Bravo TV "Mission Paintball"

[Rob]

Paintball and TV

Originally posted by Kieran - Thunder
Well, yes there is a better way to put paintball (as in sup'air) on tv... Anyone who watched the video of the Spyder Cup at the Kingman/Raven stand at Campaign knows that... for those of you who weren't there there was a godd commentry (apart from muggings being called 'suicide runs) and the bottom of the screen was a field plan showing players' positions and when they moved and were eliminated etc. This is the way forward... anyone could follow it and it was great to watch.

Sure sup'air CAN be filmed and made watchable. You might even make it clear enough for the general public to understand. But the point is that sup'air is NOT the kind of paintball 99% of them will experience if the go to your average rec field. Better to show them the kind of play they are most likely to encounter.

The point is that what we as experienced paintballers want to see is NOT what new players NEED to see. Sure i was a bit disapointed when i saw the first episode of "Mission: Paintball". But then i thought about it a bit and realised that it IS for the good of the sport. Its not what I personally want to watch, but those who havent played paintball will have got much more from it.

Wether we like it or not when you mention paintball to your average person they'll think of running around in the woods, not bunkering some guy on a sup'air field. As much as we try to move away from this image, as much as we try to cast off those rec players that every tourney player seems to think are holding back our sport... you have to remember that woodland fields are the base level of most peoples paintball experience. Its where we all began. Its where almost all NEW players will begin. It can only be a good thing that this kind of paintball is getting air time.

 

[Beaker]

Froma personal point of view (and having been part of the programme) I feel that while not ideal from a tourney players point of view it hasn't harmed the sport.

However, the one BIG thing that all my non-paintball playing friends have said is that they thought the commentary is/was dire. They all said (and I agree) that it was very hard to follow what was going on in the games as there was no running commentary like most sports, just odd comments about people getting eliminated made by people who obviously dont understand the flow of a game.

In the situation the best solution IMHO would be to combine the set up of the Bravo thing with the commentary and graphics of the spyder cup vid.

However, I do think Niall did a great thing in bringing this together and have every faith that what shortcomings there were will be addressed if there is ever another series. I doubt he had much say about the final presentation, TV types being what they are!So I would like to thank all involved (again!)

 

[dam-dangerous]

paper

you made the point that sounded like "it wasnt real paintball"
i will put good money on that the first time you played was rec ball!
you liked it, you went again and ended up in tournies.
most people follw this route.

the filming was a little iffy, the presenters didnt have a clue( at first)
and so on.
but it did give a more interesting insight in to paintball than a flyer from a site.
prospective new players may see it and decide they like the idea of storming huts, playing sharp shooter and so on.
and again someone new is on the paintball trip!

as i saw safety was paramount and many things were explained to the jo public in understandable english, not slang or tournie lingo. basicaly i think it can only do good things for the sport.

in future put the brain in gear befor the mouth (or fingers in this case)

before you jump on me,ive been playing for a whole heap of time and no im not a recballer and i personaly would like to see tourny stuff in well edited form such as the push video.
but that doesnt mean i cant see things from a newbies eyes.

 

[Chubnut]

What Camo?

I've been taping the shows, and basically the only people wearing the camo where the camera men and the presenters when they did the hut thing. The rest of the teams wore kit in keeping with "moving away from the soldier look".

The reason why the couldn't wear their normal bright playing tops etc. as I undersatnd it was because of problems concerning advertising. Don't ask me, I don't know the ins and outs of this.

The thing is this. When Paintball started, it was in the woods. When people (the general public) first heard about Paintball in it's infancy it was in the woods. In the boom of the eighties when corporate companies were using paintball to boost team work, it was in the woods.

So it makes sense to start off where everybody has a point of reference. Then we can move on and up into the dizzy heights of speedball.

My last comment:- Well done to everyone at Bravo for having the foresight to do the series, Campaign and Niall in particular and all the teams who participated.

peace

 

[P'D Off]

Mission Paintball has got it 99% correct, in my opinion. It gives the general public an insight into, loosely, what they can expect at the local sight.

At my local site, Skirmish Nottingham, we have 10 woodland fields as well as a Hyperball field. When you ask the players what their favourite games were, the majority would pick one of the woodland fields (although a lot do love Hyperball).

Just ask site operators how many times players have turned up with face camo on, and scrim nets, and webbing on them.

First time players love it because they are playing "wargames".

The only thing that I think they could do to improve the show, apart from the original commentary problem, would be to have filmed a regular Joe Public Day, as an introduction to the sport.

A "this is what you can expect from your local site" sort of show.

Once players are hooked on the sport, then is the time to introduce them to Sup Air and the like.

We are experienced, we have made the progression.

How many players can say that the first time they played was at a site made up of concept fields!!

Well done "Sir" Nobby Squires in getting "Mission Paintball" off the ground.

P'd (Getting quite laid back now!) Off

 

[Sophiewilson]

Did it for me !!

With reguards to this subject having never played paintball before seeing the programme it was a great insight into the game.
Well done campaign and Bravo !!!

I've even hocked on the game now and this is coming from someone who said that they would never play paintball, ever!!.

Well done to the guys from Campaign !!!!!