Who are you, for those who don’t know you yet?

Ricardo Ferreira, I’m 20 years old.

Where did you grow up? What was the skateboarding scene like there?

I grew up here at the Expo skatepark. The skateboarding scene here has had its ups and downs. Nowadays there are some really cool people out there.

Do you remember the first time you picked up a skateboard?

I don’t remember exactly the first time I rode a skateboard… I only remember when I was very young, seeing my older brother riding and, obviously, since I’m the younger brother, I wanted to try it.

And I just remember it was around four years old, at least that’s what they tell me.

When did you start taking this more seriously? Or did you never think about it that way?

Imagine, taking it seriously. I don’t think I ever thought about it that way, but I can say that when I really got the idea to really like this thing, the skateboarding thing, was when I started seventh or eighth grade, I don’t remember exactly.

I met Pedro Matos, the guy was from my school, I changed schools in the eighth grade and from there it was just skateboarding.

What drew you to the more creative side — filming, thinking about spots, building a part?

I’ve always wanted to do a part, ever since a guy starts skateboarding and starts watching videos on the internet, it’s always your dream to do a part.

But I think it was just the scene of meeting Gonçalo, as we were filming the projects, ideas and spots were coming up and this idea was always hanging in the air, let’s do a part, let’s do a part.

And you get to a point where you have to let go, right?

This is your first video part, right? Why now?

This is 100% my first video part, I have some clips in both of Gonçalo’s projects, but I don’t think you can say they are video parts.

And why is it now? I think it’s like, because it’s already done and now that it’s done and so I think it’s a good barrier to start a new scene, you know?

There are clips in this section that were filmed two years ago. Why did you decide to keep them? Did you feel like they still represented who you are today?

I think the only reason why the clip in question, like we decided to keep it, was because, for the spot that it was, it was a great maneuver, it was different, we thought it fit well and, honestly, it doesn’t represent me very well, because it’s not at all the maneuvers that I’m used to doing, but even more so because it’s different.

The final touch was on a spot with one of those handrails… How did that spot come about and how did you know it was going to be the final touch?

And that spot still gives me some cool little dreams. It was basically one day that Gonçalo and I went skating at another spot, which has nothing to do with this one. And we were going home and he turned around.

Look, I have some spot over there. Come and take a look. It wasn’t that one. We’re walking, I don’t know what, and, like, I’m next to him, he’s driving and out of nowhere. Dude, stop there, pull over! I look to the side, a railzorro. I’m like, ow. And he turns around, ow. Let’s go and take a look. We’ll see next week, come on!

And after two weeks we went there, signs and shit. And, like, there was nothing at that level in that part either, you know? When you want to close a part, it’s best to close the part with impact. And I think it was a good choice, yeah.

Was there ever a time when you thought, “Why am I doing this?”?

I think I would ask myself, I don’t think so, but like, man, my mom and my grandma asked me why you’re dying on the ground just for skateboarding, I don’t know what.

Man, I think that deep down you do what you like and what gives you pleasure at the end of the day, right? So a guy does it because he likes it and because he has fun and hangs out with his friends and I don’t know what.

And man, the video is a way to document this. A guy now knows that if he wants to revisit these moments, there’s always a cool little 4-minute video. In short, two years.

Did you have long breaks in producing the part? Was it because of injuries, lack of motivation, or just life happening?

No, it was injuries, yeah. I tore my meniscus last year and had to have surgery and, man, I had a six-month break and it was a bit difficult, but yeah, it was okay.

If there were these breaks, how did you get motivated again after those breaks?

Imagine, going back like, I don’t know, because at one point I was already looking at the part, with the scenes I had at the time, thinking, maybe I’ll discard all of this and start a scene again when I come back.

I don’t think I would ever lose the motivation to make parts or skate, but always talking to people, people pushing you, that also helps a lot to record a project like that.

When you watched the old clips again, did you feel like the same person? Or did it feel like you were watching a different skater?

Yeah, there were a lot of clips in this part that were a blast, as they say, because I came back from injury with a great motivation to record a project, whatever it was, whether it was a completely new one or if I was going to continue this one.

But there were a few that stayed because we thought they still had the caliber, but a lot of the part was recorded after the injury.

The video is endorsed by BOND and Clandestine Skateboards — how did these connections come about?

Bond is literally a brand of friends, the people who used to skate at the skatepark got together and I don’t know what, and we made some t-shirts, nothing special, but it’s always that connection between friends.

And with the clandestine, I think it was at the premiere of Visões Noturnas, Gonçalo’s video, they said they really liked how I skated and I don’t know what, and then a while ago they sent a message to me and Martim asking if we wanted to be part of the project and obviously we want to and the guys are really cool.

Do you feel like this is more than a part? Like a statement, a new beginning, or just a scene you wanted to do?

