On Tour with Drake Through the Lens of Toosie Slide Director Theo Skudra

enroute.aircan...
We caught up with Toronto native Theo Skudra to talk about the nostalgia of shooting on film, the realities of tour life and how he gets the perfect shots of Champagne Papi. Skudra has directed videos for Drake including "When to Say When & Chicago Freestyle," "What's Next" and "Money in the Grave" feat. Rick Ross. His artistic relationship with Drake began by chance when he took a photograph on the set of a music video shoot which ended up being used as the cover art for Take Care single "Trust Issues." Since then, he's traveled with Drake and his crew on multiple world tours and his distinctive black-and-white style can be seen across Drake's social media presence.
enroute.aircan...
Drake en tournée, dans l’oeil du réalisateur Theo Skudra
Nous avons rencontré le torontois Theo Skudra pour parler de la nostalgie du tournage, des réalités de la vie en tournée et de la façon dont il obtient les clichés parfaits de Champagne Papi. Skudra a réalisé des vidéos pour Drake, dont "When to Say When & Chicago Freestyle", "War" et "Money in the Grave" feat. Rick Ross. Sa relation artistique avec Drake a commencé par hasard lorsqu'il a pris une photo sur le tournage d'un clip vidéo qui a fini par être utilisé comme couverture du single Take Care "Trust Issues". Depuis lors, il a voyagé avec Drake et son équipe lors de plusieurs tournées mondiales et son style noir et blanc distinctif peut être vu à travers la présence de Drake sur les réseaux sociaux.
Video credits:
Made by Air Canada enRoute
Photography and music video footage - Theo Skudra
Editing and interview capture - Aaron Van Domelen
Interview - Dominique Lamberton
"Nonstop" video is copyright UMG (on behalf of Cash Money/Drake LP6)

[@este]

"I feel like the more fun everyone else is having, the more I'm working." - Theo Skudra

[@myrtlefowler6800]

This has almost fifty thousand views. And only ten dislikes. Ten. That is quite monumental

[@iacopo6274]

Dedication

[@YungMilOnstage]

The story of every photographer/videographer’s lives

[@MrFocusification]

the recipe.

[@nabilfreeman]

Creative people

[@reyeszamora1561]

drake needs to come out w a documentary

[@FluPoints]

Waiting on the day we get a 4 hour doc

[@zacbeaulieu815]

Fr

[@aeroboy823]

@@FluPoints 6 hours, cause you know 6ix

[@Smoothhh_One]

He’s hints at it every now and then. I remember him saying in an interview that they have been documenting his life for the past couple of years (I’m assuming by Theo) It’ll probably come out when he decides to call it quits or take a backseat. 5-10 years from now It’s gonna be some long ass 10 part special. Like the Michael Jordan doc.

[@thisfeatureisstupidxo]

For sure . Need that

[@justinescalona]

easily my favorite video on youtube. ever

[@laurabrown439]

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[@byjmitch]

Fr

[@malicksylvain]

Hose gems never have views too

[@cityboydanny1758]

My guy

[@Kxji]

So this is him, I was waiting for something like this for so long, I’ll read the article too. Crazy to think he records everything in film.

[@TheOneKeyToLife]

What does it mean he records everything in film?

[@Kxji]

@@TheOneKeyToLife As you can see the camera he has is huge, is a 35mm camera which means is literally film nothing digital about it, also 35mm films don’t lose quality.

[@Kxji]

@@TheOneKeyToLife Here’s an example of a video recorded on film I don’t even know how many years ago. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hIesk3asm9CCaac

[@manhattanblocks6825]

Yeah Theo skudra is dope Travis Scott snatched him up early now everyone uses him

[@Kxji]

@@manhattanblocks6825 I didn’t know he worked with Travis before!

[@justiceball6365]

7:55 - 8:01 is an amazing shot. Theo Skudra is the future of cinematography in music. He's gonna change the way this decade watches music videos. Absolutely brilliant as well when talking about the details of his shots.

[@jamahldujour]

Amazing how it took looking back to go forward, with his style consisting of documentary esque film capturing.

[@MontanaDior]

Im appalled that this has less than 1 millions views. This is GREAT! This Is CREATIVITY! This is ART!

[@Justin-pp3pl]

I didn't know he took all those beautiful shots like the VIEWS and More Life trailer. This guy is legendary based off of those works.

