Most skateboarders dream of landing a sponsorship. Besides getting free gear from the company that they’re with, trips around the globe, and getting to skate the best skate spots; they get paid to do what they love.
However, it takes much more than just having the ability or being a talented skater to actually land a sponsorship. Essentially, there is almost a science behind filming a sponsorship-worthy video edit. Listed below are some tips to land you that sponsorship.
1. Style
To those who aren’t familiar with skateboarding, everything looks the same. However, to someone who really KNOWS the sport, different skaters have different styles. You want to find a style that’s your own to make you stand out.
There are so many talented skaters, that you need something to set you apart from everyone else. You want to be a perfectionist. Just landing a trick isn’t enough when filming a sponsor edit. Stick to tricks that you are comfortable with, and have mastered; rather than trying to change it up on the fly, only to give a subpar performance.
2. Don’t use music in your video
Background music can be distracting and has the ability to make a skater appear to be way better than they actually are. Sponsors usually like to see the raw street footage, which can really showcase your talent.
Skate parks are cool places to film for fun, but the ground is smoother, and a lot easier to skate on. To be able to just skate through the streets, land ollies off concrete stairs, and grind a random rail—that takes real talent and will impress sponsors.
3. Change up your tricks
Although you should stick to tricks that you have mastered, a really good skater knows more than just two or three different tricks. Showcasing that you can do an ollie five consecutive times, during your sponsor edit, shows the sponsors that you can ollie.
But, what else can you do? Grinds, manuals, flip trips—there are so many different skateboarding trick types to showcase. But, remember, practice makes perfect; make sure it’s clean. The very first trick you do in your video has to grasp the attention of the sponsors, and the very last trick should keep them wanting to see more.
4. You need a good videographer
A good videographer should be able to keep the lens on you and be able to film from all different angles. Make sure that they have a quality camera with a good lens. A grainy video does not look good to sponsors, so try and keep home footage to a minimal.
5. Promote yourself
In the age of social media, skate companies are bound to have social media profiles such as Instagram and Facebook. Filming and posting all of your best footage is likely to gain the attention from the right people. You can even try sending messages to companies regarding sponsorship opportunities.
Even if they don’t reply, they still would have seen your footage. Make friends in the skate community, skate with people that are better than you, join local competitions, and try to land sponsorships from local skate shops. A small start is better than no start.
6. Don’t mass email a ton of different brands
The worst thing you can do is group message the same email to ten different companies.
This shows that you aren’t actually passionate about the sport. It shows companies that you’re willing to sign with whoever will take you, which shows a lack of loyalty. You have to love the brand that you skate for.
7. Be passionate and have fun!
Yes, professional skateboarders are getting paid to do what they love. However, they didn’t pick up skateboarding because they figured they could get famous from it later on; and this is actually what sponsors love to see. They want to see that you’re having fun whether or not you’re sponsored.
Millions of people skate, but only a few go on to being professionals. But, that shouldn’t stop people from skating and having fun. You have to love the sport, and just go with the flow.
