Metro Vancouver-based Supra Distribution [Canadian distributor
of Girl, Chocolate, Lakai, Fourstar, Royal, Matix, DVS, Skate Mental, and more] struck some gold when they enlisted
the team management services of 22-year-old Dane Collison. And his role isn't
an average one by any stretch. Dane maintains communication with Supra's
extensive cross-Canada team roster regarding trip opportunities and product – he keeps tabs
on the warehouse inventory so he can pick and pack packages for the team. He also combs through the interweb and skate mags to check up on coverage and tally up
photo incentives. Outside of the office, Dane regularly films and edits web
videos featuring the team for Supra's site.
"I moved out here to Vancouver in 2005 to go to BCIT
for film production-a full year course," says Dane, who's originally from
Vernon, BC. "As a kid, I remember thinking about sponsorship like any kid does.
Girl and Chocolate were on the top of the list of ones that would be out of
reach. So being in the position where I can hook kids up with these companies
is huge for me. I'm super pumped on that."
How did the team
manager role at Supra come about?
Starting in January 2007, I worked in the warehouse for 2
years packing boxes. I always tried to maintain a good relationship with the
bosses, and they knew I was doing the filming thing with the guys on the teams.
I'd gone to Barcelona with them a couple times, so once Mike McDermott stepped
back after turning
pro for Habitat and opening
Green Apple, he put in a good word for me. Marco Feller, the GM of
Supra, kind of threw it on the table and I took it in May 2009.
What's the best and
worst thing about the job?
The best thing is the flexibility. If I'm sitting in the
office, and someone calls and wants to film a trick, 99% of the time I can
either grab the company van and take off, or just leave on my own terms. I also
love being the guy that gives away the free stuff, too. It gets everybody
stoked. I haven't had to do it so much yet, but the worst part is delivering
bad news to the guys, like budget cuts and things like that. But it's part of
the job. Organizing trips with people across the country and working the
numbers gets a little stressful, too. I'm new to the game, so I'm always
learning.
When you took on this
role, you adopted a massive established team. What's the existing roster, and
did you bring anyone new on board?
Mike McDermott - DVS, Matix
Russ
Milligan - DVS
Bryan Wherry - DVS
Joey Williams - DVS
Devin Morrison - DVS, Matix
Jay Brown - DVS, Matix, Chocolate
Seb Labbe - DVS, Matix
Travis Stenger - Lakai, Girl
Wade
Fyfe - Lakai, Fourstar, Chocolate
Mike
Vince - Fourstar, Chocolate
Pat
O'Rourke - Lakai, Girl
Ian
Twa - Matix
Quinn Star - Fourstar
Paul Liliani - Fourstar, Lakai
AJ McAllister - Lakai
Kevin Wu - Matix
(Click here to
see more on the Supra Distribution team)
McD built a good team of friends who hang out with each other,
so it was good moving in on that. I haven't brought in anyone new yet, but I'm
always open and always watching for it. Someone that's fresh off the hop. I'd
rather pick up someone who's hungry, and not jaded. Someone who's eager, and
flooding my mailbox with photos.
How did you get into filming?
Probably just like any other kid, I made little promo videos
of friends. I'd film them, they'd film me. I first filmed with one of those
over-the-shoulder-straight-to-VHS cameras when I was 14, then I bought a Sony
Hi-8. My friend later bought a mini-DV camera with a little fisheye, so we'd
barge around the Okanagan with that thing.
Then it got to the point of, "I've gotta go to school, what should I do?" In high school I took
a film class and I really liked it, so I decided on film school. Might as well,
because I'm not much of a math guy [laughs].
Now I've got a Panasonic DVX, and a 24-inch iMac with Final Cut Pro, Photoshop,
and After Effects. I'm saving some money to get into that HD world.
Ian Twa, Spencer Hamilton, Bryan Wherry, and Dane Collison.
How did your Just Another Day web-vids come about? Did
you have a strategy for them at first?
Definitely no strategy. The first day that I went out and
filmed the first montage we threw up, which was Wherry and Twa at the Plaza
[below]. I had no idea what we were gonna do. I was just like, "Hey guys you
wanna meet up and film some stuff for the website?" As I was editing it, I was thinking, "Should I theme this thing?" I did the
first thing that popped into my mind, and didn't try and made it too fancy. It
was just skating. This is what we did that day. It's super fun going out with
those guys and doing it, and people in the skate community seem to be stoked on
it. In addition to my other responsibilities at Supra, one of those videos can
take 4 days to a week to finish.
What's the main thing
you've learned since becoming the Supra TM?
Patience is a big one. Another thing I've learned is the
importance of talking on the phone rather than through emails to get down to
the straight meat and potatoes – get down to business I guess you could say. Time
management is key, balancing office time with filming and editing time.
When do you manage to
work in skate-time?
In between tries when I'm filming the guys and they're taking
a break. Hopefully I have my regular board in the van so I can put the camera
down and skate a bit.
Click here to see more of Dane Collison's web video work featuring the Supra Distribution team.
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Related:
Wade Fyfe's Survival Story
Run It Back: Clagary With Ian Twa
Supra Dist.: Pat O'Rourke (video)
Talkin' TM with Trevn Sharp (DC)