ISMAC and Beyond

Been too busy to keep up with the online reports of late, sorry.

Props continue to come and go, and the wardrobe elements have been proving more popular as well; someone’s coming to look at armor for a photoshoot this weekend, and I’m beefing up the SWAT gear for the video I’m making (FmF).  Lots of work on the shield, making shoulder panels for the armor, getting some of the prop gags ready*.

I’ve got a few pictures up from a short gig I did for a web series pitch some friends are putting together (The Ascended).  I think they just wrapped shooting last week, and are entering post production now.

There’s a few people’s personal photos from ISMAC starting to pop up on Facebook, but nothing official yet.  Jared and Shirley are coordinating that I think.  All my tapes were handed off to Ben, who’s supposed to compile a sort of montage DVD I think, taking hundreds of hourse of footage and paring it down to about two, probably.  Good luck with that.  Hoping to get some of my tapes back afterwards, but not holding my breath.  Was happy with how the rig worked for me though- I changed the shoulder panel thing to something more compact and user-friendly, and used the mini-grounder tripod for low angle shots pretty much the whole time.  Curious to see how it all turns out.

Been honored by some of the comments I’ve gotten (on Facebook, which seems to be the NOW, making MySpace more of a YESTERDAY or LAST YEAR, but hey, for now this is the established blog I haven’t had time to move anywhere else).  In continuation of my earlier comments about instructors you know versus those you don’t- the comments from Bob Charron ** or Christian Tobler*** might seem initially more shiny than approval from instructors I’ve known for years, even though the latter might be every bit as respected in the community.  Because I met Bob and Christian after reading their books, hearing about them online, etc, it’s a different experience of the relationship initially than when it’s someone I met first and later found out how well thought of they were… cause hey, it’s just Papa Waller, or Uncle Tony, neighor Cecil, or other members of the Paddy Crean family who I’ve known for years.
Along those lines, I’m a bit sad to have missed getting to take any of Col. Dwight McLemore‘s classes (another person who’s book I have and have read, but haven’t worked with), but hey, only so much you can do.

One pleasant surprise was Mark Donnelly, who I hadn’t heard of, but once we got talking I realized I know his work.  I look forward to getting to meet and work with him again some time.  He makes a nice addition to the work of the original HMCA folks on cutlass, etc, and his film work includes stuff I’d love to get in on some day.  Plus he’s just a charming gentleman to hang out with.

Only regrets from the workshop itself- staying up later and drinking more than I should have on one night, resulting in a bit of a zombie-style martial arts the next morning (good to know that I can do so and still be safe and competant, bad to have to do anyway), and perhaps not entering the knife tournament.  The gentleman**** who won that was the person I did that informal knife bout with up in Banff at the end of the Paddy Crean, so I think there’s a chance I could have placed in the top three or something.

Huge thanks to all who helped with the event, and also to Brad Waller, for the scholarship that helped get me there.

Plenty more to report in on later, when there’s more time, or if there’s interest- the new Cold Steel wasters, plenty of other good toys and classes, etc.

*Gag as in effect, not as in kinky stuff; not that kind of movie, although
those probably pay better

**“Kevin, I very much enjoyed working with you (and partying with you).
You are a gentle soul and a skilled martial artist.  I look forward to
seeing you more in the future.”

***”Thank you Kevin- it was great training with you.  That you are a
skilled swordsman was apparent throughout, so keep up the good work.”

****Okay, by his own self description, gentleman might not be the
right term.