Fractured Axel

Hi all - Ive got a question for everyone here...

Our small town of Otaki in New Zealand is hosting another kite festival because it was a great community success last year

https://www.facebook.com/OtakiFestivalOfTheWind

A friend of mine Marcel LaGrand will be attending - he got tutelage from Ray Bethell about 3-kite routines and is pretty good now at flying 3 kites at once in a ballet routine

Which comes to my question to you guys...

I want to initiate a crowdfunding project on either Kickstarter or our New Zealand based site - PledgeMe

The purpose is to fund Dodd Gross to come over and run a stunt kite seminar/lesson/school etc etc - whatever you might want to call it

Although there are many great stunt kite fliers around who might also be closer to New Zealand - there are a few reasons Ive thought of Dodd

-Dodd is a great promoter of the stunt kite scene - hes been around a LONG time
-Dodd has run actual schools for stunt kite flying and has a good teaching system
-Dodd might be willing to donate a number of his own signed designs as pledge rewards through the crowdfunder system
-Choosing a stunt kiter teacher like Dodd will add value to Marcel's performance and promote the stunt kite sport in the community and hopefully New Zealand - especially amongst a younger generation
-According to Dodds facebook page - only travel and accomodation are required and free accomodation has already been suggested by the festival organiser
- Dodd WANTS to teach and PROMOTE the stunt kite scene which Im totally for at the moment with trying to grow it in New Zealand
-Pledge/Crowdfunder sites are a VERY inexpensive and risk free funding platform - if the funding goal is not met, no one gets charged a penny and people can pledge as little as $5

I dont want this to become a negative thing around money as these things can get sometimes - people dont need to pledge if they dont want and this is NOT a request from the community here to pledge this project

Its merely a feeler as to whether people would see this is an ok or cool thing to do

Like I said at the top - its about a community thing

Good luck with the festival, the crowd sourcing and scoring Dodd some air miles et al
--

I'll just draw ppl's attention to the infinitely more deserving causes (and much closer to home):

The Rainbows Hospice For Children: viewtopic.php?f=19&t=12572

Brain Tumor Research: viewtopic.php?f=20&t=12546

-Frazer

You might find cheaper alternatives closer to home. To the uninitiated Dodd's name will mean little.

I have to admit to bias here though, I've been on one of Dodds courses and to be honest didn't get a lot out of it, I did much better a couple of months later when I did a STACK bootcamp where I had tuition by James Robertshaw. Look where that led

Keithgrif wrote:

...where I had tuition by James Robertshaw.

Are you sure about that?

SkyRags wrote:

I want to initiate a crowdfunding project on either Kickstarter or our New Zealand based site - PledgeMe

Normally with Kickstarter there is something in it for the supporters of the project they are backing. I'm not sure what would be in it for us other than providing someone else's airfare?

Keithgrif wrote:

You might find cheaper alternatives closer to home. To the uninitiated Dodd's name will mean little.

I have to admit to bias here though, I've been on one of Dodds courses and to be honest didn't get a lot out of it, I did much better a couple of months later when I did a STACK bootcamp where I had tuition by James Robertshaw. Look where that led

These are good and valid points - but for the uninitiated, Robertshaw's name will also mean as much. I am certainly not uninitiated and yet Dodd's name has more impact for me than James' does - saying that though, that has been due to more on my part as a 'seeker' of kite knowledge and my frequent visits to this site, otherwise I would frequent the Prism site or US sites more

Ive even thought about not bothering with the project and trying to teach people myself - I can certainly do a lot more than a backflip now

My purpose is to develop a stunt kite interest - specifically in the tricks department - in my country that is lacking. I would certainly develop this project around anyone - but they have to have at least some kinda name to their game otherwise a crowdfunder lacks credibility.

mobius wrote:

Normally with Kickstarter there is something in it for the supporters of the project they are backing. I'm not sure what would be in it for us other than providing someone else's airfare?

Rewards always make up a part of crowdfunding platforms - I have talked briefly with Dodd and he tells me Skydog can likely supply 5 Jammins that he can sign as well as a supply of T-Shirts. No doubt there will be other ideas for rewards that might be put forth - like I said, early days.

I also said you have no obligation to pledge - that's fine.

If the project falls on its face - that's ok too

I was just putting it out there to test the temperature...perhaps if I had asked a UK flier instead of a US flier the response might be less cautious

fworley wrote:

I'll just draw ppl's attention to the infinitely more deserving causes (and much closer to home):

The Rainbows Hospice For Children: viewtopic.php?f=19&t=12572

Brain Tumor Research: viewtopic.php?f=20&t=12546

Hmmm...I'm not sure why you are comparing such good causes with what I'm trying to do?

People are free to spend their money how they like and like I said before...people don't need to pledge if they don't want to...

Shall I also put up a list of the children I support in Africa for you? Or would that be less worthy?

Sheesh...I haven't even started anything but I'm slowly developing an impression...but I can understand theres a level of caution

Sorry, I shouldn't have tried to rain on your parade ... afterall the Kickstarter video promises to be so entertaining

-Frazer

fworley wrote:

Sorry, I shouldn't have tried to rain on your parade ... afterall the Kickstarter video promises to be so entertaining

-Frazer

yeah - I hear ya lol....


If it works out it works out...if not...then no one loses out

Yup, you taught us 2nd time around Dave, and possibly 4th as well. Twice for certain anyway.