[@renzoprime97]

That pic of cole and drake has been a favorite for a min

[@dr.kusumb.7220]

same just missing Lord Pain in there

[@leovincent7417]

These visual are SO important for the artist’s image and all that. It’s part of what makes Drake Drake.

[@julienschwarz5896]

the aesthetic level of this video is insane

[@Kal-El207]

The amount of footage that will be here when he’s gone will be legendary just like him.

[@SpencerBerke]

That was amazing.

[@sf11691]

Theo comes off as super humble and chill

[@princetilapimusic]

Drake got the best of everything...including his Photographer

[@sugarfreesessions5375]

I’ve been waiting forever to hear from this guy, I get chills every time I watch the music video when to say when/Chicago freestyle. Especially when he is at the Jewelers looking at the watches!

[@GetHardNGoFast]

The soundtrack is Bright Eyes by Caleb Etheridge. For anyone wondering.

[@genokirkland2348]

This is ART.

[@corydrummond67]

Even if I didn’t know this was for Drake, the beauty of the work is amazing. This is art at its purest.

[@theamazingworldofhenry7389]

Theo Skudra is out of this world.

[@castrochristian103]

The love he has for Toronto is the same love I have for Chicago.

[@drewyorke]

Gotta come back to this every couple months for inspiration. So good.

[@poppie6161]

This a hidden gem

[@Bzurk]

Beautiful.

[@tunjiframes42]

2:07 is such a great shot. There's something about film that's just special.

[@sixbelicia]

Theo, you are amazing. Thank you for everything.

[@gxex1]

Got chills during the whole video. Thank you for sharing what you do Theo and giving us an artistic glimpse of the OvO world

[@bonniesmusic4336]

Drake is amazing live.His prescience and how much Toronto loves him.💋❤

[@tokerichelsen]

its starting to be a routine I wake up and watch this I can't go a day without watching it

[@paulchen7628]

nothing beats the feelin and look of what film can produce...

[@FrozenBang]

This is beautiful. Im glad this was put together

[@AddielPerez]

The focus this man gotta have to capture moments like that.

[@dannyjuarez1969]

This a hood classic

[@anujpatel1548]

amazes me how this doesn't have millions of views

[@yaminyusof8713]

The music and film is just.... 👌🏼

[@GetHardNGoFast]

The soundtrack is Bright Eyes by Caleb Etheridge

[@charliecouvillion]

This is the best video that I have ever seen.

[@hilariohernandez3906]

BEST JOB EVER. BLESSED.

[@icyyness5300]

thats crazy I remember in 2012 , standing on my chair front row at the club paradise tour in AZ. wont ever forget it

[@MrAZstate]

Love watching this doc. I’ve seen it 20x

[@itsmanjobruh]

Best 8:31 minutes of my life. So inspired as a self-taught photographer

[@edgarramirez537]

He is the part of Drake's appeal. He sets the visual tone

[@apollo-3]

This just hit different

[@obinnaobioma3100]

The most inspirational video. every image maker should def watch this

[@marvinjean373]

Theo is a star

[@mwood341]

Theo has always had the best vision in the game 🔥🔥

[@Inkay2x]

Theo is really too fire

[@srecreates]

THIS IS AMAZING! Love documentaries like this

[@Quavea]

I love to see us creatives getting shine. Keep killing it bro. Hella inspiring

[@TerenceEnn]

This is crazy. Very well articulated Theo!

[@goldmondfong]

Toronto is the greatest place on earth that’s word

[@OldWorldNY]

What a time to be alive 🙏✊

[@chancewhitakermedia]

by far the best video on youtube, not stop quotes

[@visionsbyleno]

70 shows in 2 months!?!? Thats a show a day or more...

[@hurstgoons4981]

i mean its literally their job to perform

[@SebastianGhiorghiuGems]

hurst goons someday you’ll realize how crazy that is to do for an artist considering the avg artist performs 1-3 times a week

[@hurstgoons4981]

@@SebastianGhiorghiuGems yea obviously thts crazy but he goes doesnt go on tour every single year. He burns 70 shows in 2 months and cashes in the checks for the rest of the year. Yea it's hard but that's not amazing because its his job

[@visionsbyleno]

@@hurstgoons4981 you have to consider traveling and being on schedule, making sure production is on point, making sure nothing gets in the way that can potentially cancel the show. Pretty hard lol

[@yaahman74]

@@hurstgoons4981 yeah thats not amazing, lol

[@sagarchopra6844]

This hits different

[@random_dude4201]

as a hobby photographer this video is gold, love the b/w film style you went for this video. This is really great ❤

[@CNMTCFilms]

This is the perfect video for a filmmaker who's a Drake fan🔥

[@B4mytime1]

U by far had the best seat in the house🙏...

