VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

This is a “feeler” post to see if there is any apatite within the kite surfing community to put together a kite surfing video. My name is Rob Parker I am starting up a fledgling video production company called “Wave Length Media.” I have received some government seed money to run this company which means it will be around for at least a year. Among other various video productions I want to combine my love of kite surfing with my job as a producer and videographer. It doesn’t take a genius to recognize that there is some demand to view kite surfing - just stand around Dallas road for 5 minutes on a windy day and you will see your spectator’s jaws drop as they watch your spectacular aerial maneuvers.

But to make a video that those same spectators will pick up in the store will force us to push kite surfing to the next level. I’ve spent the last year trying to brainstorm an original idea for a kite surfing video, and well I think I might have come up with a solid idea –Synchronized kite surfing (I hate the name buts the next best thing would be tandem wind dancing which only 10% of the population would accept). What this means is that a group of kiters (2-5) would be performing choreographing kite boarding schemes and they would all be synced up by a director from the beach communicating to them by a radio attached to their bicep (I tried out the radio system yesterday out at Dallas road with my cameraman Dave and it worked incredibly well.)

Getting some footage of this concept is my first priority. I’ve glossed over this idea with a few kiters that have wowed me with their skills in the past – Chris and Tyler up at nitnat and Dave and Colin the other day at Dallas. From the brief description I gave them the consensus was that this forum would be probably the best place to try to put together a team and generate some buzz. So if this idea tweaks your imagination or you’d like to help me out by kiting in the vid or developing the choreographing for this flic, you can post away, email me at caption2020@hotmail, or see me at the beach.

Peace, Rob

RobP wrote:I think I might have come up with a solid idea –Synchronized kite surfing (I hate the name buts the next best thing would be tandem wind dancing which only 10% of the population would accept). What this means is that a group of kiters (2-5) would be performing choreographing kite boarding schemes and they would all be synced up by a director from the beach communicating to them by a radio attached to their bicep

Synchronized kite surfing on WAVES, now that's what we need... Sorry, little inside joke. And you got government seed money for this? I tried that to start a local grow-op, and they turned me down....

In all seriousness, it sounds interesting. I'll watch from the safety of the cliff. If you can convince them, you may want to ask Grant M, Jan, Geoff etc., to name a few. Those guys would rock.

Good luck!

hold on, if it's going to look good, they should all use the same kites. Which local company will risk sponsering wind dancers??

Make it naked female kitesurfers on waves and I'd watch.

For naked kiteing bab [smilie=rauch28.gif] es on waves

Kook St. Kite Kook wrote:And you got government seed money for this? I tried that to start a local grow-op, and they turned me down....

I received a living allowance for the next 52 weeks from HRSD while I try to get my video production company (Wave Length Media) off the ground. So the money isn't for the kite surfing flick per say, but that along with stock footage, promotional videos and life documentaries - make up our niche video services.

Kook St. Kite Kook wrote: In all seriousness, it sounds interesting. I'll watch from the safety of the cliff. If you can convince them, you may want to ask Grant M, Jan, Geoff etc., to name a few. Those guys would rock.....

Thanks for the names I’ll try to get them on board. I'm looking for more than just kiters for this but also people that just love kitesurfing and would like to try to put something original together. From camera men to choreographers, to simple participating in this discussion ever little bit helps.

Kook St. Kite Kook wrote: hold on, if it's going to look good, they should all use the same kites. Which local company will risk sponsering wind dancers?? .....

That's a great question, I doubt any company would sponsor such an unproven product, but matching kites would be key for a traditional kite surfing movie. A solution to this is to make a mochumentry of a guy who is trying to create this new, truly original, Canadian art form, which he calls synchronized kite surfing. This allows us to put together a captivating narrative, some awesome kite choreography and a very cheaply produced final product. After that we go to all the kite companies who want a slice and the CBC and Bravo to get us decked with right equipment.

Rob,

I was just giving ya a hard time - seed money - ya know

I think the mockumentary idea is seriously cool. I could be the moron who screws up and puts his kite into the other guy's lines. I have done this before, so I think I am the man for the job.

Paul

How about a Kite Surfing Porn flick? I would love to add one to my collection. I don't think its been done. A contest to name this movie?? Lets have some fun!!!

I know I was the one who started with the humour, but this is getting silly.

Rob has a good idea here - the mockumetary. The beauty of it is, if the synchro-kiting works, it is still fun to show a bunch of people taking it way to seroiusly. If it doens't work, and there are wipeouts galore, all the better!

Think of the the genre, think of kiting. Then, think of some of our local kiters playing themselves, and playing it up. I honestly think it would be hilarious.

If Rob doesn't do this, someone else will, some other time.

AND, on a related and totally goofy note, Jan, Vadardog and I managed a cool stunt today. While Jan flew the kite at Clover Point (on land), Jan swept the kite low to the ground throuh the window and Vadardog and I jumped THROUGH the lines! It took a few tries, but was fcuking hilarious. THAT is the kind of thing that would rock in the movie. You just have to act like it is the most important thing in the world, and not laugh. leave that to the viewing audience.

Can anyone else picture this?

Peace,
Paul

hey rob,

i want to do a downwinder from gordons to dallas one day, that may provide for some good footage and interesting naration. i have not been able to get any interest in it so far though.

we would need a support boat for the trip, i have also though about making it a fundraiser for the coast guard auxilliary unit 35, i may be able to get them on board as support.

Kook St. Kite Kook wrote:Rob,

I was just giving ya a hard time - seed money - ya know

I think the mockumentary idea is seriously cool. I could be the moron who screws up and puts his kite into the other guy's lines. I have done this before, so I think I am the man for the job.

Paul

Can't wait to put on my make-up and the the high skirt. One serious accident and it will ruin it for every one. Naked kitesurfing is much safer.

Anonymous wrote:Naked kitesurfing is much safer.

You guys, realize that all this should be done holding hands, right?

I like the down winder idea - the general technical problem with filming on a boat is exposure to the wind. It's hard to get a shot off without It looking like there’s a 9 point Earthquake going on. I might be trying some shooting from a boat this summer up at nitnat on my uncles herring sciff - it's just a matter of getting it out there. And I’m totally down with helping out the coast guard, they pull my sorry ass out of the ocean a couple years back as I was attempting the unintentional down winder from the esquimalt lagoon to Dallas rd.

I'm still waiting for a good chill moderate day to sink up a couple of kiters and get it on tape. The last two times out with the camera the wind has been a little too erratic. The two kiters can be hundreds of meters apart as long as they are in the shot together - The sequence I want to call from the walkytalky and shoot might go something like -

Carving up wind > Jump > Carving up wind > Simple transition
Carving up wind >Jump+grab> Carving up wind >backflip transition

I've started to get a few shots of me typing on my computer on this discussion board - these shots will come somewhere in the beginning sequence of the mockumentry.

Peace Rob