Well, it kind of fits in with the Discovery Channel's style. I view it as marketing to the general public. You want those first shows to generate interest, excitement and enthusiasm, not bore them. If the shows are successful, then you do some more, and cover the finer details of the hobby.
My biggest concern was that it did not provide a "fair and balanced" representation of successful flights to failures.
Look on the bright side, at least it wasn't TLC redecorating the average rocketeer's home like "While You Were Out". Cringe.
"Now this big, red, metal box that he stores his motors in, just doesn't go with anything, so while our rocketeer is out, we're replacing it with a much nicer wicker trunk. I can't wait to see his reaction!"
First Bill, I did like the show, and so did people with no or general interest that came up to me today and called me on telephones saying "did you know a rocket show was on TDC last night !"
Anyway, the reason they cut to people looking up is they probably don't know how to film rockets and didn't learn. But, the fact they figured out a way to save the day and make a great show, is fine with me !
I'll watch Brent's video of the launch I ordered from extreame rocketry to get my fix, meanwhile , the new generally interested watching TDC are saying its great.
At Naram-45 I saw the TV crew come out. I remember how I had to learn to film rockets with a camcorder in 89. I asked the cam dude who was bored while the news lady talked to the Nar people.
I said "you ever filmed rockets before ?" he said, "yep". I knew he hadn't and said, "what you do is focus on the rocket and setup the shot in the view finder before the lanch. then sight on the top of the camera, or in your case with that big camera along the side like an open site gun site. don't use the viewfinder, you'll never catch the rocket going up. Follow the rocket with your open eyes and just move your hand on the cam to follow along. You will get the rocket, every time, belive me.
He kind of ignored me, heck here's a guy telling a professional camara man how to do his job. I wouldn't of listened either. Anyway on the news, 5-4-3-2-1, woosh, and empty pad, then just nothing as the smoke blows away. you can't follow them rocket while looking in the view finder, and you won't catch a baseball if your looking at the glove either.
No need, just use the outside of he camcoder like Iron sights. paint a couble of white dots on the rear and one red dot on the front.
heck, you don't even need to do that part if you just try it a few times.
watch the rocket with BOTH EYES wide open and just follow along with your arm holding the cam corder. gets them everytime, just like catching a baseball or shooting trap. you don't focus on the glove or gun, but the ball or orange clay disc.
Gary's former boss John Davis of Composite Dynamics was a chain smoker and a heavy Hamms Beer drinker (16oz 6pack at a time). He smoked when prepping motors, when working with propellant aspects and others. Propellant is actually so hard to ignite I have a friend with an APCP ashtray he has used regularly for many years.
People from the rocket community have one huge advantage over the guys from Discovery........if someone who's been around a bit sees a fat rocket on a K550 he'll know it's a lot easier than a minimum diameter K700. Without having a clue of which are going to zip off the rail and which are going to build speed as they go you will end up with a lot of smoke trails on the fast ones and being ahead of the nose cone on the slow ones.
There may have been a lot of launches but unless you really have a handle on the impulse of the machine you are guessing. They could have practiced till the cows came home and not figured it out. I can't be too hard on them, they were in a foreign environment. :-)
Not sure what you mean. Too many failures considering a week of launching xx number of rockets? I would have liked to have seen 5 or 10 minutes of launching like when Andy was handling LCO at PlasterBlaster, 3.2.1.Launch, under chute, next up 3.2.1.launch. 2 other guys to monitor the drifting rockets and scan for air traffic.
I remember reading HPR before BAR and there was always comments about them showing too many crash photos.
No but did you see how freaking CLEAN every workshop was?!! Even the kitchen with the drillpress on the counter. Where were the epoxy covered everything(s)?! :)
I had gotten pretty good with my sony to use both eyes with one through the viewer. When the 2 images in your head are one or close, it's in the view finder.
Joel. phx
What I haven't gotten around is shake. I need to use a tripod or stop the Pepsi.
On Mon, 10 Nov 2003 19:24:18 -0500, In the heat of the moment, "Art Upton" posted: .
What you say is correct. It is the very reason that starting over 60 years ago many pro cameras had a "sports finder. No pro that is worth a damn would try to catch fast action through a viewfinder.
For example...... Basketball.-Those still shots of a player in mid air are amazingly difficult to shoot. And impossible through a viewfinder.
-- Bill
I am a member of the rabble in good standing. -- Westbrook Pegler --
PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here.
All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.