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Documentary On Grip


The Natural

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The docu needs to have a blog and or web page now. It'll get a place on the search engines and that'll make things easier later on. You can add progress reports and talk about clips (without showing them if need be) and the like.

We also need some suggestions for a working title.

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Just added to my blog:

Grip Documentary

Rex 'The Natural' Hubbard has started something with the idea of a documentary on grip. The idea of our very iron iconic grip version of Bodybuildings Pumping Iron (a must see for Iron Game fans) or Power Unlimited - the powerlifting documentary is very exciting indeed.

There are a bunch of suggestions floating around. That we need to include something of the history of the sport goes without saying. But looking back at Pumping Iron they kinda covered that in the title sequence. Images of Sandow flexing and old time lifters doing muscle control. We might need a little more but it's a 50-50 thing. One needs to show what we do but Joe Public - our hoped for grip newbies doesn't want an hour of Warren Tetting making grippers. Yet, as with others, Warren's roll is important. There is a balance to be struck and it will be a difficult one.

What else do we need to show? Perhaps a few feats of strength. In the last day or so Rex suggested showing how what was once the pinnacle of grip strength for many - the closing of a Ironmind Captains of Crush (still impossible for some) - is now no longer quite the task it once was. I know how disappointed I was, after a year of trying, to miss my first certification attempt at Pullum Sports. Yet I offered to send Rex a clip of me doing a close upside down - hanging from a power rack using inversion boots and smiling all the while at the camera. Another has me literally crush a credit card between the handles. So what was once a monstrous lift is no longer so.

Interviews, voice overs (I'd personally do this quite a bit if I was running the show so as to get as many videos and filmed segments on as possible) and the historical section will form, I think, most of the early part of the film. The later section is, it seems, going to consist of a little battle royal build up between myself and Chad Woodhall (ie: best current British and European champ vs the undefeated US guy) as well as other lifters at Chad's big money (for grip it is) event.

Now, as you'd imagine, this is a big deal for me. My oh so fragile (ahem) ego loves the idea of being a part of the video never mind a potentially BIG part. With this in mind and as part of the crazy three events training I am currently doing (7-10 times a week) Paul Savage has been taping some stuff for me. With good short sharp editing, loads of hard rock music and the usual wizardry of the digital age to our amateur efforts I'm hoping Rex and Eddie (his cohort in the video department) might be able to find some useful stuff from our feeble recordings and use them in the grip version of Arnold vs. Louis. So I've been pushing myself real hard to give Paul something he can film. The aim, if it's usable, will be to show that the grip guys (in Chad and myself representing everyone else) train as hard as any high level athlete and especially those in the iron game.

But more than anything if the film succeeds it wont be because I or anyone else in our sport did a rep with X weight on whatever grip gadgets we use (see Joe 'X' pinch, squeeze etc) it'll be the capturing of the essence. It needs to show the hard work and tenacity, the sweat, the skin and yes the blood lost. The occasional nausea and the borderline obsession (perhaps not so borderline). It can and I hope will raise the profile of the sport as a whole here, in Europe, in Australia and of course in the US of A. It can and I hope will make some of us into little stars.

The more of the grip troops involved and playing a part in what has the potential to be our iconic moment the better. I'll paraphrase a famous saying:

'Ask not how you'll be entertained by what's on your screen but what part you played in getting it there'.

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As per my PM to MJ. Leave it out. Focus on being a part of the project and seeing the word spread far and wide. Not petty sniping.

On reflection you are correct.

As far as advancing this Documentary, obviously the guys on the ground in the US know the scene far better than I, but a few suggestions I had would be to try and get it wider exposure by;

1) Trying to get it on a short list for an Award of some kind, even at a very local level - Best Documentary etc

2) Are there any Local Cable Networks that might be interested in picking this up for a run? The only thing I can think of is a PBS type of deal, but I have no idea as to how that would work over in the US.

3) Would local Gyms/Leisure Centres be interested in playing it on their TV screens? I've seen a few programmes that have been made to play on Leisure Centre screens (one featured UK Bodybuilder Peter Reid I believe, another featured the then-Girlfriend of Javelin Star Steve Backeley, who at the time was a prominent Synchronised Swimmer).

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are you guys going to make a trailer before it comes out? if so, you can put it on youtube and all the other video sites to maybe get more commercialization. me and a buddy of mine could help make a little trailer if you like.

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are you guys going to make a trailer before it comes out? if so, you can put it on youtube and all the other video sites to maybe get more commercialization. me and a buddy of mine could help make a little trailer if you like.

