IGW 2014 - AVAILABLE NOW!!!

IGW 2014 - Interview and Video

Interview - IGW Founder Mike Cook

Today marks the release of the IGW2014 movie. International GoWorld Weekend movies have become a great benchmark in adventure films and we here at Human Spirit of Adventure are fortunate enough to score an interview with IGW's founder Mike Cook.

Mike is an adventurer/filmmaker out of Colorado who we at HSA consider ourselves lucky enough to have developed a friendship with over the last several years... Read the interview and see the new trailer below..

Interview

1. Tell us, how the IGW has grown since 2013? Wow… where to begin? As far as numbers go our Facebook following has gained 5,000+ fans in the last 6 months or so. GWP videos collectively have been viewed 200,000 times and we have also bolstered our overall number of GWP members (“member” meaning someone who contributes content to any of our many ‘projects”) to over 500 from over 50 countries… that’s 1/3 of the world’s countries! It blows my mind every time to think of that. We did a fraction of the promotion for IGW2014 that we did for IGW2013 and the number of contributors still grew! 

2. When is the IGW2014 film set to debut? IGW2014 releases Tuesday July 15 on YouTube. Additionally, in an effort to ensure future sustainability of GWP we are releasing an extended paid version in the form of an instant download for only $2.99. Downloads include the movie and IGW2014 soundtrack in the form of multiple mp3’s. And as I try to do a little marketing here… You can preorder your copy of IGW2014 and get free additional GWP videos! (You can purchase your extended copy of IGW2014 here: http://goworldproject.com/projects/international-gopro-weekend/)

3. What was the response to the 2013 IGW film?  It was amazing, as I know many fans told me that the production value as well as the movie itself exceeded their expectations. It’s biased, but I thought the IGW2013 movie came out awesome. And it moves me every time I watch it. Each year as GWP grows and grows and as I refine my skills more and more my videos become better and better. GoPro was also really awesome and they promoted the video on their Facebook page. I think within the first week of its release the video had been viewed 9,000+ times, and in the following 10-11 months it has been viewed and additional 6,000 times bring the total to just about 15,000. Additionally IGW2013 had been embedded on many notable websites like ThreeSixFive and Outside TV. To give you a sense of the growth in 2013 the IGW2012 movie has been viewed about 1,200 times.

4. Any particular adventure sport athletes we should keep an eye out for in this film? A few, yes. First off, check out Tory Grant. He is a skateboarder, and a good one at that! Tory has been a contributor to GWP since day-one and has been a part of all three IGW events. He’s young, he’s skilled, and he’s driven… all key ingredients to live a successful life as a professional athlete. He is already sponsored by Sketch Skateboards and currently accepted an offer for a sponsorship by us (GoWorld Project). Tory is a great person and very fun and inspiring to be around. He’s got a bright future ahead of him! The second bright star is Rob Pelon. Rob is a BASE jumper/wingsuit flyer and is very skilled at what he does. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Rob on the business front and I can say that he is a very good person with a great personality. Kind, patient, and wholesome, he too has a bright future ahead of him. He is wise beyond his years and has a lot to offer in all facets of his life.

5. What is your favorite sequence in the 2014 film? In the extended version: My favorite sequence would be the final sequence. It incorporates a lot of the most compelling and engaging content as well as my most favorite song. The pace is fast, the sequence is engaging, and it invokes the most powerful emotions of all sequences for me personally. I know that preferences are subjective and vary greatly across the board, but I do feel that on some level all viewers will appreciate the final sequence. Free version: Part 2 - Sebastien Barrier edited that sequence and Seb always has a propensity to outshine me… but that’s exactly what I love about him and why I have him team up with me to take on the editing. His editing skills encourage me to raise my bar. 

