Britney Henry Video at Mt SAC Relays 2010

MT SAC Relays 2010 from Andrei Booriakin on Vimeo.

Watch Britney Henry, the Hammer, compete against the best athletes in the world at the 2010 Mt. SAC Relays.

The Mount San Antonio College Relays 2010 is an international, invitational Track and Field meet held at the beginning of the Track and Field competition season each year, in Walnut California.

The Elite Athletes, fresh out of winter training, see this competition as their first chance to test new techniques and to see how they measure up against each other.

The 2010 Women's Hammer throw featured the best hammer throwers throughout the America's and Canada for their International Distance Carnival. Watch Olympic Hopeful, Britney Henry compete against the most experienced and highly ranked athletes in the field.

Representing the United States of America are Erin Gilreath (American Record Holder), Amber Campbell (USA National Champion), Loree Smith (Bejing Olympics 2008) and Britney Henry (rising star) vs international athletes Sultana Frizell (Canadian National Champion) and Eva Orban of Hungary.

 About the Video >>

The Britney Henry Project photographers and film makers were granted Press Credentials to cover the Mt SAC Relays and to film Elite Athlete Britney Henry in competition. We created this video to promote Britney Henry and her dream of becoming an Olympian in 2012

Film maker Andrei Booriakin filmed and edited "Mt SAC Relays 2010" as his first installment of a high definition video series for The Britney Henry Project.  This video was filmed with a Canon 5D MK2,  and Canon 7D and edited on an 8 core Mac Pro with Final Cut Pro, Motion and other software. Andrei currently works as the Senior Manager, Art Development at Sony Computer Entertainment America.

Mark Matcho, illustrator and musician extraordinaire, wrote, performed and produced the original score for this video, entitled Mountain III. His private recording studio is located deep in a cave somewhere in Pasadena, California.

See More >>

American Woman Video by Andrei Booriakin and Graham Smith. A rocking 30 music video featuring Britney Henry throwing the hammer.

Behind the scenes photos by photographer Teresa Heath document the day in the most beautiful way.

Mt. SAC Relays photos and portraits of the Elite Athletes by Graham Smith, can be seen here.

Read Britney's account of the day on her blog Olympian in Progress.

Mt SAC Relays 2010. Copyright © 2010 The Britney Henry Project. All Rights Reserved.

Britney Henry the Rising Star

For Immediate Release. Written by Steve Corman, Graham Smith. Photo by Brent Haywood. Questions? Contact: Graham Smith. Phone: (619) 229-8746 The Britney Henry Project

San Diego, CA – 2010 is Britney Henry's breakout year. Dedication and persistence earned her place as the # 2 Women's Hammer Thrower in the U.S.A, and 14th in the world, according to the IAAF Top Rank List.

Britney Henry throws the hammer 5 meters farther now than in the beginning of the 2010 season. Her eyes are firmly set on making the American team for the 2012 Summer Olympics, especially after a few first place finishes and throwing a 71.27 meter, personal record, at the Tucson Elite, earlier this year.

“I work out six days a week at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista,” Henry explains, adding, "And during the summer, I either travel all over, competing in Track and Field Meets, work with the Padre's, or hang out with family."

Britney's success continued into the virtual world as well. This spring, The Britney Henry Project Blog was a 2010 Influence SD "Blog of the Year" finalist. Britney Henry was interviewed on the red carpet while enjoying the gala awards ceremony with her friends, and grandmother, Britney's biggest supporter.

The USA Track and Field Foundation became a supporter this year, awarding Britney Henry a very generous Elite Athlete Grant.

BIOGRAPHY & QUOTES

• Britney Henry was born in Anchorage, Alaska and grew up in San Diego, where she went to grammar school until 3rd grade, eventually attending Lewis & Clark High School in Spokane, Washington.

• “I was a pretty good athlete and enjoyed softball most of all,” she explains. “I played catcher for a number of years and loved being involved with every pitch. Later, I discovered track."

