PD Factory Team X-Project Update 2

[ianmdrennan 2]

Thanks all, I'll be making a full report on the process from my point of view.

It was an experience of a lifetime, and quite honestly life changing.

mpohl - hopefully my upcoming post will clear up your misconceptions (and trust me they are very much wrong on every single count).

Thanks for the kind words everyone, and CONGRATS to the 4 new members. They are the embodiment of what the team should be and are, imo, perfect picks.

Blues,
Ian

Performance Designs Factory Team

[ianmdrennan 2]

The final video is up on the blog.

Enjoy


http://www.thepdblog.com/pdblog/2009/01/pdft-tryouts-day-3-the-final-video.html

Performance Designs Factory Team

[kameraflyr 0]

Congrats to all 15 memebrs that attended the selection process and enjoyed what must have been the time of their lives! Best of luck to the 4 new team memebrs of the PDFT, see you on the course!

[bigsteve 0]

I'd like to say Congrats to all who got to the try-outs. The folks the made the cut are outstanding people, as the alternates are too. I am proud to have been in the sky and comps with all of the, and all that were there.

I love the fact that the PDFT are very approachable, so they had to choose members that are the same way (as they did).

CONGRATS again

[selwynj 0]

Well done to all of you who participated in this quest of PDFT to ensure the growth of knowledge in our sport. Congratulations to the new members of PDFT.

“It takes ten years to get ten years’ experience” Eric "tonto" Stephenson D515 PASA

[ianmdrennan 2]

The second, and final, part of the article is now up.

http://www.thepdblog.com/pdblog/2009/01/x-project-inside-view-part-2.html

Enjoy
edit: Looks like some formatting got lost so I apologize to the readers if it's a little tricky to read. There'll be a version on DZ.com soon too

Performance Designs Factory Team

[CKSCUBA 0]

Ian’s article was well written but only reflected one opinion and one perspective. PD knows Ian and trusted him to write a positive reflection of the Xpansion. It was written very politically correct with nice things said about all. Overall Ian was very gracious in his winning and loosing selection. Very hard thing it must be to write about. “ Sorry Ian we are not choosing you now ( so you lost out ) but you are on deck for any other expansions and projects in the future ( so Ian didn’t loose he kind of won also) thanks Ian we will call you if and when we need you.”

Ian and the other guy are in a strange boat, I would call them winners.

Calling everyone one a winner, or saying that anyone of the candidates would be good picks and writing this stuff-

“ After breakfast the introductions began, lead by the PDFT and John LeBlanc (who blew off a meeting to spend more time with the group!).

I would expect Ian to write his article the way he did but would love the perspective of others and what they thought of the process. I know 100% that someone in the group of 15 didn’t like the process and thought the team had their mind made up before or had about an 80% idea. Then what of the competition was it all real or not. How fair did competitors find it and does everyone feel it was fair. How could have it been different and made better.

See with Ian writing an article for PD and I think he is restricted in what he can say from his heart and how truthful he can allow him self to be without jeopardizing his on-deck position.

Others who came and went from the project can freely express themselves.

So Ian wrote a very nice article but that’s what I call a corporate puff piece

As far as reality tv shows go and calling me cynical is a bit off. I don’t mean the way reality tv is done today. I don’t mean the backstabbing and plotting and nasty competition like survivor and all those stupid games they play.

I am talking about the transparency and reality and behind the scenes and the complete coverage of every angle. With cameras in the bunk house, during the interview, on the plane, in the shower, around the camp fire, during the deliberations, during the meetings ect.. Have exposure complete and a camera everywhere and open it up reality t style. Not about money but about exposure and not about negativity but about truth.


that type of reality show it would have been awesome for the sport and of course paint it all in a brotherhood of skydiving light and good will and positive and safe.

You guys got to have some TV show vision here. I think a perfect opportunity was missed to turn the Xpansion project into a cool sport reality show, and with prize money.

Friendly competition, a bit of drama, no fighting or pulling hair, exposure for the sport, cool stunts and swoops, and the best man or women wins. Make it 6 episodes of competition and interviews and or skydiving challenges. No eliminations or alias or backstabbing crap. Every episode do a short expo on different disciplines of the sport also to take up the time slot. Freeflying, rw, CRW ect….

At the end award some prize money, award the 4 slots and 2 runner up’s PD sells more canopies and the public positive exposure to the sport of skydiving increases 50 times.

Ian is a fine chap and wrote a nice article and is a fine ambassador to our sport and always has time to answer swoop questions and share his knowledge.

My dream would have been not to be on the PD Team but be the Director of the Reality show it should have been.

chris

[ianmdrennan 2]

Since this has now drifted to a discussion about the article instead of the actual selection process, I've moved it to General.

Feel free to continue discussing it there.

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do=post_view&post=3473963

If there are still more items to discuss about the selection process itself, please feel free to start another thread here.

Blues,
Ian

Performance Designs Factory Team