DrexFactor Poi

So you've learned your thread-the-needles, now what can you do with them? If you want to get a little mobility with this move, this is a good way to learn how to turn with it that gives it a good visual impact and utilizes some of the lessons we learned from crossers.

ttnturntutorial.mp4

The final installment of my video series on how I make my tech blogs and the longest yet--this one covers how I promote my videos once they're published and how I gauge the success of them. Included here is information on monetization, how I get around restrictions on Facebook Pages, and why I don't post every video I make to Tech Poi or Reddit.

In situations where I want to share videos but I know I'll be on the road and unable to do it manually, I'll use Buffer for both Facebook and Twitter:
http://www.bufferapp.com

techblog361.mp4

In this installment: planes! What are they, why are we so particular about them, and what do you need to know about them to start spinning? Planes are a concept we borrow from geometry to describe how a poi rotates in relation to our bodies and how closely we adhere to that relationship. For added fun, each plane has two sides, called "plane facing" that you have to keep track of when you turn because every time your body changes the side of the plane its on, the poi will seem to have changed the direction it's rotating in.

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Everything you ever wanted to know about how I make my videos, continuing with editing! This is a three-part series on everything that goes into my tech blogs and tutorials, including time spent on different elements, the technology and editing process, and promotion for my videos. This video focuses on the editing process, both for audio and video and the different software that I use for each. Coming next week: publishing and promoting my content.

Software that I use:
Audacity: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
Adobe After Effects
iMovie

techblog360.mp4

In this video: choosing head weight, tether length and type, and handle weight. I got some great feedback from the last video and it led to this--a deeper exploration of each of the poi components and the options that are available for them.

wheretostartwithpoipt2.mp4

Everything you ever wanted to know about how I make my videos, starting with inspiration and shooting! This is a three-part series on everything that goes into my tech blogs and tutorials, including time spent on different elements, the technology and editing process, and promotion for my videos. Coming next week: the editing process.

Inspiration:
Tech Poi Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/techpoi/
Reddit Poi: http://www.reddit.com/r/poi/
Google+ Poi: http://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/105824907484542224167

techblog359.mp4

Never picked up a set of poi before? This is the video for you! This is a video to familiarize you with the hardware and how it can be held. No matter what set of poi you pick up, this tutorial should help you get to know this tool and how you interact with it.

wheretostartwithpoipt1.mp4

I love poi moves with superhero names! This one's been on the back burner for a while, but checking out Tim Goddard's tutorial on the move broke down many of the barriers I'd been running up against. While looped in with supermans, I actually think this move is a slightly different beast, but an extremely useful one because it allows you to switch the planes your poi are moving in when spinning in a meteor fashion.

techblog358.mp4

At Tahoe, Ronan taught a class on 8-step CAPs that I was kind of in and out of due to some other commitments at the festival, but this was one of the moves I got out of it. I don't know if it qualifies as a dictionary-definition 8-step CAP given that only one hand in the pattern is actually performing a CAP at all, so I'm just going to label it a multistep CAP and call it a day. I found a way to do a similar pattern in diamond mode, so that's included here as well.

techblog357.mp4

Early in the festival season, Noel showed me an interesting entry to forearm contact rolls--using isolated throws going forwards rather than back. It puts the momentum of the tether right were it would be if you'd performed a pendulum in cradle, so the direction is already set. I didn't work much with it until Alan Lualdi showed me a use for it in a combo of his own making at PacFire. Intrigued, I came up with my own. All three variants can be found in this video.

techblog356.mp4