Blueprint Skateboards

Blueprint Skateboards
Industry Skateboarding
Website www.blueprintskateboards.com

Blueprint Skateboards is a skateboard company set up in 1995.

Originally only available in the UK, worldwide demand has grown alongside the company and Blueprint was once available in Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Australia. After the creative director, Dan Magee left the company, he was shortly followed by professional skater Paul shier. After which, Blueprint Skateboards faced a mass exodus of its original hand picked team roster. Although not officially discussed, this was believed to be due to the way the company was being run by its new backers, Pure Distribution. Since the founding members and original team departed, the new backers attempted to revamp the brand using new team riders who consisted of relatively unknown American ams who were aligned to Pure's other hardware brands. They also added Mike York as a professional rider and Cliche flowrider Ignacio Morata, who was immediately promoted to the pro ranks. The new changes at Blueprint outraged many of the original fans of the company as the brand's new look and image a complete u-turn in the manner the original brand was run. New graphics also consisted of bastardized versions of the original Blueprint's distinctive artwork.

However, 8 months after the relaunch Mike York left the company and the brand has since been wound down without official announcement. New pro Ignacio Morata and all of the new Blueprint's ams are left without board sponsors.

Video Releases

Only days after the premiere of Lost And Found, the team were out filming already for their next production due in April 2010, provisionally entitled "Make Friends With The Colour Blue".

PNC/Blueprint:A Mixed Media (1996)

Available on VHS cassette in the UK only. A joint venture with the now defunct Panic Skateboards. A Mixed Media sold several thousand copies.

PNC/Blueprint:Anthems (1997)

Anthems sold worldwide in both PAL (European format) and NTSC (USA Format). This release also saw the combining of Blueprint Skateboards with the now defunct Panic Skateboards.

Build and Destroy Promo (1999)

Promo video included at the end of 'Through the Eyes of Ruby'. This was originally meant to be Blueprint's 411 Industry section.

Waiting For The World (2000)

Available on VHS cassette only. Waiting For The World really defined Blueprint as a team and opened everyone's eyes to the talent of the riders and what the UK has to offer.

First Broadcast (2001)

Available on VHS cassette only, this release further displayed the skills and diversity of the team. This release also featured sections from Unabomber Skateboards and Organic Skateboards (Now Landscape Skateboards) as well as many of the companies friends.

The Belong Tour (2002)

Available on VHS cassette only. This release covers the UK tour of the entire Blueprint team and is perhaps the least fondly remembered of their productions. The soundtrack includes tracks by Elliott Smith. The highlight of this video are the offcut clips of the team and friends street skating at the end of the tape.

Lost and Found (2005)

Available in DVD format. The team travelled virtually non-stop over the length and breath of Europe over two years in order to film their video parts. Lost And Found was then premiered to nearly 1000 skaters in London on March 12, 2005. The following 2-disc DVD set was released shortly after to worldwide acclaim. It was also premiered in virtually every country in Europe, the USA and many other parts of the world. The release has further pushed Blueprint on to new level and coming directly from our strong amateur program and their breakthrough video parts in Lost And Found, both Danny Brady and Nick Jensen were turned pro after the DVD release.

This DVD features the following riders: Danny Brady, Neil Smith, Scott Palmer, Ben Grove, Paul Shier, Vaughan Baker, Michael Wright, Colin Kennedy, Chewy Cannon, Mark Baines and Nick Jensen. Stephan Morgan, Tuukka Korhonen and Conhuir Lynn are featured in the credits. Paul Carter, John Fisher and John Rattray have easter egg sections.

Make Friends With Marty (2010)

Online promotional clip, welcoming US pro rider Marty Murawski to the team and showcasing clips from the rest of the team. This clip acted as a teaser to the next full-length Blueprint DVD release, 'Make Friends With The Colour Blue'. Already-filmed footage of Marty couldn't be used in the forthcoming DVD due to camera compatibility issues, so this was a useful outlet for the footage.

Make Friends With The Colour Blue (2010)

Available in DVD format. With the addition of two US riders (Marty Murawski and Kevin Coakley) introduced the brand officially to a new US audience. The resulting DVD, 'Make Friends With The Colour Blue' (commonly abbreviated to 'MFWTCB'), features a truly international line-up of team riders and is perhaps the most polished Blueprint production yet.


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