6. What else is on tap in 2014? I’ve started promotion for Far Side Project 2014. People can still contribute footage up unto August 1 (contribute: http://goworldproject.com/projects/far-side-project/) . Additionally I have been working on our new Project “#TorySkatesCO”, an ongoing skateboarding series featuring our sponsored athlete Tory Grant. We flew Tory out to Colorado where he and I did a 4-day skating adventure through all of the top skate parks in CO. It was unbelievably fun and we captured a lot of great content that I will be turning into a 4 or 5 part series later this summer or fall. So be on the look out for that (http://goworldproject.com/discover/toryskatesco/). And while I’m on the topic of sponsorships I will say that I will soon be opening up the door to everyone who is interested in obtaining a sponsorship from GoWorld Project! I’m looking for skilled and driven athletes, musicians, and entrepreneurs. So if you fit that category make sure and seek me out! 

I will also be doing another round of IGS Montage with Sketch Skateboards starting next month, so I’m really excited about that as we are expanding the Project’s theme to encompass all things with wheels and not just skateboards. 

Lastly I am working on creating a digital publication for GoWorld Project… so like an online magazine that people could subscribe to. It’s still very early with that and I’m not %100 certain it will come to fruition, but don’t be surprised if late this year you see GWP Magazine! 

7. Would you like to give any shout outs? Oh yeah… All of the GWP members, everyone who contributed content for IGW2014, Sebastien Barrier, Rob Pelon, Tory Grant, Sketch Skateboards, The Bitches (I love the Bitches), Dankys, Dedrex, Envoy, Driven Retro, Nit Grit, GoPro, and everyone who has ever been inspired by GWP or who has been moved in a positive way by it. I hope you guys are ready for IGW2014, because The World Is Yours…

GoWorld!!! 

And NOW... What We've all been waiting for.... IGW2014

CASTING CALL: REALITY SHOW NEEDING ADVENTURE DUOS

Story House Productions is Casting for Reality Adventure Show...

From time to time, we here at HSA are sent requests to post casting calls. Most times we don't because things sound a little fishy, or the production company can't be researched, or whatever. Well this time it seems like we were sent a legit request so we will post it here... 

Story House Productions is a television production company based out of Washington D.C. and is casting an adventure show--they are searching for a male duo who will compete in international challenges around the world... Read the call below...

 CALLING ALL ADVENTURERS!!!

Are you adventurous? Are you athletic? Do you accept crazy challenges?! If the answer to all three of these questions is, 'HECK YEAH!' then we want to hear from you! 

We're looking for unique male duos that love extreme sports, will try anything once, like to crack jokes all day, and have a “balls to the wall” type personality to engage in insane challenges all over the globe.

...you've got to be ATHLETIC enough to compete in life endangering events, FUNNY enough to be a host personality, and last but not least, you need to be HANDSOME men in your late 20’s to early 40’s. That's right good-looking, I'm talking to you!

Please submit if you’re a good-looking dynamic duo--you can be brothers, cousins, or best friends whose personalities compliment each other (and if one is more outgoing and willing to do absolutely anything while the other is more hesitant...perfect!)

You could end up on our new TV series travelling the globe--and you'll have a few bucks in your pocket too! If you can do all of this while having a great sense of humor and a pint or two of booze, please submit to this call by emailing castingSHP@gmail.com with pictures of you and your duo, video of the two of you doing something crazy (if possible) and a paragraph statement about your relationship, how you met, and the adventures on which you like to embark.

**You must have a duo in mind to apply. No solo submissions will be accepted.

--End of Call--

Thanks for your consideration,

Story House Productions

So there you have it... good luck to those who apply!

VIDEO: IGW 2014 PROMO

IGW 2014 Is Coming...

Time is coming soon for the 3rd annual International GoPro Weekend. Our friends at The Goworld Project are already setting the stage for what is quickly becoming one of the biggest yearly events in adventure sports.

Read this blurb from their website...

What is International GoPro Weekend? IGW is an annual 3-day event in which we ask GoPro fanatics from around the world to film something using their GoPros. We then compile the footage they contribute to make a movie that shares our concurrent experiences from this 72 hour window… International GoPro Weekend! For IGW2012 we had 37 people from 14 countries submit content! For IGW2013 we had 127 people from over 40 countries. IGW2014 promises to be even bigger!

When is International GoPro Weekend? The 3rd annual IGW (aka IGW2014) will be held March 14, 15, and 16. Holding the event over a period of three days gives everyone the flexibility to pick a day to film that’s most convenient for them. However, it is NOT a requirement that your clip be filmed during this period; we just strongly encourage you to film on these three days, so that we can share our concurrent experiences.