Man, if it’s anything, it must be like an affirmation for me, that after coming back from the injury I wanted to be sure that I could still walk, right? I don’t know, I imagined that I couldn’t walk after having knee surgery, I would look like an old man or something, but I think it’s a bit of an affirmation for me and knowing that it’s getting good reviews makes me even more excited and happy, obviously.

What did you enjoy most about this whole process? And what messed with your head the most?

What I liked most about all of this was the day of the premiere, being there with everyone watching the video and listening to it and seeing everyone’s reactions.

And what really messed with my head was all the touches that were left to give, there always are and always will be those touches that a guy wants to give and they were left behind, I have to go and get them again next time.

You and Gonçalo Silva have known each other for a long time… When you started recording, did you already have a defined vision or did it all emerge as you went along?

When we met, I told him about the idea, like, I don’t know what, man, let’s go ahead, we’ll record a part later.

And then the days went by and I had an idea. Man, it was a completely different idea, the name was completely different, they were just coming up, you know? As we went along together, as we recorded for his various projects, we would fit some in here and there, and you can take some touches.

You can tell there’s a trust in the filming — there are times when it doesn’t even feel like the camera is there anymore. Do you think that only happens when you’re filming with a real friend?

Yes, 100%, I think that when you film with a guy you already know, it will be halfway to making the scene come out genuine, it will be very different if you film with a guy you don’t know at all. I say…

What was that day when you looked at each other and thought: “yeah, this is really going to happen”?

I think that was the day that was chosen for the premiere, you know? In other words, at the beginning of April we decided, like, the 30th is good, the day before a holiday, people can come and see it if they want.

Well, we started to feel that pressure that we have a scene to deliver on a certain day, you know? Because until then I was kind of hanging in the air and like, let’s do this and we’ll see. Then I think that was the day itself.

Does this part have any connection to the Night Visions universe? Like filmed clips that didn’t appear in Night Visions and were saved for your part.

Yeah, bro, you got a lot. This has a lot to do with the night visions universe. All the clips that were shot at night in this part were all a sesh that was supposed to go to the night visions.

And when he was editing the night visions, we were selecting some to keep for my part. And I think we chose some cool ones. hahaah

Where did you find inspiration for this part? People, videos, scenes outside of skateboarding?

Imagine, I think we probably didn’t take inspiration from a particular scene, but I knew I wanted a part with a song with impact and a good beat and a scene like the old Ruben Rodrigues, like those giant gaps, not that I skate a lot of gaps, but anyway…

Obviously like Joslin, a scene with impact, a song with impact, always coming clips and that was more or less the vision, which Gonçalo fulfilled and very well!

Were there any touches or spots that were left untouched?

Yeah man, there were so many touches left to give, I think I lost count, I don’t even know if they surpassed the touches that were left to give of the touches that I gave…

How did you divide your time between life, work and filming?

Imagine, I don’t work yet, I’m still studying, but I think that if you want you can find time for everything.

I want to skate, I’m studying, I have my friends and I don’t know what, if you really want to, find some time to do what you want.

Do you think there is enough support in Portugal to do things like this?

Imagine if there is enough support to make a living from this? I don’t think so, but I think you get to the point where you’re doing it just because you like it, you know?

I sometimes like to think that I do this just because I want to and not because I eventually want to get something out of it, you know? It’s not that I completely avoid this possibility, but I’m kind of getting used to this idea.

What is the biggest obstacle for a Portuguese skater to try something more serious?

I think that’s it. I think the lack of support is that if there was more support in the industry in Portugal, we would probably have a lot more skaters doing this seriously.

Do you think skateboarding is still pure for you or is it starting to feel like “work”?

No, I don’t think it tastes like work at all right now, if this ever becomes work, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to look at it as work and that’s always pure for me, but yeah…

What do you want people to feel when they see your part?

I think the only thing I want people to feel when they see this part is that they sincerely like it, that they enjoy the spots, enjoy the touches, the way it was recorded, the way it was edited, that they enjoy the project as a whole.

And after the part… do you have plans, or will you just let it flow?

I think it’s a bit of both, you know? Just like this part, the goal is always to go out because you like going out, not because you’re just planning to do something.

I’ve already talked to Gonçalo, obviously if one day we have material to do another part, we’ll do another part, but for now it’s just a matter of letting it flow and starting to highlight zero again.

Is there anything you want to say to people who are thinking about releasing a part but haven’t had the courage yet?

Release it. The only thing I have to say to these guys is to release the part alone, you don’t lose anything. Like, there’s nothing to lose, just release the part when you have everything ready!

If you had to sum it all up in one sentence, the part, the process, what would you say?

Look, man, I genuinely don’t know, but I think the name of the part sums up what this last stage of recording was like, you know? Like, relax, stay calm, this is getting sorted out, the part is coming, man, everything is calm.

I think the name of the part itself sums up the part very well, honestly. And everything that comes around the part.

Ricardo, I want to thank you for agreeing to do this interview, and i hope this isn´t your last part!

Thanks a lot for the interview. I genuinely hope it won’t be my last part either. The goal is always to do more, thanks a lot!