Rob Dyrdek Street Dreams Interview
Blair Alley
- May 14 2009
- 56 comments
Rob Dyrdek’s brainchild, Street Dreams, which is shaping up to be the first legit skate movie to ever come out of Hollywood, is having its proper red carpet premiere on June 12. Between storyboarding the next season of Fantasy Factory, meeting with movie biz execs, and planning the next bust-free skate spot, we caught up with skateboarding’s renaissance man and got the real dirt on this flick.
Interview by Blair Alley
Rob, how’s everything with Street Dreams been going?
I’ve been dealing with [Street Dreams] while I was trying to write and produce every episode of Fantasy Factory, going to meet the mayor, going to set up a skate spot, dealing with movie distributors, dealing with cartoon sh-t—it’s like fourteen million things at once. You gotta understand I shot the first scene of that movie before I ever shot a scene of Rob & Big…
[Rob gets interrupted and has to talk to someone about Fantasy Factory storyboards for the next season]
That’s what I’m saying, my schedule is so out of control right now.
Why did you decide to produce, finance, and star in a movie about skating?
It initially started when Nino [Scalia, co-writer] hit me up saying, “You’re never gonna believe this, one of the Baldwin brothers just sold a movie for 700 grand about kids who lose their skatepark.” A treatment, not even a script. We were like, “F—k that! F—k Hollywood!” How can this happen again? Not one person is ever gonna make a real skate movie?
So Nino came down, we wrote a 20-page treatment, and took it to some Hollywood agent friends of ours. They were like, this is cool but somebody’s gotta write the script. Nino was like, “I’ve written scripts.” This is like one of my best friends—and this was the first time I had ever heard of him writing a script. You’d think you’d mention that at some point in a f—kin’ conversation.
So Nino and I just set off, and six months later had the finished script. With that said, we wrote it with the intent of P-Rod starring. I wrote the Ryan Dunn character with the intent of Ryan Dunn playing the part—Sheckler, Terry—every part was written for that person. In the movie industry they say never finance your own sh-t, so we put together this budget, and I set out to find financing.
So I’m sitting in this room with these football players, and I’m giving it to them—like what skateboarding is, what’s happened over the years. This guy’s just all fired up and says, “I knew it man. I speak for all of us, we knew how big skateboarding was when we walked into the mall and saw that kid rolling on his heels.”
[Laughs]
Right? So I just gave the most passionate speech about the history of the sport, the future of the sport—and he just hit me with Heelys? I was like, really? Why the f—k would I not put up my own money to do this? Why would I let anyone have a smidgen of control that’s saying this, when I just gave a clear, authentic, and real—and laid out this whole package and you couldn’t even wrap your head around it? That’s when I decided to finance it myself, and furthermore I didn’t want to wait. I was like, “F—k this, let’s just do this.” Little did I know it would be four years later before it came out and it was 100 times more than what I expected, and double the money.
Dyrdek from his Last Words in our April issue.
How’d you prepare for the acting side of it? Any classes or did you just wing it?
I never took any classes. We all worked with the real actors, like the dad in the film, he’s a real actor. The person that had to act and be a good actor was P-Rod—he carries the whole film. If he was wack, the whole thing was gonna suck. We didn’t know how real it was gonna get until we filmed a scene—and then he killed it.
Your character is definitely one of those guys every crew has. Did you model him after anyone you grew up with? Any pros you knew?
I based it a lot off the rivalry that me and Mark Heintzman had that used to be pro for G&S. We grew up together and there was always this bitterness of how I came up so young. There’s a scene in there where Paul makes the finals yet bailed a trick, and my character had a perfect run and didn’t make the finals. My character focuses his board and yells at him, “I can’t f—kin’ believe this! I f—kin’ have a perfect run and don’t even make the finals, and you bail a trick…” Right? Word for word—that’s what happened at my first pro contest when I was sixteen years old in Munster, Germany. I bailed a trick in my run and qualified twelfth to just make it into the finals, and Mark had a perfect run, and got thirteenth and did not make the finals, and it was word f—kin’ for word. He focused his board and screamed it in my face. It is exaggerated, though. My character is an ultra mega dick and Mark wasn’t like that.
What’s different about Street Dreams than the other Hollywood skate movies we’ve seen?
Man, you already know. Skateboarders did it, period. From every last nuance to the fact that this kid really 360 flip crooked grinded the f—kin’ handrail. In The Grind, the kid went from being a street skater to his big final trick is Bucky Lasek as a stunt double doing a heelflip 540 and he doesn’t make it, so they cut it up to make it look like a make. Every movie possible—just how corny and f—ked it is.