How do I participate? To officially sign up, please send an email request to: IGW2014@GoWorldProject.com. We will respond with more details about the event, specifics about the content desired (resolution, fps, subject nature), general guidelines and how to go about submitting your clip(s) once IGW2014 has taken place. DON'T FORGET... we give out a ton of prizes at random for participation. In years past, we've given out: SD cards, GoPro accessories, stickers, posters, a HERO3 Silver and Black Edition!!! (Shouts out to GoPro for hooking up the cameras and gear!)

Check out the Promo Video Below!!!

EXPEDITION: LAGUNA MADRE

Image courtesy of Leftray.com

Expedition - Laguna Madre

In our last post, "Expedition: Preliminary Talks", we hinted at an upcoming kayaking expedition in which HSA could be involved. The time has come for a few more details.

The concept of this yet-to-be-named expedition is a 120 mile kayak trip through the Laguna Madre in South Texas (see map below). HSA Founder, Joe Vulgamore, will paddle the three-day trip on a SOT touring kayak, camping at certain points along the way.

Still in the very early preliminary talk/planning stages this expedition is a paddle for charity event. The early concept is to raise funds for persons with intellectual disabilities. Until certain legal aspects are taken care of, we are not allowed to use the name of the charity in this post.

Basically though, the idea is for people to donate money for each mile paddled. The charity's Community Relation Director is working out the details on that, as well as trying to line up sponsors for equipment and gear, as well as a Title Sponsor for the adventure.

Plans are also in the works to obtain media partners. Everything from planning meetings and pre-expedition training to resupply points and POV video, will be video documented along the way and eventually put together as a full-length documentary.

The preliminary date for this expedition is early April 2014.

At this point, we can't say any more about the trip other than we, as well as our founder, are stoked and honored to be asked to be a participant in this event!

 Below is a map of the Laguna Madre with the tentative start and stop points, as well as the route through the Lower Laguna, the Intercoastal Waterway land cut (Saltillo Flats), and into the Upper Laguna.

Stay tuned for more info my friends!!!

VIDEO: "LIFE RECLAIMED" Trailer 1

Here it is! The first trailer from the HSA Documentary "Life Reclaimed". "Life Reclaimed" is an inspirational adventure documentary based on the premise that "Nature is Greater than Therapy". It covers the story of a man who lost everything he worked a lifetime to aquire and his fight to reclaim his life from depression, devestation, and lonliness by getting back to his roots in adventure sports.






 
HSA Trailer1B from Sirfur Productions on Vimeo.

GET EARLY PREVIEW OF "LIFE RECLAIMED" TRAILER

GET EARLY PREVIEW OF "LIFE RECLAIMED" TRAILER

The first trailer for the HSA adventure documentary "Life Reclaimed" drops on August 1, 2013.

HSA is offering an early preview of the trailer and it's easy to get.

All you have to do is go to our Facebook Page, "Like" us, and send a message requesting to see it... we will send you a link to view it. 

That's all there is to it folks. So hit us up and we'll hook you up!

Mahalo!

HSA DOCUMENTARY TRAILER TO BE RELEASED...

HSA Documentary Trailer to be released August 1...

HSA is happy to announce that we will be releasing the first trailer of our adventure documentary on August 1, 2013.

Although filming is still ongoing, we thought we would release a little teaser for you soon.

No plot spoilers though...

Stay tuned to our blog and Facebook page for chances to get an early viewing.

FOUR DAYS TILL THE IGW2013 RELEASE - An Early Look

Graphic Courtesy of GoWorld GoPro Project

IGW2013 - An Early Look

With 4 days remaining till the release of the IGW2013 movie, we here at HSA were lucky enough to get a sneak peak of the completed project.

All I can say is WOW!

This is a great piece of work from Adventurer/Filmmaker Mike Cook and Negative4 Productions.

This film features GoPro video from approximately 127 contributors from around 30 countries all shot on the same weekend. It has everything from biking, to wingsuit flying, to rollercoasters... and much, much more.

