the fact that the film
is about skateboarding and skateboarders do wear certain products raises
a question as to where the line between true documentary and branded content
might be drawn
Dogtown’s producer Agi Orsi, was able to secure $400,000 in finance from Vans, a leading boardsport-centric clothing and shoe manufacturer. This corporate involvement was unprecedented in that the company did not ask to see a rough cut or try to offer any suggestions as to how the film should be made, other than requesting a cut of a possible trailer as proof of concept.
The company apparently never expected the film to be successful and so were involved simply because they were interested in taking part in the presentation of a shared history. Vans as a brand name is synonymous with skateboarding being that they became the first dedicated skateboard footwear manufacturer via a certain model of light summer shoe produced by the firm happening to be ideal for the type of skateboarding purveyed by the Zephyr team.
Accordingly, the film begins with one one of the companies famous trademarks in the opening titles. In itself this is innocuous, albeit a little jarring as the viewer is unused to seeing a brand identifier familiar from any contemporary high street in a film largely screened by independent film festivals and arts theatres, but the film then continues to pass references either directly, via product shots when the skaters themselves are seen to have the shoes on (witness the companies trademark ‘waffle’ sole design visible in the image at the top of this article), and the fact that many of the people featuring in the film are involved with the company through sponsorship deals.
When one takes a crash course in skateboard culture rhetoric, all areas of the film start to become familiar; the characters, their attitude, the editing style, the graphic identity et al. Even the narrator, actor Sean Penn, is linked to the story being an ex-Dogtown surfer himself. In that view the film starts to feel that it may have been constructed as an easily marketed product for a readymade audience.
Accordingly, notions of journalistic integrity within Dogtown become open to question. It is important to consider how much the corporate involvement actually had a bearing on the objectivity, despite the apparent facts that say otherwise. One example of how corporate financing might twist the truth is the fact that only hints to nefarious behaviour and social misconduct by certain members of the Z-boys are ever given, with the effect that the film essentially presents a family friendly version of events.
The fact that the director appears in the film could suggest one reason why that might be. Similarly with corporate money involved it becomes no surprise that the film does not take a more critical approach that might have analysed how far the initial freedoms of the team were corrupted by the skateboard industry.
With those criticisms acknowledged it must be noted that as a Z-Boys member himself director Peralta is best placed to get to the truth of the issue
He has lived the story as much as any of the other subjects and therefore surely would be able to get more from his subjects as a friend and colleague than an (arguably) more objective observer with no prior connection would have? The fact that Peralta’s wish to present the story truthfully superseded any ideas of selling his rights to the highest bidder must also be noted.
Similarly, the existence of a skateboard vernacular outside of the films context means that the film achieves a level of authenticity in its portrayal. It has attempted to represent the events and the participants in a manner that is totally appropriate to the history of the topic as well as the personal tastes of a sector of its audience. The fact that the subjects of the film and indeed the filmmakers themselves were involved in the origination of this visual language further adds further qualification.
The truth then, as displayed by this particular film, is that something akin to an art form can be created from humble beginnings given the right mix of location, talent, character and passion. The film’s recreation of an exciting period in recent history becomes a celebration of a bygone era, its actors’ undeniable athleticism and comradeship, and an ode to the diversity of the human spirit.
In itself, a noble intention but we must also acknowledge that such an approach presumably also does not harm the sales of comfortable leisure shoes and clothing.