road player documentary ideas

jollyrodger

jollyrodger

#1 Troublemaker
Silver Member
How much money would I need to travel the states and document the underground pool scene ? I'm thinking blurred faces of those who don't want notoriety and two horses to travel with and document a story of road players. Take 5000$ each for gambling and see how far they can get and document the ups and downs.
 
jollyrodger said:
How much money would I need to travel the states and document the underground pool scene ? I'm thinking blurred faces of those who don't want notoriety and two horses to travel with and document a story of road players. Take 5000$ each for gambling and see how far they can get and document the ups and downs.
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It's so much harder to do than you would imagine. First of all, the two biggest hurdles are being able to hear what's being said and being able to see what's going on. That sounds pretty simple but it's really not. Most pool rooms are pretty dark with very bright lights over each table. Our eyes adjust very quickly and easily but not so easy for a camera. On top of that, hearing what's going on would require wireless lav mics for everyone and someone monitoring those. All and all, a bare bones crew would require 3 camera guys and a sound guy at the very least and one of them would have to be directing the crew as well. Each of them making between 500-1000/day. Then, you'll need an editor and story producer to piece together the hours of footage and create a story worth watching. Each of them will make about the same rate. Add in meals and lodging for the crew on the road… would be a good idea to get production insurance. Also, assuming you had all the equipment needed... So give or take $100,000 for a month of work for a decent product. Could be done for less, but I wouldn't recommend it.
 
jollyrodger said:
How much money would I need to travel the states and document the underground pool scene ? I'm thinking blurred faces of those who don't want notoriety and two horses to travel with and document a story of road players. Take 5000$ each for gambling and see how far they can get and document the ups and downs.
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Read "Playing Off The Rail". You just summarized the plot :)
 
jollyrodger said:
How much money would I need to travel the states and document the underground pool scene ? I'm thinking blurred faces of those who don't want notoriety and two horses to travel with and document a story of road players. Take 5000$ each for gambling and see how far they can get and document the ups and downs.
Click to expand...

I think it would be hard because it is like telling the same joke over and over to the same audience. Ideally would not to leave with a big bank roll but actually build a bank roll on the road.

I used to have a guy who worked for me and when ever he got his hands on some money he would take off and come back broke. Then you had guys like Walter Glass who would leave with a rock in his pocket and return with a bank roll.

The road is to make money, if you just want to gamble and lose your money you don't have to go anywhere to do that. The whole idea of the road is for a change they don't know how you play.

I think it can be done pretty cheap. Get into an RV and off you go. With todays digital cameras and computers you can do the whole thing yourself. If you go to a film festival you will see exactly that.

To be honest, I don't really care about a couple of guys trying to make a buck playing pool. I would like to see a documentary on pool rooms in general. Travel around interviewing room owners players. See some of the classic rooms that still exist and new ones. See how the game and pool rooms in general have evolved. Done right it could be really interesting. maybe go to a few tournaments.

Years ago I was at the BCA show and the Discovery channel was there doing a thing on unusual conventions. They were filming a segment on billiards. I don't know if it ever showed or was even completed, I never saw it. During the taping they were doing a thing with Earl. He seemed to think they were there to see him and he was ridiculous the way he acted. When the guys from Discovery Channel were moving away (Running away) to another part of the building one of them said, "Who the F was that guy he is really nuts". I am sure they didn't use anything they taped with Earl.
 
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jollyrodger said:
How much money would I need to travel the states and document the underground pool scene ? I'm thinking blurred faces of those who don't want notoriety and two horses to travel with and document a story of road players. Take 5000$ each for gambling and see how far they can get and document the ups and downs.
Click to expand...
In "Playing Off The Rail", i think the author mentioned he started with $30k
 
FYI, I'm not saying it's not a great idea… I've often thought about the same thing. It's just very very veerrrrrrry pricy to do and even more to do right. Not much to make from it either.
 
