Focusing on UK skate culture and primarily looking at skate parks in Brighton and London, this documentary outlines the perspective of skateboarders Sam De Saulles and Samuel Giuseppe Parasiliti on their discussion of how the practice outcasts them from mainstream society. The gritty context reveals an insiders view of how skateboarding as a hobby reflects their personality. It creates the paradox of how it can be an isolated sport yet simultaneously forms a relationship between those involved.
Demonstrating an influence from All This Mayhem (2014), which reveals the darker side to skateboarding, and its alignment with drug culture, On The Edge uses the expository mode to uncover the “grey area” of skate culture that the audience may not be aware of. Thus they are exposed to the profound qualities that the skaters hold, as they openly address the negative stereotypes that surround them and contrast with the positive aspects that influence their lives. Through their own personal stories, the subjects also explain what the sport means to them, how it becomes a key part of their identity, aside from just being a form of exercise.
Targeted at a wider audience, the documentary aims to “bring the “initially disinterested” audience members along” (Bernard, 2010, p.50) whilst making them aware of the culture they have little or no knowledge about. Moreover skaters are able to see themselves portrayed in a positive manner presenting the welcoming nature of the community.
Bibliography
Bernard, S. (2010) Documentary Storytelling, Massachusetts: Focal Press.
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