DVDs
$25.00 each
Balloon Sculpting
I've been creating my own balloon designs ever since I learned my first doggie. I honestly didn't know any better. I thought everybody just made up their own stuff. A few years later I was forced into making an instructional video of my own designs. Yes I said "forced." Long story... true story, but long story. Trust me, I was forced into it.
Time passed, things happened but one thing remained the same. I kept making up my own balloon designs. Long story (again) but I kept making videos... and luckily enough... they became very popular. Time passes again and in November 2008 I was presented with the European Balloon Community's Lifetime Achievement Award based on the extensive influence of my videos on the development of balloon twisting in Europe. It shocked me when Marvin Hardy called my name out and handed me the plaque. I had no idea! How did this happen???
Here is how it happened. First, let me say I never wanted to be the cutting edge designer of balloon sculptures. I know these people and I am in awe of them (I'm looking at you Don Caldwell... and Royal Sorrel... and a whole bunch of others who are in-freaking-credible!) They are the Gianni Versace of balloon designers. I, however, just saw myself as the "Levi Strauss" of balloon designers. I wanted to design stuff that people would use every day. Over time I developed a singular style and that style became known as Quick and Impressive. They aren't the quickest and they aren't the most impressive... but... hmmmm, how do I put this.... I design balloon sculptures the way I went through school, what is the least I have to do to get the highest grade. In this case, what is the least I have to do in a sculpture design to get the greatest possible reaction from the audience?
I started my filming career doing VHS videos (the technology of the time). In later years DVDs became the technology of the time and people wanted me to transfer my VHS titles to DVD. Easier said than done because the new technology incorporated menus and jumps etc. When I finally decided to go back and do it (at that point I had 20 titles), I also decided to prune, rearrange and remix things. Over time I have also just plain retire some of the titles. Old... and I do mean old ... ballooners might know what's missing, but more than likely they are like me and too old to remember. But really, when it comes down to it, who cares???? Here are the current DVD titles as of February 2012.
A Great Beginning
This DVD is a 2 for 1 combination of the VHS "Beginners Only" and the VHS "Quick and Impressive". Tom Meyers called my "Beginners Only" VHS a cross between Mr. Rogers and Mr. Wizard for its educational accessibility and highly recommended it for anyone who had any doubts whatsoever about their ability to do balloon sculpturing. It is as much about proper technique that will propel your progress as it is about making balloon animals. The "Quick and Impressive" VHS is the one that first made my name and reputation in the balloon world. It led to two more Quick and Impressive VHS tapes (see next dvd title). Warning: I am a very young man in this dvd!
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Quick And Impressive
- Above I just mentioned, I had two more "Quick and Impressive" VHS tapes. They are now both in this 2 for 1 combination DVD. They served to cement my reputation as they guy who designs the balloons you end up using every day. I didn't stop making quick and impressive balloons after these two VHS tapes. I just started incorporating them into the tapes that followed. Warning: I am also a very young man in this dvd and no longer resemble the handsome fellow you see.
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Girls In Gowns
- This was the last VHS tape I made before turning to DVDs and it became my most critically praised best seller. Don Caldwell and Ken Stillman (balloon geniuses of great renown!) both told me that they use these designs because it makes them money! It is a basic girl in a gown design that can be easily adapted to make the popular princesses of movie fame, but it doesn't have to be that specific to be effective. It can be a prom or wedding themed design.
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Cartoonie Balloonies
This was one of the first remix DVDs and is a collection of balloon designs of TV-movie-cartoon characters
Elmo-Cookie Monster-Pooh-Piglet-Tigger-Eeyore-Scoobie Doo-Teletubbies.
Return Of The Bubble People
Medium size bubble people... Spiderman-Batman-Superman-Wonder Woman-Chopper and Rider-Pirate-Dr. Ben Dover
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Rainbow Goulash
An eclectic mix of non-sequiturs in another "remix" title. Some of my best loved stuff is on this one.
Panda-Dragon-Choo choo train-Ghost-Snail-Llama-Camel-Clown variations-skunk, and the ultimate birthday balloon!
E Unum Pluribus- Recorded in 2010. All the designs on this dvd evolve from one basic body design, so in that respect it is like Girls In Gowns, but much more accessible to the mid-level twister. Designs include a happy Astronaut, Frankenstein, Leprauchaun, Elf, Dracula, Darth Vader, Skeleton Pirate and (if you can spell backwards...) KERHS!!! You won't believe the ears... it is typical outside the box thinking you have come to expect from me.
EAT PLAY TWIST:
One Man's Search For Everything In 260 Latex Balloons.
This title describes me a lot more than the balloon sculptures it contains.
This dvd includes a segment on Quick and Impressive (and very cute) birds that sit nicely on your finger. As I did with Girls in Gowns and with E Unum Pluribus I came up with one basic structure from which many different things could be made.
When I tried them out in public, they were a big hit... and easy enough to be an addition to every day line balloon work.
The second segment includes two middle quick and impressive designs... a chicken and a rooster. I've had the chicken in my repertoire for many years (but never put it on a dvd), and it has always been a hit. It is more of a party/restaurant balloon and not a line balloon. But, whenever I did it, someone would ask for a rooster. That seems logical, doesn't it? But I didn't get any ideas about it... until I started piddling with another idea and...BOOM! it finally came to me.
The third segment of the video improves on one of my previous Q&I designs to make it more fun looking (and still a Q&I balloon)... its a long neck dinosaur... and I FINALLY!!! came up with a T-Rex I am happy with. Did I say "happy with?" I am thrilled, overjoyed and filled with pride over it.
And finally... well... funny story... After we filmed and started editing this DVD with all the above, I came up with a balloon design that would/could/should headline the DVD. Blame the lovely Mrs. Rainbow, she's the one who asked if I could make it (and often that's all it takes to get the creative juices flowing.)
It all has to do with the unbelieveably popular red, unhappy (some might say ANGRY) destructive BIRD... that gets shot from a slingshot !! Best of all, after this little character outlasts its fame (and they all lose their fame eventually don't they) , it adapts for long lasting appeal as a simple shooting slingshot and will be part of your balloon repertoire forever! And when the "slingshot" part breaks... no problem! The projectile can just as easily be shot from your two fingers. It could be one of the most perfect quick and impressive balloon designs I have ever done! And those who know me also know that I don't impress myself very much at all. This one made me very excited!
I Reiterate... Indubitably!!!
I recently (Feb 2102) retired 4 dvd titles and collected the best of the designs on this new title. These designs are timeless and you will enjoy having them in your repertoire for as long as you twist. ENJOY!
(Note: If the title seems a bit obtuse, you were probably not a 3 Stooges fan!)
Hippos & Rhinos
Alligator/Crocodile
(from Rhapsody In Balloons)
Ballerina
(from Invasion of the Bubble People)
American Bald Eagle
Peacocks
(from Thinking Outside The Egg)
Angel
Penguin
(from Noodling, Piddling, and Incessant Tweaking)
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Get The Laughs & Drive 'Em Crazy
THIS IS NOT A BALLOON DVD!!! IT IS A COMEDY PERFORMANCE DVD!!!
- This combines video #17 from the old VHS series with a bunch of new ways to drive people crazy. Honestly, if you don't do the coin game "You Call It, You Claim It" or do the ring and the spring, or drive people crazy with the corks... then you deserve to pay top dollar for big expensive props that don't get one-tenth the audience response! So there! I double dog dare you to buy this dvd and have all this fun!