Thanks To ScottyZ and Dave Scharf

Unknown

I'd like to send out a big THANK-YOU to ScottyZ and Dave Scharf. I just finished shooting a soon-to-be-released instructional poker DVD, called "Learn Poker by Video: A Beginner's Guide to Limit Texas Hold'Em". I wrote the script, and hosted it, for a Toronto-based production company. They hope to have it out by Christmas, available in Wal-mart, Zellers, etc...

It is one of twelve that this company is producing. Examples of the other eleven are yoga, magic, guitar, keyboard, professional make-up, etc... They think that poker will be their biggest seller, and I'm inclined to agree with them. Not because of my involvement with them lol... rather, because it's HOT! That being said, I think the script is pretty damn good.

As for the thank-you's, Dave hooked me up with the production company. I believe they originally asked him to do it, but he's a busy guy lately, so he passed along my name as well as the names of a few other players. Dave also gave me general feedback on the script as I was writing it, and it goes without saying that his feedback was extremely helpful.

Knowing that Dave would be too busy to help me edit the script on a day-to-day basis, I asked Scott for his help. The 'main' part of the script ended up being 26 pages long, plus 19 more for the bonus features, all single-spaced. That is a lot of poker content to sort through, but Scott was EXTREMELY helpful in providing me with suggestions, clarifications, and perhaps most importantly, he was up-front about parts of the script that he disagreed with. We must have exchanged roughly 1.7 million emails in the last couple of months or so, going over draft after draft of chapter after chapter, and thanks to him, the script is much more focused, and much clearer than it otherwise would have been. Waaaaay above and beyond... thank-you Scott for being so generous with your time and with your knowledge.

Also, thank-you to everyone who replied to my 'limit texas hold'em quiz' that I posted on this forum. It's the first chapter in the bonus section. When I said I was trying to teach some beginners how to play it wasn't exactly a lie, but... Thanks for all of your comments, this is a great group, and a great resource. The revised version that I recently posted is what I ended up shooting for the DVD.

Sorry if this sounds like I'm accepting an Academy Award or something lol... I've been eating, sleeping, and breathing this script for almost two months now, and I'm very relieved to have my part over and done with. Now the editors will hopefully make it crystal-clear with graphics in post, and now I'll actually have time to play poker again. I just wanted to thank Scott and Dave for all of their help in some sort of public way, and this seemed like the most logical place to do that.

Regards,
all_aces

ps: When the DVD is released, I wonder if I'll have to start posting in the dreaded 'Advertising' section of this forum. Hmmm....

Tilter

Sweet AA. Your becoming more famous everyday. I guess I will have to go out to the stores and buy this video, unless you can hook a brotha up

garro

Nice job Aces, I will go line up at Walmart right now so that I can make sure I get myself the first copy .

BBC Z

Also, thank-you to everyone who replied to my 'limit texas hold'em quiz' that I posted on this forum. It's the first chapter in the bonus section. When I said I was trying to teach some beginners how to play it wasn't exactly a lie, but... Thanks for all of your comments, this is a great group, and a great resource. The revised version that I recently posted is what I ended up shooting for the DVD.

No offence, but it seems pretty low to use this poker forum as a cheap proof reader for your for-profit venture. I think if you are planning on exploiting the good nature exchange of ideas that flow around here, you should post an explicit disclaimer as to your intent upfront. Especially when you convey the impression that it's for 'some beginners' which seem like friends or some people you personally know.. Will the pokerforum be seeing any proceeds? You thought highly enough of us to get some opinions on your quiz...

I'm disappointed aces..

Unknown

You're kidding, right?

Unknown

No offence, but it seems pretty low to use this poker forum as a cheap proof reader for your for-profit venture.

How can I not take offense to that?

I think if you are planning on exploiting the good nature exchange of ideas that flow around here, you should post an explicit disclaimer as to your intent upfront.

I've exploited the ideas that have been posted on poker forums for years now. All of it for profit. My bankroll has grown considerably because of poker forums. Hopefully people have exploited my ideas to that end, as well.

