NEW TV SHOW ON GEOCACHING

[modernman]

Like all opinions mine is worth exactly what you paid for it.

 

As someone who majored in film production I found criticism is easier to take if the person ripping you apart is a failed eastern European filmmaker. Please imagine everything being said in a thick Russian accent that only is only found in James Bond villains.

 

First, What I disliked

 

Falling out of the hammock and Rewinding the narration

Seriously, please kill these scenes. It's so hacky it hurts, seriously it's Americas Funnest Home videos stuff.

 

Add some real information "a genius put some sundries..." tell the viewer the person's name or tell them that the person is completely unknown, tell people what was in the cache. How about how many people are involved now how fast geocaching has grown.

 

Relax a bit, this is a pretty un-eXtream hobby. Watch This Old House or New Yankee Workshop. Norm Abram doesn't act like he's doing something thrilling but he does act like someone who takes what he does seriously.

 

"Thus was born the geo man..." are you on a mission from god or possibly a superhero? How about changing it to something like

"I love the outdoors and hiking and geocaching gives me one more reason to explore..."

 

No need to curse unless you're being attacked by a bear, shark or Bigfoot.

 

Also the comment "this sucks" then why I am watching, only share discouragement with the audience if are faced with real difficultly, if you have some drama behind it.

 

What I liked

 

You seemed very into what you were doing, it seemed like you were having a lot of fun

 

You showed a lot of the spontaneous reactions to your surroundings

 

The location

 

Panning for gold was interesting

 

If any of these comments hurt your feeling or are discouraging please keep in mind I'm sitting at my desk wearing a monocle and petting a cat and have just left James Bond alone so he can escape.

[+solo63137]

I would not make it a point to come home just to watch it, but if I was flipping channels and came accross it, I'd watch it...

 

Like the others I think its a good idea, but needs some fine tunning...

 

Loose the cussing and the voice from the camera man... If Geo-Man, needs a side kick, give him one thats not behind the camera and let him help look for the finds...

 

I like the idea of seeing different finds in different places, also like the idea of them trying to find the way more extreme 4/5 or 5/5 caches...

[+DarkZen]

It has potential. My suggestions:

 

1. No profanity

2. The host is too rogue-ish. Encouraging people to cut across trails can be very irresponsible in state and local parks causing erosion, etc. Geocashers tend to be a more responsible lot, imo.

3. Lay out safety suggestions and stick to them. Running out of batteries (scripted or not) is inexcusible in a hosted production.

4. Don't handle the local wildlife. It scares potential cachers, it could be harmful to the wildlife and it doesn't make Mark look like a tough guy - it makes him look like a callous jerk.

5. Go to caches that lead to some beautiful scenery. A tupperware container in the middle of the woods under some random tree doesn't make for good representation of the sport.

6. Arguing with the cameraman? Really?

 

I like the underground nature of the sport and I can see where this might harm it so if you are going to do this, please at least do it right. Cachers have put a lot of time and effort into hiding and exposing their private spots. Don't screw this up by sending a bunch of macho yahoos out to our caches.

[+Scubasonic]

 

I think geocaching was better off when it was a "secret group" unknown to the general public. With it's increased popularity, as well as visibility, more areas are being closed to geocaching, and geo-regulations have increased.

 

Hmmm always seems to me we can count on Kit Fox for the negative spin.

 

Scubasonic

[+mrbort]

 

I think geocaching was better off when it was a "secret group" unknown to the general public. With it's increased popularity, as well as visibility, more areas are being closed to geocaching, and geo-regulations have increased.

 

Hmmm always seems to me we can count on Kit Fox for the negative spin.

 

Scubasonic

I don't think that personal attacks really responded to the comment.

 

To address what Kit Fox said: May have been better off but as others have pointed out in the other thread regarding obscurity, the cat's out of the bag. I empathize with your feelings but can't share them since I'm new. I'm glad to be a part of it now it makes me sad to see that the joy that others feel by being introduced to the hobby is offset by the sorrow of those who helped build it into the great thing that it is. Maybe you guys did too good of a job! I guess the best thing that we can do is try to be respectful of the game and of each other!

[+mrbort]

 

I think geocaching was better off when it was a "secret group" unknown to the general public. With it's increased popularity, as well as visibility, more areas are being closed to geocaching, and geo-regulations have increased.

 

Hmmm always seems to me we can count on Kit Fox for the negative spin.

 

Scubasonic

I don't think that personal attacks really responded to the comment.

 

To address what Kit Fox said: May have been better off but as others have pointed out in the other thread regarding obscurity, the cat's out of the bag. I empathize with your feelings but can't share them since I'm new. I'm glad to be a part of it now it makes me sad to see that the joy that others feel by being introduced to the hobby is offset by the sorrow of those who helped build it into the great thing that it is. Maybe you guys did too good of a job! I guess the best thing that we can do is try to be respectful of the game and of each other!

