To call the new Girl/Chocolate film ‘Pretty Sweet’ the most anticipated skate video of the year would be an understatement. Everyone who has the remotest interest in skateboarding has been waiting for this video since Lakai’s ‘Fully Flared’ in 2007. A few things have changed for the team since five years ago: Koston now runs the skate empire known as The Berrics, director Spike Jonze had his first big blockbuster with ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ and a few new guys have joined the team, most notably 2011’s Street League champion Sean Malto. When Sean and Guy, along with Justin Eldridge, Brandon Biebel, Mike Mo and Jeron Wilson were down here recently we got local legend Anthony Mapstone to sit down for a quick Q&A with the guys.

Mappy: Thanks for being here… how do you feel about being in Australia right now?

Wilson: Pretty good… we slept the whole flight, and I think we’re pretty much ready to do it… Mike just woke up from a nap so he’s sleepy still (laughs).

Mariano: I feel good Being back in Australia, I think it’s going to be a good night for everybody you know, a lot of time and preparation to get here!

Mappy: Good stuff… how do you feel knowing that something you’ve worked so hard on is finally finished and now you guys get to kick back, watch the film with people all over the world?

Malto: Yeah I’m obviously happy that the video is over. We put a lot of hard work into it and this is the first time I’ve taken a trip without a skate board in so long so it’s nice to relax. Especially being in Australia with the best dudes in the world so I’m excited about it… and hopefully these guys are too.

Biebel: It’s nice to be in Australia, Australia is one of the best places and we’re stoked to be here.

Mariano: And I think it’s good too because Australia has always showed Girl and Chocolate a lot of support you know, and I think it’s only right that we come out here and watch the video with them for the first time and just experience it with you guys. It’s cool because I have the feeling tonight it’s going to be a lot of skateboarder skateboarders and you get a different reaction compared to casual skate fans, they’re more hyped on it and it’s a cool feeling man.

Mappy: I think that leads into my next question which is what is your plan for this trip? Sean you were just saying you didn’t bring your boards this trip…

Mariano: I could definitely say a lot of the times when all of us are going on to a trip down to Australia for a skate trip most of us might be a little bit nervous about what we’re going to do out here, are we going to be productive or are we going to get footage you know what I mean, but this one’s just like a celebration or like a victory lap. We’re finally all done with this thing and to just view it and watch it with everybody

Biebel: Our plan is pretty much to have as much fun in Australia as we can while we’re here, and Eldridge actually has never been here before! It’s his first time so Eldridge is getting a really fucking wasted! He needs to get the full experience. Yeah we gotta introduce him to Sydney and Melbourne! (laughs)

Mappy: Who’s the one guy that you’re always like sharing hotel rooms with, the one you gel with when you’re on tour. Is there one guy in particular or is it always different every trip?

Brandon: I think it’s everybody, all of us together are like super close and get along great and every trip we go on together, there’s not a dull moment at all. We just all click great, and love being around each other.

Wilson: But I would say this too… I think there’s certain people you look for in like different trips you know what I mean, like Sean or Vince you know they’re like gonna be super motivated and productive on a trip, and those are the people you want to be around because you can feed off that. Brandon Biebel was a person that I love to go on a trip with every time because he keeps the morale up, he keeps it fun. Sometimes skate trips can get a little boring, or a little stressful and if you don’t have someone that’s like keeping the vibe happy and keeping it fun like they can be pretty boring.

Mariano: I think anybody that we’ve gone on trips with as far as Girl and Chocolate have been a good dude, everybody gets along, there’s not a dull moment. We all have a great time and that’s what I think motivates everybody as well.

Mappy: That’s what distinguishes you guys from every other skate team, you’re more of a family, you guys are always calling yourselves the Girl/Chocolate Family.

Brandon: It really is, like straight up

What is your favourite place to travel in the entire world, whether it’s a holiday or a skate destination?

Wilson: I like to go anywhere that has a beach, I mean we’re talking about vacation wise, if there’s a beach involved and I’m gonna relax I think that’s awesome. But as far as skateboarding… now it’s going to be I’m going to have to say China or Barcelona, they’re the top of my list where I want to skate. I mean I know there’s a lot of other territories we haven’t got to yet, I’ve heard good things about Korea and other places

Brandon: Where’s your favourite place to travel to Mike?

Mike Mo: I’m going to agree with Jeron. China is just an unbelievable place, we got to spend a lot of time up there and any chance I get to go back there I’ll be stoked on. And Barcelona as well… for skateboarding it’s just skateboarding paradise.

Eldridge: Those are my favourite places too man…. I don’t know, I love Hawaii, I love Hawaii… and China too man, those places are so sick for their respective reasons.

Mariano: Barcelona, this trip was the trip where like everybody on the team… we actually all went to Barcelona for the last trip and it was a good experience because it was a transitional video, we were bringing a lot of new guys, and I think that was the first trip where all the old guys and the new guys really bonded on that trip and I think for a lot of the older guys they really touched base with the younger guys for the first time. These guys are the future of the brand and it’s in good hands because not only are these guys amazing skateboarders, but they got a solid head on their shoulders, and for someone old like me I want to see that, and know that our traditions and principals will be carried on just the way we’ve always carried it on.

Mappy: So it’s pretty unanimous Barcelona and China?

Malto: Yeah that last trip to Spain was just amazing, we had three hostels with the entire team spread out between those and we all just kind of got to like skate and….

Biebel: Seriously, there was like 30 of us! (laughs)

Mariano: The other thing too, no matter who we’re travelling with we have a good time in Kansas City. The last time I went to Kansas city I ended up getting hurt but Kansas city was awesome. The city was rad, the people were rad. It was a really good trip.

Malto: I’m biased, I love Kansas City!

Mappy: Once all the premiers are done, what are you going to do? Are you going to chill out for a while? Skating? Got another video project in the works?

Wilson: I’m sure we’ll go right back to skateboarding, I don’t think anyone is really gonna take a big vacation, I think we’re all gonna be back right to it when we get home.

Malto: We’ve been focused on this Girl video for so long that everything else sorta got put on the back burner so it all catches up to you after it’s done.

Pretty Sweet is now available for download on iTunes here and for sale on DVD at all good skate spots.