Video: A Beginner’s Guide to American Amateur High Power Rocketry

Brian FitzGerald has released a re-edited version of his 2004 documentary, A Beginner’s Guide to American Amateur High Power Rocketry”

You can see the full video here or go to his Youtube playlist to select particular segments of the program to watch.

Caption:

“A Beginner’s Guide to American Amateur High Power Rocketry” is 2 hours and 29 minutes long and was FitzGerald’s first release to DVD. It was also his first movie shot on a digital tape format.

Like his other productions, “ABGTAAHPR” consists of a series of “in depth” interviews with Rocketeers interspersed with music segments. During these interviews you will hear and see “first hand” what the sport is like from people with the Rocket Passion.

Although there are some professionals in the sport of amateur rocketry – mostly on the manufacturing and retail side – all the interviews in this movie are of ‘regular folks’. But as you will find out – Rocket People are not your “Average Joes”. You cannot fit them in one bag – except the one labeled “I Love Rockets!”.

“A Beginner’s Guide to American Amateur High Power Rocketry” was shot over about a 6 month period. During this time two trips were made to cover two different Rocket events at the Argonia, Kansas site and one trip to Amarillo, Texas to cover an event there. The editing took far longer than normal complicated by the fact that FitzGerald decided mid-way through the project to release “Rocketeers” on DVD. His first full length DVD release, he a number of hurdles conspired to push back the release of the project. The Project took 3 years to finish.

People participating in the interview are shown in this list:

Brian FitzGerald – Movie Introduction
“Countdown” Rocket Music Video
Bob Brown
Dana Morris
Dennis Blackburn & The Viking Project
Gene Nowaczyk
Jeremiah Rittmiller
Lee Filsmyer
Mark Logan
Mark Nuetzmann
Rita Long
Brian Wheeler
Terry Drake
Chuck Meis – Mixing Party
Frank Cox
Ken Kryszak
Lauretta Gordzelik
Pat Gordzelik
Quentin Wilson of “October Sky”
Neil Milburn
“Mission Accomplished” Music Video/Credits