very real. We didn't plan to film as if it was a mandatory thing. If someone wanted to film, they did, and if they didn't, that was fine. But I noticed that, as it was such a special trip that would never happen again, most of the time, living in the moment also meant documenting it. On almost every occasion, someone was filming or taking photos. It was all too special not to document it.

 

How did you balance the role of participating in the trip and documenting it at the same time?

In my case, I didn't have to deal with that dilemma so much. When I have the camera, I take on the role of observer.

As for the skating part, I didn't have to balance anything either, because a few weeks earlier I had torn my ACL, so I couldn't skate. If I wasn't filming or taking pictures, I didn't have much else to do.

Since I always took on the role of documentarian on the trip, it was quite natural.

 

Was there any inspiration (videos, films, photographers) that influenced you in your creation?

Not really, I just took some inspiration from the crew and from every experience we shared on this trip. In my case, at least, the people really dictate the direction of the creation.

 

How did you think about the structure of the video — did you follow a narrative or was it more free-form?

It was quite free, some planning but everything was very flexible. I knew I wanted to start with something special and finish with something strong, leaving the middle somewhat dynamic. I also wanted the video to have some room to breathe, so that it would be easy to understand the shifts between parts. After organizing everyone's footage, I decided on an order and from there I gradually put it together.

 

Were there moments when you decided not to film in order to protect the authenticity of the experience?

Not really, since I'm a bit obsessed with that authenticity.

But I think the fact that I didn't participate as actively in conversations because of my Spanish always left me a bit of an observer, which meant that my presence, with or without a camera, never disturbed the authenticity of the moments.

Also, everyone was also super comfortable and enjoying the moment, nothing felt staged.

 

How did you choose the sound/music to accompany the images?

The song for the intro had been in my head for quite some time, it was the only one I knew I wanted to use. I discovered the others as I went along. I spent a few hours looking for the right songs for each moment, and when I found them it was quite instinctive, it seemed like they had been tailor-made for those moments. I also had Coti's help at times, because we tend to agree on these things.

 

© Mica

 

What did you learn from this project, creatively or personally?

I think above all, I was able to experience what it takes to create an independent project, mainly because of Vanessa, who has been living in the skate world for much longer than I have and always guided me a lot with the project.

I learned a lot from each one of them because I had to learn how to see them and film them the way they wanted to be seen. Getting to know them and sharing so much with them was always about learning.

Trying to find that balance between how I see them and how they see themselves was one of my favorite things.

I learned how to deal with myself, to be responsible for something that wasn't just about me.

 

Thank you so much for sharing this project and this trip with us!For our readers, we hope you enjoyed it as much as Magy did!