“Seek perfection of character. Respect others. Try Hard.”
That’s how Noah Kaufman ends every post on his blog where he chronicles the efforts of climbers, well, trying hard. While Kaufman’s blog does a nice job of capturing the try hard mindset it really comes through much better in videos. You may remember Kaufman from his cameo in Progression where he enthusiastically encouraged Daniel Woods and Paul Robinson as they worked on a new boulder problem in Rocklands, South Africa. The guy wants you to try really hard.
It’s along this vein of trying hard and motivating others to do the same that Kaufman will be releasing the movie Try Harder “sometime in 2011”:
Try Harder is a documentary film that examines the philosophy of effort. That being said, there is a strong emphasis on incredible human feats and comedy. This film is by the athletes, for the athletes and the industry.
That last sentence is worth noting as Kaufman will be returning any proceeds from the movie to the”under-funded athletes” who appear in it. The announcement of the movie even seeks sponsorships/donations to help contribute to that cause. A noble goal to be sure although it seems hard to believe that 99% of climbing movie viewers feel much sympathy for the financial plight of professional climbers. Never hurts to ask though, right?
Check out the trailer to see who will be giving their all in Try Harder:
1:30 is going to be the best segment by far
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I think the idea of returning profits to the climbers is great. It goes along with Chuck paying for the music in Pure, as opposed to the normal “good exposure” offer. However, it is complicated by the varying degrees of professionalism of the climbers in the video. Does Daniel Woods really need my money? Probably not. Would climbers who fly to Rocklands on their own dime genuinely appreciate it? Undoubtedly yes.
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I got the chance to see Thomasina climb at Hueco this year. She is the most impressive climber I have ever seen. Her technique is impeccable and she moves so smoothly. Every move she made was so deliberate and controlled. I remember she was working on a v12 roof problem and her footwork was mindblowing. I had seen physically stronger climbers before, but I had never seen anyone move like that.
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