SKATE INDUSTRY CAREERS ft. HARRY PASCOE
Roll into any skatepark and ask an aspiring young skater what they want to be doing in 10 years and I guarantee their answers will most likely be the same…“be a pro skater!” We have all thought it, said it, probably even tried to make it happen!
With millions of people skating worldwide, the chance of getting a pay cheque from your skating is limited. So, for those of us not talented enough to have their name emblazoned on a deck or win a few SLS contests, what other options are out there and how can you make a living from skateboarding?
Over the next few weeks, we will publish interviews with some of Australia’s big dogs of the industry to give you a glimpse of the jobs that exist and what it may take to get your foot in the door. Skateboarding is a 2.7-billion-dollar industry that includes jobs in skate shops, distribution, brand development, team management, photography, and filming to name just a few.
Our first cab off the rank is the man behind the lens of Picture Wheel Co’s recent drop “Picture This” and the masterpiece of Brisbane’s best “Treasury”, Harry Pascoe.
“Take the seriousness out of everything, remember why you started in the first place.”
HARRY PASCOE - THE FACTS
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Title: Videographer and editor
Home town: Lives in Brisbane, Queensland
Skated since: 2007
Find him on insta: @harryypasc0e
Suss all the goods on Harry's You Tube Channel
A little sample of Harry's impressive work so far:
Full videos
- “Picture This” 2021
- “Treasury” 2021
- “Table Manners” 2019
Parts/clips
- “Nice to see you” by Vans - clips of Jackson Pilz and George ‘Zools’ Kousoulis
- Clips of “Kieran Woolley for Independent Trucks”
- Tommy Fynn's party for DC Shoes - playing on Thrasher
- Jackson Pilz’s “No Reception” part - playing on Thrasher
- “Stricktly Reserved” - Bailey Loughlin's Part
- Nixen Osborne for Baus Headware
Picture Wheels’ “Picture This” AM Video
Interview begins under video.
Interview
Hi Harry, thanks for taking the time to chat to us. Let’s jump straight to it. What best describes Harry Pascoe’s role in skateboarding?
Yeah, of course. So, I have a couple gigs in skateboarding, one mainly being the filming and editing side of things, but I’ve recently been working with a couple distribution companies up here in Brisbane helping them with all the socials/websites etc. as well as Team Manager for a couple companies inside those distributions which has been a great experience.
So who are you working for?
I work for 4128 Distribution and Chapter 2 Distro as well as Parliament Skateshop.
How long have you worked in the skate industry?
Close to 3 years maybe? Hard to remember but once my first full length Video “Table Manners” released in 2019 that sort of really kicked things off for where I’m at now, that video was so fun to film, I always reminisce those sessions....we had basically a 45min video without even realising till the end!
“Table Manners” full video
Interview continues under video.
What’s your origin story in skateboarding?
I was blessed to grow up skating in The Bay (Redland Bay) and having the opportunity to hang out and watch Dennis Durrant, Tommy Fynn, Alex Lawton & Joel McIlroy most afternoons.
We would be basically witnessing demo like sessions at our park most days after school. Hearing all their stories from when they had been travelling and so on had really opened my eyes to skateboarding and made me see that there really was a chance of making something out of it....
A couple local filmers had dropped off around the time and one of them had passed down the camera to our crew and that’s when the filming shortly came into it all, I couldn’t put the camera down after that and then it all sort of just kept going from there I guess, I was lucky enough to just catch that era of skateboarding.... it was so raw back then.
“Treasury” Full Video
Interview continues under video.
Did you have any qualifications that helped get your job(s)?
Qualifications always help but these days its more who you know not what you know, but I studied a film course previously and learnt a bit here and there that helped but nothing I would be telling people to jump at, you can learn just as much off YouTube these days, haha.
Haha…so true. What has been your favourite moment or thing you’ve achieved in your job?
My favourite moment would still be surprising TBuns with the cover of Slam at the “Treasury” video premier at Parliament Skateshop, nothing can beat that one for me! TBUNS FOREVER!
Note: Tragically, Trent “TBuns” Riley fell off his small fishing boat shortly after the premiere and sadly passed away in the waters of Moreton Bay.
Yeah, sure must be a very precious moment for you.
Skateboarding has brought you so much already, when did it all start?
I started skating roughly in 2007 at the end of primary school shortly after moving up from Campbell Town, NSW, so I’ve skated for about 14 years but the filming takes me off the board a lot these days.
Did you have dreams of being Pro yourself?
I never really looked at it that way I always wanted to be someone that was respected in the skateboard scene more than anything, documenting my mates and the Hijinx is good enough for me!
Good enough indeed! What would you say to any groms out there trying to pursue a career in skateboarding?
Take the seriousness out of everything, remember why you started in the first place.
Stack Clips.... Keep them off the gram :)
Stay tuned for more interviews with industry legends working in various jobs all essential to supporting and shaping the skateboarding world and community.