Bending Steel

A sorta random post not about Olive, me, boobs, or anything else mommy related I usually blab about.

A friend of mine shot and co-produced a documentary called "Bending Steel." I've attached some of their info and a video since we all know how well I explain things....

Bending Steel is a feature length documentary produced by Dave Carroll and Ryan Scafuro of Sixkiller NYC, which follows Chris Schoeck, a Queens, New York native who is training to become a professional olde-time strongman. What is an olde-time strongman you ask?  Well, in the late 1800's and early 1900's these performers wowed audiences across the country with amazing feats of strength such as breaking horseshoes with their bare hands, holding back planes from taking off with their hair (yes, seriously), and biting nails in half . Every major city had a strongman or three to entertain the masses, but their time was fleeting.  As the vaudeville era faded, so did the strongmen. Now, in 2011, there exists a small community of men who are dedicated to keeping this rare art form alive.  With help from his trainer Chris Rider, who is one of the strongest men in the world, Chris Schoeck attempts to initiate himself in to the strongman community and find his place amongst the legends.
We first met the unlikely pair in January of 2011. The two men expressed their desire to put on a historic show on New York City's famous Coney Island, where strongmen such as the Mighty Atom once performed nearly a century ago.

Here's the catch:
Schoeck has never performed in public. Ever.
We follow him as he struggles through training to surpass self imposed limitations and excel in to the unknown heights of mental and physical strength. We witness intimate moments as he battles his own fears and insecurities that he believes have held him back since childhood. He claims to have never felt the need for human interaction.  He claims to have never felt the need for social acceptance.  These become revelations that will shape his future.
Through this journey we have met some amazing and unique characters, all of which make this an endearing, humorous, and inspiring story.  This is the story of Chris Schoeck, a man attempting to find his place in the world through the unique activity of bending steel.  It is the story of the strongman community, a group of men dedicated to keeping a lost art alive.  It is the story of the search for fulfillment, which always seems just out of reach...

See they did a much better job of telling you all about it. There is a ton of info on the site here and a way to donate here. Even by liking it on your facebook you can spread the word. I know there are a billion causes out there and some are more important and life or death than others but I believe we have to support the arts and self expression just as much as the next thing. If anything watch the video, they did an amazing job and I hope they can get the funds they need.