and thepokerfilm is out.
You can view them here:
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5
Let me know what you think! I need to know whether it makes sense to make more of these. Of course, continued production will depend a lot more on “view” count than anything else, so forward the links on to your friends inside and outside of poker if you like it. 
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Comments
I thought the film was cool and all but stealthmunk ruined the film IMHO. He was super annoying.
Nice job on the idea/producing. Looking forward to more projects.
Only thing missing is some ACTUAL POKER !!! Would liked to have seen you document them losing or winning playing online poker throughout the week . POKER PLEASE !!! And you should include images of yellowsub winning at monte carlo just so that it adds flare to your documentary. Kind like when you see documentaries include tv news reporters and other clippings besides there own….. and yeah …. too much of stealth munky, you could edit evrything of him after he wins the big bet….
and YES you should make more of these , but SHOW and document there poker playing-online games and casino visits etc… I think websites lik epocketfives.com and other shows that these popular online poker players have a big fan base, but we like to he whats its like to be an internet pro. Maybe you should document the lives of Sheets and Bax. I hear they even have a poker office etc. And they always visit casinos. But there is a gold mine in this concept. The idea that thiese young guys win more than some people make in a year is amazing, but we really didn’t SEE that. The emotional moments, the tilt moments, the stradegy discussions and arguments etc… etc…
good job NAT
Yeah, I was hoping for poker. But the drinking contest in front of the plywood bar was definatly money.
I thought it was the nuts (bad poker pun?) I told you this, bravo, you rule, videos ruled, make more, please and thank you.
I think this film has a considerable bias towards the concept that winning lots of money gambling on poker is a positive thing. The sad truth about many of the best online poker players (and I think this group typify it) is that they are effectively living lives very similar to stock brokers or merchant bankers - only without the pension and health benefits.
Most are spending their days (whether it is through compulsion or necessity) locked in front of computers, with the odd night of heavy drinking in between. What this video really illustrates is the illusion of freedom that playing online poker gives.
It reminds me of the Greek philosopher who talked of two carriage dogs running behind a cart. One was happy and jogging along contently - the other was unhappy and tied to the cart, desperately trying to get free. Despite the dogs clearly having different views on how they were living - they were both actually just being forced to run behind a cart.
The freedom these guys (just like anyone in these very high earning jobs) seem to exude is largely an illusion - they ultimately are just vaguely self employed city workers without the long term job perks; tied to their computers to satisfy the constant higher expectations that each big score brings.
To become a balanced and fair film this needs to be recognized and explored. Many young people would probably not trade places with these guys if asked - no matter how broke they were - and with good reason.
The way that this film conveys that the “self made” aspect of these guys lives is positive is also fundamentally flawed. They did not make their money through inventing products or services that help people; they got it through manipulating and out thinking people who, in the majority, have gambling problems. The money they spend is not free - it comes at a price that must be thought about and documented.
To make this film a balanced and fair film it seems a necessity to use similar techniques on the big losers of the online poker boom (of which there are many more than the winners).
This work has great potential to become a brilliant record of the online poker explosion. To become a great piece of work it must focus not only on the winners, but also the big losers, however unappealing this is.
This could probably add a great deal to the work - many of the big losers in poker have led incredible lives (Jimmy Chagra or Sam Grizzle for example) and would in some respects be more interesting than this group.
It seems unlikely that with the sponsorship of CardRunners that this will ever be possible - I cannot see Taylor being happy about backing a film about losers. This is a great shame as this looks like the start of something which had real potential to record an incredible are of human life; an area that has been largely missed by film makers or journalists up to this point.
Good luck with your future work and play.
I enjoyed the film.
Some interesting things I would like to know are:
What did their life look like before playing poker (hobby’s, friends, jobs, contact with relatives, future plans, dreams, etc) and what is left of it now? How do they think about the changes? Do they miss certain things? How do friends (or so-called friends/”groupies”) think about their money-making succes?
I think it would be nice to follow them in their ordinary life (to the grocery, gym, school, playing poker, cooking etc.), interview them on the way and let them tell interesting stories about their poker playing experciences (or at least let them tell what they think is interesting if you know what I mean).
Very interested in more films.
Maurice