KRISS KYLE TALKS 'KALEIDOSCOPE'


The Red Bull athlete and BMX rider Kriss Kyle released his newest film 'Kaleidoscope' earlier this month, in association with Red Bull, Sony and Ridley Scott Associates and we got a chance to catch up with him to talk about it...

Kriss Kyle is widely regarded as one of the most unique and creative BMX riders of his generation and 'Kaleidoscope' is one of his most ambitious projects to date. 

‘Kaleidoscope’ sees him perform a number of world’s first tricks in an ever-changing environment that isn’t quite what it seems. If you haven't seen it yet you can watch it above or click here!

Red Bull Media House and Ridley Scott Associates produced the Kaleidoscope riding film, using a combination of moving set pieces and stunning optical techniques that enable Kriss to showcase breath-taking riding, finding riding lines where others might see dead ends.

Speaking of the project Kriss said, “Kaleidoscope has been the most surreal thing that I have ever been involved in. Riding a park that is constantly moving and shifting was challenging but enabled me to pull off lines and tricks that have never been seen before. I have had the opportunity to work with creative and technical people from worlds that I never thought I would be part of with my BMX bike. I am so excited by the end result and all the work that has been put in feels justified.

Click Read More to check out what we talked about with Kriss below...


Where did the inspiration for the project come from?
It's pretty much one massive dream come true to be honest, the idea originally started off kind of different. It was meant to be a room that spins, and we were going to build ramps in it but we quickly realised that was almost impossible. From there it kind of grew legs and arms and Red Bull said I could design whatever I wanted, but it was kind of the hardest question in the world because you think you know what you want but when it comes down to it you can build anything, anything at all so it was like, I couldn't really think? But, I think I picked the best things that I always dreamed about doing so, yeah, definitely made the most of it. I had a really great director that was there as well, Ben Scott, so I would come up with ideas for the design of stuff I wanted to ride and he would make it really cool and figure out what kind of illusion we could do.

Yeah, it's definitely cool! I mean there are bits in the film where you're expecting the set to stop but you carry on riding through the moving blocks! The set is constantly moving! Did you find it a challenge to ride that? 
Yeah thats the thing, I've never rode anything like that before in my life. Its was messing with your head you know, its almost like learning how to ride a bike again on some stuff! My friends they were actually there helping me, they tied black ropes to the ramps and they'd pull them so you couldn't see it in the video. It was hard to judge your speed because they'd pull like faster each time or not as fast so it was really hard. Also, the big room at the end thats actually spinning, yeah I got motion sickness riding that! Honestly, was like being stuck in a washing machine!

Whats the story behind your relationship with Red Bull?
Well I've been a Red Bull athlete for the last 3, probably 4 years now and yeah they're always coming up with amazing ideas and amazing opportunities. With Red Bull nothings impossible.

So you had complete free-reign over this project? That's awesome!
Yeah pretty much! They 100% back me the whole way through anything I want to do, so I couldn't ask for a better company to ride for.

Yeah, thats so cool! Have you always ridden BMX or have you tried other disciplines?
No, I've always ridden BMX ever since I was 10 years old. My mum and dad, they used to take me out to the skate park to watch my older brother and it used to look like him and his friends were always having so much fun so I wanted to be part of it. I begged my mum and dad for a BMX for my 10th birthday and I got it, and I haven't looked back since. Since then I've just been hooked, and I still get the same feeling on my bike each day that I first got when I was 10 years old. I still feel like that 10 year old kid you know.

It's just amazing the opportunities that the bike has taken me through, the places I've been, the stuff I've seen and it's all through riding my BMX. It's absolutely insane.

Are there any other sports you're interested in?
I'd say I'm definitely interested in other sports, I've been snowboarding a bunch of times and I love that, absolutely love it. Would do that every day if I could. Also been surfing before and I love that, its just too cold to do it in Scotland! I also do a bit of Mountain Biking myself, just because living in Scotland you're fortunate enough to have all the hills about you. Some days I'll ride my BMX and then I'll go from that, hop on my Mountain bike and head up the hills and just go by myself. Just a sense of, like the feeling I get of being free and just being up there. It's really nice to be able to split it up.

Yeah, and Scotland's absolutely beautiful so you've got to take advantage of that!
Exactly, yeah!

Do you have any favourite riding spots? Street spots or skateparks? 
I guess for riding spots my favourite place I've ever been to would probably be...probably favourite place for me right now is San Diego, I just love it there, the spots that are there, like street spots and the High Schools - it's like riding a skate park in the high schools! The whole scene in San Diego as well is just really good. Theres a bunch of pro's from there as well, they have a really good scene and everyones really keen on riding all the time. Yeah it's just a lovely place to go.

I recently went to Cape Town in South Africa and that was one of the most beautiful, probably the most beautiful places I've ever been to my whole life. It was just unreal, I felt like I was in Hawaii or something like that it was stunning. I can't wait to go back there and spend a bit more time.

This is like what you were saying about your BMX taking you all over the world.
Yeah, it's crazy like, I can't believe it. When I go on trips and stuff the first thing I do is build my bike up and go cruise the city if I've never been before. It's just crazy, this bike is taking me all over the world and letting me do all these amazing things. I have friends all over the world now and it's all through riding my bike.

Do you have any favourite songs that you ride to? 
I listen to, I guess right now I love the song thats in my video, that Portugal. The Man, I really like riding to that just now, so thats my number one constantly. If I'm scared to do something I'll put that on and I feel like I can just deal with it in my head, helps me get through it and then I do it. I also listen to a bunch of rap stuff to get me through it, like Rick Ross and all that stuff. Just a bunch of different stuff really, if its got a good beat to it and I'm into it then I feel like I can do anything.

So Talk Casuals mainly revolves around sportswear and trainers. How many pairs of trainers do you go through being on a brakeless bike?
To be honest I get so many pairs of Nikes its unbelievable. I like to get them worn in because, well I like the feel of a new shoe but then I can't really feel my pedals, so I like literally ruin my shoes pretty much so I can't get any more wear out of them but just so they feel good.

And what about clothes?
I don't really ride in pads or anything like that, I usually ride in shorts a lot. I just ride in usually what I wear anyways, t-shirt and trousers. Definitely need to be comfortable when you're riding.

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