Date: Mon, 31 May 1999 09:59:41 -0500
Subject: Yippee! Great New Videos!
From: "Bruce Walden" <walden@idirect.com>
To: balloondeco@balloonhq.com

Finally! After many months of editing, volumes 9 - 12 in Bruce Walden's 
Balloon School Video Collection have now been shipped to all the major
balloon distributors, so you can place orders with your distributor now. I'd
like to thank all the people who waited patiently for the new tapes... I
promise they are truly worth the wait.

All of the new high quality digitally-mastered videos feature me working
with expert guest artists. Here's an overview of what's covered...


Tapes 9 & 10 feature great twister and teacher Jody Braxton:
#9 FIGURE TYING - PART A (82 minutes)
Features step-by-step 260 & 350 vending and decorating projects.
Specifically, it covers basic inflation, tying, and twisting techniques,
then moves into simple sculptures (weenie dog, arrows, dancing teddy bear,
cat, a variety of flowers and baskets, swords, braided hearts, Jody's mace,
fish, popular hats, and toys). Part A finishes with some intermediate
sculptures suitable for decor (lobster, a cool new spaceship, a variety of
figure tying garland techniques, plus both small and large palm trees).

#10 FIGURE TYING - PART B (87 minutes)
Continues with larger and more advanced sculptures.
It details the creation of many "cartoon" characters (Dalmatian, duck,
yellow bird, bunny), Halloween (spider in web) and Christmas sculptures
(Rudolph, adorable penguin family, Christmas tree, wreath & candles). It
also covers balloon weaving basics (2 different top hats) and finishes with
our working marionette that was recently featured in Balloon Magic magazine.
Together, these two videos provide a comprehensive figure tying foundation.


Tapes 11 & 12 uncover the amazing secrets behind Jim & Pat Skistimas' work:
#11 BALLOON PEOPLE (111 minutes)
I learned a ton making this tape! Jim shares his unique techniques for
making life-like creations from sculpted Styrofoam, scored foam board, spray
paints and, of course, balloons. This video shows the most advanced balloon
distortion techniques in our industry up close - including Jim's "platform"
distortion for facial features, and his cool "feather" technique used in
many of their award-winning pieces. The former professional illustrator also
teaches great fundamental principles of character proportion and design.

#12 BALLOONS ON PARADE (80 minutes)
This is probably the best tape in the entire series so far. It shows "behind
the scenes" preparations for an entire "Rose Bowl" type holiday parade - but
made of balloon floats! The making of 15 giant moving sculptures debuts some
innovative techniques - including balloons inside fabric (way cool!), novel
animation ideas, and the creation of huge complex frameworks. Plus, the tape
has interviews with both Jim & Pat on their rolls in the production, and fun
"music video" type footage of the parade day. Don't miss it!


As you can likely tell, Iım really proud of these new videos.
Additional tapes are planned for release later this year (possibly by late
autumn). These include a new video featuring Marloes (Maria) Bakker
(remember her 260Q woman walking the fish?), more with Jim & Pat Skistimas
(theme parties), plus new wedding centerpiece and reception decor videos
with Gill McGregor, Sherry Potempa.... and me!

Again, to place an order just call your balloon distributor. They set their
own rates, but most sell the tapes at the same price as the original 8 in
the series - typically $39.95 (US) for single tapes, and $139.95 (US) for
the 4 video set. If you have any questions on the Balloon School series,
feel free to call (1-800-268-7084) or e-mail me (walden@idirect.com).

Thanks again Balloon HQ, for allowing me to get this exciting info out to
the balloon community! You guys rock!


Bruce Walden