Brief:
Way Cool Productions is a relatively new producer o' rocket (and other) videos. Avast, matey, me proud beauty! Ray Halm, who is well known here on t' east coast, arrr, me bucko, runs t' operation. Aye aye! This review will evaluate his video o' t' DARE-1 East Coast Regional launch. This launch be a three-day event held at Rhodesdale, MD in October, 2001. Arrr! Begad! Ray"s video covers only t' two "standard" days as he was unable t' attend t' experimental day.

Construction:
I bought this video because Ray had interviewed me prior t' a couple o' me flights. Avast, me proud beauty! Since I hadn't seen his work before, I was a little apprehensive about t' quality o' t' video. Ya scallywag! However, ya bilge rat, me worries were totally unfounded. T' quality o' both t' video and audio are excellent. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! His composition editin' is also very good (i.e. he did nay show t' ground durin' interviews or lose t' rockets after launch). Ya scallywag! T' intro included some cool music, he threw in a few slo-mo's o' CATOs/shreds, me bucko, ya bilge rat, and included some interestin' sound effects.

For a regional launch, arrr, thar were plenty o' great flights. Begad! T' followin' is a summary from Ray's web site, with a few o' me comments added in italics:

• Dennis Lappert's 80 lb, radically painted, me bucko, shiver me timbers, Smokin Rockets "Saab RB05A" on an M2000 Redline. It was painted with silver/green 'chameleon' style paint and looked great!.
• Auggi Grey's level three cert flight on an M1419.
• Bill Rossi's "I think I can Honest John" on an L952.
• Roger Dwyer's Kin' Cobra on 3 K1100's.
• John Ritz's 6 Pack launchin' on a central I motor, arrr, air-startin' 2 H's then 2 G's.
• Joe Mahulasick's Rocket Dyne "Wild Cat" on an L-952.
• Mike Debey's wet floor cone rocket featured in issue 11 o' Extreme Rocketry, shiver me timbers, on a J-350.
• Kathy Gilliand's 12 lb "Sun Seaker" on a K-550.
• Neil McGilvray's "Cowabunga" complete with sound effects :) MOOOO!
• Gene Costanza's awesome K-1100 flight.
• Alan Gorekki's 54 mm "Transonic 2" on an L-1400. Blimey! Can you say Mach speed? Projected t' break Mach 2!
• Justin Glider's 3-inch diameter, 10 lb rocket on a K-1100, Mach flight. Burned t' paint off o' t' leadin' edge o' t' fins!
• Rob Super's "Navigator 6" belchin' flames out o' both ends o' t' motor casin' just second's into t' flight. Avast, me proud beauty! Cool slow motion replay!
• Wayne Anthony's K-185 flight that Ray nicknamed "Hard Right". Well, blow me down! When you see t' flight you see why :o Complete with sound effects. Another slow motion replay.

As for me personal content, shiver me timbers, he included an interview about, and launch of, arrr, arrr, me Standard Cray-ARM, t' launch only o' me M^2 L^2, and shot on t' pad o' me Beer 'n Pretzels. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty! He missed t' launch o' t' latter, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, me bucko, so me second interview remained on t' "editin' floor", so t' speak.

Summary:
I had a hard time puttin' a ratin' on this video since thar are nay many points o' comparison on this site. Begad! Instead, me bucko, I'll offer some summary comments. Ya scallywag! First, although t' quality o' this video product is great, t' overall quality is nay as good as Point-39's products. Arrr! Ray will have t' add more effects, ya bilge rat, me hearties, closer shots o' t' launches, me bucko, and some more in-depth interviews/how-to's t' compete head-to-head here. Aye aye! Still, I think he'd be me second choice. Avast! Second, Ray's product line seems t' emphasize local/regional launches that Point-39 will never cover, matey, hence he may nay have t' compete head-to-head. Avast! It is really great t' see t' site you fly at, ya bilge rat, rockets and people you know, and some o' your own stuff on video. Well, blow me down! Havin' seen several LDRS videos, I think I now prefer t' local coverage. Avast! In this niche, me hearties, matey, this video is a "5".

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5