It’s the reality, from games of SKATE, to ridiculous comedy, to going to Tampa, showing cutting off knobs—it’s the epitome of what all skaters deal with. But it’s still packaged with a love story, and a rivalry—it’s still a true feature film. Have you seen it?
Yeah. I went to the screening in L.A. a while ago.
How has the feedback been at the screenings?
Nothing but positive feedback. It’s still very much an independent film. My goal is to just kick down the door just to do it. Then the next one is he moves to Cali and at the end he turns pro, and the third one, he loses it all and then gets it all back.
Oh, so we’re going to see more feature-length films coming up?
This is just the first in a three-part series.
Are you nervous about the big Hollywood premiere on June 12?
No, I’m not. I’ve been working on it for so long, I’ve seen it so many times. I’m proud of it and I’m excited as opposed to nervous. It’s not quite like a video part. I would have rather shot myself than go to the Mind Field premiere by having such a bad video part where there’s so much pressure. With a movie, it is what it is.
Why is this movie going to be worth 10 bucks to go see in a theater?
Because it’s the first real skateboard movie. But I also feel like, if you’re a skater, you’re going to enjoy it. You’re going to enjoy all the little things, all the cameos, how funny it’s done with Ryan Dunn’s character—how real it is. As a skater, you’ll be like, “Damn, that’s exactly what I went through.”
Speaking of cameos, I love the scene of all the clique hotel rooms the kids go into in Tampa. I think real skaters will trip out when they see that.
Oh my God, it’s so fun. Again, just poking fun at the idea of all the different styles and cliques within the sport. If you’re a skater, you will absolutely appreciate it.
Perfect, let’s end it on that note. Thanks, Rob.
Find more videos like this on Street Dreams Movie
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May 14th, 2009 at 6:35 pm
movies gonna be dope.
May 14th, 2009 at 7:07 pm
This movie is going to be terrible. In no way will it be good.
May 14th, 2009 at 7:19 pm
ur fucked
May 14th, 2009 at 7:20 pm
this movie will be f***in good, ur f****ed
May 14th, 2009 at 7:23 pm
I can see this movie being pretty good but also a little stupid at the same time. An improvement from that piece of shit called "Grind".
May 14th, 2009 at 7:24 pm
this will be way better than "Grind" at least. but i can still see it being kinda dumb.
May 14th, 2009 at 8:13 pm
If the movie is anything like this trailer then it's going to be a giant lump of excrement. Every cliche in the book was used in this trailer and it just looks awful. Just because you are a skateboarder doesn't mean you know how to tell a story, which is the whole point f making a good film. Better luck next time Rob.
May 14th, 2009 at 8:20 pm
it'd be good if it ended on a dark note, but it looks like he's gonna go to tampa and win and everything will end happy. looks kind of like bullshit. a "real skate movie" wouldn't be about skating pro contests and stuff like that.
May 14th, 2009 at 8:50 pm
this movie aint about a good skaterboarder story.. its about showing p-rod treflippin to crooks into his damn nikes!!
and common, mikemos acting skills are way better!!! ahahha.. just youtube it and youll see
im not sayin the movie aint gonna be fun to watch.. Im just sayin its not what Rob's claimin it to be! Want a good story? Watch Paranoid Park, this is a real dense story.. and the kid cant even heelflip
May 14th, 2009 at 8:58 pm
too predictable. 1st of all why is rob dyrdek more legit than p-rod? 2nd, it's not organized crime to cut the kink off a rail. 3rd, p-rod makes it into tampa am, does a tre flip crook down the rail, everybody freaks out and he goes pro. what a movie.
May 14th, 2009 at 9:14 pm
gonna SUCK
May 14th, 2009 at 10:07 pm
the hate is incredible, why do we go to movies? to enjoy the ride whatever the outcome is in the end its about the journey. im backing it and will def be there to see it. i hope it plays in texas!
May 14th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
will this come out in the UK?
May 14th, 2009 at 10:36 pm
no movie can top brink!
May 14th, 2009 at 10:46 pm
the whole "NAC" = "Not A Chance" trick thing is stupid. The NAC is a tre flip crook and if he lands it he goes pro. Yeah im pretty sure thats how it happens in real life lol.
May 14th, 2009 at 11:25 pm
what has the world of skateboarding come to be?
