Back on June 27th, I wrote:
There's also a guy on bladeauction right now auctioning a video on Bali-Song techniques. I have not
seen this video. My copy will be here shortly. But, any video should be invaluable to get you started.
Well, folks, my copy of Mastering The Balisong Knife by Michael D. Janich (ISBN 0-87364-768-8) arrived today and I just got done watching it.
First, production quality is amateur. It's really poorly lit, one camera, frontal mug shot the whole way. Most techniques are presented at least three times with each successive demonstration zooming it a bit more.
This is in contrast to Jeff Imada who presents most techniques about five times changing angle for each shot. I, myself, found Mr. Imada's different angles invaluable in learning some of the techniques he demonstrates.
Mr. Janich, though, does have a good camera presence and speaks clearly.
Mr. Janich uses slow motion only once, to demonstrate one aerial technique. This is also in contrast to Mr. Imada who shows most techniques in good slow motion. On the other hand, the slow motion that Mr. Janich does briefly use is very poorly done and detracts more that it helps.
Now, as we discuss the technical quality of slow motion techniques, we're starting to get into video quality issues. Before I go any further, let me reveal a little bit about myself. I have extensive professional experience in video processing and video projection. So, I am hyper-critical of video processing issues. I could go on for hours about the quality problems in this tape and that's after only one viewing. But, that's another thread and, in fact, another forum. (BTW, I could go on for hours about quality problems in most any VHS video. Don't get me started...)
On the other hand, my viewing of this tape took place in my home theater where the equipment is probably a bit better than some of you will use. I played the tape on a very nice VCR and ran it into a Faroudja video decoder, Faroudja VHS time-base corrector, Faroudja edge enhancer, and then a Faroudja line doubler. For VHS playback equipment, It doesn't get much better than this. I'm not telling you all of this to brag about my system. My point is this: If a tape doesn't look good going through this video chain, then it can't look good.
(For the curious who now want to know exactly how I watch TV, this is then front-projected to a 110" screen. And yes, there is a suitable sound system too, but this is all turning into a different thread, in fact a different forum. The point is that my equipment gave this tape every opportunity to shine and, from a purely video-technical standpoint, it sucked instead.)
Now, moving beyond the amatuerish production and the really poor video quality, let's talk knives, butterfly knives:
Mr. Janich demostrates all the basic techniques and gives a good verbal explaination of each one. If I was to fault Mr. Imada, one comment would be that his verbal explainations are often quite weak and you really do have to study the pictures to see what he's doing. Mr. Janich, on the other hand, tells you what he's doing in clear and detailed discussions.
With the exception of a very brief (and very weak) discussion of combat applications at the very end, Mr. Janich's video is entirely about manipulation techniques. Mr. Imada, on the other hand, features extensive discussions of the history, manufacture, and uses of these knives, an interview with Les De Asis, and a couple of segments with Dan Inosanto, including a disapointingly short demonstration of combat techniques by Guru Inosanto.
I have not dug Mr. Imada's video out to count and compare, but I think he does show more techniques than Mr. Janich. However, even I learned one new, and simple, technique watching Mr. Janich's video (though I'm not able to practice it very much right now because I jammed my right thumb rather badly this last weekend). So, there is at least one simple technique in Mr. Janich's video that Mr. Imada does not present.
I was relieved to see that Mr. Janich does not present any of "my special techniques" which I've figured out all by myself. (There's a thread going on right now about patents. I wonder if you can patent a Bali Song technique?) Maybe, someday, I'll make my own video...
Aside from his clear verbal explaination of every technique, Mr. Janich's other outstanding point is his extensive discussions and careful explainations of aerial techniques. Mr. Imada briefly demonstrates a few at the very end, but doesn't explain them, show different angles, or use slow motion, so it's very difficult to learn these most flashy techniques from his video. Mr. Janich clearly explains each one and, when this thumb of mine gets better, I'm going to get back to work on them. If you want to learn aerials, Mr. Janich's video is much better than Mr. Imada's.
Sadly, I have not, seen Mr. Imada's video for sale in quite some time, so I'm not sure if it's still available. In its absence, Mr. Janich's video will do a fine job of teaching you basic butterfly knife manipulation. And, if you want to learn the exciting aerial techniques, Mr. Janich's video is, despite its quality problems, much better.
Right now, there is another copy of Mr. Janich's video for sale on bladeauction.com.
Furthermore, I suspect that Knifeworld (gap24kt@fascination.com) has at least a few more to sell.
BTW, I paid $19.95 plus shipping.
Chuck
[This message has been edited by Gollnick (edited 01 July 1999).]
[This message has been edited by Gollnick (edited 01 July 1999).]
