🛹 Orwellian World Landscape: A Skateboarding Vision from Brighton

In the ever-evolving world of skateboarding, few brands have carved out a niche as distinctive and artistically driven as Orwellian World Landscape (O.W.L.). Based in Brighton, England, this enigmatic skateboard company blends gritty British street skating with a dystopian aesthetic and a deep love for VX film culture. Let’s dive into the story behind O.W.L.—its origins, its crew, its creative output, and what it's up to now.

🌍 Origins: Where It All Began

Orwellian World Landscape was founded by Al Hodgson, a skater and filmmaker from Brighton. Hodgson’s fascination with dystopian themes and raw British skate spots laid the foundation for the brand’s identity. While the exact founding date isn’t widely publicized, O.W.L. emerged organically from the local skate scene, growing through a series of underground video releases and collaborations.

The name itself—Orwellian World Landscape—evokes a sense of bleak beauty, a nod to George Orwell’s dystopian visions and the rugged urban terrain that skaters navigate daily.

🎥 What They're Known For

O.W.L. is best known for its VX1000-filmed skate videos, which showcase a raw, lo-fi aesthetic that’s become increasingly rare in the age of HD. These edits are more than just skate clips—they’re cinematic explorations of space, movement, and mood.

Some standout projects include:

• “BASTION: O.W.L in Gibraltar” (2025) – A visually rich journey through Gibraltar’s unique architecture and terrain.

• “Centrifuge” (2024) – Featuring Dan Fisher-Eustance, this part blends technical skating with atmospheric editing.

• “SΦMNIUM” – A hauntingly beautiful piece starring Harrison Woolgar.

• “MARITIME” – A collaborative summer project with Vague Mag, exploring the Sussex coast with a full crew.

Their YouTube channel and website serve as archives for these works, offering a glimpse into the brand’s evolving visual language.

🛹 Sponsored Skaters & Crew

O.W.L. isn’t just a brand—it’s a tight-knit crew of skaters who embody its ethos. Some of the notable names associated with O.W.L. include:

• Dan Fisher-Eustance

• Harrison Woolgar

• Dougie George

• Cal Dawson

• Louis and Rupert Rose-Antoine

• Ellis Gardiner

• Jack Gorham

• Jimmy Silver

• Henry Bailey

• Alfie Sexton

These skaters have appeared in various O.W.L. edits, each bringing their own style and energy to the mix. The brand’s sponsorship model feels more like a collective—less about contracts and more about creative collaboration.

🧠 The Aesthetic & Philosophy

O.W.L. stands out for its conceptual depth. The brand’s visuals often evoke themes of surveillance, decay, and resistance—mirroring Orwellian ideas but filtered through the lens of skateboarding. Their deck graphics, video titles, and editing choices all contribute to a cohesive artistic vision.

It’s skateboarding as storytelling, where every trick and every spot is part of a larger narrative.

🔮 What They’re Doing Now

As of 2025, Orwellian World Landscape is still going strong. Recent projects like “BASTION” and “Centrifuge” show that the brand continues to push boundaries in both skating and filmmaking. Al Hodgson remains at the helm, filming, editing, and curating the brand’s output with a singular vision.

O.W.L - PAVILION

ORWELLIAN WORLD LANDSCAPE Campus Pool Lock-In

Al Hodgson // Orwellian World Landscape Filmer - Behind The Fisheye