Video Concept: Airstream polished by girls in bikinis

[Gypset]

Hi I'm Lauren, I sing and play percussion in a band and we just purchased a '59 26' Overlander that we are making into our mobile recording studio and touring setup.

We will be documenting the whole project of setting up the airstream through blogs and videos and we have a concept for a music video involving a time lapse of the airstream being polished by sexy girls in bikinis!

We're looking for advice and creative ideas from the airstream community for the best way to pull this off. We will be picking up the airstream in Florida and will probably bring it to Key West where the weather is nice and we have a lot of girlfriends who can help us out (and where there are a lot of adventurous spring breakers haha) While the video will be inherently sexy it will need to be tastefully done too, fun not raunchy.

Please give your feedback about the technical side of making an interesting time lapse of the polishing process. How long will it take to get a mirror finish? How many girls? Can the polishing be done in one direction?

We would also want to do the time lapse for the stripping and polishing the aluminum Land Rover Defender that will be towing the airstream! Below is a pic of the combo.

Creativity welcome! No idea is too impractical to explore! Thanks,
Lauren
Dan Bailey Tribe

[NJtoNC]

This is actually going to be hilarious. i am going to laugh my a** off watching it. You have obviously never polished a trailer before. *

Hours? Calculate 8 hr per linear ft. 184 hrs. FUN RIGHT?! how many girls you got? how many orbital polishers and cyclos you got?

what does the interior look like? Is it original? Please consider offering interior components to folks here who are restoring trailers during your conversion. there are a few threads on folks who have don the mobile recording studio thing before you.

*i don't mean to be mean, but, this is not a ... clean... process. you will not only ruin every bikini you wear, but you will be BLACK at the end of the day for DAYS on end. polishing sucks. that trailer has a beautiful patina as it is. i KNOW the appeal of a shiny trailer - i have one. and would not do it again if i dont have to and my husband did most of the work!) It's a B*$ch to maintain - you'll have to do it every year.

Besides, how do you plan on monetizing this effort of girls polishing? A publicity stunt for the band?

- lauren

[goshawks00]

I don't know, but them will be some black beauties when they're done..

[Melody Ranch]

Man, I love the idea....but, this will end up like aluminum mud wrestling. Polishing is the dirtiest job ever.

[reinergirl]

I suppose if they greased themselves up first it might come off easier?
Hope none of them are blonde, cause they won't be when they are finished!

[4RXLA]

That 59 would look better restored than converted but it is a free country.

[wheelerimage]

Your band sounds great!

I've been polishing this week. Its true that polishing is a dirty job, so will definitely watch your polishing video cuz I love dirty girls.

[Gypset]

This is my first time polishing a trailer so that's why I'm coming to you guys!

Hmm I didn't consider the dirtiness level but I think it could only add to the visual effect to have one shiny trailer and a bunch of dirty girls at the end

Yes we are independently funding this as part of a music video project. Why not make hard dirty work a fun investment? We don't have a crazy budget but we have really cool girls who are down to get dirty for the cause (and we'll pay them for their time too).

How do you think is the best way to make this work? Keeping in mind that it just has to look good in camera, I'm sure there will be a lot of work behind the scenes. For example only one side will be facing the camera so this stunt can just be for one side. The girls don't even have to do the all of the polishing as long as we can make it look good in the time lapse.

I'll have to do some math but is the 8 hrs/linear foot a standard estimate?

Some of you may think this is a joke but I don't see why it can't be pulled off...if a trailer has to be polished at least it can be done in a fun sexy way!

Lauren

[Gypset]

Oh and the trailer was already gutted when we bought it, new floors and paint, we'll add some sound insulation/treatment.

[casa3805]

Hi Lauren,
I recommed you search the forums under the heading of exterior restoration. I see 22 pages of threads on the subject of cleaning and polishing. Learn all you can before you embark on this adventure. I think, in concept, it is a cool idea. But the realities of polishing may mean the bikini part is a total stage for the real work. Good luck!

[Stefrobrts]

I don't think you're comprehending just how dirty this work is. I'm talking dirt, dust, gritty polish, and black aluminum which will get everywhere and not easily wash off. Not to mention the equipment is heavy, requires several passes, and some of the chemicals used in prep are toxic. This is a really dirty, stinky, messy job.

[Protohyp]

I'm not sure but in line with the "You might be an Extreme Airstream Owner if...."post some people might not notice the girls in bikinis if a true vintage '59 is on the screen and some might want the girls to be removed from the video because they'd me in the way of all the details of the Overlander. Not me though...if you want to borrow my airstream for casting purposes I'd be more than happy to send you some California girls....

