The Cairo Crack from 3/17/17 to 3/26/17

[Ron May]

Today's practice was a step back kind of day.
A lot more "poofs" than cracks.
But even that is progress.

Ron

[Russell Jones]

It looks quite simple, but is in fact another exercise in muscle memory!
Luckily that never gets old!

[Robert Gage]

I may be quite wrong, but I though that the Cairo Crack (or Cairo Flash) was composed of three cracks, thus https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbMg2hnYLB4. But I've just checked out the scene in Raiders, and I'm afraid I find it hard to see anything coherent about that Indy does there....

[Russell Jones]

I agree with you Robert.

I have the clip here from the scene of Raiders https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8F623GSfNU
The Cairo Crack starts at about 0:46. I put it in the comments too.
It looks as though he does two Cairo Cracks to me.
The second one he also doesn't bring the whip up from the front, he brings it over from behind him, so I think perhaps he would have been lucky to get a crack at all judging by the way he throws it. Probably the sound of the crack was put in later.
I'm just going by the original post Ron put up of Adam Winrich as the base.
It's quite smooth and more refined than the one from the movie.

[Robert Gage]

Probably the sound of the crack was put in later.

Russell, I strongly suspect you're right.

And I also think it's the fans who've invented the so-called Cairo Crack. I'd be very surprised if Harrison Ford wasn't just slashing about! Call me cynical....

[Russell Jones]

I should have said that I believe the only whip-crack that we are focusing on in this challenge is the variation of the circus crack where you bring it up and instead of bringing the whip down you throw it out in front then bring the whip around and behind you.
However I couldn't resist having a go myself!

[Russell Jones]

And I also think it's the fans who've invented the so-called Cairo Crack. I'd be very surprised if Harrison Ford wasn't just slashing about! Call me cynical....

Yes I think that is definitely the case for the "Cairo Flash"

[Russell Jones]

Today's practice was a step back kind of day.
A lot more "poofs" than cracks.
But even that is progress.

Ron

I'm not trying to assume anything from your technique Ron, but I also encountered a similar issue.

I found that more conciously trying to form the loop is quite key.
I experimented a bit with the wrist movement in particular after you bring the whip up in front. As you are about to throw it out I tried a more concious flick forward with my wrist rather than my arm and found this helped produce a more pronounced crack.
I'm not 100% sure if this is the correct technique but it produced a better result to be sure.

[Russell Jones]

Still too much muscle in the initial stages, but I took this clip after yesterday. (Day 3)
After forgetting about what I had seen in the movie and concentrating purely on the technique of the whip-crack I think I'm begining to get somewhere...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWB89sf ... wa&index=1

[Russell Jones]

If I get this whip-crack to a satisfactory level I might venture donning the fedora and busting out my freshly repaired C&C "Temple of Doom" Whip for the final video because why not? :P

[Robert Gage]

Why not, indeed, Russell? Go for it!

[Ron May]

That's looking better Russel.
Yeah, the answer hell yeah.... Doom whip.

Ron

[Russell Jones]

You only live once, and it's all good fun init

[Robert Gage]

My view exactly Russell!

[Ron May]

If you have the ability, you could play the theme in the back ground.

Ron

[Ron May]

I did 10 min. this afternoon and it's reached a plateau.
It seems like it's more of a circus crack flick, with a wrist roll.
It will smooth out.

Ron

[Russell Jones]

If you have the ability, you could play the theme in the back ground.

Ron

Haha I have the Cairo scene music.... I might get a copyright breach but i'll give it a go...

Should be a good laugh and fun to make too!

[Russell Jones]

I did 10 min. this afternoon and it's reached a plateau.
It seems like it's more of a circus crack flick, with a wrist roll.
It will smooth out.

Ron

Yes that's how it feels to me too, at least from how Adam performs the Cairo Crack in his clip.

Nice work Ron I look forward to seeing another video

[Russell Jones]

Sorry, Just had a closer look at the Raiders clip again wondering if maybe the second crack he does is some sort of Overhand flick? Could be wrong though. Most clips I have seen of the overhand flick are very graceful by comparison to the one Indy does.

[Robert Gage]

... maybe the second crack he does is some sort of Overhand flick? ... Most clips I have seen of the overhand flick are very graceful by comparison to the one Indy does.

Russell, the more I think about this, the more sure I feel that he doesn't actually have a clue what he's doing! He's just whacking about with the whip - and I imagine Spielberg saying, 'That looks great!'