Spunky's Motorcycle Shop Joins the Adventure!!
We are very pleased to announce that Spunky's Motorcycles have joined the Changing Landscapes adventure as a major sponsor! We met with Simon, the owner, on Saturday and have to say we're very pleased with the outcome. Simon is as passionate about motorcycles as we are and was very enthusiastic about the upcoming Changing Landscapes Vancouver Island TV series. He offered some great pointers to us, yes, we have much to learn, and was very supportive in seeing our vision become a reality.
We are very pleased to announce that Spunky's Motorcycles have joined the Changing Landscapes adventure as a major sponsor! We met with Simon, the owner, on Saturday and have to say we're very pleased with the outcome. Simon is as passionate about motorcycles as we are and was very enthusiastic about the upcoming Changing Landscapes Vancouver Island TV series. He offered some great pointers to us, yes, we have much to learn, and was very supportive in seeing our vision become a reality.
So, to fill in the blanks, Spunky's is well known to us because they're just up the road near Parksville, and because they have a great showroom filled with gleaming MV Augustas, KTMs, Kawasakis and Yamahas. In short it's a great place to go drool over the latest and greatest offerings and talk 'shop.' Personally I love bike shops, love comparing notes, swapping road stories, and just admiring cutting edge technology on public display.
And that's just the bikes, they also have an awesome clothing and accessories department. In fact both Dominik and I have kitted up here in the past. For the Bolivia trip we both made Spunky's our go-to choice for riding gear. They have a great selection of clothing suited to our Canadian climate (and other climes) and aggressive pricing, so for us it was an easy stop. And once there that choice was made easier by Dale, head of the clothing and accessories department. He walked us through the gear item by item and helped us make the right choice. Even as dedicated motorcyclists it is hard to keep abreast of continually evolving products, but Dale was quick to point out the pros...and the potential cons, of each product as it related to what we wanted to do. Let's face it, every product is not the same and some are better suited to a given situation then another, that's where knowledgeable staff enter into the equation. With gear from Dainese, Alpinestars, Klim, Arai, Shoei and HJC amongst others, you're sure to find what you need for the road or the dirt.
It seems somehow fitting that our 'local' bike shop should be the ones to step up and join the adventure. It sure makes us feel good and we look forward to a great collaboration with Simon. There's not a better feeling than when a local business shares your vision.
So, in conclusion, if you're after a new MV Agusta, KTM, Kawasaki, or Yamaha, ride out to Spunky's, or if you're looking for your first bike, drive out and they'll take good care of you. And don't forget the riding gear either....very important to have the right gear depending on what your intended style of riding is.
We'll keep you posted with updates.
In the meantime, thank you Simon!
Partnership Drive
So we're off and running. We have just over a month before we start shooting Changing Landscapes Vancouver Island and we've sent out partnership proposals. Sponsorship is always a tricky thing, after all there's only such much allocated for advertising and as we're approaching the last quarter of the year many budgets have already been spoken for.
So we're off and running. We have just over a month before we start shooting Changing Landscapes Vancouver Island and we've sent out partnership proposals. Sponsorship is always a tricky thing, after all there's only such much allocated for advertising and as we're approaching the last quarter of the year many budgets have already been spoken for. There's also the question of 'fit' between the sponsor and product and the simple reluctance of many to endorse advertising, especially television, when there are so many other departments scratching for cash as well.
An interesting development has already occurred though. It's one thing filming and editing, quite another looking for sponsors and the first potential sponsor I approached broached a concern that hadn't really occurred to us. Yes, we say we are going to film this series, but, in all good faith what happens if for some reason we don't produce what we say we're going to produce. Where do the sponsor's dollars go then. Are they written off? Good question, and for many that's an intangible that can't be ignored. So a suggestion was made to me. This particular sponsor indicated he would sign on and proceed with the sponsorship once we had the 13 episodes edited and ready for airing. In other words he wanted to safeguard his investment, and looking at it, it was a sound business decision. So much to learn...
So the packages have gone out, now it's time to lock down locations and try to tie down 'contra' sponsors, i.e. those willing to exchange goods or a service in exchange for a credit, such as hotel rooms, a boat ride, or maybe there's a trip in a float plane for some aerial footage. This business is a fascinating one, there are so many variables that have to be taken into account before shooting can even begin. I find it quite exciting. The thought of having local businesses 'get on board' immediately increases the scope of any production and adds a new element to the 'production team.' I was a huge rugby player in school and love the 'team' concept, the sense of collaboration for a common goal, and that's what sponsors do, they help pave the way for a successful project
The proposals have gone out, let's see where they take us.
Changing Landscapes - Bolivia
So it's official!!!
Yes, we're live.
Dominik and I are proud to announce that 'Changing Landscapes Bolivia' is now airing on Shaw Community Access Television. This is our first goal towards offering a premium adventure motorcycle travel series for those that love adventure, motorcycles, exotic destinations, questionable food, aggressive dogs and the 'travelers trots!' This eight part series began airing on Shaw TV last week and will run for eight weeks with the introduction of a new episode each week. After that it will be rerun so we've been told.
So it's official!!!
Yes, we're live.
Dominik and I are proud to announce that 'Changing Landscapes Bolivia' is now airing on Shaw Community Access Television. This is our first goal towards offering a premium adventure motorcycle travel series for those that love adventure, motorcycles, exotic destinations, questionable food, aggressive dogs and the 'travelers trots!' This eight part series began airing on Shaw TV last week and will run for eight weeks with the introduction of a new episode each week. After that it will be rerun so we've been told.
Through Dominik's great work on social media we've already had a very enthusiastic response to what's going on. The only negative, and I concede it's a large one, is that it isn't available to a larger market...so we're working on that. With a bit of luck and some sweet talking we're hoping to bring it to the Reelhouse VOD platform (video on demand) soon. www.reelhouse.org
As you know any creative process is a learning one and we learned much from our six week trip to Bolivia. It's our goal to take each successive production up a few notches in the production value department, so if you enjoy Changing Landscapes Bolivia you're going to love Changing Landscapes Vancouver Island! But more on that tomorrow.
This little blog is about Bolivia. If you haven't been you need to seriously think about going, if you have then you'll know what I'm talking about. Bolivia is a good old fashioned adventure, seriously, if you love drinking Martinis by the pool or being pampered in the spa then forget about it because Bolivia is as crusty around the edges as dried out macaroni and cheese. You're going to get dirty, you're going to eat dust, you're going to freeze one day and bake the next and if you have an aversion to chicken and potatoes than you'll swear you're in purgatory. Personally I thought it was heaven. Nowhere on the planet, and I've traveled a bit, have I seen such a diversity of landscapes, and they're not just different, they're bludgeon the senses different. One day we were on the azul waters of Lake Titicaca, the next we were in the drab Andean foothills, then the jungle, followed by the 'Road of Death.' How can you not enjoy something like that? Then there followed the Altiplano and the Salar de Uyuni (the world's largest salt flats) and a 500 year old silver mine...that's still being mined. Bolivia is one of those rare countries that will stay with you long after the travelers trots have cleaned you out. I could go on and on and on...but I won't. Instead, check out the series 'Changing Landscapes Bolivia.'
vancouver Island
The following businesses contributed directly to the making of this series. To view them up close click on their picture.