May 14th, 2009 at 11:53 pm
THRASHER CUZ
May 15th, 2009 at 12:47 am
BakerBoys keeps it real…you wanna see skateboarding just go to their site mayne
May 15th, 2009 at 12:51 am
stop hating fags, youll never make aything better in your entires lives so shut the fuck up and apreciate what dyrdek did
May 15th, 2009 at 12:52 am
stop hating, none of you will ever make anything as good as this in your lives so apreciate what dyrdek did
May 15th, 2009 at 1:06 am
TK starring in it ?! Come on when a real skateboard movie its gonna to be made ?
May 15th, 2009 at 1:27 am
Thrashin' is more real than this crap
May 15th, 2009 at 2:35 am
i cant take it seriously paul is not old but i dont know to old to be yelled at by his dad for high school grades. it just seems funny, but tre crooks are gnarly has hell i will probably see the movie because of that steezy ass tre.
May 15th, 2009 at 3:03 am
go suck a dick
May 15th, 2009 at 3:04 am
this is gonna be sick as hell
rob knows what he is doing
May 15th, 2009 at 4:15 am
I need spoilers! Will Sheckler die in this film? Will he come out of the closet?
May 15th, 2009 at 9:39 am
Does this movie comes out in Europe or will it be in the US only?
May 15th, 2009 at 11:46 am
lol nice one… i would like to see both happen
May 15th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
hopefully not coming out in europe….
we don't need rob 'fucking american dream' dyrdek shit over here. please.
May 15th, 2009 at 2:21 pm
hopefully not coming out in europe…
we don't need rob 'f—ing american dream' over here. please.
May 15th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
btw, pretty …uhm.. realistic explosion in there… gosh rob, dude…
May 15th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
i recently got a switch casper flip 5o down a 9 set rail i am sayin yo i have no sponsers 1 trick sposorship is bull shit. what about foward hardflip revert down 12 sets g i dont think i have ever seen anyone do that before but i still dont have any sponsers.
May 15th, 2009 at 3:16 pm
hm 1 trick sponsorship i have sent switch casper flip 5o down this 8 set rail around and i got nothing how bout the 12 i foward hardflip reverted nope still nothing so ya one trick sponsor i bet there isnt one person who reads this who could dream of doin those tricks. so one trick sposor there is no way.
May 15th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
hahahah
May 15th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
rob's a pimp. movie seems a little lame but i'm gonna see it anyway for fun. ha
May 15th, 2009 at 7:10 pm
the movie is going to be fresh as fuck…you guys hatin have no clue for real!
May 15th, 2009 at 7:11 pm
The movie is gonna be fresh as F–ck!!! but all you guys hatin need to re watch that Sh-t, you guys will see!!
May 16th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
wow, the dialogue was cornier then a tony hawk game! "if you can get me a tape with that on it then ur on the team" yea broooooooo!
May 17th, 2009 at 3:32 am
http://www.streetdreamsmovie.com
May 17th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
looks so cool….
This time i really don't understand the hate man
Big up for Dyrdek
May 18th, 2009 at 6:52 pm
Hey rob y aren’t you coming to Ohio? It’s your home state and that’s where the DC plaza, evolution skate park and martini skate and snow is. You have to come to Ohio (Hudson) and shoot there
May 18th, 2009 at 8:27 pm
right on dyrdek
May 18th, 2009 at 11:13 pm
This is the f**king dumbest trailer ever! The acting is dog sh$t and the whole plot and story is so typical that I find it hilarious that Dyrdek is claiming it's cool, because skaters made it. If that's the measuring stick for a skater made film, then don't make anymore and let Hollywood make them!
May 19th, 2009 at 1:29 am
haha it looks pretty good i just like the main idea/ plot of the story. and it looks good too. i love rob so stop all the hate you guys! = ]
May 21st, 2009 at 8:52 pm
if it's anything like gleamin' the cube I'll love it!
May 22nd, 2009 at 7:50 pm
that movie is gunna be soooo fuckin sick i can't wait to see it
May 24th, 2009 at 7:14 am
this is going to be sick!!
May 24th, 2009 at 10:38 am
Cant wait to see the movie
June 6th, 2009 at 9:39 pm
ALL YOU F&^KING HATERS GO F__K UR SELF.. YOUR ALL INTERNET LOSERS… PEACE GO SKATE AND DONT HATE CUZ U GOT NO SKILLS
July 17th, 2009 at 5:45 pm
when is it coming out on dvd because it dont show where i live
August 9th, 2009 at 1:56 am
it looks dope so if you have a prob about it come see me i all ready look like what my name is on a comment thats right STRONGER THEN YOUUUUUUU SEE YOU SOON
get a LIFE
IT IS KINDA EASY.
bye
LOSERS
OH YA
STOP HATIN ROBS MY BRO
October 28th, 2009 at 12:02 am
when is this gonna come to seattle washington