One of the things that Clover cares very much about is information on rope bottoming. This has led to the creation of The Rope Bottom Guide inspired originally for models and those new to rope to give them some reliable information to help keep them safe when starting out with rope bondage. This has been updated over the last few years and is available in multiple languages.
Hope you enjoy these. Not being 100% serious... maybe ;) Event Rules General Behaviour Deal respectfully with all other attendees. If in doubt see point 1. I don’t really have a point 3 as this is an event for adults and I don’t expect to have to specify how to behave with other adults any more than I should have to specify a no nuclear explosions policy. For any other issues see points 1 and 2. Play evenings Respect people’s play space and don’t enter into or infringe upon anyone’s scene. Don’t do stupidly loud things next to people’s quiet scenes. Don’t be a dick in any other way, even if it’s not mentioned here! Point 3 again only in a louder voice!
This was an unexpected little trip for us but a really nice one. We were asked to perform in Paris with Naka Akira in Paris. We live 15 minutes from an Airport but in usual style appropriate flights to Paris weren't available so we first had to drive to Birmingham to catch a flight to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport.
Earlier this year* I had an amazing experience working on a new film. This full length feature thriller features shibari rope bondage. It was my great pleasure to be able to supply this for the movie. Significantly this is the first British 'main stream' movie to feature rope bondage in this way and it was a great honour to be the person providing it. I hope I did a good job. So to the story... A home invasion irrevocably changes the lives of all involved in ways neither victims nor perpetrator could have imagined. No, I'm not going to give away anything that happens in the film beyond what's in the trailer anyway. You'll just have to watch it and see. Exciting stuff there and it was an exciting project to be involved with. It was an amazing experience being involved in a project like this and to work with so many wonderful people. Looking back on this it's amazing how much my bondage has changed in the last 3 years. I would (at the time of writing) have tied very differently now. I've also got a lot more experience of tying in this context. Believe me you learn all sorts of considerations about continuity. Speaking of continuity can you spot the one shot where I changed a tie between takes? It was also quite an experience to work with a large crew of people. There's a lot going on on a film set and many people are working very hard (and very quietly) to make something like this come together.
Rope isn’t safe, especially not suspension. However having said that there are degrees of risk so it doesn’t mean that we should accept injuries as a matter of course, they should be few and far between. I'm always worried when people shrug off injuries to models with an ‘oh well, these things happen’. As above this depends on context, yes you're taking a risk so once in a while maybe but... When there are repeated injuries which shouldn't be occurring it’s time to ask yourself some serious questions.
Anticipation Well there was a bunch of things to look forward to. Number one was learning that a photographic hero and inspiration, Norio Sugiura would be there! Getting nervous about meeting him. Being so pleased to meet him and having the chance to get a print in person. (It's strange looking back on this years later and thinking how much more we've seen him, what an extraordinary person he is and what a great artist he is. What we've learned over the years only makes us appreciate him more!) Takeshi Nagaike san's good humour, charm and old school tying style. It was very much a pleasure to meet him. If you see his work it's not like the shibari you might imagine it to be. Getting to go to the Andersen Japanese gardens for the first time was a great treat, our thanks to Jimmy Tato for taking us. We picked up some nice hashi before leaving. Also visiting the Asian market on the way back to the hotel I got an Agatsuma CD I didn't have. Saki Kamijoo And Wykd Dave In Nekomimi Ears In The Bar At Shibaricon 2012 Saki Kamijoo san was just so infectiously fun and instantly fitting into the mind as one of those people that you're just always glad to see. We've seen her many times since and I well remember getting drunk in the bar with her late one night. We had some time with Milla Reika and discovering the sweet, un-egotistical, enthusiastic and grounded person behind the mistress image. People are often not what you might imagine. Iambic9 is one of the most unassumingly nice and generous people I can think of, we've been glad [...]
This was one of our very first bondage shoots and I have to say what a pleasure it was. New to shoots though we were I think we got some good stuff here. Okissakki was great to work with and Clover captured her so well. I think this was only the second shoot we had done in our new 'studio' so getting used to things a lot.
For many people it's a nerve-wracking step going out into the community especially to the myriad of events, workshops, munches and parties. This is especially because of uncertainty about what to expect and how to behave. Also how should they react to how other people behave? Here are a few things you should always be able to expect no matter what the event.
I've been asked a lot of times if Ichinawa is right for the one rope technique I teach or if it should be Ipponnawa. So rather then keep explaining it I'm going to write out my answer here and point people at it in future.
Hard on the heels of Shibaricon it was quite something to be doing two days teaching. I really hope that people got something from the classes. I really want the classes that I do to change people's bondage for the better. If I gave you guys something useful then I'm good with that. I love that feeling when people in the room are really starting to get things together and clicking with the point of the class. Especially those classes where the main focus is on connection.
