Thomas Davis: A Few Of My Favourite Things
Common People Films director Thomas Davis talks us through his skate-flavoured selection of creative influences.
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Unsurprisingly for someone who started their filmmaking career in skate videos, Thomas Davis' selection of goodies for our Favourite Things series is pretty board-heavy.
That's not to say that the Essex-born Common People Films director doesn't know how to shoot non-skaters, as his work for respected artists and record labels like Beabadoobee, Tiana Major 9 and NOISY goes to show.
Amongst the items that inspires him, he cites a music video bible, some decks that mean a lot and a wall that you'd be proud to put a pint on.
The Beastie Boys Concert Film
As the world of LIVE music has been temporarily doomed, it’s only necessary to share one of my favourite DVDs.
Awesome I Fuckin’ Shot That, is the Beastie Boys' concert movie, from when they performed live at Madison Square Garden.
It’s a personal favourite for me.
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The Skateboard Collection
My Skateboard collection is something that I’ve built since I was young.
One side of skateboarding that I have always been somewhat obsessed with is the artwork and graphics.
I’ve got a handful of boards that I’ve just kept and never skated, just because they remind me of a particular moment in time.
It's like a memory from a trip or the person that had given it to me.
The Beer Matt Wall
One cool thing I don’t normally talk about is the collection of beer matts on the wall of our Living Room.
My housemate started it a while back and we’ve just been adding to it since.
There are no duplicates and they're from all over the world.
I think there’s around 300, and we’ve nearly filled the entire wall. There’s such a wide range of designs and colours.
It’s pretty dope.
The Music Video Book
I really dig this book by Neil Feineman & Steve Reiss, The Visionary Art of the Music Video.
I came across it as I first started indulging and finding my love for music videos.
It’s a super detailed exploration of the cultural impact of worldwide music videos, covering a huge wide range of directors from the likes of Spike Jonze and Michael Gondry.
It’s great for finding some inspiration sometimes too.
Loads of beaut printed stills and write-ups about sick old-school videos.
The Point & Shoot
One thing I always take with me wherever I go is this Olympus AF-10.
It’s just great to throw around my neck. I usually shoot a couple of rolls of film a month.
I love forgetting what I’ve taken photographs of. Whether that’s if I’m on set working, or out with my friends skating or in the pub.
There’s always a cool moment to capture.
It’s just more real than taking a photo on my iPhone.
The Tech Deck Dude
This one is quite dumb, but pretty dope.
Again, I just like skateboard memorabilia.
I picked this guy up in a bootfair like 5 years ago, still in the box.
When I was super young as a kid, tech deck dudes were the craze. So I’ve always kept it at my desk, and probably won’t ever get rid of it.
I suppose it reminds me of a simpler time.
