Lady Stoke: a Rockumentary

Rhiannon Williams and Amy Lipschultz, two super cool lady-crushers are creating a "Rockumentary" about what it means to be a female climber exploring the world. They just launched a Kickstarter campaign, and I figured I'd post up here to share the love. Even if you don't contribute the preview video is worth a watch.

kickstarter.com/projects/17…

This is to fund their climbing vacation? No thanks. Hope they have a lot of fun, though.

FrankPS wrote:This is to fund their climbing vacation? No thanks. Hope they have a lot of fun, though.

Hey Frank, I noticed you are an American Alpine Club member. How do you feel about the AAC supplying climbers with grant money to fund their climbing vacations?

I really should start one of these to fund my diabetic climbing trip...

Nice video but can we pleeeaasse collectively start using different adjectives besides 'stoke' and 'psyched' , they are so over used in our sport .

vincent L. wrote:Nice video but can we pleeeaasse collectively start using different adjectives besides 'stoke' and 'psyched' , they are so over used in our sport .

The whole description sounds a bit like an explosion in a cliche factory.....

Eric Engberg wrote: The whole description sounds a bit like an explosion in a cliche factory.....

Amen.
I wish them the best, but start out by saying we all perceive limitations for women?
Self-esteem much?

I'm stoked to climb and I don't want to work either. Send me money!

Shelton Hatfield wrote: Hey Frank, I noticed you are an American Alpine Club member. How do you feel about the AAC supplying climbers with grant money to fund their climbing vacations?

A grant is a bit different from a kickstarter

The Blueprint Part Dank wrote: A grant is a bit different from a kickstarter

Maybe most kickstarters, but not THIS kickstarter.

vincent L. wrote:Nice video but can we pleeeaasse collectively start using different adjectives besides 'stoke' and 'psyched' , they are so over used in our sport .

How about "Woot"?

They mention in the trailer that they want to make a documentary to "explore female climbing culture", which I think could be really interesting - but everything else on their page points to it being basically a video of their climbing trip - they don't really mention anything about how they plan to tackle "exploring female climbing culture" or interviewing other female climbers, researching, etc....

If I'm going to help fund a documentary, I'd like to know a little more about their plans to make the documentary, not just their plans to go on a climbing trip - what is their experience making films, what approach are they taking to tackle their topic, what other experienced people/production companies etc. are on board to help them get the film made.

Sounds like it could be a great idea, I encourage them to flesh out their kickstarter page with a LOT more details! On the other hand, if it's really just "please fund our trip that we're going to also film", then that's fine too, just be clear about it.

(I also have to say I haven't noticed the same lack of female climbers represented at film festivals that they seem to have.)

Based purely on the above comments. I'd say this documentary is way overdue.

(update, add) the below comments as well.

Em Cos wrote:They mention in the trailer that they want to make a documentary to "explore female climbing culture", which I think could be really interesting - but everything else on their page points to it being basically a video of their climbing trip - they don't really mention anything about how they plan to tackle "exploring female climbing culture" or interviewing other female climbers, researching, etc.... If I'm going to help fund a documentary, I'd like to know a little more about their plans to make the documentary, not just their plans to go on a climbing trip - what is their experience making films, what approach are they taking to tackle their topic, what other experienced people/production companies etc. are on board to help them get the film made. Sounds like it could be a great idea, I encourage them to flesh out their kickstarter page with a LOT more details! On the other hand, if it's really just "please fund our trip that we're going to also film", then that's fine too, just be clear about it. (I also have to say I haven't noticed the same lack of female climbers represented at film festivals that they seem to have.)

+1

If they're serious about getting investors, they need to present their campaign like a business proposal and really flesh out WHY someone should give them money. What qualifies them to be documentary film makers? What is so compelling about their theme and how do they plan to explore it? Based on what they have written so far it sounds like they just decided that kickstarter would be a good way to fund their trip and a documentary was the product that could come out of it.

Sisterhood of the Traveling Harness? I was waiting for someone to skip through a field.

