EP.021 - Jeremy McNamara // Director & DP

Episode 21 - Jeremy McNamara // Director. DP.

“The filmmaking scene in the Bay Area is small, but that’s sort of the beauty of it—everyone is kind of like family. But within that community, there’s an even smaller scene of us who grew up skateboarding. The few of us in the Bay film scene who were obsessively serious about skateboarding all found our love of filmmaking through the avenue of making skate videos of our local crews. It’s a unique tradition within the subculture of skating, and if you lived, bled, and breathed that culture in your youth, I can guarantee that when you talk to someone who grew up doing the same shit you did, it’s like finding someone who can speak the same weird language on an alien planet.

That’s where I bring in this episode’s guest, Jeremy McNamara. Originally, Jeremy and I just became friends on Instagram, but upon hanging out, it was clear to me that we speak that same alien language. I’m a huge fan of his work—he’s absolutely incredible at what he does—and he has the urge to become even better, like obsessively better, and that’s what fascinates me about him. That sort of inner drive he has is relatable, and it’s fun to listen to it come from someone else’s brain other than my own inner dialogue. I sit here just realizing how much the culture of skateboarding has given all of us, and for Jeremy, it’s given him a lot.

In this episode of BEDROOM™, Jeremy talks about growing up skateboarding in the Bay Area and how, through the lens of skateboarding, he got into the world of filmmaking. We touch on the unspoken connectivity that skateboarders hold for each other worldwide and discuss the life lessons it teaches you when you’re out in the streets getting clips. He then shares how he got his first big break working for the famed DLXSF Distribution, filming for their in-house brands like Spitfire, Real, and Thunder, and getting to meet and work with some of his idols, like John Cardiel and Guy Mariano. We talk about his film “The Skatepark on Treasure Island”, which chronicles the story of an illegally constructed skatepark on San Francisco's Treasure Island. From there, he shares how, at the ripe age of 25, he decided to grow past skateboarding and challenge himself in new lanes of filmmaking, pivoting into the world of commercial and documentary filmmaking. We discuss his short doc “Carl” and dive into the collaborative films he’s made on San Francisco-based artist Jeremy Fish, documenting Fish’s unique art residency with the San Francisco Giants. Jeremy then talks about the commercial work he’s done and how that differs from the DIY filmmaking of his youth. From there, we dive into some listener-submitted questions from BEDROOM™ friends—the film coloring god Sean Wells of Roast n’ Post and BEDROOM™ alumni, directing god Mike Jacobs of Strike Anywhere Productions. Finally, after all that, we wrap up with a round of BEDROOM BANTER™, where I rapid-fire some classic BEDROOM™ questions, and Jeremy gives the fans what they want. Big shout-out to Jeremy for coming onto the pod. Welcome to the BEDROOM™, y’all! WORLDWIDE PEACE!” - PSG
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Jeremy’s Socials & Websites
Instagram: @jeremymcnamara_
Website: www.jeremymcnamara.com