And as for "exploiting" the ideas around here, maybe I should be a little more clear: I wrote the questions. All of them, word-for-word. I wrote the answers. All of them, word-for-word. I made changes based on what Dave and Scott had to say, particularly in an 11th-hour exchange of emails between me and Scott on Friday night. The only thing that this forum made me aware of was that some of my questions were too subjective. The ones people disagreed about the most were clearly the most subjective, so those were the ones that I chose to focus on, when I rewrote the quiz.

Especially when you convey the impression that it's for 'some beginners' which seem like friends or some people you personally know..

I learned a long time ago not to talk about things that I'm excited about until they've already happened. Sometimes you're 99% sure something's going to happen, and then you tell people, and then it doesn't, and then you have to tell people that it didn't. Woulda been a lot easier never to tell them in the first place, right? So, that's why I didn't mention it until after it was shot.

Will the pokerforum be seeing any proceeds?

No.

You thought highly enough of us to get some opinions on your quiz...

I do think highly of many of the posters here. That's why I wanted to get a feel for how they would answer these questions. However, nobody's opinions are included in the quiz besides people who already knew they were contributing to it. Take a look at the revised version.

I honestly didn't think anyone would mind. This stuff all came from my brain, with Scott's help. I don't think I need to say very much more about this, unless a lot of people are as seriously upset as you seem to be. Again, there was nothing changed in the quiz that wasn't directly from my head, Dave's reply to the 'quiz' thread, or the email exchange between me and Scott. I think your post is, frankly, ridiculous. If you were indeed kidding, then good one. You got me.

One more time for clarity: The reason I posted the quiz because I thought it was interesting, and that it would be of some value to this forum. Using people as 'cheap proof-readers' didn't cross my mind, until I read your post. I did not intend to steal people's ideas, at all, and I didn't. I did get a general sense of which questions had the highest numbers of answers, and I changed those based on Scotty's, Dave's and my own ideas to make them more cut-and-dry. Both versions of the quiz are posted in this section for you to go over, if you'd like.

I'm disappointed aces..

Ummm... OK.... not sure I can help you with that....

Regards,
all_aces

MickeyHoldem

I think it's very cool, aces... congrats on getting the opportunity!! I was trying to imagine you handing out quizzes to all your buddies who play... and the image was just too, too funny... makes more sense now!!

First... the intro to OTR!
Second... the cover of CPP mag!
Third... very own poker video!

OK... your 15 mins. is officially running over!!!:D

Congrats again!!

Unknown

Thanks MH. I think it's pretty cool myself lol... The production didn't quite have the budget of, say, Moneymaker's 'Poker for Dummies' video (they had a crane camera!!!), but I did my best to make sure that new players get off on the right foot. It's been a crazy couple of months... I think the hardest thing about writing this type of script is deciding what to leave out. It's like: here's an hour. Teach someone how to play poker! (I think it'll be more like an hour and a half...)

Cheers,
all_aces

ConfusedONE

all_aces wrote:

I just finished shooting a soon-to-be-released instructional poker DVD, called "Learn Poker by Video: A Beginner's Guide to Limit Texas Hold'Em". I wrote the script, and hosted it, for a Toronto-based production company. They hope to have it out by Christmas, available in Wal-mart, Zellers, etc...

Regards,
all_aces

Way to Go all_aces

this DVD will make a nice Xmas gift for sure :spade: :club: :diamond:

regards,
CO :canada:

Graham

Excellent work. Congrats to you Devin.

ConfusedONE

all_aces

when is the infomercial coming out?


:canada:

Unknown

Call now!!! This is an exclusive one-time offer! If you order within the next half hour, we'll give you "A Beginner's Guide to Limit Hold'em" for half-price! But wait, there's more!!!! We'll ALSO give you... ummm... I guess that's where it'd end. Maybe if we do a couple more there'll be a box set, lol...

