In 2006 video game developer Matt Harding took a 6 month trip traveling to 39 countries and made a video of himself dancing at various locations along the way. In 2008 Matt went on a follow-up trip, dancing his way through 42 countries in 14 months, this time inviting people to dance with him. Both of Matt’s trips around the world were sponsored by Stride Gum.
Here’s the first sponsored Where the Hell is Matt? video from 2006.
For more on Matt’s travels, check out his Where the Hell is Matt? website.
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I’ve loved these videos for years and always look forward to seeing his new ones. This one is his best so far. Extremely cool.
I loved it too
Matt’s a friend of mine and watching him craft a gig that has him flying around the world creating something that makes people happy has been a lovely thing to watch.
In terms of your chronology, though, you missed the fact that the first video was just a personal project that he posted to his website in 2005 (see it here).
After a few friends started posting it around (to places like Metafilter and the like) it went “meme” and the whole snowball started rolling. The past two videos have been sponsored by Stride Gum, but it’s a kudo to them that they’ve been pretty handsoff and have realized that the goodwill being associated with something so joyful is far more potent then slapping their logo all over the effort. Note that this recent vid has *less* branding than the second one (the first sponsored one).
Matt is my posterchild when I talk to people about inobvious ways to support yourself while following your passion.
A week ago he had a premiere in Seattle for friends and family and the stories associated with some of the shots are just as good as the shots themselves.
I’d hoped to get Matt and Melissa (his partner and co-producer) out to Burning Man last year, but unfortunately the BORG refused to let him film a dancing clip at BRC . . . something about being too commercial. I’ll stop now.
Mark, thanks for the background info. Yeah, I wasn’t attempting to try to tell the whole story, Matt already does a great job of that on his website. I was just trying to give a little background for the 2008 video. You’ll notice that most people just post the video with very little explanation.
Anyone knows how to get Matt to dance at Elise Island in front of Statue of Liberty?
I think a littel collective love for Liberty is in order.