[Melody Ranch]

I have a great vision of a scene like the car wash in "Cool Hand Luke." I'm hoping. Do you need a tech rep?

[SAS]

May I ask what year is that Defender? It does not look like a 25 year plus model and therefore not allowed to drive on US roads.

[Gypset]

The Defender is a 1988 so it's the newest that can be imported to the US. 5 door 110 right hand drive 200TDI diesel. We just checked her out from Skytop Rover in Philly and she's being delivered this week!

She's been maintained great, super clean underneath. The interior is funky and needs some cosmetic work. The exterior has been painted once and looks good in the pics but when you get close you can see it's a little funky too. We weren't really looking for one with a nice paint job but she had been well loved both inside and out and we new she was the one.

Land Rover + Overlander = Rover Lander!

[SAS]

Congrats. The defender is a great towing vehicle if comfort is not a priority. I had one and loved it despite all the headaches it gave me.

Good luck with your project. It sounds like fun.

[NJtoNC]

Land Rover + Overlander = Rover Lander!

OR
Land Rover + Overlander = LandLander.

or

Land Rover + Overlander = RoverOver.

On edit:
I thought MTV doesn't even play music videos anymore. I really don't understand the point of a music video in 2013.

Furthermore, bikinis just seems so passe.. isn't the sexualization of anything and everything such a 90's thing? Why not something with more character or creativity.put the band in mechanic's jumpsuits or something...

Shouldn't your music be able to stand on it's own without needing to 'sell it' with womens' bodies? I know this sounds feminist, and I am really not ... but selling your music with sex just seems so... cliche. unoriginal. boring. done already.

if you are CREATIVE, and interesting, and different.. which any indie band should be... why not have your video reflect that?

[wheelerimage]

I think your idea of a time laps video is really cool! I would like to see it with, or without bikini girls.

I will try to help you here with a few methods that might work for you.

1. The Caswells wheels. Read about it here
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f36/...ml#post1076438
I just bought a Harbor Freight polisher for $45. Its cheaper, lighter and works fine.
The brown bar and sewn wheel will take off heavy oxidation. Wear face protection to avoid eye injury and breathing aluminum dust.

Don't go too far with the brown bar. it can remove the shiny anodized layer of aluminum. Your trailer is pretty old. So it may be heavily oxidized. This method might be easiest to cut through heavy oxidation.

2. Nuvite from perfectpolish.com.
you will need to buy both a grinder for compounding and then a cyclo polisher to get out swirl marks. It is a good way to go as well. Some people start with the Caswell bars then use Nuvite fine grade polish with the cyclo polisher to take it to a mirror shine.

3. I used Truck Box Polish from Lowe's on my first trailer. Some might consider this heresy, but here are the tradeoffs. I applied it with w Mothers Power ball on my cordless drill. I used this because I was out of money after my restoration and it was inexpensive and fairly easy. Here are the trade offs

The good,
You dont have to buy new tools. Therefore its less expensive, gives a nice shine. Doesn't create swirl marks to be polished out with a Cyclo polisher. I thought it was pretty quick and easy. It also didn't put black aluminum dust in the air for me to breathe. No black face. I didn't look like Al Jolson when I was done. This might work well for your polishing party. I just polished and wiped off with mineral spirits on Viva paper towels. Buy a bottle for $13 at Lowes and try it on a small section to see what you think. You can just rub it on by hand with an old sweat shirt to test.
The negative.
It does not compound the Aluminum. It won't heal out pit marks etc. You won't get the true mirror shine that the nuvite will give. Hope this helps.

I would love to see your band play someday

[Gypset]

Thanks Wheelerimage, I will research your suggestions!

Yes MTV is over. Music videos are for YouTube now which is a huge way that bands break these days. Music labels just want to see that you have a million views on YouTube before they'll invest anything into new music. The concept is to make a fun video that will get a lot of attention.

Also the sexuality in what we do comes from breaking stereotypes and cliches, not following them. For example, in our band we have 2 girl drummers (Carolina on drum set and I play African drums). As the "Chicks on Sticks" we are empowering to other girls who always comment that they love to see girls rocking it and holding their own with the boys. And the boys don't seem to mind either . So having girls get down and dirty with "man work" on trucks and trailers is in line with our character and shows that girls can do anything a guy can do. And if we can be sexy while we do it more power to us! It's a little different than a band of dudes saying "let's get a bunch of hot chicks to make a music video!" Our girls are an important part of our Tribe and many of them are also performers, hula hoop and fire dancers and drummers with us as well.

[Gypset]

Overlander + Land Rover = OverLandRover