Monday, August 31, 2009

New HD Hang Gliding Video | Voting!

Today voting starts on the HP Semi-Finals.

You can vote once a day starting today until Sunday the 6th, then if I make it past this round of voting there will be one more round to determine the grand prize winner.

Here's how to vote:
-Go to: http://www.youtube.com/hp
-Click the "View + Vote" button (but it should already be up)
-20 videos will appear, click mine ('Life is an Adventure - Lucas')
-Then a thumbs up and down will appear to the right of the video. Click thumbs up ;) they only count thumbs up so it won't help to vote down other videos.



Below isn't the contest video, it's one I made yesterday with a bunch of extra footage I've accumulated over the past 8 months, I hope you enjoy it and I hope you have time to support my video making efforts by voting for my contest videos - Thanks!

Friday, August 28, 2009

Old School

With the possibility of making a living creating videos, its fun to think where I started.

I originally got a kick out of filming rock climbing which I started around age 15. I won my first video contest around 2001 with a rock climbing video I made and received a long sleeved pull-over and a set of indoor climbing holds. Now, I'm hoping to win $50,000 on Monday. And if not, I'll have another chance at big money with my HP video (voting starts Monday - Monday is a big day).

I filmed this video in 10 second increments on hand-fulls of floppy disks, because one floppy could only hold 10 seconds, so we had to time everything just right. Here is that camera I used. It was for a website that eventually went down, and looks like it's back up though: climbxmedia.com

Edit: I had originally posted one of the first videos I uploaded to youtube, but then I realized that wasn't the right video - I'll try to find it but I think it's on a hard drive that failed...

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Semi-Finals! | 30 miler

Yesterday I landed after flying 30 miles from Lookout Mountain to 'Dunlap International.' It wasn't too difficult getting over Nickajack lake (pictured), but once in the sequatchie valley things were a bit more difficult: rough thermals, blue holes, and getting blown down wind.

While waiting for a ride I checked my email on my phone where I had an email from the HP contest saying I made the semifinals!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What this means is a new round of voting begins this coming Monday, between me and 19 other people, to try and get the top 4 spots out of those. IF I do, then it will be down to one last round of voting between each top 4 people from the 6 weeks, which makes 24 people.

So get those mouse fingers ready for some voting starting this Monday, you will be able to vote once a day for a week. Also, on Monday (or "on or about" as the rules say) I will hear if I wont the Stella Artois contest.

Click images to see larger versions.

Flying over Nickajack Lake.

Claire and I breaking down our Moyes Litespeeds

Eric Graper coming in for a landing.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Tuesday - 25th

I think the HP contest is a week behind in their schedule, they just posted the top 4 from Week 3, when they should be on Week 4, so that this week would be voting for the top 20 in week 5.

I don't know, it's kind of confusing, their rules are the longest I've seen yet.

Yesterday I got in 2 hours of flying - here's a picture of the lz.

Monday, August 24, 2009

Voting Revealed

I figured out the voting for this contest:

Tomorrow I will find out if I made the top 20 for the 5th round of finalists. If I do, the voting so far will mean nothing, because that has been for the 'community award,' which is for those that aren't chosen as finalists (by judges).

If I am chosen as a finalist for my round, then voting will begin between us 20 of that round to determine top 4 and I will be removed from eligibility of the 'community award' and will now be going for the grand prize. So the votes I'm getting right now won't count and would start fresh for this new finalist voting. This is done for all the 6 rounds. So in the end there are 4 for each round so then there's 24 finalists.

If I make it to the 24 then voting starts all over again and that determines who wins $40,000 is the grand prize. We'll see if this works that way. On their 'channel' there are a ton of comments saying how theirs isn't showing up, and this isn't working. They still only have the week 2 finalists up when it should be on to like week 4 or so.

Thanks for staying tuned and seeing if I am a finalist tomorrow . . .

Sunday, August 23, 2009

New Video - HP Computers

click the image to enlarge it.
This explains two ways of voting.

To vote using directions of 1, click HERE
For method 2, click HERE

You can Vote once a day!

Thursday, August 20, 2009

My New Favorite T-Shirt



This was a wedding present from our neighbor, Scott, who's an awesome airbrush artist.
Angela got one too, with her glider colors.

Today is my first day of unemployment, I'm happy and proud of my decision to leave that job and pursue what I'm actually passionate about: films and hang gliding.

Stay tuned I'm working on 2 and maybe 3 new videos coming soon.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Unemployed

Today is my last day of work.

Which means I can start making films more!

I'm filming one tomorrow night and I also have a slew of hang gliding footage I need to stick together in another video, so stay tuned.

Our next door neighbor on our honeymoon.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Top 10!!!!

We did it! - a big thanks to everyone for voting on the documentary film, "A Soaring Life."

It has been picked out of 140 films to be in the top 10! That means some hollywood folks are going to watch my video, with the other 9, and decide who gets $50,000!
http://stellaartois.triggerstreet.com/ShortFilmProject/Intro

Please head over and vote for my other contest as well, you don't even have to register, and you can vote once a day!
http://hiremytvad.com/video-detail.php?videoID=TKlfvnOw73A