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At 49, Rodney Mullen just released his 1st skate vid in 12 years and it’s magical

The man who revolutionized skateboarding by inventing the flat-ground ollie is as amazing as ever

Rodney Mullen’s impact on the world of skateboarding can’t be understated. The man is, quite literally, a revolution on wheels.

From inventing the flat-ground ollie in the early 1980s, he took that one innovation (the ability to lift a skateboard off the ground using only the feet and momentum) and used it to invent a dizzying array of tricks.

Watching him in action is, in many ways, mind-numbing. The stack of incredible tricks he can pack into a five-minute video – unbelievable tricks, tricks that require amazing grace and precision of movement – just turns your brain to jelly as he executes feat upon incredible feat.

The other thing about Rodney Mullen is he’s a bit of a recluse. He’s rarely seen out in public anymore, let alone skating in public, and he hasn’t released a skate video (little commercials, basically, in which pro skaters and amateur enthusiasts show off their abilities) in a dozen years.

Until this week, that is.

On July 11, he released “Liminal” and it’s everything you could imagine a Rodney Mullen video to be. At 49 (he’s been a pro skater for nearly 40 years), Mullen is as talented, supple and creative as ever. It’s magical to watch him move.

For the video, the guru collaborated with fashion photographer Steven Sebring (with music from George Harrison’s son, Dhani). The video was shot in a dome formed from 100 Canon Rebel cameras to catch the action from every angle possible.

Manipulated in post-production it’s a whirling ballet of flowing movement that sweeps and spins, slows down and speeds up, leaving tracer images of one of history’s most talented skaters pirouetting on field of black, a starkly lit tight shot of deep shadow and bright highlight.

Once you’ve watched it, head over to Sebring’s website to interact with the photos themselves, and see Mullen in motion from every angle.

Sudbury.com was blown away. You will be, too.


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