Independent filmmakers have long been a crucial bone in skateboarding’s skeleton. They put unknown skaters on the map, creatively advance visuals, and give local scenes an anchor point to grow around.

From exploding talent Jacob Palumbo to 17-year-old, VX-loving Alim Orahovac, take a scroll through 12 up-and-coming filmmakers we’re confident will be important to 2026 and beyond.

Caleb Roepke has sparked something special with his crew in the Midwest. Ultra productive, he’s dropped three videos in the last year. Heavily featuring homies Jasper Steinbach and Ty Stigney, Caleb’s videos are perfectly paced, with an ability to endear the viewer to the skaters without any one b-roll clip lingering too long. With Minnesota’s long history of producing top tier skaters going all the way back to Steve Nesser, it’s nice to know the Twin Cities have a motivated young filmer in their midst.

Olaf Trevilla has two videos on his self-titled YouTube channel, those being Olaf’s Video and Olaf’s Video 2. Where he might come up short on creative naming, he more than makes up for with his ability to capture Orange Country, California through the eyes of an early 20s skater. Both videos open with fast-paced pop punk tunes and are carried by an onslaught of heavy residential skating. Characterized by front yard handrails and formidable roof drops, the OC may be skated to shit, but Olaf and crew are finding a new angle of attack.

Trish McGowen’s relationship with There Skateboards traces back to their hour-long 2022 debut “Ruining Skateboarding,” but it wasn’t until last year Trish’s name migrated from the additional filmer section to de facto filmer and editor. With both “Soft” and “Ripped In Half” Trish maintains the pure of spirit, DIY energy that endears so many to There, yet her videos have this urgency that some videos in the past lacked. The team is stacking clips, and as they fortify their crew with powerhouses Samiya Smith and Poe Pinson it’s good to know Trish is there to grow alongside them.

Alim Orahovac is the youngest on our list, and ironically the only VX purist. Following a long lineage of New York on VX, Alim and best friend Elisa Martini are creating the current moment by looking into the past. Perpetually outside, Alim is cultivating relationships in a way only native New Yorkers know how to do. And because he’s starting so young, we’re willing to gamble that he will be integral to documenting the scene, a la Nick VonWerssowetz, in just a couple years. Will 2026 be the year of the VX? Probably not, but in Alim’s world who knows.

Nate Hanson may be better known for his snowboarding project Dustbox, but he’s also integral to New York’s Gen Z skate scene. Offering clips in everything from Ec Melodi’s latest “Wasting Time” to Myles Underwood’s meme-filled Fuck This Industry offering, he’s a overly capable extra hand. Especially when it comes to capturing skateboarding at scale, as not many skate filmmakers can say they’ve filmed someone do a backflip off the side of a mountain. We often joke that everything snowboarders do is derived from skateboarding, and while that may be true, we’re excited to see what a talented snow-centric filmmaker can bring to East Coast skateboarding.

Sergio Ben Mario is an artist that happens to make skate videos, made evident from the very start of his Pocket Skate Mag debut. With a Strobeckian eye for sidewalk eccentrics and a mixed-media approach to intros and cut scenes, his videos keep your attention with ease. And with Sergio, it’s not just about making a skate video, it’s about making an all encompassing artistic statement, as seen with his latest, “Can’t Wait to Get Old.” Released alongside clothing, photography, and artwork in a solo exhibition showroom, he’s a jack of all trades, and a soon to be master of many.

Jacob Palumbo could easily get credit for sparking this whole article. While his resume oozes back to Virginia with a young, nimble Toby Bennett, his breakout video “red, white, and blue” featuring Dylan Jaeb, Eetu Toropainen, and more platformed him to a wider skate audience. And thank the benevolent skate gods it did, because his recent work with Asics and Simon Bannerot was nothing short of masterful. The last minute of “The Sound,” to me, captured the allure of Simon’s skating in a subtle, understated way that was truly magical.

Riley Detar’s self-published “find your feet” sits at half a million views, which to put into perspective beats out 90% of skateboarding from the same timeframe. To say he captured lightning in a bottle would be an undersell, because he also caught the security run-ins, slams, and man on the street moments that are all too fleeting in mainstream skate releases these days. Riley’s videos are the antithesis to polished, Olympic ready skateboarding, and his latest “dozerbz” promoting his homies brand Dozer is a rosy look into his future output.

Hollie Houlihan-Mckie revealed an interest in filmmaking over the past year, and the Pearls Skateboards fanbase couldn’t be more excited. Picking up the torch where Adelaide Norris set it down, Hollie is building a home for Pearls clips through her “Voicemails” series that would otherwise be strewn across multiple videos. While Hollie is the freshest of the bunch in terms of video output, we believe her short form voicemail concept has the potential to be prolific if she keeps at it.

Jake Fuscardo, in our eyes, is indispensable to the current Florida scene. Why? Because it’s not all about Miami, dammit! There are so many talented pockets of FL, and Jake’s video “Floridamaxx” captures that. Featuring an absolute laundry list of skaters, Jake serves as a watering can to some very thirsty flowers. And he does so with mind-boggling output, having dropped three 20+ minute videos over the last year. With soundtracks of remixed covers and cloud rap, Jake’s videos feel true to the Florida I remember: for the homies, sweaty, on the side of a busy road miles from home.

Kyle Geldert has, and I quote from our beloved Ian Ostrowski, “The most bars of anyone I know.” High praise if I’ve ever heard it, Kyle gives the vibe of a true student of the game. No unnecessary zooms, slow mos, or awkward pans. Just smart use of follow footage and diverse, creative angles. His latest mini edit “DUSTBOX LAAND,” complete with dreamlike night footage, moody coloring, a cut scene that felt straight out of a movie, and a grimy, crunchy cover of Glen Campbell’s “Wichita Lineman” shows Kyle has a vision all his own.

Brandon Yuenger exploded onto the scene with his video “Q is for Cow” after moving to California from St. Louis, Missouri. I’ve known a few people like Brandon in my life, people whose creativity barks louder than a Chihuahua with two glass eyes, and I count myself thankful every day. Perpetually ahead of the curve, Brandon doesn’t concern himself with core or corny, and it’s this openness to explore that makes him stand out. His latest, “Ello Gov’nor,” points to endless possibilities in the future.

Written by: Ben Komins
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