In 1985, at the tender age of 13, Mat Hoffman entered into the BMX circuit as an amateur. By 16, he had risen to the professional level. Throughout his storied career, Hoffman has ignored conventional limitations and pushed the boundaries of gravity. Academy Award® nominee Spike Jonze and extreme sport fanatic Johnny Knoxville, along with director Jeff Tremaine, showcase the inner workings and exploits of the man who gave birth to "Big Air."

Photo: Spike Jonze, 1989

Jeff Tremaine was born a poor white military brat and was hustled from state to state until finally settling in the area of Rockville, Maryland. There he defied his parents on a regular basis and got into all sorts of ne’er-do-well activities such as skateboarding, BMX, reggae music and art. Perhaps most key is that in high school Tremaine met Adam Spiegel, a hyperactive little pipsqueak that puberty had somehow skipped over. In 1985, Jeff was booted from the parental nest and landed in St. Louis where he attended Washington University. 

Tremaine headed out west to join back up with his childhood friend Adam, now known as Spike. Tremaine slid into the layout jockey position on “Go”, the result of a collision between Freestylin’ and BMX Action. Tremaine briefly waffled over to a snowboard magazine in 1992 before being hired on as the art/editorial director for Big Brother, a fledgling skateboard rag that had gotten off on the altogether wrong foot with its first issue. In time, however, his leadership took Big Brother to new and exciting levels of distribution, notoriety, and an all-encompassing sense of stupidity not normally tolerated in any industry. 

It’s no big secret what happened past this point in the life of Jeffrey Tremaine. In addition to helming the “Jackass” franchise, Tremaine has served as executive producer and co-creator of “Wildboyz,” executive producer and co-creator on “Rob and Big,” and has directed music videos for Turbonegro, Andrew WK, and The Sahara Hot Nights.