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BEHIND THE SCENES ON DIGITISER THE SHOW: EPISODE 4

3/12/2018

20 Comments

 
It's getting better and better isn't it? For me, last night's ep of Digitiser is the best one yet. In terms of balance between all-out stupid stuff, chemistry between the hosts, and talking about games, it absolutely nails it. 

We know we've already won back a few people who buggered off after ep 1, but the general consensus seems to be that, well, people just want more. In all honesty, I don't know what happens after the series ends.

At the moment all I can think about is the next couple of episodes, and then taking a break, but just know that we would love to build on what we've achieved, and we're open to suggestions as to how we fund it. I'm a bit off the notion of doing another Kickstarter at the minute... 

For now, the best thing you can do is tell people about this show. We've found a core, passionate, audience - but there have to be more people out there who'd love this. We're well aware that we've made something very special here. 

Anyhow. Time to reveal some of these: secrets.

If you've yet to see the episode, be aware that this article contains spoilers...
WOOP-WOOP-WOOP-WOOP-WOP-WAH
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For me, this is very much Octav1us's episode. I've said it before, but something I learned shooting series 1 is just how confident and great my co-hosts all appear on camera. We were all, for the most part, unknown quantities before filming, there were different levels of nervousness between us, and it was so important not to throw anybody in at the deep end before they'd learned to swim.

I mean, I was alright with chucking Gannon in there and jumping in after him... but series 2 - if they all came back - I'd want Larry, Jenny and Octav1us doing much more stuff.

We had to build trust in one another before we could risk a fall. In any group setting there are stages it goes through before it reaches full performance. Indeed, I draw your attention to Tuckman's stages of group dynamics!

We pretty much jumped to the performing stage really quickly, avoiding too much in the way of personality clashes and the like. Which was just as well, because there wasn't the time to all fall out with one another. It helped hugely having a professional crew who knew what was expected of them. 

A project like this needs a leader, but it's hard for me to adopt that role naturally. I convince myself that I'm more comfortable just being part of the gang, because I don't want to be the one who has to make unpopular decisions, or voice unpopular opinions. I just want to get along with everyone, and not be the "bad guy".

Yet over the course of my life, I seem to have found myself in these sorts of situations, and having to step up.

Sorry to bang on about it, but something I learned about myself when I was doing my psychotherapist training was that I've got a bit of a disconnect between how I see my role in a group and how others see me. I sort of feel I want to disappear, but the very nature of who I am doesn't really allow it. 

There was a point towards the end of my training where I realised the group wasn't moving forward, because it was stuck in a sort of loop of people either lashing out at one another or just telling one another how amazing they were and how much they all loved one another, and... none of it was real. A big part of becoming a decent therapist is learning to be able to take feedback, and realising when that feedback is honest, and when that feedback is just people projecting upon you. We can only grow if people are truly open - in a compassionate, loving, way, of course. 

Being the idiot I am, I started being honest with people - again, in a way that was never intended to be cruel, but open in the way our tutors were encouraging us to be.

And, of course, while the tutors loved it, most of my fellow students bloody hated it, and I made myself very unpopular, because they all wanted to stay loved-up, or stay being victims, or stay as persecutors, or rescuers - but nobody was growing. Nobody was moving on, and everyone seemed a long way from being ready to be counsellors. I mean, I've no idea whether anything I said helped, because I grew tired of the weekly drama, and dropped out before I could finish, but...

...What was I saying?

Oh yes.

Regardless, any project, any group, does need a captain who can stay on course when the weather gets nasty, and with Digi being my baby... people were automatically looking to me for that steer. If somebody hadn't accepted that role, we'd have been screwed... And really, it could only have been me.

What I've learned about leadership is that it becomes a balance between utilising the skills and experience of those in the team, and not letting too many voices dilute my vision for the show, while also trying to ensure people feel heard, appreciated and motivated. Also: don't be a dick.

