Tachyon XC Helmet Camera

The video taken with the Tachyon XC helmet camera seems pretty popular, even with the motor on my PPSH41 overpowering the little speaker on the camera. Rather than mount it on a helmet i opted for mounting it onto the gun and giving the look of a first person shooter game. I honestly thought my viewers would tell me it was crap and that they enjoy the normal skirmish videos much more. Looks like i'll be making many more videos with the Tachyon!!

Machinima.com

February has turned out to be a very interesting month. First of all, about a week ago, i get an email out of the blue from Machinima.com offering me a 'Partnership' with them. To be honest i'd never heard of them as i've no interest in video games but once i'd checked them out i was impressed and quite frankly flattered by their offer. I decided now was the time to try out for YouTube Partnership as the Machinima offer made me think i must be doing quite well with the channel. To my surprise i was accepted for full partnership rather than just enabling a few of my videos for revenue sharing. This means i'm now a full YT Partner and can enable revenue on all my videos. Great news as my channel goes from mere hobby status to potential busines venture. So where does that leave Machinima?

Machinima work on what i'd describe as a franchise basis where you basically join their network and they put adverts on your videos. They give you a set fee for the ads but they keep all revenue generated from people actually clicking the ads and from any advertising on your channel page. Something that YT don't do. I get all the revenue from YT advertising campaigns. The stats that my channel has would also be dissolved into the Machinima network so they basically consider my subscribers and overall video views as part of THEIR stats and advertise them as such. It was flattering to be contacted by them but the offer seems heavily weighted in their favour with little kick back for me. Lets face it, the channel they wanted to feature me on only has an average of 2000 video views per upload, something i've bettered with my 18,000 subscribers compared to ther 200,000+ subscribers. It would also appear that despite claiming millions of subscribers that they don't even rank among the top YouTube Partners with regards to earnings. Why is that?

The Airsoft Grenadier channel has finally made partner status so i'm sure you'll appreciate how happy i am with that. It means that once a few $'s or £'s come my way i can invest further into the channel and reward my subscribers with more and more great videos. Hopefully i'll be able to get my hands on new equipment and props to enhance the video experience and who knows, perhaps a sensible retailer or two will have the common sense to throw some airsoft kit my way for review. Lets face it, no U.K airsoft retailer has bothered to invest properlly in the business potential of YouTube. The U.S retailers seem to have grasped its potential so its about time the U.K caught up a bit faster and broadened their horizons a little.

This coming Sunday is a POW gameday so watch out for videos coming along on both my channels guys.

Best
Keith

February 2011

Time flies past very quickly! I can't believe we are into February already but at least the awful snow we had has gone and spring doesn't feel too far off now. There's even talk of an upcoming WWII MilSim at POW. Well since the last Blog entry i got a video review of my Hexagon Productions PPsh-41 up on YouTube and i've also got a couple more videos up on the POW YouTube channel. The POW channel has had great artwork done to it by my pal Icarus Stu who many will know from watching scouts videos on YouTube. The channel itself seems to be doing very well and already has over 400 subscribers....

 http://www.youtube.com/user/PlayersofWar

Since my last Blog my own Airsoft Grenadier channel has broken through the 600K video views and achieved just short of 18K subscribers at the time of writting this. It looks like being a successful year with YouTube. The new German winter jacket i bought myself was fantastic in the snow. With the white jacket and white helmet it proved very effective in the snow and very warm. Once the snow melted i simply turned it to the grey side out and it proves to be quite effective in our wet, muddy and dark forest at POW. I cannot believe how awesome my PPsh is! I have been using an 8.4v battery giving it a lower and more realistic rate of fire, the drum mag last for ages when you shoot rather than spray, single shot is very reliable and the range on both single shot and full auto is fantastic, well in excess of 60 metres and this is without any upgrades at all. I love this gun and can't see me ever wanting to get rid of it. Its also very easy to look after. I found myself laughing at all the kid experts commenting on scouts latest video, which has me in my Eastern Front loadout with the PPsh, and reading the arguments about whether or not the Germans used the PPsh. Its a FACT children, well documented and widely known. The Germans loved them and even produced German written manuals on how to look after them. CoD has a lot to answer for!! Its a POW weekend this week so watch out for videos on both channels and photos up on the POW Facebook Fanpage.

Take care!
Keith

Happy New Year 2011

So did everyone have a great christmas/new year holiday?

