CandRsenal
patreon
Wednesday Review: Dear Diary
🕑 Added 2019-05-09 06:32:22 +0000 UTCI've picked up a new habit already with these Wednesday reviews: I write them bit by bit all week like a diary. It makes things easier to remember.
1. This week was mostly consumed by script writing and filming the Chauchat episodes. Editing will take some time but I have to do some last minute touch ups to the Russian Nagant you've already seen by now.
I'm learning a hard lesson, which is that although Mae roughly halves my schedule it isn't even from week to week. Research and scripting are still 100% me and it seems like everyone conspires to surprise or distract me when it comes time to hunker down. I'm not talking about friends and family just running in and asking me questions (though this is common) but also associates suddenly turning up ready to do some collabs, inside projects long frozen suddenly thawing, and super cool gun shows being 3 hours away on the same week.
Honestly, I can't tell if I'm a terrible writer or not. Part of me is frustrated by how hard it can be to stay focused and just. write. 50. more. sentences. They're just words, put them in order and go! But then that's after 4 books and 3 languages and cautiously comparing all the details. Fun fact: I have to find/confirm all of those images and other assets as I write the script to make sure I'm not calling on something I don't have in hand!
Anyway, the short story is I'm pushing a pattern of getting the episodes planned and filmed, and letting Mae do all the editing/execution while I move to the next bit of research. The unfortunate part is that this eliminates much of the "podcastable" work I used to do, which was my happy place.
2. I sent an email to an exploding clay manufacturer two weeks ago about the possible new project and how/where I could order etc. Didn't even ask for freebies or sponsorship but kinda hoped they would be curious what we were up to and maybe offer a bulk discount or something. No response.
I also emailed RST about cartridges with the same level approach, plus asking if anyone internally had some experience with old Spencers and the like because I'm always happy to pick someone's brain who has been there. Again, nothing back.
Honestly, it's exceedingly common to be ignored. I never really hear "no," just crickets. It's disheartening for sure. However, there have been exceptions. Brownells has never blinked at a request and Schiffer Publishing has now partially reached out. I say partially because it's clear one person is shoving the rest of marketing along this path. I hope Ian's book success is an indicator for them of the untapped market!
3. I'm going to be honest here and say I'm enjoying the shotgun prep way too much. I haven't actually been able to collect in years thanks to the show. The odd piece makes it in from time to time but usually near market value and definitely with an eye on reselling when the show needs it.
C&Rsenal started because I was an avid collector who put a lot of time and very little money into constantly trading up. I'd find matching G29o, SMLE MkVs, etc. and trade them for a larger collection of normalish guns. Rinse and repeat until my income-challenged self had a nice horde. Sadly sold most of that off to keep the show going and now those cracks just aren't in the market where they used to be.
Shotguns, however, they are still the wild west and you can find all sorts of things no one has yet figured out need appreciating. So all of a sudden I am back to spending $150 for awesome stuff that will get noticed down the line. Feels really good.
4. By the time you're reading this I will have recorded with This Week in Guns. I like reaching out and occasionally engaging in the current politics as an individual, but I avoid taking C&Rsenal as an organization along with me. It's really important to me that the show NOT represent something other than the core history. I have become really fatigued by every product I may interact with having some platform I'm unknowingly signaling.
More practically, we work with museums around the world and they're often sensitive to political shifts. Better to help them stay neutral when associating with us.
5. Some people have noticed I still look tired even with Mae helping. That's because the opening in my schedule means we can start trying to unpack a bunch of bottled up chores around the house. We're starting to look like the ratty neighbors on the block for sure after 4 years. I finally fixed the rotted out front banister today.
6. Thanks to some comments on the last video here on Patreon, I really want to research a book that would explain each of the Great War Powers' outlooks/politics/planning through just one of their adopted firearms. I feel like I'd need to partner with a political historian though. I think the 08/15 could say a LOT about Germany and the Nagant Revolver episodes definitely says plenty about Russia.
7. Hopefully in the next week I'll have a new poster out in the shop. This one is my all time favorite and is actually a "movie poster" for Project Lightening. Just had some dimensional errors to clean up.
More personally, I had an old friend reach out, a new friend is flying into the country, I'm throwing a private party for the first time in a LONG time (nothing fancy, just a range day and boil), and generally being re-engaged in my personal life. This I all owe to you lot providing enough support to expand the show. As things stand we're wavering between 94 and 96% of the real, stable goal. BUT the shop is making up that little bit of difference for now. I just worry about relying on it. Once we hit that and hold it I will finally be able to consider this a stable job instead of a lucky streak!
Thank you all again for your support of not only myself but carrying the weight for the rest of the people who enjoy firearms history! I promise I'm scheming some more Patron rewards but I don't want to offer anything unsustainable.
For those that missed it, we also do have a new PO Box for letters, fanart, etc.
PO Box 80849
Charleston, SC 29407
Comments
RitalinGamer
Your work speaks for itself is amazing, but don't forget to take care of yourself and Mae.
C&Rsenal
There has been far less pain lately, I assure you! I'm just showing the wear from a long journey and a deep exhale. We're right at the finish line for the hardest part.
C&Rsenal
Growth is the only way out! If we can keep adding talent and expanding the audience, we can reduce my hours. The trick is finding out how to provide that value to people so they will happily support!
C&Rsenal
We appreciate it but sadly until that % hits 100 we have to appeal to the people who are not yet funding us. So no breaks!
Tiberius
Othias, the exhaustion in your eyes is the difference between yourself and almost every other content producer on YouTube. I think I'm safe in saying that we worry for your health, but great projects ultimately have to hurt. All art requires pain, it requires proverbial blood. Though your content is historical, it's moving image form is ultimately artistic. Just, thank you for doing what you do, because it's difficult to imagine anyone else doing it with the same levels of quality and devotion.
