Launched this year, Project: IKA is my attempt to bring dramatic, thoughtful storytelling to the YouTube automotive space. Music, editing and relevant content that drives home a message, that tells a story, that entertains and educates.
Watts Agency
Role: Senior Editor / Motion Graphics Artist / Camera Operator
After freelancing at Watts and having built a successful relationship, I was hired on full time by the agency as a Senior Editor. My role had me taking charge of editing top priority projects, working hand in hand with clients face-to-face, on tight deadlines and sometimes through the late hours of the night to deliver content for time sensitive jobs.
Clients included Microsoft, Amazon, Carbon, Riddell, American Cancer Society, Deloitte, Slalom and many other smaller brands.
Some of the pieces I was most proud of were those that were the most difficult.
A job for Microsoft’s Customer Support team, where we designed a project with fun in mind first, the interviews all done over Microsoft Teams and the final piece portrayed as a desktop of a support agent, all built in Adobe After Effects.
Massive, high resolution projections for Satya Nadella that required rendering out 8K files mere hours before they were to be shown on screen behind him as he spoke on stage.
Or pieces that had heart, that were important. Conveying drama, building a visual style through graphics, stills and color that delivered impact for the client, and the viewer.
All in all my time at Watts was rewarding, engaging, challenging and most of all fun. The team is cohesive, tight and camaraderie is paramount and in the air when you walk into their shop in Pioneer Square.
Lonely Whale: Straws
In 2017 as one of the first jobs when I moved to Seattle, the Lonely Whale foundation hired me to direct an ad for their #stopsucking campaign. An idea to get those in Seattle to stop using straws, and to be more aware of their impact on the world’s oceans.
Session Commercials / GoPro
Client . GoPro Camera
Role . Director / Color / Editor / Motion / Compositing
Date . 2016
I played a big role in the 2016 advertising of GoPro's smallest, most user friendly camera yet, the Hero Session. The task was 3 commercials (starting with a Superbowl spot made in 3 days) featuring the three key-features of the Session. Simplicity, durability, and versatility.
For durability it was a team effort of many people in a small Oakland studio to put together this one-take assault on the camera in 30-seconds. The shot is mostly authentic with some light compositing to feature the camera in the best way, and to wipe it clean at the end.
For Versatility, as Director, I traveled the United States with a number of custom made GoPro rigs to capture this center-weighted match cut spot.
Hoonin' With Hertrech
Client . Self
Role . Director / Camera / Editor / Color / Motion
Date . 2013
I love hanging out with Hertrech. The guy is always about having fun and breaking stuff, mainly, his V-8 RX-7.
I went with him to Las Vegas for a Vegas Drift event and covered the shenanigans we got into along the way.
TRG / Aston Martin Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona
Client . TRG / Aston Martin Racing
Role . Director / Camera / Editor / Color / Motion
Date . 2013
A solo project for The Racer's Group / Aston Martin Racing, I covered the 24 Hours of Daytona for this prestigious racing team.
All camerawork, editing and graphics by Skylar Smith.
Hert's V8 RX-7
Client . Self
Role . Director / Camera / Editor / Color / Motion
Date . 2013
Yep. I was part of a Harlem Shake video. I even danced in it.
But that aside, this was some behind the scenes footage I got from the shoot. My footage of a beautiful Mazda RX-7 in the docks of San Pedro, CA edited to Common's "Sweet".
Enjoy!
C/D Fisker Karma
Client . Car and Driver
Role . Director / Camera / Editor / Color
Date . 2012
Another video review for Car and Driver, this time for the Fisker Karma.
Csaba Csere provides narration and review, I direct the film crew and provide all editing and color.
C/D Shelby Mustang
Client . Car and Driver
Role . Director / Camera / Editor / Color
Date . 2012
The first project in my short stint working with Car and Driver magazine, I directed a video review of a comparison between modern high-performance cars against the classic 1965 Shelby Cobra. Sam Smith provided the narrative and hosting, I directed a crew of camera operators and did all editing for this piece.
Vaughn Gittin R/C Car Chase
Client . K&N Engineering
Role . Director / Camera / Editor / Graphics
Date . 2012
A collaboration of three directors, Andy Laputka, Will Roegge and Skylar Smith, this project for K&N Engineering was a viral success. Formula Drift champion Vaughn Gittin Jr. chases an HPi R/C Car version of himself around the manufacturing and distribution facilities of K&N Engineering, a high-performance air filter company.
My responsibilities for this production were co-directing, shooting, editng and providing motion graphics and animations for the final piece.
Insight Racing
Client . Insight Racing
Role . Director / Camera / Editor / Color / Graphics
Date . 2011
My first project as Skylar Smith Media, Insight Racing hired me to cover their efforts at a Grand-Am Rolex race in Mid-Ohio. The team featured a familiar face, Tyler McQuarrie, a driver for Falken Tire's Formula Drift team.
This job was performed solo by Skylar Smith, all camerawork, motion graphics, editing and color were done by him.
Falken Porsche GT3 RSR Testing
Client . Falken Tire
Role . Director / Camera / Editor / Color / Graphics
Date . 2011
Falken Tire began racing in ALMS while I was their Multimedia Specialist. Their first year was a constant struggle, but they reinvested in the program for their sophomore run and wanted to document their race for a win in 2011. Here, I directed a piece on their testing in Sebring, Florida of their new Porsche GT3 RSR.
We had a closed course for some car-to-car filming and I was in charge of a second camera operator for this shoot. All motion graphics (including the opening 8-bit intro) editing and color were done by Skylar Smith.
Climb: Pikes Peak Hill Climb With a Monster
Client . Falken Tire
Role . Director / Editor / Color / Graphics
Date . 2010
As part of my role of Multimedia Specialist at Falken Tires, I was in charge of directing the first full-length real-time on board camera video of an Unlimited Class car competing in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Monster Tajima is a name synonymous with Pikes Peak and was chasing the ever so elusive ten-minute record for Pikes Peak.
With a partnership from GoPro Camera, we covered as many angles as possible on Tajima's insane Suzuki and let the world really see what it was like to race up America's Mountain.
This video quickly became viral, and has reached millions of views on Youtube. The most popular Pikes Peak video since "Climb Dance"
Direction, editing, color-grading and motion graphics by Skylar Smith.