Whatever the case, it seemed to work, and if we do a series 2, this captain will be much more open to his crew occasionally taking the wheel...
SHE'S BACK!
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I wish we'd had Fat Sow in every episode. And for the record - once again - yes, she IS a female pig. She's got teats.

​Apropos of nothing... for those who enjoy Eli Silverman from Cheapshow, there's a lot more of him over the remaining couple of episodes...
TIGER R-ZONE
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I'd happily do an entire series of just Show & Tell. I loved filming all of these - for the most part, I really hadn't had a go on any of the machines we've featured. I enjoy the surprise of it, I enjoy getting the chance to do stuff one-on-one with people, and I feel like the segments are always a perfect blend of factual stuff and entertainment. 

And they give each of my co-hosts the chance to shine.

For me, this episode as a whole finally gets the balance right between games stuff and all-out surrealist whimsy. The unfortunate thing about not having the time or money to do a pilot is that I've had to test things out as I go. In a way, it's a bit like showing the teacher your working out. 

I hope you've seen the show progress, and get more confident, with every week. If so, thanks for sticking with it through its teething period.
CHART CAT
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When I brought Chart Cat to this site, and filthied him up quite significantly from his original Digitiser days, he became probably my second favourite original Digi character after The Man's Daddy. I sort of see writing him like a puzzle - like Boggle, but instead of building words, it's finding how many double-entendres I can wring out of something which isn't remotely rude. Also: Ryan Livermore absolutely nails the character.

"I'd like to nail his character," etc. etc...
PROG ON
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You know I love my prog, but I've never really been a fan of the band Yes. Too many abrupt chord changes for me. And I can't really get on with Jon Anderson's voice.

​Unfortunately, Marillion's old cover artist, Mark Wilkinson, never illustrated any video game covers...

​Don't think I didn't look.
COOL TATTOO
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That's my wife there, helping me skateboard. I'm just like Tony Hawk! I did once own a skateboard, but never got to grips with it. I ended up selling it to a boy called Lee Smith for 50p.

​That bit at the end where the skateboard rolls into shot and smashes into stuff is completely real - and I panic because it had crashed into several hundred pounds worth of camera lenses..
IMRAN YUSUF
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This is such a cliche of a thing to say, but Imran is just the LOVELIEST man. He's a genuine, old school Digitiser fan, and an incredibly passionate gamer.

He was there the day we were filming last week's Crane Grabber game - in fact, you'll hopefully eventually get to see his hands-on attempt at it, which sadly had to be cut for pacing and time - and he's so nice that I felt terribly embarrassed as it all fell apart. He's the one you hear me apologising to in the post-credits outtake. 

Even weirder, we both grew up near one another - so we had lots in common. 
COMMODORE 64 vs SPECTRUM
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The Commodore 64 vs ZX Spectrum debate was the one debate of the series I felt properly passionate about. Frankly, Team Look-In didn't stand a chance. ​Next week's one - Rare Vs Ultimate - is another I've got a real, personal, stake in. 
RAMPAGE FOR REAL
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So here's a thing. I've no idea whether or not Top Hat Gaming Man is playing a role or not when he's on Twitter. I know he's used to being a bad guy for his wrestling career, and sometimes he seems to be very deliberately winding people up.

While I know he's a controversial figure (which all happened after we'd filmed), I can tell you that - outside of the hat - he's friendly and very polite and a little bit shy, and completely different to his online persona. I also have to give him credit for how he threw himself into this, and how he's taken on the chin my efforts to undermine him. 

Also, there was a lot more of this sequence I could've left in, but... let's face it... you see quite enough of Larry Bundy Jr's arse as it is. 

Right. That's it for this week. Please keep sharing the episode. Hopefully we can win back some of the people who had a knee-jerk reaction to the first couple of eps, because I think we're very much where we want to be now.

Next weekend's episode is the Jungle Special - featuring an interview with Dan "Videogame Nation" Maher, Ashens showing us the Grandstand Light Games, and a little something called Pixeltionary...
20 Comments
Pete Davison link
3/12/2018 10:11:05 am

This was a fantastic episode, as you say you've all really found your rhythm and I sincerely hope you get the opportunity to make more of these.

