The Spotlight: Venom Cinematic
- Aaron "Ribbon-Blue" Mendoza
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Appreciating a DCS World Content Creator
As we mentioned roughly a week ago, the former "Creator Highlight" series here on Skyward Flight Media focused on discussing content creators making flight related content is being revamped. As we find our way forward with the series, including searching for a new series name, we take a look at by far one of my favorite Digital Combat Simulator content creators, Venom Cinematic.
Without naming names here, for anyone that has watched DCS gameplay video for a few years now, there is a certain pattern that is followed. Well scripted cinematic videos crafted to show the in-combat actions of a specific aircraft or long casual livestreams that last a few hours. This makes creators that have a different variety to their content rather appealing if you know what you are looking at. Within the last six months or so, Venom Cinematic has been hitting that sweet spot in DCS World content for me.
This YouTube channel started posting videos as early as May 2022. During the first year of its operation, you could tell that the two reoccurring personalities, one of them being named 'Venom', were relatively new to DCS, but quite invested in learning more about the simulator and jumping into player vs player (PVP) multiplayer servers. While there was a minor variation in content in the beginning as the direction their channel would take, by the time the YouTube channel reached 1000 subscribers on September 7th, 2022, it seemed like more traditionally edited gameplay videos would be the main focus of the channel.
Venom Cinematic once had active profiles on Twitch, Twitter, TikTok and Instagram between 2022 to 2024, but while those gradually ebbed and flowed Venom decided to gradually shut those down while maintaining activity on the YouTube channel and letting himself be found in Discord servers attached to DCS multiplayer servers he frequents. Why is that? Who can say.
Venom Cinematic has certainly found success in their current video format and approach within the DCS world online community. For example, the first video from this content creator that caught my attention was an official pre-release preview video for the Heatblur F-4E Phantom II for Digital Combat Simulator. A major achievement for a creator of this size.
Objectively speaking, this was a notable product preview video as it was not a clinical clickthrough of every switch in the cockpit, but a high energy demonstration of a Pilot and Radar Intercept Officer flying and fighting in the aircraft with live communication, working the instruments as needed to survive and win.
At a glance a majority of the videos up to 2024 focused on fixed-wing fighter operations on well-known DCS World multiplayer servers like BlueFlag, BuddySpike, Contention, Enigma's Cold War Server (now Heatblur Simulations Cold War Server), Grayflag, Growling Sidewinder and Tempest's Blue Flash to name a few. What I appreciate is how Venom Cinematic shows experienced, expert level flying in the simulator, while being able to communicate in required brevity for air operations in multiplayer and use casual commentary in between. All in videos much shorter than livestream VODs; between 7 minutes to 30 minutes depending on the video.
However, Venom is also fully capable of flying more than just the newest fixed-wing fighter added to the sim. Venom is competent enough to fly missions with multiple different types of aircraft. From Cold War era sweethearts to slightly more unusual aircraft for the simulator like the JF-17 Thunder. It is great to have variety.
Further adding to the variety is other people that appear in his videos are either players known to him or complete strangers he works wish to finish the task at hand. This leads to some pretty interesting combinations of aircraft working together.
This is exemplified in the videos where Venom is utilizing rotary-wing aircraft working alongside fast jets and combined arms vehicles. Venom is one of the few DCS content creators out there still producing engaging videos of the OH-58 scout helicopter.
Today Venom Cinematic has an engaging blend of well edited gameplay footage from online servers or some limited scenario PVE co-op missions that now incorporates cinematic camera views you would expect from amazing set pieces from other content creators that only make heavliy scripted, mini-movie style videos. Shoutout to Venom for finding their way and keeping the variety going!
Connect with 'Venom Cinematic'
About the Writer
Co-founder of Skyward Flight Media. After founding Electrosphere.info, the first English Ace Combat database, he has been involved in creating flight game-related websites, communities, and events since 2005. He explores past and present flight games and simulators with his extensive collection of game consoles and computers. [Read Staff Profile]
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