Progressive 20th Anniversary Documentary

Thanks for getting involved. I promise I'll make this prettier, but this will do for now.

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First and foremost: Mike does not know about any of this. Until we explicitly say otherwise, it is critical that he does not find out. The entire ending of the documentary depends on this.

 

Now that we have that out of the way, holy shit, how has it been 20 years!? The very fact that so many people still hold their Progressive memories so close confirms to every one of us that this story needs to be captured and told. And we’re going to do that by October – just before the 20th anniversary of the grand opening.

 

It's a two-part plan: make a full-length documentary AND, separately, collect hundreds of firsthand testimonies to gift to Mike on the night of the premiere.

 

Firstly, we’re going to tell the story about the one-of-a-kind culture at Progressive. We’re going to revisit the memories that you’ve relived a thousand times in your head. But we’re going to go deep. We’re going to reveal exactly WHY the culture was as amazing as it was. I’m leaving it there. The story goes where the story goes. This will be truly genuine and organic.

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Leading the charge will be Jon Seldon (jonselden.com). Let’s consider him the producer.  Also helping in various capacities are Olimar Cruz, Conner Peterson, Bailey Schreiner, and Joey Pellegrino. To each of you: I can’t thank you enough. And if you’re wondering whether we need any extra help: yes, yes we do (see contact info at the end).

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We’re aiming for something around 60 minutes (but who knows). Over the next several weeks, we’ll be arranging formal interviews with about 25(ish) people that were very close to the park.

 

For the most part, that takes care of part one. Naturally, though, we’ll need to bridge the gaps when transitioning between stories. That’s where I need the help of you....and a few hundred others. For part two, everyone participates. Everyone tells their stories.

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As you approach this, be mindful of the primary goal: tell Mike what Progressive meant to you. After you submit your video, it will be uploaded to a private repository that only he will have access to. This is meant to be a gift to him.

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Use the questions below as a guide. You might speak to one of these, you might touch on all of them, or you might just say whatever comes to mind. It’s all gold. 15 seconds. 5 minutes. Anything works.

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·       Can you describe your earliest memories of the skatepark and how you felt at that time?

·       What was it about the skatepark that drew you in, and what kept you coming back?

·       Can you talk about some of the people you met at the skatepark and the relationships you formed with them?

·       How did spending time at the skatepark influence your personal development and shape who you are today?

·       Can you share any significant moments or events that occurred at the skatepark that had a profound impact on you?

·       How did skateboarding and the skatepark culture challenge you and help you grow as a person?

·       Were there any obstacles or challenges you faced while spending time at the skatepark, and how did you overcome them?

·       Looking back, what do you think you gained from your experiences at the skatepark, and how have they impacted your life?

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As you think through your answers, here's a few things to keep in mind when recording yourself:

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1) Set your video quality to it's highest setting (4K when possible).

2) If you're using your phone, turn it horizontally, use a tripod (or anything to hold it stable) - don't hold it in your hand.

3) Find a setting without too much background noise, and speak up.

4) Talk for as long as your want!

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Once you’re done, the last step is to share it with me. Because the files will be big, upload to Google Drive or Dropbox or iCloud, then share with pgrevs20th@gmail.com . If you're not sure how to do that, no problem. Call me and I'll help you figure it out.

 

We’ll be reviewing everything as it arrives and cataloging your responses. Then for each of you that have something we want to add to the documentary, we’ll get in touch (in case anything needs to be reshot, etc.).

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I'm assuming I didn't answer all your questions. So email me if I can explain anything further. 

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And, finally, if you weren’t motivated enough, know that new Progressive decks, shirts, hats, etc. are in the works. I'll setup a store on here for pre-orders in due time.