Yes, Eddy and I are planning to create a 30 and 60 second promo that will be put on all the major strength forums and YouTube.

The financial backers of this project are meeting tomorrow to discuss the budget. I'll have more information on what we can and can't do after they meet.

-Rex

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I thought of something today that I cannot believe I did not consider earlier concerning a documentary on grip. The footage and interviews that could be gotten at the 26th AOBS Reunion on June 13 at the Newark Airport Marriott. Slim Farman always goes. Dennis Rogers usually goes. Stanless Steel always goes. Richard Sorin, 50% of the time. Pat P always goes. Multiple people who personally knew the Mighty Atom go. Usually one of Atom's children attends. 104 year old Joe Rollino, a former Coney Island strongman performer who bent coins 80 years ago, if he is healthy (always has been) will be there. For the last several years, there have been 8-10 perfomers doing things as part of Slim Farman's "rising stars" program, including Chris Rider. Of the 4 times I have gone, Randall S has been there 3 of them. Last year, David Prowse, the actor of the Darth Vader suit, and owner of the original Inch Dumbbell for decades, was there. And of course, various former Mr. Americas, Olympic Gold Medalists, former World's Strongest Men, etc are there as well.

The opportunities for good stories and footage in one place? I am not sure if it gets better than that. How often can one see the "roots of a movement" in the flesh and get it on film, mixing the new with the old?

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The footage and interviews that could be gotten at the 26th AOBS Reunion on June 13 at the Newark Airport Marriott.

The opportunities for good stories and footage in one place? I am not sure if it gets better than that.

I have not gone to the AOBS dinner for the past three years and I can't imagine how much I've missed... it makes me sick. And Hub, you're so right about this - you HAVE to go just once to see and experience all that it has to offer! You will meet some of the strongest people there! The GripBoard is always represented well there each and every year.

Let's try and get as many people to go this year. If you've never gone, make this year a must to attend! :D

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Some thoughts on how it might be done.

Grip Documentary

Basic and brief outline sequence suggestions

Start

Choice of good intro music (not too heavy just yet)

Montage of images – could even start voice over immediately.

VO: hand strength...

Image: of jam jar lid refusing to be opened by someone

VO: can be important

Image: stronger hand opens lid

VO: it's a tool itself and helps us handle tools too

Image: holding screw drivers etc

VO: Hand strength is seen as important in some circles

Image: Hand shakes, friends (soul shake), politicians, business man and or sales man sealing deal, baby holding finger.

VO: It helps in sport

Image: wrestlers, judo, mountain climbers, discus, shot put, hammer, American Footballer being ‘sacked’ by a jersey pull down, etc.

VO: It helps in battle

Image: hand to hand fighting, soldier abseiling.

VO: it might even save your life

Image (fun): comic B&W clip of someone hanging from a cliff, roof edge etc look of panic on face. Maybe cartoon etc

Music a little heavier but the real hardcore stuff played during training.

VO: (more serious tone): In the field of strength it’s used all the time

Image (images get heavier as it progresses): hand holding dumbbell, hands on lat pulldown bar, user on lever row machine, Andy Bolton Deadlift, strongman with back of car, etc

Historical portion

VO: The testing of hand strength goes back ages

Image: historical montage

VO: Famous Victorian strongman Sandow produced grippers

Image: Sandown squeezing something, wooden dumbbell, squeeze dumbbell and then finally his contraption with the bell.

VO: but he wasn‘t the only one testing his strength or offering challenges

Image: Inch and Inch dumbbell.

VO: In more modern times grippers have been seen as the standard training device to test and strengthen a gripper

Image: crappy dime store type grippers and similar

VO: but over time these became more and more serious tools

Image: early CoC type gripper

VO: among the early makers of such grippers was Warren Tetting

Image: brief shot of Warren in workshop and some examples of his early and then later work. Possibly a few words on why and how.

VO: later Randall Strossen, formerly a writer of….XX and later owner of training equipment company Ironmind (named after his book) wrote an article on John Brookfield and Richard Sorin. These two…

Image: images and or clips of both doing grippers and or grip stuff.

VO: cont: were the first to close the famous IM CoC No 3 gripper.

Image: possible images of evolution and or modern ads for same – crystal clear pin sharp images of knurl and handles – make look sexy.

VO: other companies joined them…

Image: BB (VO: poss mention of Warren making these), RB, et al grippers shown.

VO: but grippers aren’t the only means of training and testing grip strength

Image: other grip tools show, some in use some just displayed, can include (with VO talking you through it) bending, pinching, one hand deadlifts, V-bar and so on.

