Thanks for the constructive input Anthony. I will get on the horn to the creative department first thing Monday and give those buggers hell. Your comments are spot on when it comes to the younger riders. It would have been much better to get a 14 yr. old with a spiked out purple doo or better yet shaved bald with lots of tattoos, piercing and rings, sucking a cig. butt. The model shown would never make it on MTV, obviously. We need to consider the audience after all.On 2003-02-01 05:22, anthonyd wrote:
Rick,
One thing I would like to add, and you might not like it but I'll go ahead.
With no insult to the woman in the pictures intended she is looking a bit too geeky. When the younger (15-19) kitesurfers look at this all they're going to think is "shit I never want to look like that so I'll not follow these instructions"
I know that a wetsuit is more practical (I use one always) and the helmet is necessary, but in the interest of getting the younger (and more irresponsible) readers to take not make her more cool. Yeah we all hate abggy pants but that is what is cool so deck her out in those for the pictures. Try to find a more radical skate type helmet and loose the gloves.
AS I said, I am nto trying to flame you in any way, just looking at it from a teenagers perspective.
Other than that the idea is great, just needs a little more thought on the presentation. (If you could get flash to do it with his green hair and the like I think it would have more effect)
Cheers
Anthony
Wait a minute, I thought we were. I hope to reach the people that are leading things currently and anyone else that will stop and consider the pitch. Ideally these people may in turn promote safer practices consciously or unconsciously by example. Even the younger folks MIGHT take some cues from these better leading riders. If not, oh well, I would be happy just to convert a few of their parents and older brothers and sisters for starters. They don't listen to their parents, much, why would they listen to me? Some of the prominent mags focus primarily on the age group you mentioned. They are pros and probably really DO have a creative department. They aren't real focused on safety much but that may yet change.
Could the visuals be jazzed up, sure they could. I am thrilled just to have the model, the camera, sun light and I almost didn't for this shoot, a large relatively empty beach, wind out of the right direction, the gear, the time, not be called in some other direction, etc. For the last two shoots she wasn't even feeling well but got talked into doing it anyway. You start to get the idea. This is volunteer, amateur stuff put on last minute, in a rush with editing and assembly generally occuring late at night. When it comes together it is a bit of a miracle. We could increase the budget as well. Wait a minute, WHAT BUDGET!? Lastly and this is a big one, WHERE ELSE HAVE YOU SEEN OR READ ABOUT MOST OF THESE IDEAS? In the pro media or instructional videos? Cutting new ground can sometimes be a coarse effort but a necessary one.
I generally try to merge constructive comments into future efforts so your ideas haven't fallen on deaf ears. Considering the cash receipts for this effort and long line of volunteers, it is just a bit amusing. Then again who said it would be easy.
p.s. on losing the gloves, I wouldn't recommend it unless you don't mind loosing some fingers or perhaps a kite. Both have happened, more than once. The gloves, helmet, impact vest, whistle, kite leash, knife are in these photos for good reason. Someday all these items will be common but that is still off a ways. The air temp was about 55 F hence the wetsuit.
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: RickI on 2003-02-01 06:18 ]</font>
