Who are you?
Hi, I’m ooa revo, a.k.a Jean Yves Chainon.
I’m a multimedia content creator / artist: I like to create stuff and I enjoy sharing it with you.
Who / what is ‘OOA’?
I chose the pen name / pseudonym ‘ooa’ because the pronunciation of the letters ‘O’ and ‘A’ is universal and crosses all borders and cultures. As a concept I like to think of ‘OOA’ as also representing that idea: bridging differences and bringing people together.
The tagline ‘Only. Original. Art.’ came only after.
What is OOAWORLD?
It is a place where I record my work, as well as share it with you.
As such, OOAWORLD is a website dedicated to providing original, creative and qualitative multimedia storytelling.
Some of the main projects include a documentary movie, books, and artwork.
Through this content I attempt to re-create the experience of long-form travel journeys, but also share other content I create such as art, short films and movies.
How did it start? What are you working on?
ooaworld was born out of ooAmerica: in 2011 I quit my job and decided to “leave everything behind”, so I bought a clunker and drove around the USA “aimlessly” – at least at first.
I used to work as a multimedia journalist and was interested in documenting this story using the media at my disposal, including writing, photos, videos, film and artwork.
During this trip I started asking people I met “What’s your philosophy in life?” I thought the concept was interesting and had positive feedback on the blog.
So I decided to take it further and make a movie out of it, and travel around the world asking people this question.I’ll also be publishing the written novels and photo books.
Why are you doing this? What’s the point?
To promote peace and better understanding amongst people of all tides. To observe cultural patterns and differences, and through this, to bring people together. And also to have fun and learn some things along the way!
Where have you been?
– ooAmerica: USA Road Trip, 25,000 miles through nearly all 50 states, spending about 10 months on the road living in a car.
– ooAsia: Year-long Asia journey, from Japan to India, through China and Southeast Asia.
– ooSouthAmerica: late 2015 through mid-2016!
– Travels in 2017-2018 include the rest of the world: Eurooa, ooAfrica and ooceania!
Is OOAWORLD a Travel Blog or portfolio?
A little of both and neither at the same time.
I conceived ooaworld neither as a travel blog nor as a portfolio. Instead, it was meant to be a life-log of all my professional and artistic production. In that sense it can be read chronologically – to a certain extent.
OOAWORLD is now divided into geographic areas which correspond to long-form journeys. For each project I spend more than 6 months (up to a year) in a particular world region.
It’s important to me that the stories here are the result of what I consider life experiences and not just a ‘trip’, they’re all connected and can be read both individually and as a body of work. In that sense this is not a travel blog.
So why is there a travel section?
As my life and OOAWORLD have evolved, two things happened: first I reunited with my long lost love, Coco.
Secondly these projects have brought me to many places and I figured it was valuable to share some of the tips and research gathered along the way.
So ooaworld now includes a Travel section edited by Coco (previously on RollingCoconut.com), which features reviews and tips, including maps, itineraries and hotels, as well as ideas for activities, visits and food.
Are you alone?
Like I said above, when I first ‘left it all behind’ I was alone – but not anymore. Take a look at the About Us page for more information.
Is this a commercial website? How do you make a living?
Call me old-fashioned, but I don’t like to mix ‘art’ and business. So you won’t find ads or promotional content alongside my stories and artwork.
However OOAWORLD is where I focus most of my work. So we may include limited advertising in the Travel Section, which is solely produced by Coco and which is more service-oriented.
During the periods when I settle down I sell the photos, stories, videos and artwork I’ve produced to brands and other media, and perform other jobs as a media or tech consultant, as well as virtual reality and 360 video production services. You can learn more here.
Can I publish your work ?
Sure. If you’re a media brand or seek content for commercial purposes, please email me or contact me through the Contact Page.
If you’re an individual who just wants to share with friends, please do! Credit is always appreciated!
Can I advertise on OOAWORLD ?
Only on the Travel Section. If you’re interested, email us through the Contact Page.
Can I purchase photos ?
None of the photography on ooaworld is available for sale (as prints). You are however welcome to share the photos and credit is appreciated!
More questions?
Great! Happy to answer your questions. Get in touch on the contact page. Also check out the About OOAWORLD and About us pages.