UKC

I am going to take the next year off to climb in various nice places; Thailand, Oz (Totem Pole), USA etc.

I climb 7a sport and around E2/3 trad. As I hope others have thought, I've always wandered if I put the effort in and didn't have to work, what level could I achieve.

So the idea is basically to put this theory to the test and see if I can go from say 7a to 8a, following the ups and downs along the way (and filming lovely world climbing destinations).

Any feedback welcome and if anyone is up for joining me who can hold a camera steady let me know.

In reply to Ayrton: very few can climb 8a without really busting a gut and either climbing every hour of the day or training as well

In reply to Ayrton: have the best year of your life and if your climbing happens to improve all the better
Bne

In reply to climbercool:

Just because it's one grade higher than your best (and mine)?

Some people who climb 8a have only onsighted 7a+

If you find the right one then it is certainly achievable.

In reply to Ayrton:

The improvement sounds achievable so long as you stay fit. Whether it makes a good film is down to you, the footage you get and what you do with it.

jk

In reply to Ayrton: You could go to Kendal film festival, chat to film makers and see what they think, you might get someone to help you.

There was a film there last year, about some chaps who went to Namibia (I think) had a bit of fun, got fixated with a boulder problem, got lost, didn't get up many routes. Most people thought it was really boring, but I enjoyed it. You could perhaps learn from that, what was wrong with it, what was good about it etc.

In reply to Ayrton:

Sounds a bit boring to me really- that sort of TV only makes interesting viewing if the outcome or goal is something really amazing..while its a great achievement, you wont be the first to get to 8a.

BBC did a great series called The Face a few years ago. It focussed on a particular climber in each episode and was real quality stuff- young Leo Houlding at 16, Stevie Haston Ice maniac, Paul Pritchard post Totem Pole injuries. While the show showed some top quality climbing and locations- the key to it being such a great piece of film was the way it captured the personality of each climber and the people around them.

In reply to Ayrton:

I think it's quite a good idea for a film, as many folk plateau at 7a and would be interested in seeing your path to success. Incidentally, your target is very achievable in a year if you're pretty much climbing full time.

But the success as a film will depend on how good you are at film-making, not how much you can improve your climbing. Good luck and enjoy your trip!

In reply to Ayrton: Feedback - yes you b@stard ! Most of us have fancied doing this but fair play for getting on and actually doing it. As others have pointed out, filmmaking skills probably more relevant than climbing skills.

In reply to Ayrton: Lucky bugger, I'd wanna watch the film.

In reply to Ayrton:

It's all in the execution. The idea is good. I started skiing a few years ago and considered keeping a diary of my improvement but didn't bother. If you've got the discipline and do it in an imaginative and informative fashion I'd say you'd have an audience.

In reply to Ayrton:

a) great thing. have fun.

b) decent film idea so long as you avoid all the usual dull cliches many amature films fall into, ie making it about you, rather than about the trip. even the climbing gets boring fast if its not super duper amazing.

but a good road trip/travel bio with climbing as a personal narrative could work - mind you, everything else has to be interesting too. 30mins of grunting, repeats and climbers lingo wont keep many asses on seats.

tips:
show local stuff, and not just zany 'freakin hardcore man' shit (its not a snow boarding film).
avoid cliches and give some sincere depth (token temples and fried cockroaches in thailand isnt interesting)
give some 'why' to it (show some process, give things a reason)
be someone interesting (yet another 'dude' whooping it up with no views on the world throws away the films star actor. be an interesting person doing interesting things).
go beyond lonely planet (weve all seen the usual culture shock stuff like cheao thai bungalows, flushing toilets in australia and fat people with guns in the us - give us something new).
tits (if all else fails, at least have girls in bikinis)

that may sound picky, but after seeing loads of climbing films, tho ones i remember are not for the climbing but for the 'where, who and how'.

in your research, look beyond climbing films for ideas (both to pursue and avoid). other genres like kayaking, war tourism and foodism often have interesting ideas - climbing films are pretty unsophisticated really.

if you drop by japan let me know. some good granite, weird shit and i will hold your camera for a few days.

In reply to Ayrton:

Thanks for your views. To expand on the idea, as an average climber, who can only marvel at the Houldings of this world, I would like to watch someone who I can relate to, take the journey into the impossible world of the 8's. As Climbercool said "very few can climb 8a without really busting a gut". Is he right and what does busting a gut mean? Is it just the case of having the time to do it or is there more to it. ie if I can do it as a Joe Blogs, all of you watching can to (so you'll leave the film thinking - hey if that idiot can, so can I). And if I can't, you'll see why.

Also agree about the clichés, as I saw the Kendal film festival offerings too and cringed at the poetic bollocks spouted (Wide Boyz not included).

Japan - went to a climbing wall in Tokyo - think it was £29 a go. I'll let you know if I return.

In reply to Ayrton:

yeah the walls are expensive, and no different to those anywhere else in the world (except the girls in hot pants).

thankfully the alpine granite walls and peaks are free.