Unsolicited advice for Cora's dad.

I enjoy watching the Cora videos with my 8 year old daughter, but as a professional photographer, I have some advice. (Excuse me for not minding my own business)

First, kill the music in the videos. While all your viewers are united in their love of BJJ, the music is a divider. I like hip hop, he likes rock, she likes metal, etc. Just run the ambient sound.

Second, and far more important, ask yourself what is the purpose of the next video? You've already established that she is good at BJJ, another video making that same statement does you no real good. Now is the time to develop her as a personality. Have the videos serve as a blog/diary of her life or her training. Have her introduce the videos and tells what was going on in her head and how she feels about the matches. We know what Cora is - a BJJ practitioner, but we don't know WHO she is.

Developing her as a personality on film will open the door for endorsements. Or maybe she's so charming on camera that Eddie features her on a 10th Planet kids DVD. And if she isn't good on camera now, maybe after 6 months of talking on camera, she WILL be. I picture something similar to what Ryon Gracie did in this video

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nAMwCX6hf7M&feature=plcp

Anyway, that's my unsolicited advice...for what it is worth.

Awesome advice. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAMwCX6hf7M&feature=plcp

Link posted was for mobile thought i would just embed it for you.

The music doesn't bother me at all but I like the Idea of getting Cora's own personality shown. I'm sure it will help open doors for her in the future! also a life blog would be so cool for her when she's all grown up and can look back at how she made it!

Good advice.

Ric: brother you bring tears to my eyes...:) Thank you for caring this much for my little girl. I'm always open for any advice as always. And yes I have been thinking something along this line. But your idea is on the money. With over some 43,000 hits, people can only see the Jiu Jitsu side of her, but they don't really know who she is. Cora is so much more than Jiu Jitsu and I will show yall this. Just say that she has the personality that will fit this site for sure...crazy funny is how I would describe her.... thank you again brother.

Awesome thread!

Cora is an amazing person and she is soo young! Showing her personality in Rics way will also set an example to other kids striving to do what they love. We need more kids like Cora in the world. Kids with morals, values, manners, and work ethic. Cora is a prime example of this. There are literally 12 year old kids in my town either pregnant or already in the judicial system. Just the other day a 15 year old firend of mine with a kid on the way robbed a store at gun point. So people like Cora will help set a better example. But keep the videos coming! Looking forward to em:cool:

Rics work for marcello is amazing.

Ric's ideais great, especially for developing sponsors. Cora has the ability to compete on a bigger stagehand getting financial help I'm sure would be great. Females in jiu jitsu is rare so allowing people to get to know her and especially why she enjoys training and competing would be great for not only her but motivating other young girls. I'm not sure if NAGA comes by you but if they do you should look into if they are still working on a reality show. Prior to one event they were seeking children who would be willing to allow cameras to follow them prior to a NAGA to document their training. If they are still doing that, Cora would be perfect for it!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Cora Sek

Ric: brother you bring tears to my eyes...:) Thank you for caring this much for my little girl. I'm always open for any advice as always. And yes I have been thinking something along this line. But your idea is on the money. With over some 43,000 hits, people can only see the Jiu Jitsu side of her, but they don't really know who she is. Cora is so much more than Jiu Jitsu and I will show yall this. Just say that she has the personality that will fit this site for sure...crazy funny is how I would describe her.... thank you again brother.

---

Thanks for "getting it". I was hesitating to post that, but I was sitting there on my ipad at like 2am last night and I was like, "what the hell." Glad what I was saying made sense. Looking forward to your next video!

In the meantime, for no reason at all, here's my 8 year old daughter a few months back doing her Gracie Bullyproof techniques:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPC0yJEpupY

Ric, very nice advice and perfectly put.

Ric: your daughter is so cute...:) Cora was watching your video with me. She agree to do it. So tomorrow will be the start of our new adventure. She has a tournament in Dallas on Sat. So stay tune for the vids...:) THanks again buddy.

