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Gamers Unite part 2: Live Free or ... what a lame header ... just watch the clip
by Nex on 06.15.2007 17 comments

A few days back, we brought you the initial episode of Gamers Unite, a documentary chronicling reaction to the negative media stereotyping by those afflicted with the stigma, the gamers themselves. Today, I bring you the just released conclusion to the Gamers Unite series, focusing on the Gamers Unite Rally that took place in New York City on May 5th of this year, as well as covering the same themes as the previous edition.

As with the first part, the documentary maintains that same glossy sheen of professionalism, and the blokes at PBC Productions continue a streak of quality documentarianism (He's not even trying to use real words anymore, is he? -- The Board) despite being restricted by a budget comparable to the cash James Cameron found behind the ear of Edward Furlong during the filming of Terminator 2.

While some will dismiss this film as pro-gamer propaganda, watching part 2 does an excellent job of presenting the reality of the situation. When the location of the rally had to be moved, for instance, the momentum of the entire thing took a huge hit and the list of attendees was cut sharply. Instead of glossing over this loss of support, the documentary presents it plainly and as realistically as possible, and they should be applauded for that. Documentary film-making, after all, is about stark truth, not about personal agendas and dinosaurs piloting rocke tships. Some may argue it should be about the latter, but that's a discussion for a different time. 

Sadly, the crushing reality of this issue is that it simply isn't the sort of thing that will ever appeal to the mainstream media. While telling parents the games little Johnny Joystick and Janie Quaddamage are playing could turn them into murderers is the sort of thing that guarantees ratings, having regular people explain calmly that gaming, much like television, sports or problem drinking, is a regular, safe past time, enjoyed by regular, sane people, that just happens to be experiencing the same growing pains that comic books, movies and rock and roll all went through upon their advent, will hold almost no appeal for Judy Housewife and Jim Problemdrinker when they're flipping through the channels searching for the latest sound bite to get up in arms about. Until gaming has saturated our popular culture to the same extent as Hollywood or 2 Live Crew, we all just have to contain our rage at hearing the Boomer generation extoll the evils of huffing glue the Mushroom Kingdom.

[UPDATE: Thanks to our bizarro sizing guidelines, this video may load a lil' weird. If it's looking strange to you, hit this link and watch it there.] 

MORE IN OUR Worth thinking about SECTION

Latest comment by Nex |view all 17 comments
OMG! BRIAN "NEATCHEE" RESNIK READS THE 'TOID! *Nex throws his panties on stage*...





William Haley's Avatar
William Haley at 06/15/2007 02:50

This is your best post ever Nex. I didnt even read it or watch the video, but I DID see the black supernerd with a Power Glove on. That's all I needed.
bleep's Avatar
bleep at 06/15/2007 02:56

LOL Isaiah "TriForce" Johnson!!!!
Reeper's Avatar
Reeper at 06/15/2007 03:05

lol william. it had me sold too.

but it's cool to see a stand being made. even though we're probably not being heard :/
fearian's Avatar
fearian at 06/15/2007 03:44

good stuff but they dont realyl talk about anything new, and I doubt the meeting really got to the public.
Dyson's Avatar
Dyson at 06/15/2007 05:23

That Power Glove is so bad.

Seriously, whenever they finally catch me and put me on trail at the Hague, the judge better be pimpin one of those as he sentences me to death for my war crimes.
turdferguson's Avatar
turdferguson at 06/15/2007 05:58

"Documentary film-making, after all, is about stark truth, not about personal agendas" Michale Moore might like to have a word with you on that. Also, any good this documentary does to portray gamers in a positive light can be undone by 30 seconds of video of kids playing halo 2 on xbox live calling each other "fags" into the mic.
UglyPhil 's Avatar
UglyPhil at 06/15/2007 06:09

"and now that we know that the long term effects of these particularly violent games are in fact long term"

Wow, perhaps the first time he hasn't lied on public television. :D

That guy in the black t-shirt with the mop hair is very, very clever, very eloquent, i think he's an excellent example.
SeraphX's Avatar
SeraphX at 06/15/2007 06:27

Thanks Nex...I've never heard of this.
SashaNein's Avatar
SashaNein at 06/15/2007 07:51

PBC Productions also made a series called The New Adventures of Captain S (Sega). That show rocks so hard.
TheStripe's Avatar
TheStripe at 06/15/2007 08:34

Who the fuck is Jim Problemdrinker?
BlindsideDork's Avatar
BlindsideDork at 06/15/2007 09:16

I so remember that powerglove guy! I met him at a video game convention and he said my Nintendo Track jack was Legendary! And told me I was good at Mario Kart DS...I felt special...
908peruvian's Avatar
908peruvian at 06/15/2007 11:56

was that Quentin Tarantino's son?

at least you guys make me laugh on fridays!!

thanks!!!
savagesaladin's Avatar
savagesaladin at 06/15/2007 12:15

Maybe nobody takes you seriously because you're some nerd with a Powerglove. What a bad idea to bring gamers together for a conference. All the audience was doing was playing DS.
Crackhippo's Avatar
Crackhippo at 06/15/2007 12:32

its a shame that only gamers will see this vid...
...and that they already know all this stuff
Neatchee's Avatar
Neatchee at 06/15/2007 19:32

<<< That guy in the black t-shirt with the mop hair

Brian "Neatchee" Resnik, from the GGL, host of Critical Hit podcast. Not to pimp my shit or anything.

The event was actually a lot of fun, especially once we went back to NYCLAN. We've got a lot of coverage of the event that you can find on the GGL brightcove video player channel. You should be able to dig it up on GGL.com as well.
Nex's Avatar
Nex at 06/15/2007 21:54

OMG! BRIAN "NEATCHEE" RESNIK READS THE 'TOID!
*Nex throws his panties on stage*

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