Brazil Interview

Tags: arturo sanchez, brazil, game theory, helton siqueira, interview, razors

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John, I have answered your questions below, but before I do that there are some topics I need to cover first... Let's start out with the controversial Be-Mag interview that was recently released.

John, I have answered your questions below, but before I do that there are some topics I need to cover first...Let's start out with the controversial Be-Mag interview that was recently released. I want to thank Be-Mag for giving me my first full interview, I have much love and support for everything they do. Although i meant everything that I said, there are a few topics that were misunderstood, and a couple not mentioned. With that being said.... "Game Theory" is not about me, it is about the Razors team and their amazing talent and character in rollerblading. Razors is a legendary company in the skating industry and has been around such a long time, it is an honor for me to be working with them.

Chaz Sands - TTS

The first clip that we released was not a trailer, it was an announcement teaser to let the world know the project is underway. A trailer will come closer to the release date.

This DVD is not a showcase of my work, it is a project for me to do my best to shine the light on some of the guys that were and still are my idols as I grew up skating (and still do.) I am very passionate about this project and my intentions are for skaters (primarily) and non-skaters alike to enjoy watching this action packed, entertaining piece of art.

Another topic that I noticed was highly misunderstood, was the line about "shooting way too below par..." when I was speaking about other skating videographers. As you will see further on my interview here, I wouldn't have gotten into filmmaking if I hadn't been and continue to be inspired and motivated by my favorite skate videographers... these include Shane Coburn, Beau Cottington Adam Johnson, Dave Paine, Chris Majette, The Brown Brothers, Doug Urquhart, The Hyphy Guys which i'm great friends with, and of course PAZ with the whole Truth style of editing which I love.

As a skater, if my goals were to become a professional, I wouldn't say "I Want to be as good as my friend Tom Fischer..." even though he is talented, if my goals were to be a pro skater I would instead be saying "I want to be as good or better then Broskow, Haffey, Aragon, Murda, etc." Well to translate that into filmmaking... the Murdas/Broskows/Haffeys/Aragons of filmmaking are not you or my favorite skate videographers, they are the leaders of the entertainment world such as Spielberg, Hype Williams, Gondry, Kanye West, Jay-Z, Michael Jackson, etc. Just because we make "skate videos" doesn't set us apart from the rest. Anytime AJ drops another KFC video (Straight Jacket is one of my favorite videos of all time) rather he knows it or not, he is competing against Spielberg, West, Jay, etc. AJ is as much of a creator of entertainment as me or Quincy Jones. Therefore, when I say that aspiring to be as good as a skate video maker is shooting below par, I am in no way disrespecting them. So if you can follow where i'm coming from, for me to be consciously trying to keep up with a skate videographer while I work, would be like trying to keep up with my friend Tom Fischer while trying to be a pro skater... what would happen if I got to his level? I would still have to go against the Pros eventually, so why not make them the target from day one.

Like my homie Ivan Nerez said, it's a friendly competition just like the skating itself. I want everybody else to get better. I want to get better, I want to learn from everybody else and vice versa... As creators of entertainment media we need to be continuously pushing the boundaries, exploring with different styles, trying out themes and concepts, expanding audiences and progressing the business model.

I have never made a real skate video. All the guys I mentioned above along with many others have done so much more for skating then I have. However, that doesn't take away from my ambition to be the best. The world needs to get used to when I speak, rather what I'm saying is right, or it's the wrongest thing you've ever heard in your life, it's always coming from my heart, it's always coming from my soul, it's always ME; Helton "Brazilionaire" Siqueira, a 20 year old brazilian immigrant high school dropout with a passion for what I do and working everyday to be the best in the world and make history.... Now, to our interview:

Brazil, I can remember back in 2003, coming down to Lexington, KY and your family allowed me to stay the night there and were very very friendly to me. I also remember we had this plan to make a 2003 KY Battle DVD that never happened because of some kids putting edits up on Be-mag. It was still a great time though!

I also wanted to say I'm proud of what you have become Brazil. I remember telling you something about how I knew you would be great just because you have the mentality of a hustler, aka making something out of nothing.

