26 replies to this topic

[McTodd]

I recently posted on the New Members thread, and mentioned that I have some documentaries originally taped from TV which I hoped to upload to a suitable site.

This I have now done, with the most relevant videos being found on Stage6. If you want to watch them online, you'll need to download and install Stage6's DivX player (for free!). Alternatively, right-click on the right-hand symbol (the narrow rectangle) in the centre of the still image and save the file to your HD - you'll see what I mean when you click on the links below. BTW, these aren't scrappy little YouTube videos, limited to ten minutes, but full-length, TV-quality videos.

Kaboom! is a documentary originally aired as part of Channel 4's Equinox strand, and is a thoroughly entertaining romp through the history and practice of explosives!
Kaboom!

Hollywood Mega Blasts is a Channel 5 doco on, well, special effects pyrotechnics:
Hollywood Mega Blasts

If you have any trouble with the links, go to my section of the site, here - you may even find other stuff worth downloading!
McTodd's Stage6 Videos

Finally, here is my attempt at DIY special effects pyrotechnics, made around 1985:
McTodd's SFX Pyro Thingy

[Richard H]

Thanks a lot for posting Kaboom! Been trying to get hold of that for years.

[Arthur Brown]

Really great to watch that again! Is there a way to actually record the prog rather than just view it?

[McTodd]

Really great to watch that again! Is there a way to actually record the prog rather than just view it?

Yup! Right-click on the right-hand symbol in the centre of the still image (the narrow rectangle) and 'Save Target As' to your hard-drive (you can also rename it at this point, as it will bear a Stage6 title consisting of a string of numbers).

Should play in Win Media Player, but I find the best thing to watch videos on computers is Videolan's (free) VLC media player:
VLC Media Player Download

Enjoy!

Edited by McTodd, 10 January 2008 - 09:41 PM.

[portfire]

Hi McTodd, may i be the first to welcome you to the forum, i hope you have a good stay and thanks for uploading the videos. I can remember watching 'hollywood blasts' and found it very entertaining and informative.
I always try to record things like this for future referance but i missed this one, im so glad to get it again!.
I also watched 'kaboom' but did not record that one either! so once again thankyou for uploading these.

p.s was impressed by your 'Super8 Mini Pyro' videos, i look forward to seeing more

regards
dean

Edited by portfire, 10 January 2008 - 10:35 PM.

[Daedalus]

Thanks for uploading. Im just downloading The British space race too - look like you have some interesting videos posted there.

[McTodd]

Portfire, glad you liked my wee pyro film! I'm devising better techniques (in theory, anyway) and will build more elaborate, realistic miniatures (of recognisable buildings, for example) for new experiments in the coming months.

Everyone in general - I have other docos that I think will be of interest (such as Richard Hammond's 'The Gunpowder Plot') which I will upload in the coming weeks, but I'll post here when they're online (it can be a frustrating business uploading to Stage6 - took me 3 attempts to get 'Kaboom!' on there, for instance!).

[phildunford]

Hi McTodd - great video - thanks.

If anyone wants to burn the file to a dvd for playing on a standard (TV) dvd player, I have found a great free converter/burner called DVD FLick.

DVD Flick

The only trick is to rename the .divx extension to .mpeg. Flick can then see it and it converts fine. Took about 45 min on my dual core machine...

[Asteroid]

I watched through half of it before my internet cut out. I look forward to watching the rest. really enjoying it so far.

[Arthur Brown]

Next to the play button there is a download button. Download the file then watch it at leisure.

[paul]

Thanks for that great documentation! I really appreciate you can download
these movies in full lenght and HQ!

Would love to see some more of stuff like that!


Many thanks!

Btw: You may all know that tv-ad but here it is again: http://www.stage6.co...Bravia-Paint-Ad

Great combination of fireworks and paint

Edited by paul, 13 January 2008 - 04:51 PM.

[GZ22]

Fantastic stuff! I used to have Kaboom! on tape along with entire series of the BBC2 documentary series Master Blasters. I say used to because I loaned it to someone in 2001 and never got it back

Does anyone have Master Blasters? The episodes (6x 30 mins) were entitled:

1. A Fistful Of Dynamite
2. Movie Mayhem
3. Explosive Couple
4. Ice Warrior
5. Blast Off
6. Title unknown

Episodes 2 and 5 are of especially good interest. Movie SFX for the Royal Navy, and rigging a huge inner-city display in the US respectively.

I'd love to see them again! (Please).

[McTodd]

I used to have Kaboom! on tape along with entire series of the BBC2 documentary series Master Blasters. I say used to because I loaned it to someone in 2001 and never got it back

Blimey, I may have that series on VHS! I say 'may' because I have hundreds of VHS tapes with stuff recorded off the telly over a 20-year period and I can remember very little of what I have... I am (sporadically!) transferring it all (well, the stuff that isn't available commercially at any rate) to DVD.

I shall have a search for Master Blasters, and if I have it I shall do the business and bung it up on Stage6. It'll be a week or so before I can report back.

[GZ22]

Wow! If you do have them, that would be wonderful. No pressure - I'll be very grateful if you have recorded them. If you don't have them, no worries.

[treefingers]

Cheers for putting those up Mctodd I really enjoyed kaboom. I never realised Ron Lancaster was a priest.