Big Crits, a new WoW reality series

At the end of the summer last year I had this crazy idea: to make a TV show about a raiding guild. I was inspired by the relationships and interactions in my current guild and how much they impacted me personally -- both good and bad. I fleshed out the idea over beers (many beers) with some friends. We talked about logistics, equipment, participation, but most importantly, the goal. I wanted the show to be about the people, to be about the interaction between the raiders. And I don't mean ninja-looting drama-mama QQing. I wanted to explore the things that go on in a group of people trying to work together online to accomplish something great. There's more to raiding than drama. Things like, as I'm fond of saying, "the soul crushing 1% wipes and the absolute exhilaration of taking down a new boss for the first time."

I worked on a pitch and reached out to friends & family in "the biz" but I spent most of my time trying to explain concepts such as a "raid" or a "boss" or that when I said "guild" I meant a group of MMO gamers and not an actor's or writer's union -- which made for some very confusing conversations at first. Frustrated, I wasn't sure I'd ever convince anyone this was an idea worth doing. But I knew it was.

I felt it so passionately about it that I knew if I didn't do this someone else would and I'd never forgive myself for not taking the chance. Then a friend suggested why not just do it yourself? Who cares if its low-res or not ready for primetime? If you tell a compelling story people will watch it no matter what the format. I was inspired by that and decided it was time to solo the production boss.

In the beginning of this year I put up a Craigslist ad for video editors in NYC who are also MMO gamers. I interviewed a dozen editors and narrowed my list down to two awesome people, each with their own style. Undecided between the two I hired them both. And then hired an independent cameraman/editor to shoot and cut a recruitment video. Two weeks ago I announced to my guild I was striking out on my own.

And so today begins the journey of Big Crits.

The show isn't scripted; there's already an awesome show for that. It's not how-to videos; there's hundreds of those available. It's not a documentary and we're not going to "explore the addiction angle." Please. As a gamer with a very full life in and out of game, if I read another mainstream article about gamer addiction I'm going to vomit all over my G15.

This is a show about all of us. About everything we go through when we log on, zone in, check our flasks, get a Fish Feast down and a full round of buffs up. It's lights, camera, buffs, game-on.

Big Crits is: real people conquering a virtual world. Sometimes we're having fun, sometimes we're intense, sometimes we're frustrated. Whatever it is, it's real interaction between real people set in the virtual world. As Talib Kweli lays down in Danger Doom's Old School Rules, "I might be buggin but it seem to me that cartoons be realer than reality TV."

The editors of WoW.com were kind enough to let me post an article about this for the kickoff and I appreciate the opportunity, because in order for this show to achieve its full potential we need... you. What's a raiding guild without raiders? Part of the fun of the show is going to be putting together a new guild, finding great people, and raiding together for the first time.

You can learn more at the Big Crits website or apply to join the guild. Even If the guild isn't for you, definitely stop and add the feed to your reader, become a fan on Facebook, or subscribe to the YouTube channel so when we cut our first episode you'll be the first to know.

And until then, May all your hits be crits!