Not gonna lie, this thread is mad heart warming. Ric your daughter is adorable. I have a little girl who looks a lot like her. You may have convinced me to get the bulletproof DVDs.

Ttt for Cora's personality!! :)

"Ttt"??? ok I really don't know what that is.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Cora Sek

"Ttt"??? ok I really don't know what that is.

---

to the top ;)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ric

Thanks for "getting it". I was hesitating to post that, but I was sitting there on my ipad at like 2am last night and I was like, "what the hell." Glad what I was saying made sense. Looking forward to your next video!

In the meantime, for no reason at all, here's my 8 year old daughter a few months back doing her Gracie Bullyproof techniques:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPC0yJEpupY

---

Hey, were you the one photographing the afternoon class at Marcelo's a couple weeks ago? On a thursday I believe.

Great post Ric, you seem to have a real pet hatred of music over videos though. Music brings people together!

I always put music over our videos, dont you think its one of the many beauties of music- being introduced to a song, style or whole musical movement in an unlikely place? Its certainly how I have forged my own personal taste in music, by accidentally being made to pay attention to key songs that lead to an expanding appreciation of something new to my ears. If no one took the chance to put those songs where I heard them then they would never have been allowed to enhance my life.
I think most people will give whatever is playing a chance provided its not from an exceptionally extreme end of a musical genre.

And if they really dont like the music its not exactly a big deal since were talking youtube, to mute then play your own choice of music while watching the visuals, I do that quite often when watching random grappling matches if there's no soundtrack. I guess it depends how open minded the listener/viewer is. I cant imagine many people opening a grappling video intending to watch the whole thing then closing it after 4 seconds because it has a Niki Minaj song playing over it. More likely they will just turn it down or hit mute and play something else.

What a great thread. You two are so lucky. I can't get my daughter interested in jits for anything! I would love to share this part of my life with her. Enjoy and cherish every second you get to do this with your kid.

Let's hope she has a better personality than Brian Debes. :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Louis Ho

Let's hope she has a better personality than Brian Debes. :)

---

Ive never met her and I'm sure of it! Haha. I hear she's the next avatar?

Louis: LOL you are funny bro...LOL you know, Cora been watching you wearing your green belt while rolling with Master Eddie and everytime she put on her belt, she always say "Louis street ho"....LOL kills me...LOL

Chris Garry: You are on the money with the music thing. That is how I take it also. I figure if someone doesn't like it, they can just mute the sound. The reason why I put those songs on there is because they are some of Cora's favorite songs. ANd of course this is still her videos. She has a list of songs from itunes that I can use. Other than that, I have no say in the song choice...:) Besides JJ, her other love is music. She loves to sing, to anything.

Awesome. I hope my daughter loves jiu jitsu as much as yours!

Such great responses in this thread...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ric

I enjoy watching the Cora videos with my 8 year old daughter, but as a professional photographer, I have some advice. (Excuse me for not minding my own business)

First, kill the music in the videos. While all your viewers are united in their love of BJJ, the music is a divider. I like hip hop, he likes rock, she likes metal, etc. Just run the ambient sound.

Second, and far more important, ask yourself what is the purpose of the next video? You've already established that she is good at BJJ, another video making that same statement does you no real good. Now is the time to develop her as a personality. Have the videos serve as a blog/diary of her life or her training. Have her introduce the videos and tells what was going on in her head and how she feels about the matches. We know what Cora is - a BJJ practitioner, but we don't know WHO she is.

Developing her as a personality on film will open the door for endorsements. Or maybe she's so charming on camera that Eddie features her on a 10th Planet kids DVD. And if she isn't good on camera now, maybe after 6 months of talking on camera, she WILL be. I picture something similar to what Ryon Gracie did in this video

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nAMwCX6hf7M&feature=plcp

Anyway, that's my unsolicited advice...for what it is worth.

---

@ Ric Im gonna use this advice for my own self help . awesome advice , but more importantly its the way you delivered your advice is so attaching , and very encouraging bro,.... again many thanks for this advice Ric....for all of us period.