• Britney broke the Washington state record with a hammer throw of 166 feet her senior year of high school.

• Southeast Louisiana State University, immediately offered her a scholarship. She accepted.

• "During that year I improved my throws to 205 feet,” Britney says, who moved to Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge her sophomore year.

• “Before I knew it, I was recruited by the University of Oregon", a perennial track and field powerhouse, "My coach there was Lance Deal, the men’s silver medalist in the men’s hammer throw at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia”.

• Britney was a standout at University of Oregon, winning the Pac 10 Conference title in 2007 and finishing 5th in the NCAA Championship meet, held at Stanford. She was an NCAA All-American that year and her throws began regularly surpassing 220 feet.

• “Britney is one of the most determined and tenacious young athletes I’ve ever worked with. It’s a pleasure to see her drive and desire,” Coach Lance Deal explains.

• She also works with her former Olympic Training Center coach, Dan Pfaff, who now lives in England. He currently writes her workouts, communicating regularly by e-mail.

• Britney graduated from University of Oregon in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science degree in sociology and a minor in business.

• Britney works part-time in ticket sales and community outreach for the San Diego Padres baseball team.

• “I’ve been extremely fortunate to work with such a great organization. I hope to mentor young women interested in doing what I’ve done. It’s always great to give back,” she adds.

• "I love to throw far and win. It’s what I try to do each time I go out and compete,” she concludes.

2010 Track and Field Season

• USA Nationals 69.57

• California Relays 70.23 (meters)


• Tucson Elite 71.27


• Tucson Elite 68.15


• Oregon Twilight 65.13


• Drake Relays 65.30


• Mt. SAC 69.51


• Texas Relays 67.96


• Oregon Preview 66.11

• 
  

IAAF Top List Ranking

Britney Henry:
World #14
USA # 2

Marketing

Britney Henry is active in her own promotion, is a frequent blogger. She works together with The Britney Henry Project, the A list creative group creating promotional materials for Britney. An Emmy Award winning writer, an illustrator, platinum record selling musician, award winning photographers, a web marketer and film maker all donate their crafts in support of Britney's goal. The Olympics in 2012.

The Britney Henry Project creates the look of Britney's brand, creates blogs, photos, videos and promotes her efforts online through her social media network, on Twitter, her Facebook fan page, Vimeo, Youtube, web-a-zine on Issuu, and through 2 blogs, Olympian in Progress and The Britney Henry Project.

Teaser Video: released online early this year on Vimeo, YouTube and Facebook. The 30 second, high-definition music video, featuring Britney Henry throwing hammer at the Olympic Training Center, was shot utilizing cutting edge Canon DSLR cameras and edited on a Mac Pro by Andrei Borriakin, Art Director at Sony Online Entertainment. The video is set to a driving rock remix of "American Woman" by Lenny Kravitz.

The Mt. SAC Relays 2010 Video: Currently in production. 3:15 minute high-definition music video, featuring Britney Henry competing against the best international hammer throwers from Mexico, Canada and the USA. Original score by Mark Matcho, the platinum record selling, original bassist of White Zombie.

The Britney Henry Project Blog: 2010 Influence SD "Blog of the Year" Finalist.

Photography: Britney has done 3 major photo shoots this year: Olympic Training Center, MT San Antonio College Relays, and a studio session with Brent Haywood. The Britney Henry Project maintains a large library of hi re images for use in her promotion.

Olympian in Progress: Britney shares her personal experience training and competing at the elite level on her blog, Olympian in Progress.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/hammerlover

Facebook

517 fans and growing daily.

Sponsorships

USATFF Elite Athlete Grant
The Britney Henry Project

Britney Henry is currently seeking additional sponsors. Please contact Dawn Vitale for sponsorship information.

Be sure to check out Britney's Facebook Fan Page and Twitter.