 

And wow, I didn't notice it at first but why respond to a post made in September? I noticed the attack and wanted to provide something positive in response to the original post but then I went back and re-read the topic and noted the date.... Weird.

 

Edit: I didn't see that others had responded to this post; sorry to single out Scubasonic in that respect though I do think that the personal attack nature of the response was uncalled for and spillover from this topic.

Edited June 24, 2009 by mrbort

[+Scubasonic]

There is no Spill over as you call it. Simply what Kit Fox is implying is to keep Geocaching a big Secret and if that was the case I and many others would not have found out about the sport.

 

Scubasonic

Edited June 24, 2009 by Scubasonic

[+mrbort]

There is no Spill over as you call it. Simply what Kit Fox is implying is to keep Geocaching a big Secret and if that was the case I and many others would not have found out about the sport.

 

Scubasonic

 

Actually, you implied that kit fox habitually injects negative spin into topics. You made no mention of his implications and their impact on your involvement in the hobby. I responded to what he posted. You responded to him as a poster. One is topical, the other is personal.

[+robchoc]

I enjoyed the show and liked the way you put variety into it.

 

Thanks for sharing.

[+Scubasonic]

I enjoyed the show and liked the way you put variety into it.

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

I as well enjoyed the show, yes a littlke rough around the edges but a fun watch.

 

Scubasonic

[+nygiants10]

It was pretty good. My Suggestions to make this work.

 

1- Go after insanely tough caches in the absolute middle of no where to make it more interesting.

 

2-If you are going after normal caches like in the test episode have the main Star of the show film everything himself survivorman style as he is going after the cache. though im not sure how much film making experience he might have.

 

3-Drop the cursing , it is not needed.

 

4-Dont use the fake getting lost thing as comedy relief, it is not needed.

 

5- Call les Stroud to do the show if your really serious.

[+iwikepie]

Do Tube Torcher II and Quantam Leap...those are two of the hardest caches ever.

And what was that dramatic music at the snake encounter parts? Blah!

[+Sol seaker]

[quote name='WheelerCom' date='Sep 18 2008, 05:08 AM' post='3644391'

 

Thanks for the constructive criticism. Keep it coming - we're listening. What else would you like to see in a show about geocaching?

 

Benjamin Rowland

Producer

Wheeler Communications

 

If it has to be (which I'd rather it didn't because this sport would really explode and that would take all of the fun out of it) I'd rather it focus on interesting caches.

 

Recently I did the caches on the Mountain Loop Highway in WA state, near Granite Falls.

These caches gave us a tour of the whole area, including a multi-cache where you had to find the coordinates in the back of a mine shaft painted on a rock; a cache by the mouth of a mine shaft that is overgrown and they've taken the sign down (so the only way to find it is by the cache coordinates); caches at the trailheads to the hikes in the area (with the hike info on the cache page); a cache at a nature trail I never knew was there; a cache at a narly climb to an overlook at the ice caves; a cache that is in a fake allegator in a swamp; and many caches at a old mining ghost town that is quite a hike in.

 

There is a fire-lookout challenge cache where you have to get all the fire lookout caches in the state (or at least some of them, I haven't read the challenge.

 

In fact challenge caches would be good fodder for episodes.

There's one challenge cache on all of the oldest caches in the state, which turn out to be major adventures to get to them. These would be good for TV because many would never attempt them in real life and they would be fun to watch. These are major hikes to remote areas often. Usually there are great views or other reasons for the hikes too.

 

The challenge caches that are the Delorme challenges would be interesting. If the cachers were in a race with other cachers to get the delorme challenge fulfilled in a week. madly driving around the state to these places to get a cache off of every page of the delorme map book. Good way to see the country side.

 

I'm full of ideas, just ask me.

 

another is the real adventure caches, like the one i did where you have to drive way back off into the woods near Mt. Rainier, and then climb down a STEEP hillside full of loose rock and shale. My geo-buddy got badly hurt here, and went back the following week bringing me along. HUGE cache at the bottom. It was very adventurous and a lot of fun.

 

Things that would be worth it, but to show that caches are buried would just be wrong. What would happen is people would go out digging up the forest and public parks looking for these. Would not promote geocaching in a good way at all.

 

more ideas later....

[+OH Team]

I'd rather see a Geocaching meets Amazing Race type show. Some competition along with caching.

[+brenda&&rew]

I'd rather see a Geocaching meets Amazing Race type show. Some competition along with caching.

 

I would love to see this kind of show... I love Amazing Race and I love Caching... that would be an awesome combo!