[@tepeforreal]

I'm so inspired by this type of adventures and I'm going to work as hard as possible to get there and higher.

[@illlaw5523]

Please achieve it bro.

[@soularlight5696]

@@illlaw5523 God bless you for supporting your brothers

[@anthonymarks9533]

💯💯

[@TheHomeOfQuantumCinema]

I believe in you

[@thebuilder86]

This was amazing. Theo is an artistic genius!

[@veereels]

This gave me chills

[@lukasmusinskas1951]

Wow this is a vibe! I could watch clips like this for an hour! ❤️🙏

[@BrieWilly]

Being a photographer I’m absolutely JEALOUS AF!! I would love to follow Drake around and document is lifestyle. Nice work 📸🔥

[@MakotoHawkins]

Thank you for this video. A reminder to keep my own work grounded in what interests me, the sights less seen.

[@2000nc]

i loved everything about this omg 😭 those photos made me nostalgic about all all the drake concerts i’ve been to

[@aaronjagpal2788]

this is so dope, been wanting to know more about Theo for so long

[@rickyrichreacts9667]

Not a big Drake fan but I HATE THAT DRAKE IS SO NICE OF A PERSON IT MAKES IT HARD TO HATE ON HIM 😂💯

[@kix3ro933]

the background sound is perfect 😍

[@AYP796]

1:50 maaaad throwback to 305 to my city

[@adamguerrero4954]

The documentary in 20 yrs going to be crazy

[@Scocco99]

One of the greatest performers

[@DwntW0rry]

This video title is crazy!! A year lager Theo directed Drakes "What's Next" music video

[@andricesavage7697]

His eye is very different 🙌🏽🏆

[@PimpSolja49]

This man is a genius!

[@IamJulianVelders]

This gets me fired up. So sick

[@jonhernandez5499]

So this is the genius behind the camera for all of drakes videos 🥶🤯

[@FluPoints]

THEO has to be documenting drake

[@guileneannlawrence911]

I would love to do this! Very inspiring🙋‍♀️

[@Parvizdov]

Amazing Story

[@Felixmstein]

Such a inspiration!

[@mattarredondo9222]

I felt that as a dj everyone is having fun & im working!!

[@Gbeatz]

This is amazing

[@jeremyquan6527]

This hit me HARD!!

[@edricepaul]

TIMELESS dude

[@hoodytee]

after watching this hundreds of times i just peeped the title says “Tossie Slide Director”. that’s lowkey insulting. he’s done much better work than just that

[@AlbertoMendoza]

This is shot so beautiful and very inspiring. One day I’ll get there.

[@dracosuniverse558]

We need a whole book with all these pictures ☝🏼

[@Overboard-uh2no]

Thank you for that! I love it!

[@stevenwhite9307]

I enjoyed this very much I still remember bumping run my city in like 06 it's been a hell of a career congrats

[@blulinkme]

Dope you are blessed thank you for sharing with us

[@napreewilson1073]

This just motivated me so much. Thank you!

[@thirtyradio5949]

I like the title update lol

[@jiggawara]

the fact that bro just has a arri 416... mannnn

[@lildaygo]

lol

[@malicksylvain]

Thank you

[@willgrowdon9775]

How is this not trending

[@MichaelAshe]

5:46 that picture is cool

[@0-Elias-0]

Symbolic. Maybe the most symbolic Weezy photo of the 2010s.

[@edwinv4155]

would be a great album cover ngl

[@Ellzville]

loved watching this, its always so interesting to hear from the man behind the camera

[@TheGuniverse2k]

This was amazing. So true you're not in the moment when shooting 📷🔥🔥🔥🙌

[@angelsaywhat]

This makes me so excited about my career

[@DelinoSpec]

The photo of weezys cup is iconic

[@swordfishgameboy4644]

As someone who is a professional photographer/cinematographer he's so right about not experiencing. Hell, If i shoot a concert i dont even remember it. It gets lonely and sometimes I'll decline jobs just so i can experience whatever it was id otherwise be shooting. It does suck for things like backstage at shows or private events where i can only get invited if i am shooting.

[@seanfree8808]

just amazing