Student innovatively couples video and skateboarding
PERSON OF THE WEEK
Scott Lazes / Correspondent
Issue date: 3/31/08 Section: Page One
With a passion for video and skateboarding, pairing the two in a business venture seemed like the right thing to pursue for Livingston College sophomore Dave Constantini.
A transfer student from Towson University, Constantini first became interested in video after taping his friends skateboarding. From there, he could not keep his mind from wandering.
In ninth grade, Constantini teamed up with his cousin, Jimmy Giambrone, to start a DJ business called Dangerous In Public.
Around the same time, he helped start the United Skate Team, which consisted of more extreme sports than just skateboarding.
After messing around with videotaping members of the team, Constantini and Giambrone decided to start their own video production group.
"We had all of these people that wanted to be a crew, and Dangerous In Public fit us," Constantini said.
Because Giambrone and Constantini liked the name "Dangerous In Public," they simply added "productions" to the end, and the video production company was formed, Giambrone said.
Constantini attributes much of his ability to do what he does to the support of his parents. He borrowed the family camcorder when his dad, David Constantini Sr., bought him video editing software to cut his videos.
At 14, his father built him a half-pipe, and his parents loaned him the money to buy his first video camera, which he paid off monthly, Constantini said.
At 16, Constantini hosted a screening for one of Dangerous In Public Productions' video projects at the Hamilton Starz Gym in Hamilton, N.J.
Constantini charged $1 per person and more than 200 people showed up.
"That was an awakening for me," Constantini said. "My mom was like, 'Davey, you can do something with this. This isn't a hobby anymore. You're going to college in a few years. Why not take it to the next level?'"
Constantini took the advice of his mother and made plans for expansion.
Understanding the power of media convergence, Constantini has taken his business several steps forward this year with the incorporation of clothing design and promotion, while still pursuing his passion of video.
A transfer student from Towson University, Constantini first became interested in video after taping his friends skateboarding. From there, he could not keep his mind from wandering.
In ninth grade, Constantini teamed up with his cousin, Jimmy Giambrone, to start a DJ business called Dangerous In Public.
Around the same time, he helped start the United Skate Team, which consisted of more extreme sports than just skateboarding.
After messing around with videotaping members of the team, Constantini and Giambrone decided to start their own video production group.
"We had all of these people that wanted to be a crew, and Dangerous In Public fit us," Constantini said.
Because Giambrone and Constantini liked the name "Dangerous In Public," they simply added "productions" to the end, and the video production company was formed, Giambrone said.
Constantini attributes much of his ability to do what he does to the support of his parents. He borrowed the family camcorder when his dad, David Constantini Sr., bought him video editing software to cut his videos.
At 14, his father built him a half-pipe, and his parents loaned him the money to buy his first video camera, which he paid off monthly, Constantini said.
At 16, Constantini hosted a screening for one of Dangerous In Public Productions' video projects at the Hamilton Starz Gym in Hamilton, N.J.
Constantini charged $1 per person and more than 200 people showed up.
"That was an awakening for me," Constantini said. "My mom was like, 'Davey, you can do something with this. This isn't a hobby anymore. You're going to college in a few years. Why not take it to the next level?'"
Constantini took the advice of his mother and made plans for expansion.
Understanding the power of media convergence, Constantini has taken his business several steps forward this year with the incorporation of clothing design and promotion, while still pursuing his passion of video.