Hey everyone, remember my post "Making a Mess and New Friends"? It was the first thing I filmed out here in Hawaii. In fact I think it was like the third day I was here? Anyway, Devin finished editing the video and has posted it to his YouTube channel! Now it's time for you to enjoy it :)
The Aftermath
Partners in crime.
Bonus Video:
The song in the mud fight video is by a guy named Kyle Andrews. His music rocks. I helped film a music video for one of his songs (You always make me Smile) last Summer. I highly recommend watching it, and I definitely recommend buying his music.
Wow, I was sitting here deep inside the 9th straight hour of editing the Documentary today when it hit me. My friend/roommate/collegue Devin Graham released a really cool video for the 4th of July celebration. I somehow spaced it off and forgot to post it!
Some of you probably caught it on Facebook or YouTube, but I really wanted to share it on here so anyone who might have missed it would have the chance to watch. I make a few cameos swinging a golf club and throwing a Frisbee. I have to thank my Jr. High PE coach, Coach Thompson for teaching me how to chuck a Frisbee like a pro. I'm pretty sure my Ultimate Frisbee team won that year because of said skills? Yes. Yes we did.
When you get the opportunity to hike an area referred to as "Sacred Falls" you can't really turn it down. What an amazing place. When you come to Hawaii it's easy to spend all your time on the beaches, and for good reason. However, I must say that going inland is just as incredible. I've never felt so detached from the world. The high cliffs rendered my cell phone useless. It was just my friend, his father, and myself walking through the untouched landscape of Oahu. Below is a very shaky, handheld video of this expedition. Enjoy!
For those of you who have been following my blog you may remember reading my post "Another Day At The Office". That particular post was about a day spent filming at an amazing location called Kua'loa Ranch (Koo-uh-low-uh). I was helping my friend Devin Graham with a commercial being shot for the ranch to help promote their activities. If you want to read a little more in depth of that day feel free to click the "Another Day At The Office" link above.
Here is the video that we shot for them in all of it's High Definition Glory.
I got to be part of something that was quit amazing today. I helped my friend Devin film a "Haka" (hawk-uh) performed by a group of men and women who are renown for their performances and even compete in Haka competitions.
They give nothing less than a 110%
Haka is a traditional dance form of the Māori (indigenous people of New Zealand). However, these are are unlike any dance you have ever seen. They are raw, intense, intimidating and beautiful. Many people are mistaken, and have been mislead to think that there is only one Haka, or that it is a war dance performed only by men. This however, is not true. They are performed by men, women, small groups, large groups, and sometimes children. They are performed for various reasons, all of which are designed to communicate. Whether it be for amusement, awareness, preparing for war, or to acknowledge achievement.
Who would have thought some of the most intimidating people, are also some of the nicest?
Haka is physically demanding. Especially when performing many times in a row.
Before today I had seen only two Haka's performed here in Hawaii. Both at a wedding that I filmed in Honolulu. The first was performed by a group of men hired specifically for the wedding. I did not know what message they were expressing because I don't speak Māori, the other Haka was performed by the father of the bride. He explained before his performance that it was a Haka he used to perform with his High School football team before games. The message was about becoming men, playing with dignity, and never giving up. Again, I don't know exactly what was said during his performance, but watching it you can feel the message. It comes to you in the form of loud chanting, the slapping of body parts, and feet stomping the ground. It dominates everything around it. It requires your attention, and stays with you long after the performance ends. They do not need music to guide the rhythem of the performance. Instead the perfect choreography of the body slapping, yelling and movement, that when combined creates sound waves that are nothing short of musical.
The very definition of intense.
Now that you have an idea of what Haka is, watch this video below of the New Zealand rugby team the "All Blacks" (no, that's not a racial slur, that's their name) as they perform their specific Haka before a game.
Pretty intense right? This is not what I would want to see my opponent doing before a match started. Definitely a great way to start the game off with a bit of an edge. I'm surprised the other team is able to refrain from laying in the fetal position sucking their own thumbs.
Preparing for the next shot.
The Haka that we filmed today was brilliant in every way. The location we shot at is the beautiful Kua'loa ranch on Oahu. This ranch has been used as the back drop for several films and tv shows such as Pearl Harbor, Jurrasic Park, LOST, Godzilla and many others. Luckily we get to film there for free. We shot it on top of a hill, and I'm very excited to see the final edit.
Small price to pay for an awesome an amazing time, and eventually a great video.
If you ever get the chance to see a Haka be performed I highly recommend watching it. You'll be glad you did! Just don't be surprised if you find yourself shaking after it's over.
This post is a bit different from what most people are used to. It's not a long article with photos, but it's also not a VLOG Episode. I went on a hike with some good friends and shot some video while we embarked on our journey. This is just a quick video documenting the experience.
People in the video include my home state friends Adam (has a camera on his head) and Sam (dark shirt, and sunglasses), both from Emery County Utah where we all grew up. They flew out here for a few days to take on the island life for a while. The other two people are my friends and current roommates out here in Hawaii. Jimmy (the beautiful Asian) and Devin (the person you don't see because he wandered off).
I think this is what life is all about. Sharing experiences with those we care about. We learn about ourselves, and it enables us to become better people. I think it's easy for us to fall into daily routines where we cease to experience anything new. I challenge you to make a list of things you have not done or have not done in a long time and do them, no matter how small or grand they may be. Break free from the daily grind. Also, take time to enjoy the experiences. Even bad experiences have many things to learn from which can in turn make them seem not so bad at all, but rather worth it in the end.
