Making a documentary about online poker pros

[TonyDanza]

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Btw - the SIHBs would all individually (well, except for max :P lol) make better subjects than someone like ZJ.

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I am sure that a lot of people would make better subjects than ZJ. ZJ, however, brings a recognizable and controversial name that might increase attraction and provide a different perspective. On the other hand, his name might also create a negative vibe about internet poker at a time when the industry does not need any more negative attention.

[jrbick]

I haven't watched "Spellbound," (I just added it to my queue and will probably watch it on Tuesday) but from what I can tell it might not necessarily the right model to follow after for what would make this film interesting. Most anyone can relate to spelling bees since we all have been in one at one time or another. Toss in the kid factor and the awkwardness of ESPN televising the national event and you've got some interest. Poker is a bit different, in some ways.

When I first heard about this I was thinking more along the lines of "Comedian." I don't mean the dynamic between 'superstar' and 'amateur,' but I toss that title out there to illustrate the general method of a simple examination/exposure of the life of _______. The ups, downs, moments of grandeur and moments of humiliation, how poker has changed lives dramatically (for better or for worse), etc etc. I was thinking more along the lines of MTV's "Diary" than anything else, I guess. "you think you know, but you have no idea"-kind-of-thing.

For instance, why exactly are students dropping out of college? Why are lawyers giving up their jobs? Why are 20 yo's buying mansions and lambo's? Why did the guy making min. wage just flat out quit his job? Is it really that easy? Is it truly "the life?" Stuff like that. And maybe then show how it's being sort of interrupted/borderline shattered (possibly, i guess... time will tell if you start filming in coming months... Sam Jones set out to film Wilco merely record YHF; look what that film turned into). The actual poker-playing is a pretty small part of what makes this interesting. It's more like just the catalyst for that which is really interesting.

So maybe build from the idea that congress and the majority of the public have some HUGE misconceptions about the world of online poker. Some may not even have a clue that people can make a living doing this. Some may not even have a clue that these same people are their next-door neighbors. A lot of people probably have some very ignorant generalizations about people who play poker. But our community is insanely diverse on so many levels, and we'd like to not be trampled under-foot any longer.

Would suck to have a heavily politicized slant to it, but I think it could be done as more of an exposure piece than purely politcally driven piece. I mean, I guess you'd have to include that aspect no matter what at this point.


Anyway -- these are just some ideas and initial perceptions I had when I first saw that you guys were thinking about doing this film.

[veganmav]

I would probably be willing to do this.
Depending on what all is involved.

I assume I would be filmed dumpster diving, and cooking and eating too? [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[PartyGirlUK]

For sure

[TheWorstPlayer]

yo, you guys can film me any time. i'm like a modern hoop-dreams, right here in NYC. I have a sick balla job, but I can theoretically make 10x as much playing poker. if I can make it to the upper echelons. Come watch as I quit my job (for how long nobody knows) to see if I can make it big! You can also watch me be completely addicted to gambling, bet large amounts of money on stupid [censored] like whether or not g2cu won 10K, and try to hide it all from my parents and fiancee! woohoo!

[AlexSem]

Dean,

What are your credentials for doing this. You are asking people on a forum right now. This means you're not sure. You dont' really know what you're doing. You have a good vision of what would be cool - a poker documentary.

You have no idea what goes into this. Unless you have at least gone and studied film in a university for the past 3+ years, you don't know what you're doing.


I think a good analogy to this would be - I wanna make 100k/year in poker I heard it was easy. So should I play tight and bluff and stuff? E-mail me if you know.

[KRANTZ]

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You have no idea what goes into this. Unless you have at least gone and studied film in a university for the past 3+ years, you don't know what you're doing.

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try 4 years?

[KRANTZ]

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Dean,

What are your credentials for doing this. You are asking people on a forum right now. This means you're not sure.

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no, it means we're trying to find interested and compelling candidates to film. even a film degree hasn't given me the ability to conjure subjects out of thin air or magically produce poll results and the opinions of hundreds of people.

i know many people think we have special powers like that, after all, what else did we do in class but study books of witchcraft? but no, no, we really were just watching battleship potemkin.

[Triumph36]

...damn it, I had the idea for something like this first, though not in this form...

Though I agree with at least the first few responses, a documentary can't be that interesting. Online poker players are quirky for sure, but most of them would be too self-conscious.

[TheWorstPlayer]

Not me, I'm a rock-star. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] And how classic would the shot be that has some dudes snorting blow off a hooker's tata in the foreground and then some other dudes grinding online poker in the background. That's some beautiful ish.