The thing I like about the show is that the laughter and "mistakes" all seem so genuine. The "ON FLEEK LOL SNAPCHAT" intro had me and my wife in absolute stitches, and the skateboard rolling away at the end was just the cherry on top.

Prog Rock or Psygnosis made me incredibly happy, as it's a subject my podcasting partner and I talk about a lot, since we're both big Psygnosis and prog rock fans, and particularly appreciative of Roger Dean artwork.

As for Top Hat Gaming Man, I wasn't familiar with him prior to his first appearance on Digi, but I looked into him afterwards as it seemed he was "controversial". He's absolutely playing a role; it's an extension of his role as a "heel" in wrestling. If you need further evidence, he posted a video on YouTube recently where he takes off the jacket and the hat and speaks as "himself" about his changing attitudes to collecting; that's the real person there, and likely the same person you spoke to off-camera.

Keep up the great work. I'm visiting some friends tomorrow and fully intend to share at least one Digi episode with them!

Reply
colincidence link
5/12/2018 07:26:49 am

I had to check his Twitter to unpack the NHS reference when it first came up. I learned that he was directly horrible to Octav1us, unironically uses phrases like 'NPC' and 'SJW', and clearly believes the politics he expresses.
I don't think it's fair or credible to write-off him being so proudly devoted to being a bad person to performing a heel persona - Many people are oft-affable in private, whilst believing, sharing and promoting the hugely harmful politics they've learned from Thatcherite selfishness. It'd be interesting to discuss politics with them when they're in a more reflective mode.

Reply
Pete Davison link
5/12/2018 10:31:46 am

I had to look into this after those claims, and I have to say I didn't see any real evidence of him being horrible to Octav1us. I saw plenty of conversation and banter between the two of them, yes, with the most heated they got being a discussion over (what else?) the NHS, in which Top Hat Gaming Man was clearly "playing his role", but nothing that suggested actual animosity.

In fact, I saw numerous tweets where he was supportive of Octav1us, congratulating her on the growth of her channel and subscriber milestones.

As for "SJW", I found seven tweets in total, all of which were clearly intended to take the piss out of those who do use it unironically, and just three for "NPC" which I suspect were likewise intended purely to rile people up for amusement.

This is the video I was referring to where he was being "himself" -- give it a watch and you'll see he very much comes across as a genuine person. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oal9fTf5rls

I realise I'm not going to change your mind if you're already convinced of his "evil", but after a bit of research I am more convinced than ever that Top Hat Gaming Man is nothing but a persona, and Richard is the real deal.

Besides, I seriously doubt Biffo would have recruited him if he was REALLY an obnoxious troll, after all -- and least of all if he had a history of being mean to one of his co-hosts!

colincidence link
5/12/2018 03:33:05 pm

It's not a history thing; it's behaviour since Digitiser The Show was filmed. I refer to a Tweet that was in direct, immediate response to the one I have linked on my name here, implying that the NHS is unfair as it allows people with disabilities to afford their prescriptions. I believe this Tweet has since been deleted, so I can't now express its horrid tone. I don't want to pull up receipts on everything he's said, but I find his general behaviour consistent with hateful views.

I have realised my reference to 'unironic' use of 'SJW' is a bit tangled as the term's primary use is historically ironic. I am referring to his views that proudly oppose and ridicule social justice.

colincidence link
5/12/2018 03:39:24 pm

...I knew it but I still did it. This site hates Https links. Here's the link. https://twitter.com/Octav1usKitten/status/1053092427291070464

Larry Bundy Jr link
3/12/2018 10:23:43 am

We did get quite close to all the other hosts during filming, In fact Octav1us, Gannon and I went to a retro quiz night over the weekend together.

