So, many of you might have noticed that I list myself as a "former MG owner." I've got to say that the requirements for being an MG owner and being an independent filmmaker are very much the same...time and money. As soon as I started production on the first INSIDE THE OCTAGON my MG ownership was doomed, particularly the MGTC project I started in 1987. By the time 2000 rolled around I found myself MG-less. But I still have a fascination with vintage iron and I'd like to tell you a bit about that big blue camera in my photo. It's an early 1950s Mitchell BNCR 35mm motion picture camera that I bought in 2003. One of the BNCR's predecessors, the Mitchell Standard camera, was a mainstay in Hollywood from the 1920s and was an improvement on the Bell and Howell 2709 that preceded it. The 2709 had strayed from the wooden construction of earlier motion picture cameras and defined the general form factor of the modern cameras which Mitchell adopted. And while Mitchell flourished, the 2709 did not. A later development from the Mitchell Camera Company was the NC camera. The NC stood for Newsreel Camera. But when sound entered the scene, the noise of the camera motor and mechanism became a problem on the set. Mitchell further developed the NC by building it into a soundproof housing, thereby creating the Mitchell BNC, standing for Blimped Newsreel Camera. A blimp is a housing around a motion picture camera that dampens the noise of the mechanism. Although the first BNC was built in the 1930s, it wasn't until after the war that production really ramped up. And even at that, there were only a little more than 350 Mitchell BNCs built. By the 1960s reflex motion picture cameras had appeared on the scene. With a reflex camera the viewfinder actually looks through the taking lens during photography. On the BNCs, the scene was viewed with a separate finder attached to the side of the camera during photography. To meet industry demands, many BNC cameras were modified with reflex viewing systems and became BNCRs, or Blimped Newsreel Camera Reflex. The Mitchell BNCR remained the workhorse of the motion picture industry until the mid-1970s when Panavision updated the design further and began to overshadow the aging Mitchells. However, to this day, the mechanical movement of the Panavision camera is based on the Mitchell movement designed in the 1920s. Of the 350 odd Mitchell BNCs built, mine is number 156. It was previously owned by Paramount Studios and was part of a fleet of BNCRs used to shoot sitcoms such as CHEERS, WINGS, and FRAISER. In 2004 I used the Mitchell to shoot a short film I produced called AFTER TWILIGHT and a feature called MR. HELL for another director. The footage for each film was stunning and classic. Yes the Mitchell is twice as heavy as a modern camera and yes, it lacks some of the modern conveniences of today's hardware, but the images it can create are amazing. Think of it, this camera built more than half a century ago is still capable of making timeless beautiful images in a format that is still compatible with modern theatres and DVD players, standard or high def. And within the length of my career, I have videotapes just over thirty years old that I would be hard-pressed to find a machine to play them on, tapes from the 1980s in formats that are long obsolete, and a digital video camera that is not even six years old but, while still current, is three models and one format behind. And as for high-def, it looks great, but there's at least a half dozen incompatible shooting formats out there. The film from the Mitchell can be converted to any format you want, no matter how obscure. It's great to know that some things have longevity and staying power. Gary Watson

As many of you are aware, I have announced a new plan to solicit the support of MG enthusiasts in the completion of the definitive post-war MG video history, INSIDE THE OCTAGON 2, MG 1946 – 1980 (ITO2). This is the sequel to INSIDE THE OCTAGON, M.G. 1921 - 1945 that was completed in 1995. ITO2 was eventually put on hold indefinitely because of funding issues. For years I have been asked about the future of the post-war MG film and up until now I haven't been able to hold out any hope for seeing it completed. But now I have established a way the post-war film can be completed through the support MG entuhusiasts. INSIDE THE OCTAGON 2 has been accepted by the Southwest Alternate Media Project (SWAMP) (www.swamp.org) as a sponsored project. SWAMP is a 501(c)3 nonprofit media arts organization and as a sponsored project, tax deductible (in the U.S.) contributions can be made to SWAMP to support the completion of ITO2. (See www.insidetheoctagon.net for details.) The cost of making a film like this is very high and although I've already spent enough money on ITO2 to have owned a first-rate classic MG, there's still about $100,000 of expenses remaining to finish the production. About half of that expense is the licensing fees for the use of archival materials. Most of the rest goes to photographing restored MGs and transferring the original interview footage to digital video for editing. Fortunately, much of ITO2 was filmed concurrently with the first film, including an extended irreplaceable 1992 interview with the late John Thornley. I recently had the pleasure of photographing HMGCC member Ed Rosenquist with his beautiful MGTC and MGTF for the film and I intend to be filming other HMGCC members with their cars as funds become available. Some years ago I filmed Bill Jones driving an MGA 1600 and Ralph Deibert driving an MGA Coupé for the production. I also did a sequence with Dave and Linda Renner in their MGB driving on the freeway near downtown Houston. People who donate at least $50 to the production will receive the first edition of the DVD when it is finished. A donor giving $100 or more will also be listed in the end credits of the film. The DVD will also have a photo album featurette. Anyone who donates $250 or more and provides a digital photo of themselves and their MG will be included in the photo album. This way they become part of this historical document. You can visit www.insidetheoctagon.net for details about how you can help. Thanks for your support! Gary Watson

This MGs of Texas site just opened up. Its easy to use and will work best if everyone jumps in. Look around, try things, post comments, photos, videos, whatever is relevant.

Its hard to go wrong. If someone tries to post questionable or offensive material, I will delete quick. What would you like to see in this site? I will start a For Sale/Wanted discussion.