Making Poker Videos

I just want to get people's opinion on this idea. What do you think of the idea of starting a business where you videotape client's while they play poker, the point being to improve poker skills. I would have a special table set up with cameras in the table for showing the cards, and several cameras around the room. This would have to be in Las Vegas or the like with a lot of poker players around. Also, with the poker players permissions, I could also sell the tapes, if some of the players were worldclass players. Even if they were just average players, i think it would be very educational. What does anyone think. And this wouldn't be a full-time business, just more of a side thing. I am a video and film major and am trying to put my two interests together.

I think it would be hard to get the consent of the other players at the table. I also think you'd have a hard/impossible time convincing casinos to let you tape their patrons.

That's kind of a novelty idea. But wouldn't it be a pretty difficult project?

I think if you could somehow get some world class players together and film them playing high stakes against each other that would be something interesting to sell. Problem is, a poker game outside of a casino is illegal and the videotape would be evidence of illegal activity. If you wanted to do it within a casino you'd have to pay the casino quite a bit, and it wouldn't be worth your while. The best thing would probably be to try to get a bunch of big time players together at an LA cardroom and film them with permission there.

This is a very interesting idea though; hope you can work something out.

Yeah, it wouldn't be at a casino. I was thinking at a home set-up studio. It's illegal outside of a casino? I didn't know that.

Just a thought it might be more educational to have average players play and then have a "pro" give commentary of the play.

Jen,


I have not read the other responses yet but you could make a great deal more money taping golfers. It will actually help them and most seem to be vain enough to want that one perfect swing on tape.


Jimbo

That's a great idea, and over here in Europe it's been going on for years. There's a T.V program here (you should try and get a video of an episode)called Late Nite Poker, where 7 or 8 players are recorded at a 1 table satellite. There's cameras under the table filming the hands they have etc. Brilliant stuff, and it's very popular, even among non-poker players. Phil Hellmuth, Chris Ferguson, Devil Fish et al. are all regulars - Phil won it 2 years ago, but he's screwed up every time since. Still an exciting/great player to watch...