Tuesday 19 July 2016

Wargaming Big Brother.


I have yet to receive my copy of Miniature Wargames, but I understand that Henry Hyde has written a piece about a project on Kickstarter regarding a film about wargaming.
 I have included a link so that people can check out the blurb featuring several wargame personalities in order to drum up some financial support, and having watched the link I am a bit ambivalent about the said project.
       http://miniaturewargamingthemovie.com/
 In some ways it may be a good thing, because any publicity is a good thing, right? But in other ways I am a bit confused about who the film is actually aimed at, ie what is the audience that the director is hoping to inform and entertain.
 Past attempts to create media interest have had mixed success, with obviously Tyne Tees Television programme, Battleground being the first real attempt to reach out to the uninformed public.
 Personally I loved the series, but they were preaching to the converted, but re watching the episodes, even I fast forward certain pieces of the series, because it is frankly, dull.
 But then wargaming is a very personal thing, involving in the main the players and the odd umpire etc.
 Clearly this new project is attempting a more populist bent, with dare I say, drama, tension and the like.
 I am not certain, that the poor chap talking about his trauma, and thoughts of suicide when he was in the forces is conducive to selling the idea of wargaming, and neither am I certain that the chap who is clearly under severe financial pressure as a wargame dealer talking about his worries about how he will feed his family will make for good viewing either, but who can say, especially in this day and age.
 The biggest drama in my wargaming life, is whether I will throw a one on my white dice, or a one on my red dice, which I dont suppose would make for great viewing.
  I suppose I could spice it up with the odd crying jag, followed by some Turetts outburst, and a bit of talking to myself. [ which I do anyway]
 Or we could go the whole hog and have a Wargaming Big Brother programme filled with the flotsam and jetsam of the wargaming world, which would certainly make for interesting viewing.
 I can just imagine having to intensively live with some of the folk I have met over the last forty or so years of wargaming, it would make Made in Essex look like a normal night out, and thinking about it, I suppose that would include me.
 Anyway, I hope they succeed and make a decent fist of it, but somehow I cant see it winning a Palme D'Or.









14 comments:

  1. Or maybe "The only way is Weardale" 😀

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  2. Problem is each wargamer has his own vision of wargaming, think this film will struggle, Tony l

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tony,
      I am going to attempt to be positive and I hope they make a great job of the whole thing. Somehow I just cant see it succeeding.

      Delete
  3. The obvious question about making this film would be .... Why?

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    Replies
    1. John,
      Why indeed, and like I said having seen the trailer? it looks like they are going for some human interest, ie drama etc.

      Delete
  4. I pondered this same question publicly a few days ago on my own blog, and while most commenters were of a similar mind, my knuckles were rapped rather severely by a couple of other fellows. Great that there is support or the project, and I hope the planned film works out in the way envisioned by those involved, but I remain skeptical for the time being.

    Best Regards,

    Stokes

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Stokes,
      I cant see why anyone should rap your knuckles over anything you say. Having watched the trailer I do worry that we will look like a group of boring sad individuals [ yes I know we are] but we can all dream that we are different.

      Delete
  5. Like you I was sceptical when this was first mentioned. However, having watched the trailer I am interested to see how this pans out and have to say that it actually appears to have interesting points to raise. As a documentary it might well have some appeal to a wider audience.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Paul,
      You've wangled yourself a part in this project, haven't you.If you get the main lead I for one will withdraw my subscription to Miniature Wargames.

      Delete
  6. I'm not impressed so far, looking at the show reel.

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    Replies
    1. Benjamin,
      I like the figures owned by the Perry twins. I thought the bit with Games Workshop taking credit for the expansion of wargaming a bit of a cheek. I thought we were doing well in the early 1980's due to Miniature Wargames etc, not due to elves etc.

      Delete
  7. I´ve now watched it twice and TBH, I can´t work out what message they are trying to bring across.Some of the Messages seem a bit contradictory ..maybe because it´s edited so the comments are out of context.
    He (the Producer) explains they why´s and wherefores in another vid (it´s an hour Long so a comfy chair and several Cups of tea* are recommended)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HRSeYO9vS4
    Me, I´ll watch it but I would prefer to see a Big Brother series...some of the hissy fits and fistycuffs I´ve seen when someone looses thier favourite character/Regiment!!!
    * or your favourite tipple :-D

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  8. Paul,
    Ive now got my copy of Miniature Wargames, and have read the small interview with the man behind the film. I fully appreciate that wargaming has wide ranging appeal, and he is obviously wanting to appeal to wargamers in the lucrative USA markets, but I think the beginnings of wargaming lie in the United Kingdom and should be bottomed first, otherwise it will look like a glossy vacuous affair.I also notice that apart from the obvious 'big names' in the hobby he appears to want to concentrate on the human interest aspects of two small wargaming manufacturers. It is hard not to be very cynical about the whole project.

    ReplyDelete

My 6mm Napoleonic set up.

My 6mm Napoleonic set up.
Austria 1809.

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