Troy Charlesworth: LUXBMX Videographer
2023 Interview
Photos by Mitch Morison (C/- Sun City Gallery & Photo Studio)
Personality, biker, celebrity, content creator, rapper, pimp and most relevantly to this piece, videographer. These are all ways to describe LUXBMX's content creator Troy 'Big Salad' Charlesworth.
As you may have seen, the LUXBMX crew have been busy lately, taking to the streets and doing what we do best - biking because we love it. Out of the grind emerges 3 x of the most well-produced BMX videos you may see this year, featuring Raph Jeroma-Williams, Mitch 'Meezy' Campbell and Will Fraser.
Putting together a video part is an honour and a privilege. It is something to be proud of and a way to document and present to the world, a sub-culture that we all love so dearly. So, it is really cool to see 3 x of our dudes getting to work and building their own legacy. The key to this arrangement is the videographer, the guy behind the scenes, the producer and director if you will. This person, more often than not, assumes the role of team manager, spot finder, motivator, traffic controller, driver and mediator. This person is also the one creating the aesthetic between biker and audience, a precious position.
Having been this guy for close to 20 years now, Troy is only just getting started. With a fresh set of eyes, a recharged lust for the craft and the backing of LUXBMX, we're in for a prosperous future when it comes to video projects, both in the short and long term.
To find out what Troy has been up to, the background to the production of his latest video trio and his thoughts on filming and the future, we reached out to the dude. The following is that conversation.
You just dropped 3 x videos for LUX, being individual parts for Raph, Mitch 'Meezy' Campbell and Will Fraser. Can you talk me through the thinking behind this, i.e. was it planned to be this way and is that a result of the boys all riding together?
I kinda just wanted to make a ten minute video with all the LUX crew at the time, so I just started filming with a few people. At the start it was all joined together but as it went on, I decided to just drop the parts because I didn’t have footage of everyone yet and didn’t want to just sit on the footage. I think the only planned part was Willys, but the other guys just came from filming in the city and next minute, I was like 'yo we could do a little part if we keep filming'.
After having spent a good decade scouring the streets of Brisbane, I'm impressed that you guys can keep pumping out videos which are genuinely fresh, both from a spot, trick and atmosphere perspective. What's the secret and how do you approach this situation?
You’re out of touch Vocko, you got to get back in these streets! We have had enough, there’s GAPS out here for you and I’m ready to film!
I think I’m back in BMX nerd life again, I’m driving around, I’m riding around, I’m swapping spots with skaters and scooter dudes and there’s so much out here still, last weekend we went up into the hills of Highgate Hill and just rode house spots and we filmed like 10 clips. We haven’t really been driving around searching schools, I’m bored of it, but I will get a list of spots and tour around on a weekend these days so its productive but lately we have been in and around the city mostly.
Can you pick a clip from each dudes part that stands out to you and why?
- Willys' 180 over tooth, the clip is gangster, I like how I swooped the fisheye around and the colours
- Mitchs' G-turn nose, the drunk dude yelling, the gang all there yelling, the ramp slo-mo sounds hot
- Raphs wall ride down the green upright rail is a vibe, the fisheye how you see him through all the uprights.
What is your role at LUX and upon reflection, how does it feel to have made a career out of BMX?
I'm the in house content guy, I’m basically in charge of the instagram, TikTok, YouTube, product photos for the site and team manager.
Its pretty wild! I was definitely having a hard time with myself a few years ago and to basically disappear from BMX and everyone for a few years to then return straight into making a full length video, to now having this roll at LUX has really changed my life, I’m a different person, motivated again, and extremely hot.
You've come a long way since the early days of UGV, Demolition and 2020, both in quality, skill and hardware. We'll get to your setup, however regarding production value, what has changed over the years and what are you most proud of?
My filming style is kinda the same, I love my fisheye clips but I’m getting way more into the b-roll stuff. I think as time goes and I work out how to do all the stuff in my head my videos will begin to change a bit but I will always keep my fisheye style and fast pace editing, that’s just my style and it works.
Where do you see the future of BMX freestyle videography heading? You're in a unique position to have been in the game for such a long time, perhaps you have some interesting thoughts to share. I often wonder to myself will the classic VX style of filming continue to exist and be re-hashed, or will the creativity (often spearheaded by skating) find a way to continue to progress the way dudes film and how BMX street/park/dirt is presented?
I think I’m here now because I love it, I’ve spent my own money and lost lots of money making the videos I’ve made but I don’t give a fuck, I love it! My life is being out on the streets filming BMX. I honestly feel like it's all just getting started, it's just that being out in the city dealing with cops is different now. It's like they get it, people in general understand it more, where as I feel years ago you would be getting hassled, girls would be like yeah cool BMX boy now they want to kiss us.
I think its all just growing and we all just got to keep making sick videos. I don’t really nerd out to much on peoples gear, I’ve been filming with the VX1000 and I love that thing still haha. I’m even bringing my first handy cam out and just filming random things. There is people changing style like Ty Evans and I think it just comes from wanting to try something different, so who knows, but LONG LIVE THE FISHEYE!
What's in the pipeline for you from a video perspective, short and long term? You've just come off the back of a NORA Cup nomination for 'Video of the Year', must be motivating to produce another project.
I'm mostly working on the Youtube atm, both for LUX and my own channel “WARPARTYTV” I’ve got some stuff coming out real soon on that.
For LUX I’m working on a lil' bowl video with some of the crew just filming to the end of the year and putting out what ever I have.
The exciting thing is we are starting a new LUX full length next year, still need to sit down with everyone and talk about it but it's happening, we got the name, the artwork, and the vision.
What have you been listening to lately, what gets you pumped to film to and what gets you pumped to edit to?
Dude I’ve been blasting a lot of music lately. I’ve been making these mini movies for my Youtube so I’ve been searching for songs that go with the vibe of what I’m trying to create for that. In my car I’m blasting Larry June, windows down, the sunroof open and sipping fresh juice. I listen and search for music everyday, I made a video part playlist and it has over 300 songs haha!
Anyway Vick, I got to go now, lovely chatting with you,
Big 'Cha Ching' $alad.
Love that and love these videos. Check 'em out below.
Raph Jeroma-Williams 'You Good'
Will Fraser 'You Know How It B'
Mitch Campbell 'Time Flies'
