The Good, the Bad and the Illegal Coaster POV
No, that THAT type of POV pervs…I’m talking about roller coaster POV! (Sorry to disappoint you – but you DID read the blog subject, right?!?)
Have you ever watched roller coaster point of view video or POV online before? Lord knows I certainly have. Ever wondered why the videos are sometimes jolty or always start AFTER the ride has started? Today, I want to show you how to identify good coaster POV, bad POV and illegal ride POV.
You can watch the video here: http://youtu.be/UJ2GjHIOJvM
POV has been around since the dawn of the motion picture – but it really gained notoriety after it was featured in the 1950’s film “This is Cinerama.” It saw its greatest surge in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, when Discovery Channel began featuring it regularly on Memorial Day. When Robb Alvey started producing on-ride videos from parks he visited, POV saw an even bigger surge. The internet is now awash with RIDE footage from thousands of users – thanks to cameras becoming smaller and more powerful. It’s become incredibly easy for anyone to film, well, anything. But does that make it right? Let’s find out…
Many parks have had to enact policies that discourage loose articles, especially cameras. The Santa Cruz Boardwalk will stop the Giant Dipper on its lift hill if operators see someone with a camera or cell phone trying to recording video. Expect a greeting and escort from security if you whip it out after the lift, by the way.
So, how do you stop this dangerous practice and keep your fellow guests safe? Simple – stop supporting it. If you see any of the tell-tale signs of illegal coaster POV, don’t keep watching it – unsubscribe from that user’s YouTube channel. You’ll keep admission process down and keep the line moving!
Bert the Conqueror – Faked and Poorly Researched
Those of you who are theme park or amusement park fans know that for many years, Discovery, A&E, History and Travel Channel would produce an onslaught of roller coaster and theme park programming right at the start to the summer fun season.
As a fan of these shows for many years, I am sad to report that these shows have been in steep decline in recent years, especially considering all the upgrades to picture quality!
The worst of these examples is “Bert the Conqueror” a show based on a premise similar to “Man vs. Food.” Consider they are from the same production company (Sharp Productions) it makes logistical sense.
Sadly, while MvF can get away with some bending of facts, “Bert” deals much more with a factual information-based industry. Simply put, this show fails miserably at it.
For example, in the show’s very first episode, Bert “conquered” the Cedar Point “Fearsome Foursome Challenge.” There’s only one problem…that challenge doesn’t exist. It was a complete fabrication to “attempt” to keep the conquering motif of the show, yet show coasters in the meantime.
Too bad they didn’t expect me to stand up and say they were wrong…
To prove my point, sust watch the segment I analyzed on one of my local parks, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom. Imagine how many errors they’ll rack up in a whole season…(egad!)
Great American Thrills® 