But when one of them tries to stick a truncheon up your arse, there's not much else it can go :D

Reply
Pete Davison link
3/12/2018 10:33:43 am

Loved that whole scene. Although I think my wife's reaction was possibly my favourite part -- rather than commenting on anything else, she was most confused about "why is the policewoman wearing white high-heels?" :)

Reply
Craig Grannell
3/12/2018 10:44:26 am

"I convince myself that I'm more comfortable just being part of the gang"

One of the really smart moves that shifts this slightly is the way you don't always sit in the central chair, and join one of the other 'teams'. Clearly, you still come across as the main host but not 'the' host. To that end, another thing you say – "if they all came back" – is something I really hope happens if there's a second series. The balance of personalities and people seems to really work.

Although, having said that, I'm obviously fuming at the terrible decision to award the rubber-keyed wonder the nod over the mighty C64 and its SID chip. (Actually, I'm mostly baffled by the people in the chat who continued to argue Monty on the Run on the Spectrum was better than the C64 version. Elite? Sure. Chase HQ. Obviously. Monty on the Run, with THAT Rob Hubbard tune, way more background graphics, and a far superior – ironically – Drive Sir Clive's C5? No bloody way.)

Reply
Dunc
3/12/2018 12:44:04 pm

I too am bloody furious (I mean fat so levels of crossness) that the c64 Vs spectrum debate made no mention of the mighty SID chip. Some of those punchy tunes stand up surprisingly well even today! The merits of which far outway Larry Bundy's classism...

Reply
Craig Grannell
3/12/2018 07:28:27 pm

I recall when a couple of friends first heard a C64. One had a Beeb and another had a Speccy. They thought I had a hi-fi in the room – couldn't believe the music came from the C64. I'm a bit surprised the C64 team went for the bloody awful CD-ROM thing as a major plus. No-one cared about that shit at the time and the things were just compilations of games that loaded almost as fast on disk anyway.

Billy Baxter
3/12/2018 12:59:32 pm

The guy being Chart Cat doing the exact voice I always imagined he would have, the reaction to "yes mother" and the interview were my favourite parts, despite Imran not once being asked about Ultimate Brain.
Octavius always addressing you fully as Mr. Biffo also tickles me for some reason. What a show.

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Mark M
4/12/2018 03:32:46 pm

Best.
Casting.
Ever!

Reply
Treacle
3/12/2018 01:00:31 pm

As much as I loved the insanity of the last episodes finale, this felt like the most complete and cohesive episode so far. The blend of content, the pacing and the absurd ending all gelled so well. Watching the evolution from ep.1 to now has been delightful.

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Dr. Budd Buttocks, MD
3/12/2018 03:12:22 pm

I've just remembered what the title music reminds me of - "Albert Tatlock" by The Skids

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DEAN
3/12/2018 05:06:20 pm

Another fine episode and yes, it's all onwards and upwards.

Highlight for me was Jenny's reaction to Fat Sow!

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Ray
3/12/2018 07:22:29 pm

Actual fluids were leaking from my body by the end credits. Let Chart Cat make of that what they will!

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James Walker
3/12/2018 11:54:37 pm

Fuckin A!!! That was MEGA!!! Gets better and better every week!
Weird though, on my android TV piracy box on the native YouTube app, video is a bit jittery but it’s totes fine on my completely legit TiVo.
Proper comedy gold! Boss tha!

Reply
Biccies
4/12/2018 08:20:59 am

I enjoyed the full ep, but i have to single out the Commodore vs. Spectrum bit as being brilliantly edited

Reply
B3tan_Tyronne
4/12/2018 08:30:17 am

Yet another belter of an episode, yet again crying with laughter at the end.
Top Kudos to Larry however as being a big bloke myself I too know what it is to have a cleft that salad forgot and the last thing I want to do is show it everyone as trust me, there is nothing worse than a sweaty cleft.

Reply
Paul Gildea
4/12/2018 02:59:54 pm

Was definitely the strongest episode so far. Having said that I still have a soft spot for Ep 1.

Really enjoying how it stands up to multiple viewings.

Reply



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