Funny you should mention the whole 'infomercial' thing. I'd written lines like: "This DVD will teach you how to play limit texas hold'em, and it well send you on your way to becoming a long-term, profitable player", etc... While I was saying these words, flashes of the movie 'Magnolia' were going through my head. If you've ever seen the movie, Tom Cruise plays a guy who does infomercials for what is essentially a 'how to get laid' video, and they're SOOOO cheesy. I had to really concentrate on not over-emphasizing the word "you" every time I said it... "This video will teach YOU how to play..." etc...

Cheers,
all_aces

Jay

Good stuff, AA. I'll pick it up when I see it in-stores.

Unknown

Cool! Hopefully it'll be out by Christmas (that is their plan) but they're pretty swamped with shooting and editing all of their DVD's, so we'll see. I just handed them a lot of work, lol. They really liked the script, but it relies (heavily) on graphic support to make what I'm talking about totally clear. They knew this when we went into it, though. Their graphics guy (very nice and apparently talented) probably hates me.

So yeah, hopefully by Christmas--exactly which stores are to be determined, but they've sunk quite a bit of money into this 'Learn by DVD' series, so I expect (hope) they'll be marketing it aggressively.

Regards,
all_aces

ScottyZ

Great job all_aces, and congrats on finishing (or least, finishing a major portion of) this project!

I'm glad to have been a small part of your work. I think your account of my contributions is a little generous (it was only 1.6 million emails...), but I'm glad to have helped out in any way I could.

I share many of all_aces sentiments in his response to BBC Z's, how shall I say, bizzare accusations. If I may add a few further points of clarification.

1. All_aces had completely written this quiz himself and had sent it to me for my comments, both questions and answers, long before he ever posted anything at all about it here on the forum. There was nothing even remotely close to the intention of stealing people's ideas, getting other people write the quiz for him, or anything along these lines.

2. I fully agree with his reluctance to announce in public the exact nature of this project before he felt it was the right time to do so. My own non-discussion of this project until now should be good evidence of this opinion.

3. I'll have to disagree that Pokerforum.ca will not be "seeing any of the proceeds". If all_aces continues to post here, we sure will.

4. And screw this:

BBC Z wrote:

it seems pretty low to use this poker forum as a cheap proof reader for your for-profit venture.

*I* was the cheap proof reader for his for-profit venture. :cool:

And finally to BBC Z: The way I see it, your lame attempt at making all_aces out to be some kind of money-grabbing scumbag has only made you strike me as a money-grabbing scumbag yourself. Oh yeah. No offence.

Unfortunately, all of the airtime of this post has been diverted away from the real star of the thread.

Many congratulations to all_aces on a job well done.

ScottyZ

BBC Z

I've exploited the ideas that have been posted on poker forums for years now. All of it for profit. My bankroll has grown considerably because of poker forums. Hopefully people have exploited my ideas to that end, as well.

For your personal, non-commercial uses..

The only thing that this forum made me aware of was that some of my questions were too subjective. The ones people disagreed about the most were clearly the most subjective, so those were the ones that I chose to focus on, when I rewrote the quiz.

Ok, so the posting did improve your quiz included with the DVD in some way...

I learned a long time ago not to talk about things that I'm excited about until they've already happened. Sometimes you're 99% sure something's going to happen, and then you tell people, and then it doesn't, and then you have to tell people that it didn't. Woulda been a lot easier never to tell them in the first place, right? So, that's why I didn't mention it until after it was shot.

You flat out lie about your intentions...

In the future, just be upfront about what you plan on doing with the data. Or even better, wait until its published in some form before you go to a public forum with it...

Unknown

I'm curious to know what I did to you in this or a previous life, because you can't possibly be this upset about this subject. If you have another look at my post, I think you'll find all of your answers in there. As I said, if this is about something else (I have no idea what, but like I said, it can't reasonably be this), please PM me and we'll sort it out.

Regards,
all_aces

Josh FP

congrats Aces

BBC Z

And finally to BBC Z: The way I see it, your lame attempt at making all_aces out to be some kind of money-grabbing scumbag has only made you strike me as a money-grabbing scumbag yourself. Oh yeah. No offence.

