So this is my first ever blog post here (yay!), and I wanted to write this more for formulating my thoughts and days, as through this I will hopefully feel better about the position I find myself in.
In general i'm a very happy and cheery person, it's hard to get me down about almost anything, I try and help out as much as possible wherever I can and love to wear a smile. However, it's come increasingly obvious that despite my happiness, I'm extremely negative about certain aspects of things I see and view around me, and this is the main reason for my blog post. Some would consider this a kind of "confession" and attempt to atone for my ill-will toward things so hopefully I can solve those feelings i've been having!
So lets start with the basics, I'm a caster who wants to turn his hobby into a profession. I'm 23, a British gentlemen living in Finland and I find myself in the fortunate position of having literally 24/7 to dedicate to my passion, as my girlfriend is extremely supportive of me even if I don't give her enough credit from time to time. Regardless of the long road ahead I know that one day I will be able to achieve my goals no matter how much time it takes! (Be that one day casting Code-A, MLG blah blah xD). When i'm casting, be it solo or co-casting, I absolutely adore every minute of it regardless of the players skill (I cast Bronze through to Grand Masters on any given day of the week with Stim.tv and Playhem), and it's always an absolute treat to reach out to people, and have them actually listen to you! I feel extremely fortunate to be given the opportunity. I stand for the up-most in professionalism when it comes to casting, and always bring my A-game, which comes back to be being a happy and cheery person in general. I like to think that being Masters in this game on EU and NA is a great boon to me while casting, as I like to combine as much analysis and excitement as possible when required.
HOWEVER! I find myself right now in a position of deep regret. Recently I feel i've been too negative when it comes to a few people and I want to make amends (no matter how much they don't give a damn about me haha! xD). I wasn't going to name any names but fuck it, for lack of a better phrase.
____________________________________________________________
TotalBiscuit - For the longest of times i've totally shit on him whenever I talk to close people about casting in general. I've always admitted that he has a fantastic voice for the role but ultimately, making wrong calls during games and a lack of game knowledge always made me feel bitter. However, I have here today to say that i'm sorry for the standing i've had in the past. TotalBiscuit reaches out to an audience quite like no other caster can to a certain extent, with his flamboyant style he can draw in a crowd, and regardless of how much I believe game knowledge is extremely important, I can only admit that I am jealous of his success and one day hope to appeal to a crowd like he can. - I'm Sorry .
VampireLady - This one is a bit weird, as it has only actually happened recently. So I was asked to cast the Playhem EU Tournaments, and along the way we wanted to find a co-caster. In turn my admin brought me the contact details of VampireLady to have a chat with about casting together. At the time we have a bit of a chat and I really didn't like her first impression she presented me with (as i'm all about first impressions), so ultimately I decided to just not cast with her and leave it at that. However, regardless of that I know I should have given the partnership at least a chance, had a go at it and see how it worked out, instead of dismissing it entirely after that first glimpse. - I'm Sorry .
____________________________________________________________
I know i'm no big name in SC2, but one day maybe I will be. Regardless of how I feel about other casters who may not have a firm grasp of meta-games, I feel i've been harsh in my opinions of people who are just doing the same as me! Having fun casting, trying to reach out to people and make it exciting for them along the way!
So all-in-all what i'm trying to say is, I'm sorry for being harsh as a spectator toward other casters. I know i'm nowhere near perfect either, but working on becoming perfect, and having that opportunity is an amazing thing to have.
This is just my personal experience for which i'm sorry of. Ultimately "Caster-Hate" in general in the SC2 scene is pretty rife which is always an astonishing thing to behold. These people put countless hours in to what they do (As I know first hand), all for the entertainment of the masses and people just shit on them. From the recording, the setup, the compressing, the uploading, the streaming, the networking and social media utilization... It all takes an amazing amount of effort.. AND people would be amazed and how hard casting actually is.
So to all casters out there, employed for their talents, highly experienced or just breaking into it, giving it a go. I salute you and take my hat off to your efforts.