 | | | | | | | | | | | Who's better at driving games, you or Euan?
Easily Euan.
What's Euan like as a flatmate?
Put it this way, there is always some around up for 'a couple of games of pool'.
You've recently been hooked up with a mass assortment of sponsors - who are you receiving free things from?
Proper, Pretty Heavy and the odd BSD part. OBM help out too with parts and cups of tea.
How did all that come about?
Most of it through Grant so I've got a lot to thank him for. He recommended me for the Proper sponsor and obviously set up the Pretty Heavy thing.
How did you design your frame? What makes it different from anything else that's out now?
I didn't really design it. When I talked to Carlo at Proper the longest frame they had was 20.75. I was riding a 21 at the time and felt that I couldn't go any shorter. Carlo said that they were thinking about doing a 21.25 and would I be interested in riding a prototype. So my frame was based on a Houdini with bigger dimensions, Euro BB, internal headset etc.
Is there anything that you'd change on it?
The brake mounts are going to the seat stays for more chain clearance but other than that the frame is perfect already. I was amazed at how easily I got into it when I set it up.
Is it true that it's going to be called the David Frame?
That was in the running for a while!! The current favourite is the Proclaimer!
What do you do as a job?
Freelance webpage designer.
How did you get into it?
I did an Industrial Design degree at uni then a Multimedia Masters that got me into computing and took it from there. It's not like work really. It's just messing about on a computer all day. It's good to get paid for something you enjoy. I'm lucky that way.
You seem to be doing a ridiculous amount of websites for various BMX/skate-related companies/movements. Would you care to give us a list of them?
DIG: www.digbmx.com
Edinburgh Skatepark Project: www.edinburghskatepark.com
Penicuik Skatepark Project: www.penicuikskatepark.com
Proper's new site: still working on that one.
And there's talk of a new BSD site for next year too.
What makes a good website?
Clear navigation, interesting and relevant design but more than anything good content that people find useful or interesting and that is kept up to date.
And conversely, what makes a bad one?
When it's missing all of the above.
Are there any aesthetic things in web design that you think are horrible?
Not really. Websites only look horrible when the person designing it has no design skill and I wouldn't go as far as to critique that on its aesthetics. I would just pass the site by.
Do you have any words of advice for anyone who's thinking of making a website?
Think about the reasons people will want to visit your site to look at what's there. If you can identify that then you have got the basis for having a site in the first place. I find it helps to draw out a site-map on paper before you start and break everything down into pages, show how they will be linked and what will be in them. That way you can get a feel for what you are building before you start building it. You know where you are going then. Then you can think about how the site will look.
You also make videos - how long have you been doing that and how did you get into it?
I love doing creative things. That's partly why I ride. I see that as a creative outlet too. Making videos is another. I bought my first cheap camera after riding for a few years and made my first full-length video, Scottish Bastards, in '96. I've not made a video in a while though.
What kind of camera/lens do you use?
Sony DCR TRV20 with a Century Optics 0.3x 'Baby Death' Lens.
Are there any other pieces of kit that you want to get?
Yeah, I always want more than I can afford. A decent video light with about 100W would be good for the winter filming. I've been riding a lot of Edinburgh street and it would be good to be able to film some of that stuff at night. I'd like to get a decent Super8 camera for next summer too. A 3CCD camera would be nice too but my ones not too bad for now.
What makes a good BMX video?
Progressive riding is by far the most important thing. The editing, music etc all helps but it comes second to the riding.
Which ones are your favourite?
I've probably watched Dirty Deeds more than any other BMX vid. Also Road Fools 1 and 2. Nowhere Fast. I'd say the new S&M video is my favourite new one. There's a lot of good skate videos. The End, The Reason, The Zero videos. They all seem to be better made than any bike videos I've seen.
What are your favourite films?
The Usual Suspects, Leon, LA Confidential, This Is Spinal Tap, Rear Window (original), Die Hard, Heat, Donnie Darko, Pulp Fiction, etc. etc
. there's loads.
What irritates you?
Punctures when you're out street riding. Arriving at Livi and it's wet.
Do you become irritated easily?
Depends on the mood I'm in. I'd like to say no, but sometimes I suppose I do. I used to throw my bike a lot when I was younger and get irritated when I couldn't pull tricks but I think I've dealt with that now.
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