Behind the Scenes @ the Mt SAC Relays

How hard can it be to follow someone around with your camera? That was my task last month at the Mt. SAC Relays. I was invited by The Britney Henry Project to document Britney Henry throwing the hammer at this international competition. All I had to do was photograph her day. It was tougher than I thought it would be.

First off, it was sunny and hazy which made for a really bright sky and ground, not the most ideal light to shoot in. Then there are all the specifics with shooting sports photography, like fast shutter speed to freeze motion, positioning yourself properly for the action (which includes staying out of the way of fans and out of harms way), and plain ol' luck to get "the shot". All the above factored in to make for a challenging shoot for me.

The hardest part was worrying about Britney's personal space. When someone is in the midst of getting their game face on, you don't want to break that focus by being a nuisance. I think some of the more engaging shots would have been when she was mentally preparing herself for her throws. But, I was too timid to get in her space to capture them. I shoot with a 24-70mm lens which requires that I'm up in your face; and I wasn't comfortable with that. I would have preferred a longer lens. But, hey! No new toys until I get a little better!

I mentioned positioning being a concern. When we first arrived on the scene, I cruised right up to the hammer ring, got on my tummy, and put the lens right under the woven safety net. Prime location, out of the way of viewers and close to the action. I did a couple test shots to get my shutter speed down, then stepped back to wait for Britney. During the down time, I had the opportunity to watch hammer throw technique and movement to see how I might approach shooting. I was brought out of my mental banter by a loud *BOOOooNG*- the sound of someone throwing a foul and hitting the very pole I had my head next to. My head could have been there! I had to rethink my location. Who am I kidding? I went back to the same spot to photograph my cousin, this time with my head placed a little more behind the pole. The sacrifices I make! ; )

I'm thrilled to be working with The Britney Henry Project. The collaboration of artists shows her journey toward her goal of making the U.S. Olympic Team. I'm honored to be able to support her in such a unique way. I just hope I can get more shots of her being amazing.

Andrei Booriakan taking some footage of Britney's warm-up.

Graham Smith working that angle to get the shot.

Dawn Vitale securing the gear. We sure did have alot!

Shenandoah helped measure the throws. She was wonderful to allow us in her space to do our thing.

Britney getting ready for a warm-up throw.

Good thing Andrei is limber.

Britney focusing for a competition throw.

Britney's hammer was the easiest shot of the day. It was in the shade and stationary.

More on this story can be found @ Teresa's Photo Blog.

Influence SD Social Media Awards

Our blog, The Britney Henry Project was a finalist, nominated for "Blog of the Year" in the first ever Influence SD Social Media Awards. Our category was for blogs about San Diego, authored by a group of people, so a big thanks to The Britney Henry Project media team and to Influence SD for throwing a great party.

Kara Patterson (Javelin), Dawn Vitale (Web Promo), Britney Henry (Hammer) and Grandma all enjoyed the red carpet.

Everyone twittered and Facebooked all night.

Best Friends Kara Patterson and Britney Henry mingled with the crowd.

Musician and local star Krs Justice entertained the crowd then stopped by the table to charm the girls.

Awards were handed out.

Sam -the - Cooking - Guy had everyone laughing.

Dawn Vitale enjoyed twitter-tini's, music and fun while organizing all the online promotions.

Special thanks goes out to The Britney Henry Project media team members: Andrei Booriakin (DSLR video), Brent Haywood (photography), Britney Henry (writer, hammer), Dawn Vitale (web promo), Graham Smith (illustration/design), Mark Matcho (music) and Steve Corman (writer) for their contributions.

You can read more about the awards night on Britney's blog "Olympian in Progress" or Kara Patterson's newly minted blog "Javelin Journal".

Blog of the Year Finalist!

The Britney Henry Project Blog has been nominated for San Diego's Blog of the Year by #influenceSD.

Thanks to everyone that voted, our blog is now a finalist. We are proud to be considered among San Diego's new media champions. The final decision is now up to a distinguished panel of judges.