The GoWorld GoPro Project is doing a limited number of early viewings for the fans... send an email to GoProWeekend2013@gmail.com to be included in a drawing for an early viewing... You won't regret it!

Watch it, and then get ON it!

INTERVIEW: 10 QUESTIONS WITH IGW FOUNDER MIKE COOK

International GoPro Weekend Founder Mike Cook

Interview - IGW Founder Mike Cook

Today marks the release of Trailer #2 of the upcoming IGW2013 movie. International GoPro Weekend movies have become a great benchmark in adventure films and we here at Human Spirit of Adventure are fortunate enough to score an interview with IGW's founder Mike Cook.

Mike is an adventurer/filmmaker out of Colorado who we at HSA consider ourselves lucky enough to have developed a friendship with over the last several months... Read the interview and see the new trailer below...

1. Tell us, what is the IGW? In a nutshell, IGW is an annual 3-day event where GoPro fanatics from around the world capture something with their camera during this 72 hour window. They then submit their footage and I make a movie that shares our concurrent experiences from this one weekend… International GoPro Weekend. IGW is the most central event of our community, the GoWorld GoPro Project. Our community is here to have fun together, all while sharing our stories with the world using GoPro cameras. IGW is one of those avenues.

2. What inspired the IGW? In 1986 David Elliot Cohen made a book called “A Day in the Life of America.” The theme: photographers, professional and amateur, all take a photograph on the same day. He then complied the photos and made a book showing what was going on in America on this one day. It was a really simple premise, but it always struck me as powerful. That, and well, I’m actually in one of the pictures. My older sister submitted a photo that made the final cut. I decided to borrow this theme, only using GoPro cameras. As for this theme of sharing concurrent experiences during a specified duration of time, it has gone on for a while. In 2011 Ridley Scott, YouTube, and National Geographic made an online movie called, “Life in a Day”, that had this same theme, but using video. “Life in a Day”, hmmmmm, I wonder where they got that name and idea?

3. When is the IGW2013 film set to debut? July 15, 2103

 READ MORE AND SEE THE TRAILER AFTER THE JUMP

DESTINATION: ADVENTURE - Recap

Photo: HSA

HSA Expedition Recap

Our adventure to the Oklahoma outback was exciting, fun, beautiful, and at times, quite grueling.
We started off leaving our home in Corpus Christi at about 2:00PM on Friday June 14 and drove straight on through to our destination in the Arbuckle Mountains.

We arrived at approximately 1:00AM and slept for a few hours in the jeep waiting for first light to set up our camp. As the first signs of light began to glow, just before the yellow ball peeked it's head above the horizon, we sat up our base camp and prepared for a long hike to the waterfall.

After several hours of hiking we reached our destination. There we found a beautiful 77' waterfall with an inviting natural swimming hole. As it was extremely hot out, I took a dip in the hole while 2 of my companions waded in the shallow stream created by the overflow.

After the swim, we ate lunch and began the trek back to base camp... all the while capturing footage for the HSA documentary. The hike back to camp was equally grueling. Once we were back, we sparked the fire and began cooking our dinner before laying our weary heads to rest.

The following morning, I sat out on an extreme hike to find the source of the creek that eventually lead to the waterfall. It was an arduous journey, full of rugged and steep cliffs, rocky ledges, and thick overgrowth that I had to climb and bushwhack my way through. The end result was worth the 3 day round trip as I was left with a sense of accomplishment, blessed with beautiful scenery, and the euphoria that can only come with being at one with nature.

On the 5th day, it was time to restock supplies and recharge the electronics. Shooting footage for a documentary deep in the middle of nowhere poses certain challenges, like hiking certain areas 2 or 3 times in order to place cameras, get the proper footage and angles. Afterward a break was much needed With my Dad living in Oklahoma, it was a natural choice to rest at his house before embarking upon the second part of the adventure.

READ MORE (and see photos) AFTER THE JUMP...

DESTINATION: ADVENTURE - Update

Photo: Human Spirit of Adventure

After 4 long days in the rugged backcountry, we are back to civilization for a day. We need to restock supplies and recharge all of the electronics... shooting footage for a documentary deep in the middle of nowhere poses certain challenges. It has been a great experience so far and looking forward to the rest of the journey.