Competitions

VO: in recent times…

Image: from early grip events (David Horne in IAWA Iron Grip stuff) montaged with more up-to-date competitions (GGC??)

VO: as training and testing grip strength became more popular…

Image: cont from above)

VO: it’s become competitive

Image: shows top level grip lifting clips

Serious strength

Use of the CoC idea etc as suggested by Rex. Possible use of images of apparently big strong people trying V hard to close a 3. Then into grip guys repping it as suggested.

VO: but the grip guys, specialist as they are, make it look easy.

The two athletes

VO: In 2009 US athlete Chad Woodhall invited the best grip athletes in the world to one of the first cash prized events

Image: poss use of GB page with his event info, web page, images of cash

VO: even though compared to other sports the $1000.00 first prize is low it got the juices of top athletes in the sport interested

Image: various Grip guys training

VO: lets take a look at two of them

Image: split screen side a Steve side b Chad Steve fills screen

VO: in the British corner we have the 2008-2009 British and European champ Steve Gardener.

Image: lots of serious NORMAL training (so leg press, press, etc etc – lots of heavy NORMAL gym work).

VO: like any strength athlete worthy of the name Steve trains ALL his lifts hard

Image: more of the same

VO: as can be seen it’s not all chrome and ferns…

Image: chalk dust in Whey Gym, heavy ass dumbbells, etc images of me in yard looking gritty (a la Dorian in Blood & Guts)

VO: training in two gyms in Gloucester, England

Image: me on way to Whey Gym

VO: Steve takes it seriously

Image: lots of stuff of me doing various grip training, pinch, blob, millennium and Inch for reps…

VO: use of me talking over training sequence, edited well: when asked why etc

VO: equally athletes in the US were not resting on their laurels. Promoter Chad was also training for his own competition so that he can test himself against the best. The $1000.00 prize being the bait he need to get them to come.

Image: Chad training some of the same events and some Steve may have trained but not shown in earlier clip

VO: like the other athletes attending both trained for months

Image: calendar dates crossed off.

VO: until the day arrived

Image: planes landing, sped up drive to venue, guys shaking hands but looking serious, hands being stretched and flexed. Guys warming up.

Competition:

Obvious stuff here. Well shot and edited build up through the day, the agony and the ecstasy, skin torn, blood spots seen, huge lifts lifted, big ass lifters lifting them. Images of the score boards, music playing a part to build up the tension. Sport must be seen as not some ‘in school gym middle of no where’ thing but as supported and serious as any strength competition. Get the crowds in, show them screaming for their favourites. Clips to camera of announcer talking us through it (use GB personality perhaps), build up tension of the day.

How to finish?? Handing over of the cheque and or trophy (symbolic as per) and close up of the man handing it over shaking the champs hand… v close…

Close.

Titles

Thank every mofo since the dawn of time etc etc.

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I like the Outline Steve.

With a Documentary like this you are fighting what you can cover in the run up to the event (budget constraints, what others can film etc) against what actually happens (it's a possibility that neither Chad nor Steve could win, and you might not have much footage of the guy who does) - so spending quite a bit of time on the Grip World (using Chad and Steve as leading lights) as Steve suggests and then hanging Chad's comp off of that (as a Big Development based on the groundwork we have seen) is a good idea - it covers you from both eventualities.

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Agreed. All Chad and I represent are characters (faces upon which the camera can focus) from the sport. If we win so much the better but it's no necessity.

Some have discussed how they'd like history to form this and that part of the film but as I mentioned above the iconic Pumping Iron covers a good deal before the opening titles end. If it's possible I'd like to see 10-15 mins build up grip and grip history. What do others think?

I'm also sure I've skimmed over with little more than vague comments parts that others can fill in with more detail. The more we add the more Rex has to work with and pick from.

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Someone who is a professional is probably going to do a project the way they see fit. The best thing about this thread is that the film maker presumably knows nothing about grip, and there have been many good ideas provided by a number of folks.

I am not saying that any of the following names for the piece are great ones, but I did spend an hour of creative thinking on it, and none of them are jokes:

1. Stronger Than Steel: In Search of the World's Strongest Hands

2. Gripping Iron

The World's Strongest Hands

3. Gripping Iron, Bending Steel

4. World's Strongest Hands

5. Quest for the World's Strongest Hands

6. In Search of the World's Strongest Hands

7. Strong Hands, Stronger Hearts

8. Gripping Power

The Subculture of Hand Strength

9. Grip This! Rip That!

The Strongest Hands in the World

10. A Mighty Grip

Inside the Sport of Hand Strength

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Great ideas hubgeezer!

