Insight – Jeremy Deme
Posted by Prashant - 08/11/09 at 12:11:04 pmI’ve known Jeremy Deme for roughly 8 years now. He sold me a back wheel over the internet, then I discovered that most of my friends already knew him too. Over the many years we’ve crossed paths countless times in both Ottawa and Montreal for events, contests, jams, video premieres, and just really good sessions. He’s become a friend of almost every rider here in Ottawa, all the while continuing to put out great DVD’s, web videos, and have his hand in other creative projects with his tight group of friends in Montreal. His last video, Yesterday, helped push his name (and the names of many of the other featured riders) out there in to the eyes of the BMX world, and he’s since been busy working on a much anticipated follow up. I asked Jeremy some questions in hopes of getting some insight to this new production, riding, filming, gt dropnose seats, and big changes going on in his life. Click the link below to read the Jeremy Deme interview.
photo by Mike Cardin.
First off, your name, age, location, and how long have you been riding bmx bikes for?
Jeremy Deme, 27 years young, a little over 10 years
How long have you been making videos for and how many titles have you made?
I’ve been filming and editing for about 5 years now, I’ve made 4 actual “films” up to now.
For the camera nerds out there, what is your present video and editing setup?
Right now I’m filming with a Panasonic DVX100b, editing wise I use final cut pro on my Imac.
The filmer being filmed. Wallride over the rail.
You are working on a new video. How can people expect it to differ from the last one, and what riders and/or format can people expect?
Last year’s video was definitely our best one to date, riding wise, and filming wise. I am really happy on how it came out. The only thing that kind of bummed me out is that when you watched the dvd, you get a good feel for each persons riding in their parts, but you don’t get a feel for the session that went down the day each clip was filmed. I think the credits and intro did a good job of showing how much fun we had filming the vid last summer but this year I want to try and have that feel throughout the whole movie. I’m not 100% set on how were going to achieve that but were going to try something different along with individual parts to give that feel to it.
Trailer for the newest video in production, You Know What Time It Is?
You know time it is? from Presence Bmx on Vimeo.
Presence had distribution across Canada, and you even had it selling through US mailorders. That along with web edits and heavy promotion seemed to make it reach a larger audience then most scene videos. How do you think it was received by the majority of watchers, and do you think that creates any expectations for your new video?
We were fortunate to have the opportunity to have the video available through ten pack distribution this year in Canada, and Empire BMX in the U.S.. That was really a great thing for us because we wanted to have the vid easily available across Canada for anyone who shares our interest in what is going on BMX wise in our country. We didn’t expect to sell that many with web vids being how they are nowadays, and we didn’t sell very many either, but just knowing that anyone who wanted to get their hands on a copy at their local shops in Canada could do so was a good feeling.
Audience wise, I’m pretty sure that more people saw the parts we put online within an hour than people who saw the actual DVD in the 6 months of it being released. It kind of sucks that less and less people are supporting actual DVDs because in the end we are only hurting ourselves. I remember 5-10 years ago, a killer video was coming out every couple of months, getting together with friends to watch them and getting stoked to ride. Those videos stuck with you for years after too. Nowadays there are still awesome movies coming out on DVD but way less than before because of web stuff. I think web vids are good and have their place in BMX, but I also think that we need to support the dvds that do come out so that they can keep coming out.
Jeremy’s part from Yesterday.
Jeremy Deme Presence Part 2008 from Presence Bmx on Vimeo.
Ten Pack Distribution brought you along on their Eastern Canadian tour to film and do some video work for them. How did that come about, and overall how was that experience?
I filmed a few web edits over the winter, one being the Dillon Lloyd edit. He was shredding so much that we filmed a crazy solid part in 3 or 4 sessions. I sent the part to Macneil and started talking to Jay from there. Jay invited Dill, myself and Greg on the eastern trip of their tour and we were stoked to go on it.
I was really excited to film the tour, filming a bunch of different dudes at a bunch of spots I’ve never really been to or filmed at before sounded really fun. It was an awesome experience, alot of good riding went down and it was awesome to meet all those dudes.
Taking a look at the ledge with Lil’ Dill.
You also did a little bit of video work for the new Fit video with Luke Santucci when he came out to the Montreal area. How did that come about, and is being a contributing filmer something you want to do more of?
Haha that’s kind of a funny story. Luke just wanted to visit Montreal and ride while he was here, nothing was planned footy wise really. I doubt anything we filmed in Montreal will be used in the fit video but it was an awesome couple of weeks anyway. Luke was pretty beat up a couple of days after getting to Montreal, which is another story altogether haha. He pretty much rode hurt the entire two weeks he was here. We still filmed some sick stuff most of which will be in this year’s Presence vid.
I’d love to contribute filming wise. I’m always down to film dudes, I love it. I’m definitely a big fan of dvds and have always been super into any kind of film project. I’ve been wanting to do a Canada wide vid for what feels like forever now and it’s just never happened but I don’t think I’ll ever stop wanting to do that until it actually gets done.
This is a pretty cliché question to ask any filmer (as I had asked Rich the same thing back when I interviewed him) but when you come upon a spot with a group, what is your first reaction: angles and ways you can film other people, or your own personal riding? How do you balance the two activities?
