[Andy West]

I am a student and am thinking of creating a DVD to promote bouldering for a project. I am interested in what you would want from a dvd if you were starting out. I think i will promote it as something that would be given out free in places like ccc to promote the sport. I want to keep this seperate from climbing i.e no ropes! this is about bouldering only. Any ideas on what you would include, styles or any suggestions will be greatly recieved. I would also like to know if anyone thinks this is a shit idea and should be left alone. Fom this i will produce a questionaire to give out to various groups of climbers and tailor each to suit i.e beginner, advanced etc.

thanks for your help andy

[Jim]

don't really think bouldering needs to be promoted. Its popular enough as it is

[Fingers of a Martyr]

Any ideas on what you would include, styles or any suggestions will be greatly recieved

step 1 - watch Stick It

step 2 - do exactly the opposite of everything in that video. :wink:

I am interested in what you would want from a dvd if you were starting out

serious mode now: so the dvd is gonna be designed to introduce newbies to the sport?

if so i would suggest small chapters on each area.

for instance

CH1 suggestions for buying shoes, chalkbags, brushes etc etc
CH2 the ethics of bouldering - usual shit - no littering at crags, no wirebrushing, no massive fuck-off tickmarks
CH3 loads of cool problems bein iced by sum climbers? (inspiration material :wink: )

hope this helps

[OZ]

As well as all the above suggestions, how about including a bit on grading and the intricacies of it. Nothing to heavy, just mention what grading is and how to use it  for your own judgement. If you go into it in too much detail then it becomes too confusing. How about including suggestions of venues for the beginer. Just showing hard problems being done has been done soooo many times and is not that interesting to anyone other than the person doing them, least of all a novice! Keep it simple and with ideas on safe training for bouldering. The main thing is to encourage people to get out and try. Just not where I'm bouldering! Good luck.

[account_inactive]

How about not bothering to rape our sport through publicity!


.................only a thought :wink:

[LucyB]

I would also like to know if anyone thinks this is a shit idea and should be left alone.

Aye.

See previous post

[dave]

i think you have to think carefully about promoting bouldering, more so than any ofther aspect of climbing). remember the BMC's policy is against activley promoting climbing, and i think this is right.

what do you hope to gain by promoting bouldering?

Pros: more people climbing, more money for gear companies, climbing walls etc. More choice of gear. more money in climbing in general

Cons: more people out at the crags, more pollish, more chipping, more wirebrushing, more tickmarks. more litter. Over comercialisation, sponsoring, cheating, lieing.

I say don't bother.

[Bubba]

I also agree that bouldering in this country doesn't need any more publicity, especially in such heavily used areas as the Peak which are already getting trashed through over use.

Anyone who gets into climbing as a whole will quickly become aware of bouldering without the need for any extra publicity - most climbing walls already have a seperate bouldering area.

[LJ]

I dont think Andy is actually suggesting this as a serious venture into promoting bouldering to the masses, its part of his research for his dissertation, which would be to create such a DVD. So he aint on any mission to destroy our beloved sport, just to create a dissertation that is far more interesting than most, especially mine!

I agree wi Oz's ideas break it down into ethics and movement and all that kinda shit and definately think we should be travelling and getting some footage from all the country

[cofe]

if you decide to do it its probably worth paying equal mention to environmental/access etc issues, i.e. considered promotional material.

[Bubba]

I dont think Andy is actually suggesting this as a serious venture into promoting bouldering to the masses

I think the following is what's worrying people:

I think i will promote it as something that would be given out free in places like ccc to promote the sport

[Andy West]

this is only a project as the above states. I don't want to turn bouldering areas into litter filled places full of people paying no respect to ethics. I want to do a project to help get a good degree!

Don't want to rape our sport as stated, want to give people advice who are interested in the sport to get a good start and not go off and badly injure themselves because they don't know some  of the basics.

All the stuff and reasons why it should not be done can be disscussed in my evaluation. However do you not think a dvd like this could be given out say after novices have completed a course indoors? they could be given information on ethics and what to do. Helping stop some of the problems that occur at popular areas?

[Andy West]

I think the following is what's worrying people:

I think i will promote it as something that would be given out free in places like ccc to promote the sport

I retract this, a bad idea agreed

[Bubba]

However do you not think a dvd like this could be given out say after novices have completed a course indoors? they could be given information on ethics and what to do. Helping stop some of the problems that occur at popular areas?

Yes, if it was used as an educational tool and attempts to lessen the impact of people who are taking up the sport anyway, then that's a good thing imho.

[dave]

However do you not think a dvd like this could be given out say after novices have completed a course indoors?

yes and no. yes its a good idea in your given context, but i don't see any reason why novies have to complete a course indoors to boulder, or indeed to climb routes.

i still think its good for novices wherever possible to be introduced to bouldering outside in the first instance, cos at least then the realities of it are clear, and its acts as a kind of "natural selection", in that you might as well forego the ordeal of people staring indoors, liking it and then getting freaked-out and giving it up after discovering outdoor bouldering is a world of scary topouts, split tips and sprained ankles.

[LJ]

Theres certainly no reason why beginners should have a course indoors, but the reality is that some people, especially kids, do start climbing through some kind of course indoors, therefore in stead of thinking that the wall is the be all and end all of climbing an educational DVD could then be of some use as an introduction to outdoor bouldering, better this than them going out with no clue about outside climbing and ending up hurt, or leaving litter about and stuff.

I reckon you need a bit about the environment and how to preserve it, etc. and access issues
Bit on safety, mats, spotting etc.
Different areas, grit, wales, lakes, etc
Maybe a bit about grades, obviously explaining the full intricacies and pros and cons of the B V's the V, V's the Font grade  :wink:

If all that doesnt put beginners off, i dont know what will