Club Obi Wan

There's a group of people making a new (unofficial fanfilm) Catwoman movie based on the "Batman Returns" model:

http://www.bluetights.net/copycat

While the production values look excellent, I was disappointed that they dropped the ball with giving their Catwoman a $10 dollar whip. I pointed them to Paul Stenhouse's whip page, but the filmmaker told me that while they'd love to use a quality whip, it just isn't in the budget.

So, if any of you whipmakers have an old black whip lying around, I thought it would go a long way as a donation to this project, and at best it would be free advertising of your work!

If I had one, I might loan or rent it out, but a donation's a lot to ask.

Is Ms. Eartha Kitt associated with this picture? If so, I must endorse it wholeheartedly, sight unseen.

...yeah, I scare myself sometimes too, but back in the day, she was the better of the Catwomen.

I have actually swaped emails with this guy - he is shooting in London. His film looks really good!! Maybe I could mention something to him.

Ken

Indiana Ken wrote:I have actually swaped emails with this guy - he is shooting in London. His film looks really good!! Maybe I could mention something to him.

It can only help films like this if they use quality stuff instead of settling for Halloween knockoffs.

Well as you probably know yourself, $$$ is always the issue and dictates a lot of what can happen. As I am guessing the costume is entirely custom made and I know they need stunt ones too for the stunt performers it surely adds up.

Ken

Indiana Ken wrote:I have actually swaped emails with this guy - he is shooting in London. His film looks really good!! Maybe I could mention something to him.

Ken

I know a guy in London who owns a Terry Jacka whip, the same as used in Batman Returns. He's a big fan, too; and a professional photographer, so the project may interest him.

My concern would be that if the producers considered in the first place that a poor quality would be ok, then they also probably don't know how to look after a decent one; and no-one there knows how to use one sensibly and safely. I've supplied whips before, to production companies that have sworn blind that they knew what they were doing with them but actually didn't have a clue. End result? Dead whips and near misses.

That's 'fine' if you're in the business of supplying whips (although it annoys me to see craftsmanship treated without respect), but would be most upsetting to a fan loaning out their pride and joy.

Dave
www.whipstore.com

Now, if a fan w/ TIME ON THEIR HANDS wanted to donate a bit of time to give at least an hour of training to whoever'd be handling it, that might be a bit safer - and reassure them that their whip wouldn't be mistreated by poor handling.

Ken, BP, do you get the sense that they'd be open to that? If not, and they are just looking for a hard prop, maybe they are better off w/ the $10 whip.

Maybe if the actress herself owned it, she'd be inclined to spend time learning how to use it and protect it...

J

I think they havent really thought of the possibilities of a whip sequence and so they just have it as a prop. I think if someone were to explain the possibilities and teach the use of it then they would make more of a feature out of it and hopefully treat it with respect

Ken

Indiana Ken wrote:I think they havent really thought of the possibilities of a whip sequence and so they just have it as a prop. I think if someone were to explain the possibilities and teach the use of it then they would make more of a feature out of it and hopefully treat it with respect

Ken

Can't see how they could have missed the possibilities...there have been two movies in the last ten years featuring Catwoman and a whip - one they are basing it on, and the other out recently, and in the interview the actress herself said she loved Michelle Pfeiffer in it. Probably just not really written in beyond a piece of the costume.

J

EDIT: Did I forget to mention the preview also showed her doing some minor martial arts training? Probably more stage fighting than anything, but still, they have a stunt team. Hunh. Wonder why they aren't engaging on the whip.