(1252) URBANARTT COHESION | Article and Charles Padel Interview

To celebrate ten years in the community, Urbanartt set out to film a project that shines a light on their incredible European squad. Directed by esteemed filmer-editor Martin Du Champ, the project demonstrates the journey of filming a video and the relationships built through such shared experiences. COHESION follows Charles Padel, Nathan Beaureguard, Thibaud Dequeker, and Guifre Obradors as they leave their mark on the streets of Malaga, Spain. Simply put, this is a video you will not soon forget.

Through Urbannart’s resiliency over the past few years and deep foundation in the worldwide scene, they have proven themselves to be one of the most influential companies in scootering. With the acquisition of Charles Padel as their team manager, they have been able to quickly assemble a young and hungry international team, opening the door for videos like COHESION to take place. The team's emphasis on full projects in this new chapter has quickly put the young squad to the test and proven riders such as Nathan, Guifre, and Thibaud to be the heavy hitters we always knew they were.

By our estimations this is Martin Du Champ’s best work to date. Its visually pleasing and cinematic elements stamp Martin’s name across the project, yet did not come at the cost of any sense of personality or realism while portraying the riding itself. Martin chose to open the riding with a shot of Guifre hopping into a manual that he filmed through the heads of Jeremy Suchet, Charles, and Thibaud as they sipped their drinks at a coffee shop. This stood out as one of the most well-placed shots in the project and further communicated the team's hopes of the video focusing on much more than merely the clips themselves, but the teams’ shared experiences and family-like connection. These trips are about more than merely scootering - they are just as much about building relationships and memories that will last a lifetime.

Charles Padel COHESION Interview

Benji: "What is it like working with Martin Duchamp? I would love to hear some insight on his filming process"

Charles: " The first time I worked with Martin was for my signature deck 3 years ago. I didn’t really know him back then but as soon as we started the project I knew we will have a blast together! We filmed many other projects and we are now roommates haha!

Martin has got a very good eye and knows exactly where he will get the best shots, it is not call ‘Iris’ for nothing! He listens carefully the brief of the project and the ideas of the riders but he will always add his skills and his personal touch to make something special and even better! He never stops reinventing himself, this is also the strength of his work."

Benji: "How has your transition been over the past while to Working with UA and taking on the team manager position?"

Charles: "I spent 17 years of my life riding my scooter, I know what it's like to have fun, get hurt, sweat and push my limits. I always have been fully involved in my passion since the beginning and UA was for me an amazing opportunity to push my involvement even further in the sport. UA is a brand I’m following since the beginning and I always loved its image & style. I feel personally very close to UA and I’m proud to be able to continue the story of this iconic street brand!"

Benji: "What sparked the push for UA's team building and video projects?"

Charles: "True to its roots, UA always has been pushing the limits of the street riding within the riders, the quality of the products and of the projects. Nowadays there is no doubt about the crazy level of the entire scooter scene. Many new riders are pushing the limits and the best way to let them shine is by doing these kind of projects."

Benji: "Any trick battles or complications go down on this trip? If so, I would love to hear the story"

Charles: "Trick battles are always part of the game and of our passion. This is why we are riding, to push our limits and to win our own challenges. Of course it’s not always easy and you need to loose to enjoy the victory, it’s part of the process. There has been many tricks battle during Cohesion as you can imagine but the only complications I can think of are after parties problem hahaha. "

Benji: "Did you know Thibaud, Guifre, and Nathan very well before this trip? How did your relationship grow/change during the filming process?"

Charles: "I knew Thibaud quite well, we lived and rode in the same city for 4 years back in the days (in Montpellier). This guy is always down to ride, to learn new things and to have fun! He is also a professional Street Viewer and spots seeker ;) .

I only met Guifré once or twice in person before but I always watched his crazy clips. Guifré has never ceased to impress me and all those who have discovered his talents over the years. He got amazing skills and techniques and he has an eye for detail!

I didn’t knew Nathan in person but he made a solid name with his videos and his amazing style. This shredder can hit the biggest rails and shred any type of spots with the combination of bangers and smile. It’s good to have a rider from the new Paris generation, that’s where UrbanArtt started 10 years ago, in the street of Paris!

With these guys onboard, no doubt about the quality of the result !

I also think of other UA riders who were not able to join us for this trip.

Going on a trip and filming together is of course growing the relationship between each other. We live and share the same passion, we face challenges, tears and pain together. We are friends sharing the same purpose, the same memories, and the same battles. We ride together and we grow together!"

Benji: "Could you give me some insight as to what "the trip ended..the story continues" means to you personally and to Urbanartt as a whole?"

Charles: "As I said, UA was born 10 years ago in the street of Paris, many things happened since then, but the purpose remains the same: always pushing the limits of Scootering with the riders, the quality of the products and the projects. A trip it’s like a chapter of a book. Every chapters are different but they are all part of the same story. We keep pushing and creating chapter for this book, which is the UA story. A 10 years old book now, but it’s only the beginning. UA is built to last. "