There will be a red carpet event to announce the winners at Anthology on April 7th. Our photographers will be there to cover the fun, as will NBC, FOX and 944. Buy your tickets here.

Thanks again to everyone that voted, and for supporting Britney Henry, your local Olympic Hopeful.

The Britney Henry Olympic Hopeful, Hammer Throw Facebook Fan Page

The Britney Henry, Olympic Hopeful, Hammer Throw Facebook Fan Page is gaining momentum! Currently boasting 425 fans and growing.

Become a fan and follow Britney's journey as she trains for a spot on the 2012 USA Summer Olympics Track and Field Team.

Read about her progress through her posts and support her with your feedback and comments. View her photos, videos, and favorite pages. Checkout her upcoming Elite Athlete Competitions and Events.

The Britney Henry Olympic Hopeful, Hammer Throw Facebook Fan Page

Britney before the throw.

Britney Henry concentrates in preparation for the Hammer throw.

Photo: Graham Smith/The Britney Henry Project: Canon Rebel xti. EF-S55-250mm f/11, 1/500 ISO 400

BHP Video Teaser

The Britney Henry Project Video Teaser

Andrei Booriakin and the crew from The Britney Henry Project filmed Britney Henry at the ARCO Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California, on a Canon 5 D Mark II and 2 Canon 7D Digital Single Lens Reflex Cameras.

It was early in the morning, we set up the 3 cameras and waited for Britney to walk into the throwing circle. She threw the hammer 50 times that day. The crew filmed every one of them.

In order to get the best shots possible, we asked Britney to throw from circles unprotected by safety nets. We got in as close as possible with our cameras, having no idea what to expect. An 8.8 pound steel ball powered past our lenses, inches away. That got our attention. Danger, Will Robinson!

Back in the studio, Graham and I remixed American Woman by Lenny Kravitz into a 30 second sound bite with Sound Track Pro. The teaser was edited in Final Cut Pro. This was a shakedown test of my new setup.

After shooting the hammer throw for the first time, we have ideas for more setups to try the next time we shoot with Britney.

Credits

• Film Maker: Andrei Booriakin
• Camera 2: Christoph Biehn
  
• Still Photography: Brent Haywood, Graham Smith
• Music: American Woman, Lenny Kravitz
• Janet Francis, Media Relations, USOC
  

Olympian in Progress blog header

The Britney Henry Project is busy creating media and promotion materials in support of Britney's effort to become an Olympian. The newest piece of the puzzle is a header for her blog Olympian in Progress.

Photo/design: Graham Smith

Britney waves to her fans

Britney Henry waves to the crowd after throwing her hammer 50 times during a photo shoot at the Olympic Training Center.

Photo: Graham Smith/The Britney Henry Project: Canon Rebel xti. EF-S55-250mm f/4-5.6

Britney Henry

The Britney Henry Project: Hammer Throw

Britney Henry is an elite athlete currently ranked 5th in the United States in the sport of the Hammer Throw. Britney is currently training 6 days a week at the Arco Olympic Training Center, in Chula Vista, California, in an effort to earn her spot on the US Track and Field team and compete in the 2012 Olympics. This is her dream.

Blog: Olympian in Progress

Dawn Vitale

The Britney Henry Project: Web Marketing

Dawn Vitale is the web marketing guru for The Britney Henry Project. Dawn Vitale is in charge of Britney Henry's web marketing strategy and social media immersion. Her goal is to promote Britney's story on the internet to attract attention, opportunities, support and sponsorship in Britney's effort to become an Olympian.

Brent Haywood: Photographer

The Britney Henry Project: Photographer

Brent Haywood Photography is a full service commercial photography company. Brent Haywood has been an avid photographer since high school turning professional in 2004. Although most of his work is out in the field he has a small studio for product & still life photography.

Equipment:

Our equipment list is extensive starting with a wide array of Canon camera equipment. We have a full studio of Profoto lighting gear & modifiers. 40' telescoping remote control boom pole used for mid level aerial photography. Brent prints in house on a 44" commercial grade printer.