Just for the record, I dont want aces money.. but I think that if you are going to solicit the forum in a manner that will improve a for-profit commercial venture, then I would think that the forum (aka sloth for running it) should get SOMETHING to keep this valuable resource going.

HellmuthFan

Excellent job AA. Can't wait to pick it up in stores and better my limit hold'em game

esool

Congrats again AA, (almost) all of us are very happy for you.

As a side note, there is always that one person at work/on the team/lives down the street/in the family etc, that wants to ruin things for the rest... :mad:

ScottyZ

if you are going to solicit the forum in a manner that will improve a for-profit commercial venture, then I would think that the forum (aka sloth for running it) should get SOMETHING to keep this valuable resource going.

No it shouldn't. We're not "Google Answers".

ScottyZ

Yod

I predict very confidently that BBC Z is going to be alone in his rather strange condemnation.Everyone else here is going to be thrilled to have taken part in your venture however large,small or incidental. Congratulations on your achievment.

stpboy

That's awesome AA, i'll be putting it on my Christmas list for sure.

I was also just wondering if, after your cover of CPP magazine was released, if you are recognized more online or when you play live games at the casino if people are recognizing you? Also, do you find that if they do recognize you that they alter their play because of your reputation as a proven poker player? ie. are they folding more, respecting your raises or is the exact opposite happening...staying in to try and beat the "guy on the cover of that magazine..".

Prehaps i'm out in left field here, i realise that there are millions of poker players but just wanted to know if there was an impact on your game because of the CPP fame. Yeah I know that rhymes

stp

Unknown

yod:

Thanks man. A thought occured to me this morning... this forum will (hopefully) benefit from the DVD as well. The last bonus chapter is called 'Continuing With Your Texas Hold'Em Education', and it is basically a list of resources. I list a number of books, and then websites. Pokerforum.ca is the first of those websites... not because I felt that I 'owed the forum' anything in any sort of financial/promotional way, but because I honestly feel that people can learn a lot about poker by posting here. As I said, I totally forgot that I did that, and maybe that will help to put BBC's mind at ease. But I somehow doubt it.

stpboy:

Sadly, I can't answer any of those questions... I haven't been to a B&M at all, or played very much online either, since the CPP article came out. When I've had time for poker-related activities, I've been working on the DVD script. But, now that my part in that DVD is mostly completed, I plan on making up for lost time. My flight and hotel are booked for Regina in November, and I'll be heading to some casinos sooner rather than later to make up for lost time. I'll let you know if anyone recognizes me, and if so, whether or not it adversely affects my BB/hour.

Cheers,
all_aces

Dave Scharf

I was thrilled to pass Devin along to the producers. I suggested a list of people that (1) Know about poker; and (2) Are great communicators. I put Devin at the top of the list.

Devin, congratulations. I am very happy for you.

Also, I am glad to hear ScottyZ got involved (another great communicator).

Not to mention this whole forum. We are a lucky bunch. There are some very smart people giving freely of their thoughts. This is a very excellent forum which I am honoured to be part of.

Mark

Hey A_A !!
Very well done...there are very few DVD's of any kind on poker..so hopefully this will do well........on my list for sure.
Timesmog

djw

Wow! This is great news for you all_aces! Congrats!

ConfusedONE

all_aces wrote:

Call now!!! This is an exclusive one-time offer! If you order within the next half hour, we'll give you "A Beginner's Guide to Limit Hold'em" for half-price! But wait, there's more!!!! We'll ALSO give you... ummm... I guess that's where it'd end. Maybe if we do a couple more there'll be a box set, lol...


all_aces

heheh

ConfusedONE

will sloth be adding the dvd to the pokerstore?

regards,
CO :canada:

Iron

Congrats All_Aces!

Any discussion, analysis, q&a's, etc. on the forum helps not only those who ask the question, but usually the people who work through their answers IMHO. At least that's what I've found.