New Year in Taipei – Nike SB in the Taiwanese capital

Photography: Haruta
Words: Five
Captions: Gayle

A dream come true
A few weeks before Taiwan’s (lunar) new year holiday, I received news that my friend Kenji from Japan was returning to Taiwan, and that a Nike SB shoot would be taking place during the holiday. I felt very excited and thrilled to have the opportunity to see professional skateboarders come to Taiwan and couldn’t wait to introduce Taipei to them.

During the new year holiday, Taipei becomes an empty city, as people return to their home towns to spend time with their families. The number of people on the streets decreases and most of the security guards in the buildings go home. For skateboarders, this is an excellent time since very few people will disturb us or chase us away. The skateboarders had chosen the perfect time to come to Taipei, allowing them to fully enjoy the spots only available during the new year holiday.

February 7, 2024 was truly a special day. I went to a restaurant with Kenji to meet the Nike team. When I walked through the door, I couldn’t believe my eyes. The skateboarders I had only seen in videos were now in front of me. I was very nervous and a bit shaky, but I mustered the courage to introduce myself and greet everyone. At that moment, it felt like a dream come true.

7 Ball is a video created by filmmaker Will Miles, which I have watched countless times. I really wanted to ask if I could join the shoot as second cameraman, but maybe because I was nervous, I didn’t dare. I decided to help with other things first. After visiting a few spots, I finally gathered the courage to ask him, and he agreed. Hearing this made me incredibly happy.

My emotions were mixed – I was unsure if my footage would be used – but I did my best to capture the scenes well. One thing that left a deep impression on me was when Jake landed a trick, and Korahn said: “Let’s see Five’s angle.” After reviewing the footage, they said it looked great and seemed to like it very much. Thanks to Korahn’s words, I gained more confidence in my filming.

Before this trip, I thought that skateboarding shoots would be serious, but unexpectedly, some people were casually chatting about life, while others were skating nearby. I felt there was a kind of tacit understanding between Will and the skaters, allowing them to create great footage in a playful manner. I am very happy to have participated in this journey. Thanks to Kenji for the introduction, and to Will and Korahn for giving me the opportunity to shoot and have my footage used. This is truly my greatest honour.