Camera: is a Canon 5D Mark II with a 5D as a backup.

Lens:

• 17 mm Tilt Shift
• 16-35 mm 2.8 series II zoom
• 24-70 mm 2.8
• 50 mm 1.4
• 70-200mm 2.8 IS zoom
• 100 mm Macro Lens
• 500 F4 Telephoto

Website: Brent Haywood Photography

Graham Smith: Illustrator

The Britney Henry Project: Illustrator

Graham Smith is an illustrator working from his studio in San Diego, California. He specializes in energetic drawings of people, brought to life with rich, earthy colors and hand made textures.

Graham Smith's illustration work is published in Rolling Stone, ESPN magazine, Paste and The Wall Street Journal. Portfolios of work can be seen on his website , recent projects and drawing can be seen on his blog.

Graham is the organizer of The Britney Henry Project, he will be creating drawings, illustrations and designs to facilitate the promotion of Britney Henry and the artists work she inspires.

Website: Illustration Portfolio

Blog: Inkdrawing

Andrei Booriakin: Film Maker

The Britney Henry Project: Film Maker

Andrei Booriakin was born on the steppes of Russia, was raised on pickles, home made vodka and borsch. He currently works as the Senior Manager, Art Development at Sony Computer Entertainment America. Andrei is documenting The Britney Henry Project on high definition video with a new 8 core Mac Pro and his trusty Canon DSLR.

Equipment: DSLR

Canon 5D MK2
Canon 7D
Mac Pro 8 core

Website: Photography
Video: Vimeo Channel

Steve Corman: Writer

The Britney Henry Project: Writer

Steve Corman has enjoyed a solid career as a television news and sports producer / writer, primarily with NBC, in both Chicago and San Diego. With it have come numerous awards, including 8 Emmys.

In 1986, he became Executive Producer of News at KNSD (NBC-San Diego) and in 1990, Executive Producer at SportsChannel Chicago (he never sold the family house in San Diego!). He then returned west to become a documentary producer-writer at KPBS-TV.

Steve Corman is the official writer for The Britney Henry Project.

Contact: Steve Corman

Mark Matcho: Musician

The Britney Henry Project: Musician

MARK MATCHO has been an illustrator for 20 years, and has pretty much worked for every dern magazine out there, at one point or another. He lives in Pasadena with his cat, Skinny, and likes Thai food, English crime dramas, Italian motorcycles, Japanese wristwatches, and American guitars.

Mark Matcho is the official musician for The Britney Henry Project.


Website: Illustration Portfolio

The Britney Henry Project

Britney Henry - Olympic Hopeful

There was dew on the grass at 8 am when Britney Henry stepped into the hammer ring at at the Arco Olympic Training Center. She trains there six days a week, hoping to earn her spot on the US Track and Field Team and compete in the 2012 Olympics. The field was empty and quiet that morning, the sound broken only by the slap of feet on the concrete ring, Britney' s powerful yell propelling the 8.8 pound hammer 220 feet down field, and the deep thud as the hammer smashes craters into the dirt.

The Britney Henry Project inaugurated their launch with a photo shoot at the Arco Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California on Sunday, November 15th 2009.

Team Members:

1. Britney Henry - Olympic hopeful, Hammer Throw
   
2. Andrei Booriakin - DSLR film maker
3. Brent Haywood - still photographer
4. Graham Smith - illustrator / designer
5. Dawn Vitale - web marketing
6. Christoph Biehn - DSLR film maker, second unit
7. Jay Lomahan - still photographer, second unit
   

Tim Mantoani: Photographer

Tim Mantoani Photography

Website
www.mantoani.com


Blog:
Mantoani Blog 


Address:
3615-B India Street
San Diego CA 92103
USA

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Behind the Scenes:
 See behind the scenes at a Tim Mantoani photoshoot.