Nicholas Mew
The amount of work you and the team commit to this series remains something that is difficult to fathom. Your exhaustion seems to bleed through this post alone. However your work has taught me so much and put so many other channels and shows to shame. The quality is exquisite. That said if other ways of trying to expand, advance the show and improve your work life balance is being contemplated, I would not mind you doing what is necessary. By god you deserve so much more.
Many thanks to you and the team, Othias! Its clear that you have thrown yourself into this project with little-to-no concern for your own self. Its incredible how you've taken a professional, academic-level of research and translated into a type of consumable content that can be enjoyed by everyday firearms enthusiasts. You and your small team have accomplished something that big network TV couldn't do, even back when guns weren't taboo (think Tales of the Gun in the '90s). Anyways, your contributions are appreciated and far more valuable than my small monthly donation suggests. If you needed to take some time off to see to your own needs, I certainly wouldn't hold it against you in any way. I'd much rather see less frequent content over a longer stretch of time...if the alternative were to see you guys burn yourselves out with an unreasonable pace of production. Cheers!
C&Rsenal
Thank you for the support! I just want to make sure that as we stabilize we also remember who got us there.
C&Rsenal
Mae coming over full time will, in the long run, create that time. I hope to be down to 50 hour weeks soon
C&Rsenal
I would but sadly we are too financially weakened right now by bringing Mae on full time. The #1 indicator of success is consistency when it comes to serial entertainment. We cannot produce the volume needed for growth like Forgotten Weapons, so we have to at least be on time.
C&Rsenal
Keep an eye out for a potential writing partner!
C&Rsenal
I would definitely need a polisci writer partner
C&Rsenal
True enough but if I could pull production ahead to give the Patrons say, one week with the new episode before anyone else... Might help snag a piece or two.
C&Rsenal
I am glad you're my friend too.
C&Rsenal
He has an instagram
C&Rsenal
I will have to keeo an eye out for a potential partner
C&Rsenal
Milsurp has long been under valued when compared to machine time!
C&Rsenal
It is pretty dope
Louis W. Reuter II
Thank you and the team at C&Rsenal for the immense amount of work, dedication and sacrifice you put forth to give us a quality product. I appreciate your desire to reward your Patreon members with added benefits but as for me, I feel as if I am more than compensated by the fine program that C&Rsenal is. You and the team's work does not go unnoticed. Do what you know is right and the majority of us are fully behind you.
Wayne Dygert
Just a quick note of thanks for your team's good work. I have learned a great deal from your presentations and very much appreciate your effort in sharing the fruits of your research. I would strongly urge you to take time for your personal life. Much a I enjoy your output work/life balance actually enhances creativity.
I'm always curious about mine.
What's with the Spencer ?? Was it on hand for the Great War. I've seen a club and forum for it.
Othias, I really appreciate what you and Mae do for us viewers, but man, it sounds like you need some work-life balance. I say you should simply push back on your schedule, because I'm still gonna watch your videos when they come out all the same, even if they are a week later than you anticipated. Quality over quantity, just like Dan Carlin's Hardcore History podcasts. It's always worth the wait. I just don't want you to burn out man.
John S Wren
Point 6. This a thousand times over. Just looking at the weapon without understanding the economic and cultural factors that led to it's adoption is missing so much of the story. I'd argue that decoding the markings on a Martini-Henry from the Nepalese cache can tell you a hell of a lot about the British Empire and how it worked.
Eric Elcock
I love the idea of point #6
Erik
"I promise I'm scheming some more Patron rewards but I don't want to offer anything unsustainable. " Making the show sustainable IS the Patron reward, dear boy. You're basically the Cody Museum of the Internet, and I certainly didn't feel like I was entitled to anything extra for my admission fee when I walked through the Cody Museum - - and certainly wouldn't if it had your extra perks of live fire demos, disassembly, animations, and the occasional commentary from someone like Mark who gets greasy turning the exhibits into something more than just a static display of peat bog relics. It's touching that you want to offer us "something more" for supporting the show, but dammit man! - this stuff has real value, which is why we're here! If you can pay your bills, eat better than ramen, get some solid sleep, have a life with friends and family, and keep producing what you're producing without stressing yourself into an early grave, then we are SOLID.
A Pete Bingham
My dear Friend, I don’t presume we are, but from my side, I so admire you and your work, I once had the opportunity to eat a private dinner with massad Ayoob , I made a fool of my self being enthralled and tongue tied and a blabber mouth. I suspect the only thing that prevents me here is the impersonal key board. I respect your private life. For my entertainment I usually don’t care for a behind the scenes look at the sausage factory of production. I want to suspend my belief and immerse my psyche in the finished product. Your candor and determination to do the right thing with transparency for your self and the show humbled me. Not just a talking head on you tube. You are a dear friend that I have invented into my living room as a personality who shares my appreciation for Historical Firearms. The world and our avocation would be a poorer sphere with out you. You don’t do this for fame or wealth although I hope you attain both. I continue to envy you. You may laugh but one day you may turn out to be the Jacob Bronowksi of Firearms. Someone who brings Humanity to steel and walnut. Count on my unwavering support here. Share your passion, when it stops being your passion, I look forward to supporting your endeavors in your next passion.
Enough of the firearms stuff, more Crozier!
Brett
That idea for a book exploring the Great Powers' planning & outlook through the adoption process of a firearm is fantastic. It's something I haven't seen done elsewhere, but is exactly the kind of multidisciplinary thinking that we need more of.
Seagunner
I’m agreeing with the state of collectibles. Just picked up a ‘43 Longbranch No4 Mk1 for $500 and feel like I stole it..sad
2nd shift says, "cant wait for that poster. "
