A Subculture Hits the Theaters

A subculture is a group of people within a culture (whether distinct or hidden) which differentiates them from the larger culture to which they belong. If a particular subculture is characterized by a systematic opposition to the dominant culture, it may be described as a counterculture. (source: Wikipedia)

Skaters have created their own subculture – distinguished by an unrelenting dedication to mastering their craft.  And while skaters at one point were a threatening counterculture, seen as a group wreaking havoc on the streets and defying the dominant societal standards, they have slowly progressed in their acceptance.

They’ve gained recognition as a relevant subculture within our society, which is now apparent through the numerous portals and social networks set up online, revolving purely around their lifestyle and interests.  Just take a look at Grindtv.com, a destination for skaters to post videos & photos, read about upcoming events, and keep up to date on the latest skate news.  This portal gives a face to the name and speaks volumes of this subculture – emphasizing passion, enthusiasm and utter devotion.

Although the 90’s brought a mainstream aspect to skating through the X-Games and brand sponsorships, the sport is still considered to be somewhat of a counterculture – having not yet fully relieved itself of its rebellious image.

As a new full length skateboarding film called Street Dreams is set to hit the theaters this spring, the most real to life skate film to date, this gets me thinking about something we address every day:  How would you go about spreading the word for a movie based around skateboarding – a topic that lacks mainstream qualities?

The film is not likely to be promoted through mainstream channels. You won’t see billboards in Times Square.  With an all star cast featuring Rob Dyrdek, Ryan Sheckler, Ryan Dunn, Paul Rodriguez, and Terry Kennedy, it’s undeniable that this movie will grab the attention of the skateboarding world.  Beyond that the hope is for the celebrity achieved by the stars of this film to push it to a wider audience, but this movie is really about feeding its core.  What is left is to convince the mainstream community that there is a reason to appreciate the dedication this lifestyle demands and not just the impressive tricks that appear periodically in front of them as highlights.

With the void left by the mainstream outlets to convey this message, social media is the one great landscape where this message, and really the message about this film, can do just that.