"There are plenty of women out there who are also accomplishing film-worthy feats!" Are we going to meet these other women, or are we just watching the same two women?

"We have a lot to learn in terms of filming, editing, and marketing and we want to dedicate the next year of our lives to this project. Injury, weather, and giggling could potentially present challenges" Em's got it spot on. No details, no monies. There is not really creditability that they know what they are doing or that a product is even going to be finished at all.

A little bit more preparation would make a woman focused climbing video awesome, but not this one.

Em, I'm with you. Other than the few particular women I know that got screwed when features were due in the "reel" world... I'm not disappointed in the climbing movie scene. I'll go on Vimeo anyway if I want to find my "lady stoke".

Shelton Hatfield wrote: Hey Frank, I noticed you are an American Alpine Club member. How do you feel about the AAC supplying climbers with grant money to fund their climbing vacations?

Good question (because I had to think about how this kickstarter is different than AAC grants..."free money to climbers")

!. I get the two books from the AAC each year and that alone is worth the price of membership to me. In addition to rescue insurance, climbers' huts, etc.

2. If you go to the AAC grants page, you'll see that the biggest ones are supported and sponsored by companies and foundations other than the AAC; e.g. The North Face.

Maybe a small portion of my dues goes to fund some of the grants, but I feel like the other benefits of AAC membership offset those giveaways.

People can do whatever they want with their money, but giving out money for the sole purpose of funding a stranger's vacation/trip/climbing adventure (with an accompanying film) is not something I choose to do.

Ray Lovestead wrote:Based purely on the above comments. I'd say this documentary is way overdue.

"Super cool lady crushers" brah! Like, they're totally getting after that sick gnarly gnar gnar!

vincent L. wrote:Nice video but can we pleeeaasse collectively start using different adjectives besides 'stoke' and 'psyched' , they are so over used in our sport .

I make the suggestion steel to replace stoke and psyched.

Climber1: I am steeled up for this route.

Climber2: It's good to be mentally prepared and excited for that climb.

I make the suggestion for "did" in short for splendid to replace rad.

Climber1: How was that climb brah, rad or what?

Climber2: I don't recognize your antiquated vocabulary, it was most "did."

I make the suggestion "prod" short for prodigious to replace rad or awesome.

Climber1: That line is so "prod" really take the breath away.

Climber2: Certainly is awe inspiring

Chris's article about this thread:

fringesfolly.com/2016/01/18…

That blog post is like a Hateumentary.

Hate, haters, blah, blah, hate, haters, hatest, hating, etc. Too bad the writer didn't bother to glean some of the perceptions and concerns of the people who replied here. Yeah, it always gets a little nasty here, but there were some legitimate points being made along the way.

I for one still think my point is valid. I don't automatically perceive women as being inferior to men at anything. I've seen too many stand-up, strong, powerful women climbers. Them starting off by telling me that I'm saddling them with limitations and using it as the basis for their film is pure b.s.

This is what they said:

Rockumentary wrote:We are ready. We're ready to get scared, to try hard, to fail and to push ourselves beyond the limits that we, as women, are perceived to be bound by. We are two best friends dreaming of breaking through these limitations.

I don’t think that blog post is very perceptive, by just saying basically everyone is jealous and you should ignore them. It is ignoring that there are some pretty big holes in their Kickstarter campaign that people like Em and Lindsay pointed out. I have helped fund other people’s Kickstarter campaigns that were well put together for example when the smiley’s were raising money for their 50 classic climbs ambition. This rockumentary campaign really lacks resumes both on the climbing side and from the stand point of making videos. I thought the artwork they used in there video was neat but half suspected that this campaign is more about trying to drive people to buy her artwork then the Kickstarter goal. (15k seemed a bit out of reach) I should be there target audience as part of the reason I funded the smiley’s is I liked seeing women go after some of the big climbs but the poor planning in this campaign is not attractive. I think pushing past the sometimes unkind way people are commenting on the project and updating the campaign to fill in what’s missing might be worth the effort if they are serious.