Thus far we have hiked miles and miles of rugged terrain, done 4 river crossings, and been bitten by every bug known to mankind. Tomorrow we should reach our final destination and enjoy the serenity and watersport action of Lake Eufaula.
We will have a full journey update upon our return, so stay tuned...

DESTINATION: ADVENTURE... 5 DAYS AWAY

5 Days and Counting...

In five days, we here at HSA will set of on a week long adventure. An adventure that will encompass multiple adventure sports.

On the agenda is miles and miles of rugged backpacking,  hiking, climbing, cave exploration, and freshwater snorkeling... topped off with rivers, waterfalls and spectacular views.

This adventure will be filmed on GoPro cameras as part of HSA's upcoming documentary tentatively titled "Life: Reclaimed"

We are gearing up and beginning the final week of preparation for this adventure. We will try to post some photo's along the way on our Facebook page and have a full blown recap right here on the blog upon our return.

See you then!

HSA FOUNDER HONORED...

HSA Founder Honored in Feature...

Human Spirit of Adventure's founder and managing partner, Joe Vulgamore, was honored this week when he (and HSA) was chosen as the "Featured Participant" by The GoWorld GoPro Project. 

"I first ran across The GoWorld GoPro Project on Facebook. They were releasing trailers from a past movie as promotion for their upcoming movie, IGW2013. I thought their concept was so cool... they were uniting people from across the world using a common theme, which is exactly what we at HSA wanted to do as a 'community blog'. One thing led to another and we became fast friends and I'm honored that they chose me for the feature, and even more proud to say that their ideas have been a huge influence on HSA... Thanks Mike, for everything!" 

We ask all of our readers to check out The GoWorld GoPro Project at: http://thegoworldgoproproject.com

Also check out their Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-GoWorld-GoPro-Project

Visit them often...

As the time draws closer for the IGW2013 movie premier, we will have an interview with Mike and you can get to know them better by reading the story as Mike sees it.

We can't wait...

International GoPro Weekend 2013 Trailer...

Image courtesy of The GoWorldGoPro Project

It's finally here...

The guys at The GoWorld GoPro Project and Negative4 Productions have released the first trailer from the upcoming International GoPro Weekend 2013 movie.

HSA is stoked to have made friends with these guys and were lucky enough to get a sneak peek. Now the wait is over... The first trailer dropped today and we're happy to give it to you here.

Can't wait for the full-length movie to drop this summer!

Check it out below!





IGW2013 - Official Trailer from Negative4Productions on Vimeo.

Adventure Week - Days 4 and 5...

Photo: Human Spirit of Adventure

Days 4 and 5 were spent with a mix of surfing and riding. Spring break was in full effect, there were a lot of kooks in the water, so dawn patrol was about the only good time to catch a few waves. Catch a few thigh high peelers and then get off the island before the mayhem starts.

After surfing, it was back to the trails... Riding and scouting good locations for camera placement for the documentary.

All in all it was a decent week. Not as adventurous as I'd hoped, but I'm not complaining... a decent day of surfing or riding beats a great day at the office anytime...

In June, I will head to the Arbuckle Mountains in Oklahoma for some hiking, backpacking, and a little freshwater snorkeling in a crystal clear river... there will be a little cave exploring too.

Also on tap for the summer is a little trail riding in the Texas Hill Country, filming for the documentary, and shooting videos for HSA's "yet-to-be-named" Survival Series.

Peace out!

Adventure Week - Day 3... MTB on Tap

Photo: Human Spirit of Adventure

Day 3 was mountain biking day. I awoke to a beautiful sunny morning and loaded up the jeep.

I had pondered the night before about which trail I wanted to ride. It was either a basically flat singletrack  trail in Oso Creek Park, or a bandit trail that has some rougher stuff. Ultimately I decided on the bandit trail.

It was a fun day. I rode hard for several hours and then began setting up shots for the documentary. I captured some fairly decent footage on the GoPro Hero3 Black. It was the first footage shot for the film. Eventually I will put some of it together for a quickie YouTube vid.

Day 4 coming up... Peace out!