Mighty Joe

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Someone who is a professional is probably going to do a project the way they see fit. The best thing about this thread is that the film maker presumably knows nothing about grip, and there have been many good ideas provided by a number of folks.

I am not saying that any of the following names for the piece are great ones, but I did spend an hour of creative thinking on it, and none of them are jokes:

1. Stronger Than Steel: In Search of the World's Strongest Hands

2. Gripping Iron

The World's Strongest Hands

3. Gripping Iron, Bending Steel

4. World's Strongest Hands

5. Quest for the World's Strongest Hands

6. In Search of the World's Strongest Hands

7. Strong Hands, Stronger Hearts

8. Gripping Power

The Subculture of Hand Strength

9. Grip This! Rip That!

The Strongest Hands in the World

10. A Mighty Grip

Inside the Sport of Hand Strength

Thanks for the suggestions Hubgeezer. We've decided on a main title, but we were not yet clear on a subttitle, and so your #10 helps us.

GRIP

Inside the Sport of Hand Strength

-Rex

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Mobster's liking Numbers 8 and 10 reminds me of the thought involved in coming up with a hand strength organization: use of the words "grip" or "hand strength". Using both terms at the same time could be a good thing "for the sport". Maybe not for entertainment but...

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GRIP

Inside the Sport of Hand Strength

-Rex

It does say it all, what it's going to be about, etc, doesn't it? In as few words as possible.

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Had another talk to Eddy today. Some news:

1) The budget proposal will be done tomorrow. Once the numbers are good, we can begin filming.

2) As I have already told Steve, images of him competing/training (JPEG) etc. are welcome. Images of Chad too. These will be used for the promo. Please send any images of these two guys to gripvids@gmail.com

3) To cut costs, we're going to use royalty free music.

That's about it. Tomorrow I'll know a lot more.

-Rex

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this is fascinating to me.

Thanks for letting us follow along Rex.

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I'll send over a few now. Let me know if they are usable and I'll send over the rest in batches. I'll get more done again soon.

Edited by mobsterone
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Grip Sport Production Budget

Project One – The 1st Annual Chad Woodall Grip Challenge”

April 14th, 2009 Richard Sorin – Two New Competitors

Interviews, Competitors, History, & Training Techniques

Irmo, South Carolina Shoot

2 Man Crew - Director & Camera Operator

6 Hours Filming on Location

Production Cost $1,050

Expenses

Travel: 199 Miles 7 hrs Round Trip

Gas $150

Lodging $140

Meals $50

Total $1,390

April 21st, 2009 Chad Woodall – Current USA Grip Champion

Interview, Training Camp Techniques, Promotional Takes

Bogart, Georgia Shoot

2 Man Crew – Director & Camera Operator

6 Hours of Filming on Location

Production Cost $$1,050

Expenses

Travel: 95 Miles - 2 hrs Round Trip

Gas $50

Total $1,100

June 20th “The 1st Annual Chad Woodall Grip Challenge”

Pre-Event Coverage – Competition - Post Event Interview

Athens, Georgia Shoot

3 Man Crew Director and Two Camera Operators

8 Hours of Filming on Location

Production Cost $2,000

Expenses

Travel: 98 Miles 2hrs Round Trip

Gas $50

1 Day Camera Rental - $350

Total $2,050

Grip Sport Production Budget

Script Writer – Outline and Script

Total $2,500

Sound Tracks - Royal-Free Music

Total $500

Narration/Voice Over $2,500

Voiceover.Com

Total $2,500

Post Production - Editing / Encoding

Editor-

Total $6,000

Total $6,000

Total Cost of Project One Production $16,050

Project Two – 60 Sec Promotional Animation

Producer/Animator

Flash Animated Photographs, Text, and Royalty Free Music Track

Total Cost of Project Two - $1,000

Payment upon completion and approval.

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As you can see, the budget right now is just over 17,000 dollars. There are various ways to cut that number way down, as we will have to if we want this to go forward. Eddy and I talked about the following:

1) I would write the script. I've never written a movie script before, but I think I can do it.

2) Having someone well known in the grip community do the voice-over (i.e. read the script). I was thinking David Horne, as he is a founder of the sport and also his voice sounds better than mine.

That would shave off 5,000 dollars right there. Other ways to get the budget down:

3) Require Eddy to be a one-man show when he visits Irmo and Chad for the first time. He said he doesn't like to do it this way, but he can if need be.

4) Reduce the promo length from 60 to 30 seconds. That would lower the budget 500 bucks.

Any other ideas are welcome.

Thanks,

Rex

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