Diego De Souza is a skateboarder and filmmaker from Brazil. His skate videos blend a super-futuristic sci-fi-inspired visual aesthetic, with hard, tech and gnarly skating. He’s a great filmer but he’s also a sick skateboarder himself.
Diego and his skate crew Cosmic Nomadz recently released a sick new skate video called Cosmonautas. The video documents the crew’s exploration of hundreds of virtually unseen Brazilian spots, interspliced with footage of astronauts and space travel, alongside their otherworldly skateboarding, all filmed and edited by Diego.
Cosmonautas is so good, we had to know more about the video and the filmmaker himself.
So we hit up Diego to see if he would want to become a No Comply Network Member and we were stoked to find out that he was down. So we had a chat to find out how Cozmic Nomadz’s Cosmonautas video was made, filming the different skaters in the crew, how Diego started to skate and film, his setup, his thoughts on skating and creativity, his favourite things about skating in Brazil and his favourite spots, photos, art and videos and much more. Read it below to discover it all for yourself.
What’s your full name?
Diego de Souza.
Where did you grow up?
I grow up in Curitiba, it’s in Brazil and I am still living here to this day.
When did you first get a board?
I was 8 years old and I actually got my first board from my old brother.
My brother has always influenced me in some way, so it’s through him I got into skating in the first place.
Diego, Wallride Nollie
Where did you learn to skate?
I learned to skate in front of my house and I used to skate a grindbox that was built by the older skaters from the neighbourhood.
Who was in your crew at the time?
My crew? It was just me and all the other neighborhood kids cruising around really.
Diego, Ollie
Where did you go skate?
I just went skating in the streets most of the time, and then we would venture out further to some local skateparks here in Curitiba.
What’s the best local park in Curitiba?
Creche Skatepark, its a local park in my neighbourhood, it has loads of sick concrete ledges there.
Sick. So when did you get your first camera and what was it?
What camera do you shoot with now?
What is Cozmic Nomadz?
Who skates for the Cozmic Nomadz?
Me, Bruno Dissenha, Kauan Caroleski and Thiago Costa and a bunch of the homies here in Curitiba.
The video is sick. How long did it take to make?
Thanks!! I’m already missing all of that time we spent filming it. We spent 2 years skating to finish the video!
What was the best thing about making it?
The best thing about making Cosomonautas was just the moments out there doing it really. Being with the crew on the streets, skating spots and getting excited to get the skate clips. From the barbecues that we had after every session to editing the video. Everything we did was fun!
Bruno’s Noseslide 270 Heelflip is sick. How’d that go down?
Yeah, that clip is classic! Who has your favourite part?
Do you have any stories to tell about making the video?
What do you do when your’re not filming skateboarding?
Yeah, alongside filming skateboarding I also spend time shooting and editing music videos for local artists. I also work in the audiovisual scene, doing filming, photography and production in general. I’m always trying to expand my filming vision beyond skateboarding.
Did you make all of the graphics for the video?
Cool. What do you think about skating, film and creativity?
Who is your favourite skate photographer?
Do you have a favourite photo?
What’s your favourite skate video and why?
Who’s your favourite skater?
I couldn’t pick just one skateboarder but if I had to choose, it would be
Do you have a favourite piece of art?
Favourite skate spot in Brazil?
Favourite spot to skate in the world?
Sick. Any last words Diego?