This is the hardest part of the filming/riding life I think. Years ago I’d roll up to a spot, start riding it and thinking of stuff to do on it instantly. Nowadays, I roll up to a spot and start thinking of what the crew of dudes I’m with will likely do there and what the best way to film them will be. I still think of stuff that I would like to do there as well, but being the filmer means filming till everyone has done what they want to do and then riding your bike if we haven’t gotten kicked out yet. I think it’s a choice really, nobody forces anyone to buy a camera or to film, it’s something you want to do, for me getting home and watching a few really good clips feels almost as good as pulling something good on my bike. It’s weird but it’s true. Plus I can usually go back to the spot and ride it anyway.
Feeble to hard 180.
You used to be pretty regular on the amateur contest scene a few years back. I can recall many a large fufanu done by you followed by some pretty respectable contest placings. You’ve long since ditched the brakes, and if your video parts are any indication, primarily ride street. Why the change and/or what made you stop riding contests?
I’m definitely psyched looking back at my past years of riding. I think that after I finished in the top 10 at metro jam in 2005, I was done with contests. At that contest I took 4 pisses in a 4-5 minute time frame before both of my runs. I was seriously walking out of the bathroom, getting half way to the course and going back because I had to piss again, I was that nervous. I love going to contests and watching them, but the nerves got to me. I look back to that comp as one of the highlights of my riding so it was well worth it.
One thing about Montreal is that we’ve never really had any decent parks (until UAB) so we always had to ride street. Albert and I dug and rode trails for the first 3-4 years I was in Montreal, when they got plowed we started riding street a bit more. We had put so much work into the trails that starting from scratch was hard. We did end up digging some trails again but they weren’t and aren’t as good as the old ones. There’s a lot of good street in Montreal too so riding around the city with friends, hitting up a lot of different spots has been fun for the last few summers. I think that one thing that hasn’t changed since the day I started riding a bmx is that it’s always been fun. I’ll ride anything really, so long as I’m outside on my bike with some friends having fun, that’s all that matters. I know that years from now I will look back on trips and days of riding as some of the best times of my life and that’s what makes bmx so amazing, the times, places and people make bmx what it is.
I know you have an affinity for places in the North East (Maine, Boston, etc.) for riding, and just in general. What is it that keeps attracting you to that area?
I love the ocean. My parents have been bringing my brothers and I to Maine since we were kids. It feels like a second home to me, I love it out there. Boston is an amazing city, it has everything really. We had an amazing trip there this summer.
True or false, at one point you had a stash of GT padded dropnose seats that Chris Campbell outted you on
I don’t remember Scatman outting me on that one but I definitely had a stash of Gt dropnose seats. Back in the day I was pretty much only riding trails and everyone was riding primo hemeroid seats. I really wasnt into that seat, it was heavy and felt huge on my bike. GT had just stopped making dropnoses and I was certain I would run those until the day I stopped riding so every time I saw one for sale Id buy it or order it to stock up. I think I had 5 at one point, today I have none left. I wish I still had one, I wouldn’t ride it but it would be a nice souvenir.
Classic old photo of Jeremy with brakes, doing an fufanu, with a GT dropnose seat. Photo by Chris Campbell.
Your videos have spotlighted up and coming talent from your area, and been a major key in creating the beginnings of careers for a few riders. How does it feel knowing the potential your work has for certain riders, and the people it is reaching?
It’s really an amazing feeling. These guys shred so much that it’s bound to happen sooner or later but seeing your friends get the recognition they deserve is amazing.
You have been a pretty central part of the greater Montreal area BMX scene for a long time now, always involved with videos, premieres, jams, etc. I know you have some pretty big major life changes in progress right now. Do you care to elaborate on what you have going on, and the future that holds for your videos and video work in general?
As of November 1st I will be working for Ten Pack out of Vancouver. I’ve lived in Montreal the past 10 years and grew up near there so it’s a huge change for me. Everyone at Ten pack is amazing and having the opportunity to work there was something I couldn’t pass up. I will and already do miss the east.
As for video stuff, I’m going to be focusing most of my out of work hours on editing “You know time it is”. I’d like to have that done at the latest spring 2010. I’d really love to do a Canada wide movie, if I ever had the chance to do it I’d love to. Ive been filming a bit in Vancouver already so I’m real stoked on that. Take it as it comes I guess.
Why do riders in Montreal like wearing shoelaces on their head so much?
Greg Flag bitch
What advice would you give to someone who wanted to make a video and pursue filming in BMX?
Life is short, if filming and editing your friends on their bikes is fun for you, do it.
Any last words or people to thank?
You know time it is??????
presencebmx.com
tenpackbmx.com
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Fuck yeah best dude ever! Great videos and filming and I like the elaboration on the answers not just few word ramblings like most interviews. Have a good time in the west you lucky asshole. My buddy Matt James moved to van from calgary. Gorgeous dude that shoots good photos and has a freecoaster. Find him!
Comment by Leland — November 8, 2009 #
should toss those brakes back on son! big fufanus!!
Comment by Landozine — November 9, 2009 #
great interview. good luck out west. keep us updated and send us free stuff!
Comment by Rich Red — November 9, 2009 #
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