MissionX and Scottish Screen RIP

So I made it to Section8 on Sunday (11Th April) I got there at 10.30 and I knew it was busy before I even set foot in the safe zone because the car parking area was full and cars were overflowing onto the main forest road, I heard later that there were over sixty players on site plus a few games marshals and a photographer from New Zealand.
The first warm up game had already kicked off by the time I parked and got the camera gear sorted out, most sites do short warm up games which run for around twenty minutes or so, then its onto the main games which can be anything from sixty to ninety minutes. My plan was to stay until they took a break for lunch which is usually about 1pm, but as it was a beautiful day and the games were running very well they played until about 15.30 and planned to play on until about 19.00 So I ended up staying until they broke for lunch which is why there was no video posted on Sunday as I had promised on the blog. But you got two videos on Monday, one on each channel in case you never noticed.
Talking of cameras the main camera I use is a Canon SX1is, it looks like an SLR stills camera but as with so many cameras these days it also records video, 1080 HD in this case, most cameras like this record with Mono sound or as its sometimes called Monaural the Canon is one of the very few that has Stereo mics and that's why I use it, it cost me at time of release about 500 UK pounds though I think you can pick them up for 380 or less now, I just read that is now discontinued, hopefully there is a replacement because I will be buying another this year.
Before I got the SX1is I used another Canon camera the Powershot S3is which again has stereo sound and looks like an SLR it does not do HD video but the video quality is very good, you can pick these up on Ebay for around 100 pounds with a stack of extras.
I also carry a little JVC mini DV camcorder as a back up just in case the canon dies on me, its a GR-DX107EK got that from Ebay for I think 50 UK pounds boxed in mint condition, most people buy camcorders and seldom use them so if you are buying on a budget just buy a decent second had camera from Ebay.
I don't normally do this but my pal Ricky who you saw in one of my recent videos from Section8 is in hospital for a week, so get well soon mate and I will catch you at S8 soon!
Did you know that Airsoft is illegal in Holland? The Dutch Airsoft Interest Association there asked me to plug a link to a petition which is trying to make the Dutch government legalise Airsoft, anyone can sign it so if you can spare a moment to give them your support
click here and sign the petition.
Talking of support last year I was asked by film Director David P Baker to shoot some behind the scenes video on the set of his latest project an action movie which is a fully independent movie production, I went along and ended up in the movie, just a bit part, but it looks good on my C.V should I want to try more acting work, which I might well do in the future. The movie can now be bought as a download and if you click on this link to MISSIONX you can watch a trailer for it and buy a very low cost download, this was the first movie ever filmed in Glasgow city center where the police allowed the use of real machine guns, of course they were firing blanks but they were still fun to use, my ears are still ringing from the noise.
When David told me about the movie he was going to make and for how much I doubted it was even possible, but his enthusiasm and energy has no bounds, he made the movie as he said he would and for that I have to give him my backing via this blog, I hope you will take the time to look at his trailer and help him out.
David also made a movie called Pasty Faces and acted in both as well, David got no backing from anywhere to make this movie other than from friends and family even though here in Scotland we had an outfit called Scottish Screen who were supposed to back movie and video production in Scotland with financial aid and I have to be honest that if your a movie maker here and you didn't dance to their tune then you got nothing at all from them, not even any advice, zero. Scottish Screen boasted that it invests around £7m in the development and promotion of Scotland's screen industries each year which was usually arty doom and gloom crap, if you want to make anything else you had no chance of help from them.
Scottish screen have a YouTube Channel, it has.. three Subscribers and its award winning videos have a total of three hundred and twenty five views in twelve months, that is pathetic, Can you tell that I dont like Scottish Screen? They are having a name change in June 2010 and will from then on be known as "Creative Scotland" I have little doubt that the same people will be employed at "Creative Scotland" as were at "Scottish Screen"
OK back to YouTube, hopefully this weekend I will have two new videos up, again there will be one on each channel, both should have no edits and both will follow single players who then tell you which guns they use at the end, I just did this style for a change since people are always asking what guns the players are using, it also saves me a lot of time on editing, but a few hours work does still go into each video sorting out titles, on screen info etc.
Last week a viewer sent me a PM via YouTube pointing me in the direction of a few "Tribute" videos, some viewers have been downloading my videos editing them and adding music, I think this one is my favourite the music is not something I would have chosen but it does work well with the footage, leave the guy some comments please I'm sure he would appreciate it.
OK am off to work on some action videos for you lot.
Best
Scoutthedoggie