Adventure Week - Day 2... VAS

Courtesy - PeriscopeFilm.com

So I awoke on Sunday morning in hopes of good surf, but I knew the moment I stepped outside that there would be too much onshore winds for anything good. But alas, Texan surfers have a saying... "You won't know if you don't go", so I went.
I loaded up the jeep with my surf gear, called up a buddy, and tried to hit up a dawn patrol. My friend who arrived before me called as I was nearing the beach saying it was total choof, but a few guys were giving it a go.

Being like I thought, I decided I was in no hurry and stopped for a cup of coffee, then pulled onto the beach. I took a stroll down the jetty to find my friend looking sad. The surf was big, choppy, and wind-blown... and the cold front hadn't even arrived yet. Most of the better shortboarders were getting a drop and maybe a turn before the wave totally closed out.

Since my friend hadn't paddled out in a while, we thought we'd give it a go anyway. It was for naught. Being a longboarder makes for real difficulty in that kind of wind. Not to mention the steepness of the waves. I pearled the first two tries, stood up finally on the third wave which closed out as I hit the bottom. This went on for an hour or so before I said "Screw it" and went on in. It was a good thing too because not fifteen minutes later the from hit, kicking winds up to about 45mph.

I spent the rest of the day hiking a bandit biking trail, searching for good camera placement spots for the documentary.

Such is life as a Texan surfer...

Adventure Week - Day 1... The Preparation

Saturday - Day 1

As expected, the winds are howling, so I'm glad that I planned this day for preparation. I was able to accomplish the things I needed to begin my adventure week and start the documentary.

First, I tuned up my bike. I tweaked the brakes, lubed the chain, made some small adjustments to the derailleur, and repaired a flat tire. I also packed up my biking gear so everything is ready to go.

Next I stripped the old wax from my good old Dewey Weber longboard and laid a fresh base coat, followed by a couple of layers of cool water wax. In Texas, the water temp is still 65 degrees so I also packed up the wetsuit. With surfing in Texas, you never know what you're gonna get... the forecast may call for waves, but you are skunked when you arrive; so I also pack my fins and snorkel, just in case. I also bring my handplane... I never miss an opportunity for a little body surfing as well.

Once my biking gear and surfing gear were ready to go, I sat about the task of learning to use the GoPro. That was an adventure all it's own, but I got it figured out, updated, and charged. I shot some test video just for good measure. I also placed the mounts on my bike helmet for some good POV stuff.

Surf is on the agenda for tomorrow... Peace out!

Adventure Week - 5 Days of Fun

Photo: Human Spirit of Adventure

Friday - The Day Before...

After the last 9 months of working my butt off with only Saturdays to find adventure, I am looking forward to five glorious days off.

The Big Bend expedition that was planned late last year fell through due to various circumstances. First, I was unable to get as many days off from work as I had hoped. That kind of put a bummer on what I was wanting to do. It's a rare trip for me and my family and if I'm going to spend the money to go, then I want to be able to get the full experience. Second, I was unable to secure reservations as the park was already full with Spring Breakers. The rafting tours were full as well. So the trip has to be put on hold.

Still wanting adventure, I decided to take what is available in my own backyard... surfing, mountain biking, hiking and kayaking. With crappy weather in the forecast, I refuse to be defeated... I will find adventure.

So I picked up a GoPro Hero3 Black edition. It was the missing piece of the puzzle for beginning the Human Spirit of Adventure documentary that has been in the works. Several months of planning can now begin to take form and get the shooting underway.

Well, I better get some sleep. I have a lot of prep work to do tomorrow. Peace out!

Movie Making...

After a long hiatus... well actually, I got to busy with the magazine... but after a long break; I have begun work on the long-forgotten "PackRats" movie.
More accurately, the new incarnation will cover all of the Corpus area surf breaks, to include: Bob Hall Pier, Packery Channel, Seawall, and a few others.

Late last night I began to review the storyboard and action clips, and I think it looks pretty good. Lot's of footage, both HD and SD, should make for a decent little flick. I've got lots of "lifestyle" footage as well.

No time frame on any release just yet... still in the early, early phases but looking forward to working it out.


Here's a little reminder... (Hint: The new one will be FAR less cheesy with FAR better waves...)