With the upcoming Viper event at EMR … we revisit an article published in Aug 09 with the great scenario producer Kerry Rosenberry of Viper Paintball.
Meet one of the busiest men in paintball whose job has him on the road for weeks at a time. Kerry Rosenberry of Viper Paintball is another of the great scenario producers of big paintball games in the US. Again when we say scenario events we are talking about games with complex storylines and amazing props….welcome to The Catshack Kerry!
Kerry when did you personally first get into paintball and what were the circumstances surrounding that?
Back in the late Eighties a friend of mine had a pair of Splatmasters and sold 
them to me. I immediately called another buddy and we hunted each other in the woods across the street for hours. After a while of this we both came to the conclusion that it must be even more fun with more people, so I went on a quest to find them. After some calls to a few sporting goods stores I was directed to “Survival Zone” in Ocala, the town I grew up in, about 45 minutes from where I was living. After the first weekend I was hooked. I was invited to join the team there and, eventually, this was the birthplace of 24 hour role playing paintball scenario games. After I moved away and the team split, Wayne Dollack was the first to step out and become the first professional paintball scenario producer in the world.
When was Viper Productions first formed as a company and why?
After moving to Texas in 1991 I continued to travel back to Florida to play the only 24 hour paintball scenario games in the country. After years of doing this I finally found a field willing to host them. A deal was struck that if the field owner would contract Wayne to come out and do one, that I would produce one to sort of “prime the pump” in an effort to help increase attendance at Wayne’s when he came out. I did my first event in 1996. However, there were still not enough players familiar with scenario and registration for Wayne’s event was too low to warrant the trip out to Texas for him. After playing another one of his Florida events I asked what he thought of me starting my own production company and doing events west of the Mississippi. He thought it was a great idea, and I officially established Viper Enterprises with his blessing.
Where has Viper been?
We have done events as far north as New Jersey and Pennsylvania, as far south as Florida, and as far west as California at world-famous venues like Camp Blanding, EMR Paintball, CPX, and SC Village.
I am sure there have been some pretty memorable and interesting paintball games could you tell us a few of your favorites and what was it about the event that makes it so?
Wow…where to start? My Holy Grail events are always good for lots of laughs. The event I did in San Antonio where we had two actual parachutists drop in and act as “downed pilots”, The annual Living Legends events the last two years with all the paintball celebrities, playing on William Shatner’s seven-man team, having Kevin Costner play at one of my earlier events, I just really couldn’t pick one thing.
Some of the games I have seen show in some instances some pretty crazy game props…what would be some of the unique props that Viper has produced?
Hmmm…we’ve had a UFO, a cruise missile, briefcase bombs… the list goes on and on.
Does Viper also include pyrotechnics at these games?
I’m afraid that insurance really prevents it these days…but we used to do a lot of em.
When it comes to Scenario Productions….what are the steps a field owner has to take to have Viper appear to put on a production at a field?
Just give me a call or drop me an email! A lot depends on my schedule, which stays pretty full. It’s best to contact me before October if you want to discuss the coming year, as I try to have my schedule for the upcoming year finalized and published by late October.
Any charity games Viper has produced?
We’ve only done one that was solely dedicated to a charity. That was for pediatric AIDS back in 1998 I think. However, we are always doing something for some cause. We have done benefits for the daughter of a deceased player (for future college funds), medical bills for players with non-paintball injuries, cancer, and other causes, raised money for the American Cancer Society and the Red Cross, and many other things.
Last but not least…..one question the Catshack always asks….what advice would you give to the young paintball player just starting out in the game today?
Watch those with skills. Ask questions. The most important thing is probably to get out there and PLAY! Don’t sit in the back long-balling…get up to the front. When one of the guys with obvious experience says Let’s go! don’t just sit there watching…get up and move WITH him. The only way you really learn and get better is to get in the game and try and make some big moves.
For lots more information on Kerry Rosenberry and Viper Paintball…please visit http://www.viperpaintball.com/
So thats that…..yet another individual whose efforts add to the game we all know and love….after all what would scenario be without professional scenario producers right?…Take your place in The Catshack Hall of Fame Mr. Rosenberry!
