Dog Town and Z-Boys: The Birth of Extreme

Notes:

• Considered by insiders to be a "revolution"
• Passion for skating, not for fame
• Dog town was dirty, filthy place, yet considered to be paradise to insiders
• Inhabited by surfers
• Surf Shop opened creating a unique style and a one of the kind shop
• Jeff Ho- surfer board maker, pushed the limits to surf board technology. Personalized surf boards.
• Zephyr Surf Team- rebels to the sport. Boards were different and styles were different
• Venice, California- amusement on the water, became condemn and fell apart. Affected the community.
• Insiders were very wary of outsiders. Not allowed in. Zephyr team put on a pedestal within the community. Provided a place to go for kid who didn't have anything else.
• Served as its own little community
• Skate boards formed out of surf boards with wheel and for land.
• Skate boarding disappeared in the '65, became unpopular
• Urethane wheel allowed skaters more options
• The surfers of Zephyr turned into skaters when waves stopped.
• Local school were built with asphalt embankments that provided great location for skaters
• In the eyes of the skaters, "style" was the most important thing. All possessed surf styles but all brought different styles
• Due to Californian drought in the 70s many pools were not filled with water, providing great location for skaters

Response to questions:

1. I feel this is an ethnography as well as a piece of entertainment, because it describes the rituals, customs, beliefs, and habits of this unique group of people but at the same time provides it in an interesting format
2. The people interviewed were those who this subculture is about directly. These people are more creditable than any others considering they made the subculture
3. The ideals they all share about surfing and skating. They're passion for the sport as well as the importance in their minds of everyone bringing their own style. Not only did they participate in the sport they also produced things for the sport. For example new kinds of technology the evolved the subculture
4. The piece is set up chronologically from the origins of the group to their prime. Also prior to doing either of these the viewer is introduced to the subcultural site. All of which is an effect way to inform the viewer of necessary information
5. I really didn't have any foregone stereotypes about these skaters. Skater in general (or at least those of the Midwest) tend to appear all the same. Baggy close into drugs but these skaters are the real deal and any preemptive stereotype is null and void since they invented the subculture of people
6. Ethos-I trust what I'm being told. All of the info seems accurate and not contradictory. Pathos- doesn't really give me an emotional response. Logos- discussed above