Honestly, I don't care one bit about the road player, gambling, hustling side of pool that people want to keep alive.

To me, that side is a black eye to pool. I'm not that type of player and I don't want to be stereotyped as that kind of player.

I don't want people seeing these types of shows because it will lead them to think that's all pool is about and that's all pool players want to do.
 
I would suggest going to the Phillipines for your documentary. Your costs would be way less than here in the US and there is a huge pool gambling scene over there. You might be able to get away with one camera there.
 
duckie said:
Honestly, I don't care one bit about the road player, gambling, hustling side of pool that people want to keep alive.

To me, that side is a black eye to pool. I'm not that type of player and I don't want to be stereotyped as that kind of player.

I don't want people seeing these types of shows because it will lead them to think that's all pool is about and that's all pool players want to do.
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Can I ask you a question and I have a reason for asking. How old are you?
 
duckie said:
Honestly, I don't care one bit about the road player, gambling, hustling side of pool that people want to keep alive.

To me, that side is a black eye to pool. I'm not that type of player and I don't want to be stereotyped as that kind of player.

I don't want people seeing these types of shows because it will lead them to think that's all pool is about and that's all pool players want to do.
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Pool always has been and always will be a gambling game. The only mainstream success pool has ever had was two movies about hustling. The mysterious pool hustler is one of the last gun slingers left in this world. The more we try to take the gambling out of pool, the further we dig our own grave.
 
cleary said:
It's so much harder to do than you would imagine. First of all, the two biggest hurdles are being able to hear what's being said and being able to see what's going on. That sounds pretty simple but it's really not. Most pool rooms are pretty dark with very bright lights over each table. Our eyes adjust very quickly and easily but not so easy for a camera. On top of that, hearing what's going on would require wireless lav mics for everyone and someone monitoring those. All and all, a bare bones crew would require 3 camera guys and a sound guy at the very least and one of them would have to be directing the crew as well. Each of them making between 500-1000/day. Then, you'll need an editor and story producer to piece together the hours of footage and create a story worth watching. Each of them will make about the same rate. Add in meals and lodging for the crew on the road… would be a good idea to get production insurance. Also, assuming you had all the equipment needed... So give or take $100,000 for a month of work for a decent product. Could be done for less, but I wouldn't recommend it.
Click to expand...

I don't know about this, I think it would just take an iPhone6. Have you not seen the TV commercials showing a very nice video then it says it was shot using an iPhone6 and then it shows the video shooters name? No mention of the helicopter that he was apparently flying in though.
 
fastone371 said:
I don't know about this, I think it would just take an iPhone6. Have you not seen the TV commercials showing a very nice video then it says it was shot using an iPhone6 and then it shows the video shooters name? No mention of the helicopter that he was apparently flying in though.
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I agree, you are not looking at making "Gone with the Wind " here.
If you go to a film festival you will see dozens on films made very low budget and some win awards.
Spike Lee made "Do the Right Thing" on money borrowed from credit cards that is how low budget he was doing it. You don't pay people $500.00 or a $1000.00 a day to work for you. Find a student to do it for like nothing.
 
I am a NETFLIX documentary junkie and I would like to see a pool documentary done similar to the documentary "league of ordinary gentleman" which is about bowling and shows the highs and lows, but ultimately it is a more intimate story that chronicles 4 bowlers from all walks of life and the game. I would like to see this done in pool to show variety, obviously pool has the characters people could relate to even if they are not into pool per say. My vote for the 4 players to document would be, Shane, Alex P, Richie Richeson, and either Cliff Or Eric D. I think the bowling one worked because it showed both the flashy positive side and the gritty negative side also (basically like every Netflix documentary lol) but I still enjoy them and would like to see a legitimate one done on pool players. JMO...
 
galipeau said:
I would suggest going to the Phillipines for your documentary. Your costs would be way less than here in the US and there is a huge pool gambling scene over there. You might be able to get away with one camera there.
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Yes, I see a lot of them on youtube.
 
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