The weather kept me off work for just over a month in total and also led to two POW game dates being cancelled which was a total bummer. It means serious withdrawl from being able to skirmish and absolutely no material to upload to YouTube. On a positive note though we had a POW Christmas night out for the WWII German players which was great fun; lots of drink and many many good laughs. we have a game date on January 9th so here's hoping the weather remains good enough that we can travel to the site and get a good skirmish and lots of film and photographs.

I got a new WWII German winter jacket which is field grey and reversible to white for the snow and i also got a new Oakleaf Zeltbahn which i can add to my loadout. I was also given the boxed set 'The Pacific' which i watched back to back and loved. Its a fantastic series with amazing combat scenes and i really enjoyed the in-depth portrayal of the true life characters in the series. If i had the money i'd be tempted to go for a full USMC Pacific loadout!!

Since i've been stuck at home i've been planning what videos i want to make for the new POW Youtube channel so i can't wait to get out there and begin filming. At the moment i've only got a teaser video on the channel to generate some early interest and i've already got just under 100 subscribers and nearly 2000 views on that 1 video. Here's hoping the channel will be as successful as early indications promise. The Airsoft Grenadier channel is also doing very well as i'm just about to reach 17,000 subscribers and am on my way to 600,000 video views overall. My most successful video has well over 100,000 views on its own. I was very flattered to see how many of my fellow Youtube airsofters gave me personal messages on their youtube channels wishing me a happy new year so i'm now thinking of returning the favour and doing a video to thank my youtube friends and give them all a mention. It's not something i normally do but it seems quite a popular means of contact and networking for youtubers. Early videos to look out for will be a PPSH41 review and skirmish videos for The Airsoft Grenadier and also some skirmish and possibly player interviews on the Players of War channel. All these videos will hopefully be along sometime in January, weather permitting. We're expecting more heavy snow in Scotland soon!!

Happy New Year folks

All the best in 2011

Keith

More Snow

The heavy snowfall in Scotland is still with us and has had a bad effect on everyones life here with people unable to work, drive, get public transport, power cuts etc etc. We have a POW weekend coming up this week and judging by the state of the roads very few people will be able to attend if the site can open so given the fact i've literally been stuck at home for nearly two weeks now i've not got much to tell you guys, unless you're interested in my new toy that is?

I've bought myself a new PPSH41 by Hexagon Productions which cost me £279 and will be my primary weapon for my new WWII German loadout in 2011. I'll be wearing either an SS or Wermacht loadout from the Eastern Front with a captured Soviet weapon. So would you guys like to see a video review of the PPSH41 in full HD format, hmmm?

P.O.W, Snow and Facebook

The gameday on Sunday was knee deep in snow with travelling to and from the site very difficult but there was still a good number of hardy players who turned up and played until midday by which time it was decided to call a halt and allow people a safe journey home in daylight. The site itself looked beautiful in the snow and several of the guys were in full WWII German winter loadouts which looked awesome.

P.O.W now has its very own Facebook page being run by yours truly and fully endorsed by the guys who own and run Players of War. If you haven't become a fan already then here's the link..

http://www.facebook.com/pages/High-Bonnybridge/Players-of-War-Airsoft/166226373408062

The Facebook page has some cracking photographs and discussions posted so get over there and get involved in the P.O.W community. Remember there will be a P.O.W HD YouTube channel up and running early next year. Exact dates on an official launch will follow.

P.O.W Channel Launch

Hey all...

Since my last Blog entry there has been an exciting new development and as a result i've ditched the keiths Airsoft Guide channel to allow me time to work on the new project. All airsoft relevant material; gun/kit reviews, tutorials, skirmishes etc will be on the Airsoft Grenadier channel without the need for any additional channels. Its just much easier this way!

So whats the new project i hear you ask!! Players of War Airsoft have their own YouTube channel which was only ever used to watch videos, post comments etc but they have now given that channel to me and asked me to develop it as a subscription/viewer channel and make HD videos to display on YouTube. What that means for you airsoft fans is that you can subscribe to an official Players of War Airsoft channel and watch yet more HD movies of your favourite site with behind the scenes footage, interviews, combat and more. That means twice as much airsoft to watch, an official Facebook Fanpage for you to join and lots of information about the site and its players. What airsoft fan wouldn't want to subscribe!?!

There are no videos at the moment and the official channel launch is scheduled for January 2011, by which time filming will be well under way and the channel artwork designed, but if you would like to get subscribed early and not miss the first videos going online then you can subscribe here http://www.youtube.com/user/PlayersofWar and be among the first viewers to see the new material. Remember this is the Official P.O.W channel and is fully endorsed by the site.

Happy airsofting

Keith