Every skater is constantly scanning their surroundings, looking for spots that can spark creativity and demand commitment. That is the essence of SEARCH, Element’s latest film, born from twelve months on the road across Europe and beyond. No time wasted in skateparks. This one is all about hunting down the unexpected spot.
One team, countless spots, one relentless search
Behind the lens, Jim Craven and Phil Zwijsen follow the crew through a constant search for new terrain. In front of the camera, Element brings together a line-up that spans generations: Madars Apse and his unmistakably creative approach, Vincent Milou always ready to commit, Brandon Westgate with his raw power, and Vitória Mendonça, bringing speed and effortless style.
Over twelve months, the team moved through radically different landscapes. From sun-baked Spanish ditches and the volcanic terrain of Gran Canaria to Croatia’s hard, mineral surfaces and the cold, quiet roads of northern Sweden, every destination delivered its own surprises and adventures.
In SEARCH, spots are never just a backdrop. They set the pace, impose their own rules and force the skaters to read every crack, transition and curb in a new way.
A more contemplative take on skateboarding
Part of what makes the film stand out is everything it captures beyond the tricks themselves. The endless scouting, dead ends, waiting around, conversations and those moments when nothing is happening yet, but everything is already taking shape.
SEARCH is as much about the hunt as it is about the final trick.
That raw, more contemplative atmosphere is carried by a soundtrack created in collaboration with Paris-based label Halfpipe Records. The music supports the footage without overwhelming it, leaving room for the sound of wheels, impacts, silence and that unmistakable feeling of always being on the move.
Following screenings in Paris, Berlin and Manchester, as well as a run of events in selected skate shops, SEARCH reached a global audience through Thrasher.
But ultimately, the film is not just about impressing people. It is a reminder of something simple: skateboarding often begins by looking at the city differently.
A pavement. A bank. A wall. A forgotten slab of concrete.
The next spot might already be there. You just have to go and find it.
Credits
Concept: Jim Craven
Directors: Jim Craven, Phil Zwijsen
Filmers: Jim Craven, Romain Batard, Guillaume Perimony, Dave Hoang
Edited by: Jérémy Hugues, Phil Zwijsen
Art Direction: Brecht Cuppens, Atilla Fidan, Tristan Badoual
Music Supervision: Halfpipe Records, Atilla Fidan
Photos: Clément Le Gall
