ONE Staff / March 13th, 2012 / Spotlight
Talking Pariah with Adam Johnson

What spot was the biggest hassle or posed the most challenges, and how did you guys make it work in the end?
Money. We made it work by sinking everything we were making with both companies into the project after we blew the budget. Shit sucks. We would have never been able to make this if it weren’t for our kind sponsors and the Kickstarter people who believed in us.

Good point. Not too many people in blading are doing Kickstarter, but you’ve done it twice. Would do again?
Maybe. You only get a little bit of money, it’s more of a loan. I’ve spent about $2,500 of the $5,800 we got after taxes and shit on sending out the prizes, buying Blu-Rays, plane tickets, etc. Who knows, hopefully the next flick is sponsored by an outside source.

Years ago when you were doing work release and cutting “Members Only/Zombie Comatose,” was criss-crossing the country in a van with the homies something you thought about?
I was in jail while I was making that. I would get out on work release to attend college and I edited it all during breaks between class. Freedom wasn’t really a thought at that point. After I got released from jail, I was on curfiew for a year where I had to be in at 10pm and an officer would randomly show up to test me for drugs or alcohol. I’m just lucky to have a chance to even do this stuff, in my opinion. I guess, to answer your question, I’d thought about it. It was something we did in “Generic Tour Video.” We did it in “Icons.” Then we really got it in with “On Top.” I think that’s the formula I would return to if I get to do this again. “On Top” was perfect.

Judging from your Twitter it sounds like you’re settling back in to Lawrence; almost sounds like you’re gonna stay put for a bit. Is that right?
Yeah, the companies took a big hit these past two years. It’s hard to run things when you are on the road 10 months a year, sleeping in a van or on floors, using internet intermittently at coffee shops, skating 6-8 hours a day, and being in charge of 6-10 other guys. I need to relax, focus on getting the brands back to where they were before this all started, and maybe expanding and fixing some of the things that bug both teams.

Okay, we’ll wrap this up and let you get back to the whiskey and SportsCenter. What’s the next moves for the VX/Street Artist crew?
Shit, just continue to make cool stuff and push brand awareness. I’ve got some things baking in the oven that will come to manifest over the next few months… a rolling stone gathers no moss.

Photos by John Haynes

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