With that said, let's get this interview underway.

Questions:

1. How old are you currently and how old were you when you first started editing video?

I'll be 21 this year on October 12th (Libra.) I've been editing before I knew what editing really was. When I was around 10 years old i rigged two vcr's, and a playstation 1 and started chopping up footage from tv and mixing audio with it. When I was around 11-12 years old my first skate sponsor James Mullins (R.I.P.) from hellbelies skatshop in Lexington, Kentucky gave me my first bootleg setup of Adobe Premiere. I was on that PC tip to start off my career, with what I believe was like a windows 98 maybe? not sure.
Chaz Sands - TTS

2. What equipment did you start off with, and what equipment do you use now? (I have a feeling you'll mention a Mac in there somewhere!)

So it started with the 2 VCRs and a Playstation, progressed to a cheap ass windows / adobe premiere combo, and eventually moved up to a Mac. Now my entire office and mobile setup is mac based. As far as camera goes, I started out with soccer mom VHS cameras from rent-a-center... progressed to my first ever mini-dv soccer mom camera... progressed to my first ever 3 chip camera (GL2) which lasted a couple months till my family's house got robbed in Chicago and we lost everything... then later that year I bought my first Panasonic DVX100. I just recently purchased my own HVX200 with the Ultra Fisheye Setup, and use the letus from time to time on this video... Although for my Music Videos and other entertainment industry projects i've used everything from Cine Alta, Varicam, Red Camera, to the Arri D-20.

3. Where did the nickname Brazilionaire come from? Please give us any and all info on that!

Well it started off with my nickname, Brazil. Now as far as Brazilionaire... I'd have to give the credit to my boy Ranadeb "Jello" Choudhury. I was working with him on a set with Common, Rhymefest, Cool Kids, and some other cats... and he was giving me a hard time about being the youngest director there, and started calling me Brazilionaire... so it caught on.

4. Tell me about Chicago? I remember you mentioning on the phone once you were doing weddings and sporting events. Now I hear you are working with artists such as Kanye West? That's amazing to me, to see such a young man working with such great talent. How did all of this happen? Who do you have to thank for all of your success in Chicago?

Chicago is a great city, it was a big move for my family and I coming from Lexington, Kentucky (Although I was Born in Brazil.) Let's get one thing straight, I haven't made any of Kanye's music videos. I have made music videos for MTV and BET including Twista's new music video "American Gangsta" (http://www.xxlmag.com/online/?p=51470) Although I have met Kanye a few times, and many people that work with me deal with him directly, everybody from my manager who's the former president of the Chicago chapter of NARAS (The Grammys) to my Mentor, Morocco Vaughn who's a music video director and has made music videos for Kanye, Snoop Dogg, Twista, etc.

I don't credit my success fully to anybody else but myself... Lots of hard work and dedication and sacrifise... Although I do have to thank the people that opened some doors for me so that I could use my skills, passion, and drive to walk through them. My managers Shannon "DJ SKIP" Syas (http://www.myspace.com/djskip) and Steve "Silk" Hurley (http://www.myspace.com/stevesilkhurley,) My parents, my big brother from another mother Dre Powell and my first mentor Morocco Vaughn (http://www.myspace.com/byanymeansfilms.)

5. Why Rollerblading? Shock.com said it best, we're as popular as lung cancer and Bin Laden right now... Why do you still come back to Rollerblading to support it?

There's no "come back" to rollerblading... I never left. From being a sponsored lil 13 year old skater in Kentucky, to taking my skates with me when I was on stage with Lil Wayne filming at his concert, to putting in sessions every-week all the way to my newest personal achievement which was hitting the legendary IMYTA Bercy ledge in France (Thanks to Aragon, Murda, and Dre for pushing me.) Skating has, is, and will always be a major part of my life. If I had never skated, I don't believe I would be doing this whole film/entertainment thing. Many of my early skating influences shaped the visions for my dreams. From the local clothing company owners like Jordan Dale with Origyn Clothing... to my favorite skate video makers (Beau Connington, Dave Paine, Adam Johnson, Chris Majette, and of course; The Brown Brothers) If I had never been influenced by these guys I wouldn't have went in the direction that I did.

