I was recently at the This is Not Art Festival for 2016 (TiNA 2016) to cover a number of events and to shoot videos for various different clients. But there is one I want to draw your attention to today because it was just so left of centre and so much fun to shoot. It was a video for a group called 'The Lightning Furies'. This is the blurb from the event page to give you an idea what they are all about:
The Lightning Furies is a bike gang of tough women and non-binary folks. When they take to the streets, children wave, drivers get out of the way, and lycra-clad cyclists choose a different route.
When you sign up to be a Lightning Fury, you’ll make bike accessories, learn percussion, and take on a secret gang identity. Clad in pink, gold and black, the Furies will hit the streets, pedaling through Newcastle in a cacophony of bicycle bells, a rush of handlebar tassels. Learn to be your bravest self, ride in a pack, and smash the patriarchy with boots and glitter.
Participation in this work is for women, transgender and non-binary folks. Non-participants can see the Furies from the street (the route will be advertised closer to the performance).
BYO bicycle, or borrow one for the ride. Places are limited to 20 so sign up now.
So myself and fellow camera operator Andy, had to figure out a way to capture 'The Lightning Furies' in action as they rode around the streets of Newcastle, the foreshore and east end as a massive group of bad-ass females. The logistics of doing this on a small budget was almost impossible, as the best way to do this would be to have camera operators strategically placed all around the course and this would end of costing big $$$ very quickly. A second option would be to try and ride a bicycle whilst holding a camera and filming at the same time, very hard and more likely very unsafe for myself, other road users and the general public.
A simple solution was eventually devised from which the idea came from a discussion with a motion graphics designer colleague. He suggested that I get a motorbike with a side car I could ride in, which was a bit far-fetched to be honest but it eventually led to the idea of engaging a local Newcastle Rickshaw company called Rickshaw Revolution to pull myself and Andy around in whilst we got the shots of the gang we needed. A massive shout-out must go to Blake Forrester from Rickshaw Revolution who jumped onboard straight away without hesitation and is currently crowdfunding a project here in Newcastle involving revitalising a building called the 'Lynch's Hub' and turning it into a coffee shop and bike workshop. So cool. Check it out here https://pozible.com/project/lynchs-hub-1
So we mounted some go-pros on some of the bikes of the gang and myself and Andy rode around in the rickshaw getting all the shots we needed. Check out some of the shots below. And check out the video soon.
