In our first interview for the weekend, UKCSGO sits down with Brandon “BDog” Rawlings who’s greatest recognized for his casting and making it out of teams with a Binmen roster, however at this occasion he has modified position.
BDog is quickly on the occasion teaching MC Village, a lower-seeded staff, however one with motivation and willpower. Nonetheless, the occasion will get reduce off brief for the 26-year-old as he will likely be travelling to Romania to solid the PGL CS2 Asia and Americas RMR alongside duo Lucy “LucyLuce” Eastwood.
On this interview we discuss what it’s like to educate and the way it helps his casting, what it feels prefer to be casting an RMRs, and what his rise within the esports world has been like.
Welcome to EPIC.LAN 41 BDog. Firstly, clarify what your position at this occasion is.
I’m teaching for the primary ever time. It’s a bunch of my mates who fashioned a staff just a few months in the past. I requested in the event that they wanted some assist and we’ve been working towards a good bit. They’ve been actually good to work with, they’ve a very good mindset and are hungry to study. Proper now it’s simply getting that have. There’s a good mix of skilled gamers who’ve been to earlier EPICs. We have now RJS for instance who hasn’t been to a LAN earlier than.
BDog taking part in for the Binmen at EPIC.LAN 38.
It’s a good group of individuals and I’m appreciated to have them let me be on board. Nonetheless, I’m solely right here for Thursday and Friday so going to take advantage of it.
Do you will have any expectations for this LAN or are you simply coming in and seeing what occurs?
It’s extra the latter. We have now are available with no expectations. Look if I can get out of teams, if Dweg can get out of teams something is feasible, I wish to stay optimistic. I wish to stay optimistic and never pessimistic. The vibes are good on the staff they usually have been taking part in effectively not too long ago, lets hope for a very good weekend.
You might be extra often known as a caster, seeing you as a coach may come as a shock for some individuals. Is that this a profession path that you just want to discover extra sooner or later?
One step at a time. I’m solely in the beginning of my casting journey. Is that this one thing I can see myself doing sooner or later, perhaps? It could be an attention-grabbing development. Teaching has been difficult, even with these guys whom I’ve been mates with for fairly some time, it has introduced a number of hurdles in a number of methods it’s a must to handle and mitigate completely different hurdles and overcome them collectively as a staff, and there are of course completely different ways in which individuals study. That has been a very large studying expertise for me in itself.
I’d be open to teaching extra sooner or later, however for the second I’m specializing in casting.
Talking of casting, you’re a coloration caster, [the more analytical caster in the duo] are you trying to coach to go with your casting skills?
I feel it positively helps. In all honesty that was not the unique intention, the unique intention was that I watch plenty of Counter-Strike on the skilled degree, I knew that I may assist to construction and the fundamentals. Entry pathing, figuring out when to save lots of utility, when to go for mid-round pushes, and easy methods to acquire info. Including these further parts to a staff can go a great distance. That was what I used to be introduced in to do, and having a very good relationship with the fellows elevates it.
the unique intention was that I watch plenty of Counter-Strike on the skilled degree, I knew that I may assist to construction and the fundamentals. Entry pathing, figuring out when to save lots of utility, when to go for mid-round pushes, and easy methods to acquire info.
You talked about your casting profession already. The one motive why you’re right here for the primary two days is since you are casting the PGL CS2 Asia and America RMRs. Discuss me by means of while you first obtained that electronic mail.
It’s a surreal feeling. Once you get that electronic mail it’s a actual pinch-me second. It doesn’t fairly sink in till just a few days after, even now whereas we’re sitting right here, every part is booked, I’m heading there on Saturday and It gained’t sink in until I’m on the occasion.
BDog casting on the CCT Malta Finals
What actually helps is that I’m fairly aware of among the expertise already, I’ve been lucky sufficient to work occasions alongside them beforehand. That is the largest occasion I’ve labored on in my profession and it helps having acquainted faces round me. I’m tremendous grateful for this chance, so grateful that PGL has given the chance to casters equivalent to myself and Lucy. We have now been given this breakout alternative and simply must reap the benefits of it.
You began casting on a whim, you casted plenty of large occasions early on in your profession. Have these larger occasions helped going into the PGL?
It positively makes it simpler, you will have that have of getting on a aircraft, going to a studio, you figuring out what the run of present goes to be. You may have the reps doing it. The groups I’m casting I’m aware of in Asia by means of doing occasions like ESL Challenger League. And with the Americas doing plenty of South America CCT has helped quite a bit with the prep. I take a look at these groups, I’ve casted plenty of them and am aware of them.
I don’t wish to be this caster that recites statistics for the sake of statistics, I wish to give significant evaluation of not solely what’s going on on the map however what we should always anticipate and anticipate when taking a look at these matchups.
Relating to the prep work it’s ensuring I’m understanding issues. I don’t wish to be this caster that recites statistics for the sake of statistics, I wish to give significant evaluation of not solely what’s going on on the map however what we should always anticipate and anticipate when taking a look at these matchups. A variety of the viewer base, particularly on the subject of the RMRs won’t have heard of those groups. For me, it’s my job to current the groups in a lightweight the place ‘that is the participant you wish to be looking for’. However it’s not simply primarily based on score, primarily based on influence gamers.
What was it like doing these larger occasions actually early on in your profession as effectively?
Daunting. I used to be nonetheless doing my full-time job alongside casting and when it began I clearly by no means anticipated to be on the level I’m now, I by no means anticipated to go full-time casting ever. Now we’re right here and every part is extremely surreal, I’m simply making an attempt to take advantage of this chance.
Once you went by means of this Daunting interval the place there expertise that supported you and helped you thru your journey. Has there additionally been any casters you appeared as much as?
I obtained plenty of help from different skills within the UK scene and in addition UK orgs. If it wasn’t for UK organizations equivalent to TLR, Esports Wales, Into the Breach, Coalesce, and Endpoint giving us alternatives to be on their platform and saying “We like what you do, you will have a transparent curiosity” I’d have by no means obtained my begin.
The UK scene as a collective is sort of supportive of one another and it’s getting to some extent the place it does really feel like we’re celebrating one another much more. This was mirrored within the Paris main with Into the Breach.
BDog and GrimyRannarr casting at EPIC.LAN 36
From a casting perspective, it’s very nice to have this. You go to EPIC.LANs, and also you solid them, I casted one with you [GrimyRannarr] for instance and it seems like it’s a proper of passage to solid an EPIC.LAN. When you solid one you solidify your self much more within the scene. I really feel like I’ve adopted within the footsteps of so many nice casters. You may have like 4 individuals who have casted EPICs going to the RMRs and everyone seems to be tremendous supportive of one another. You’ll be able to generally really feel just like the barrier to entry to esports is excessive particularly on the subject of expertise, however everybody I’ve interacted with is supportive and optimistic, it’s unbelievable.
Going again to the query and answering who I look as much as within the scene clearly it must be Harry and Hugo. I’ve recognized these guys for such a very long time now and they’re a few of my easiest mates within the scene, with out their help I wouldn’t be the place I’m right this moment. They’re extremely uplifting and motivational when it comes to what they’ve achieved and the way arduous they work behind the scenes. I’m very grateful to have them in my life.
