Curvy Hoopers Video Challenge

Cry Wheel at Hoopcamp 2013

This post is almost two weeks in the making-- meaning, I started it a week ago, and there it sat in the 'drafts' box until it had nothing to do with anything going on, and everything was now old news.

So, moving on...

It's that time of year. Time for the Punk Rock Hoops and Hooping.org's Curvy Hoopers Challenge 2014. Last time this challenge took place I entered using the following video (following is my entry from 2012):

I remember feeling during my last entry like I wanted to do more, but my entry was from the heart.

This time, I was able to plan my video a little more accordingly, even though I still felt limited on time, and I felt limited by only being able to use Windows Live Movie Maker off of my laptop, from footage I shot off of my point and shoot- I still gave it all I got.

I purposely chose to wear all black so that the LED would pop more. I decided to use The Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs, Y Control-- a song I remember rocking out to too many times to count, with Alex and Ryan on the journey between Dorena and my mom's house. The song, to me, is full of strong, good memories, and I wanted that to shine through with high energy.

I think that comes across in the final video.

I also, tried to use a couple cues from the actual music video, for example during the countdown part in the music video, I used the LED pictures Skye and Keith did for me when I visited Oregon in April 2013. I felt like the pictures did a good job of punctuating the video in a really fun way.

I tried to add an element of me by rocking out, being vulnerable, and awesome all at the same time-- I still kinda feel that the weird lighting in those shots make it look like Courtney Love, and Robert Smith had drunk sex on my face-- but, whateves.

Here's this year's entry:

After I was done taping the footage I used (a mix of night time and daytime LED dancing), I took a quick snap shot of myself-- and felt it captured how I always feel after hooping; healthy, strong, radiant, beautiful. I added it to the end of the video, because I wanted that to be the last imagine left with the viewer-- a strong, confident version of myself. Me, at my hoopiest. 

Me after filming the video for the Curvy Hooper Challenge

Anyways, all-in-all, it was a great experience, and I am grateful I did it.

In the meantime, Jessie and I celebrated 10 years of being homeboys with tattoos, and girly television (Lost Girl). And, then we house hunted (sorted), and smiled lots. It was a good day. 

My two hooping tattoos. Hooping is forever apart of me, as is my bestie.

Mine is the one on the left, and Jess is on the right, pretty cool, eh?