I can't go to sleep at night when I work with multi-millionaire musicians by day, and by night I see pro skaters go home to apartments... Something inside drives me to do whatever I feel is right at the time, to push skating in the mainstream direction to bring money, recognition, education, participants, and spectators into our sport/lifestyle/culture.

6. I read some of the comments on rollernews about Game Theory, how did you react to that, did you see any of it? I ask because I am used to it and I just smile when I get hatred over the internet, it would be interesting to get your perspective on that.

Everybody has a right to their opinion. If I didn't have any haters, I would be worried. Bill Cosby said it best; "I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is to try to please everybody." Personally I love it. Just like I said in the Be-Mag interview, my work will always evoke an absolute value of 10. Rather it's a positive or negative 10 in feedback, to me it doesn't make a difference. I've had people email me about how my work has inspired them. Skaters changed colleges to do film because of my edits. A couple guys even started skating again because of how hyped they got from watching my WRS edits... That's what makes it all worth it, I do it for these kinds of moments.

Dre Powell - Tru Topacid

7. What happened to Reality Clothing? Do you still plan on getting that underway ever?

Haha, somehow I knew you would bring this up! As everybody is well aware i'm very young, and kind of mature for my age, but with that comes lots of different phases that I go through... that was a whack lil fake t-shirt-wanna be clothing company phase i went through like 7 years ago, That phase has been over. I'm leaving textiles to the guys who do it best; Vibralux, Ucon, Jug and the rest.

8. Where do you see rollerblading going in the next 5 years, 10 years?

Everytime I think the tricks have reached their peak, and then somehow I keep getting proved wrong by these amazing pros and ams; which is a testament to the fame and money they have worked hard to deserve... I see us making a slow and steady paced movement towards the mainstream. Somethings that we need to make happen in the next 5-10 years: Raise the bar in skate video concepts and originality; (which increase non-skating appeal) Continue to grow competition circuits (WRS http://www.worldrollingseries.com) and AIL (http://www.inlineleague.com/) which give younger skaters goals and a path to become Pro. Eventually move in the Reality Show and Feature Film areas of entertainment so the public can familiarize with our lifestyle,

9. I find myself angry a lot, angry because skateboarding is still hating on us, and having a hayday making tons and tons of money while Rollerbladers are still mocked in mainstream media and the old "What's the hardest part about Rollerblading? Telling your parents your Gay" joke beaten into the ground. How do you deal with this hatred? Do you feel like beating a dead horse is a good thing?

For one I don't personally notice the hate, it's more of a stereotype and a level of immaturity. Rollerblading is still a viable multi-million dollar industry, it's just that skateboarding is a billion dollar industry and has a business model wrapped around the mainstream media. Our time is coming, i'm not worried about it. Negativity doesn't need any energy now or never, i'm all about being focused on positive progression and not worrying about other people.

10. Do you enjoy working with Razors?

Working with Razors has been a highlight in my career. I remember seeing these guys on tour back in 2001 and getting my tee shirt autographed... I am honored to be working with them. I am becoming a part of the family and it's been very fun. No easy task haha we still give each other shit all the time, get in arguments like brothers, go out partying and bowling together and we are very hard on each other when we're working. Murda is next to me when i'm editing looking at every detail and all the guys give their input as well. The other day we were all in the studio and right as I was sitting down to edit Don pulled the chair out from under me and i ate shit, it was hilarious! They are all my big brothers, and it all started out with Dre and I becoming friends a couple years ago. It's very fun working with these guys and certainly a dream come true for me.

11. Can you give us ANY info on your latest project, anything exclusive? I have heard a few things and it sounds really really creative, how about a little insight on Game Theory.

In it's pure essence it's a video showcasing the skating of the entire Razors family along with some friends. The project will speak for itself and when the first trailer drops closer to the release date, everybody will see what it's about. The base idea came from me, and the rest has all been collaborated on with the skaters very closely, so everybody can rest assured this will be an entertaining collectors-item DVD.

Interview by John from TLS

Photos: Arturo Sanchez

Related Links:

http://www.gametheorymovie.com