Author: Jake

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Word of the Day: Nail Hell

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Sam’s third reglue attempt. It took 5 attempts before this nail stayed on.

Nail Hell (adjective)

Nail Hell describes the feeling when one’s freestyle frisbee nails repeatedly pop off during the jam. There is disagreement in the community as to whether it takes two or three losses of the nail for one to officially be in Nail Hell. Either way, Nail Hell is especially miserable because the desire to jam is always strongest when others are jamming in plain view. Yet, if the nails will not stay on, one must sit down and reglue.

Example: I always end up in Nail Hell when the weather is cold like this.

See also: Boosh, Condo

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How to Live Stream Your Event – Introduction

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How to Live Stream Like a Pro

In this series I’ll explain how to live stream (also known as webcast) a freestyle frisbee event. I have live streamed many FPA World Championships and other events and have learned many things along the way. Though I still plan to stream many more events I just can’t get to all of them. I want to share the live streaming knowledge in the hopes that more events show up online. If you want to stream an event that’s not Freestyle Frisbee, stay tuned as this series can help you as well.

Note, links to equipment below are the current or newer versions of what I use in my kit. Your use of these links helps pay for future Freestyle Frisbee live streaming.

To deliver a successful live stream, it helps to have a basic understanding of how it all works. In the most basic form it works like this. A camera at the event captures all the action and turns it into an audio/video signal. This signal is something like what comes from a DVD player. In other words, if you connected it to your TV, you’d see it on the TV screen.

The signal leaves the camera, usually over an HDMI cable, and then enters an encoding device. This device converts the audio/video signal for the internet. In most cases this device is a computer, though there are other methods.

For a computer to accept a video signal, it needs a special device called a capture card. On one side the capture card connects to the computer via USB or Thunderbolt and on the other side it connects to the camera via HDMI. It’s sole purpose it to convert the audio/video signal so the computer can accept and process it.

Telestream Wirecast

So now that the computer has the signal it encodes it to a format that can be sent over the internet. This format is usually compressed as H.264. In other words, its smaller so it can make it across the internet in real time. It does this using software meant for webcasting. I like to use Telestream’s Wirecast.

Once encoded, the computer sends the signal to a Live Streaming service. This service accepts the signal and makes it available for anyone who wants to watch. When someone opens up the video player, the service will send the signal to their screen. This service is what takes a single audio/video signal and duplicates it so that multiple people can watch. The service I most recently used was YouTube.

OK, so the list for a basic stream looks like this:

  1. Camera
  2. Capture Device
  3. Computer
  4. Software
  5. Internet Access
  6. Streaming Service

But wait, that’s the most basic setup. What if you want to take your stream to the next level? Multiple camera angles? Professional sounding audio? HD? Video that doesn’t stutter, has good lighting, and is pleasing to watch? Audience engagement? Well it takes some effort but it’s well worth it. Here is my kit:

  1. 2 or 3 cameras
  2.  Tripod for every camera
  3. Memory cards so the cameras can record as they stream, a backup so nothing gets lost
  4. Stacks of camera batteries
  5. Macbook Pro with Wirecast
  6. Pre-recorded videos for filler
  7. Graphics E.G. to show team’s names before they start
  8. 2 or 3 Black Magic capture devices
  9. 2nd computer to monitor the stream and for backup
  10. Sound mixing board (or 2) with a line to the DJ
  11. 2 microphones to pick ambient sound
  12. 2 Microphones to talk to the Audience as the host
  13. Internet access provided by the event
  14. Youtube for a streaming service though I am looking into alternatives
  15. Batteries for the computers
  16. Volunteers to help

In the future articles I’ll go into details about each item, planning and testing, the process during an event, and give a few step-by-step guides to help ease the learning curve. If you’re interested to host your own live stream, please subscribe so you can see the articles as soon as they are released. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments below and I will do my best to answer.

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How to Throw an Overhand Wrist Flip

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Ryan Young teaches us how to throw an overhand wrist flip. The first throw most of us learn is a backhand with our dominant hand. The overhand wrist flip is a good second throw for freestyle because it comes out with the opposite spin of the backhand. So, right handed people can use their right hand throw clock with a backhand and counter with an overhand wrist flip and vice versa for lefties. The overhand wrist flip is also useful because it’s easy to throw it to yourself for practicing other tricks. Having both throws means you can practice with both spins.

Watch the video for the explanation of performing this throw. Ryan does an excellent job in his demonstration.

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Rim Delay to Center Delay

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Lori Daniels demonstrates going from a rim delay to a center delay. This is a critical skill that marks a new level of nail delay control in one’s game. It is used all the time since the disc may come in at and any angle. It is also used if center control is lost. As this skill improves so will center control and eventually you’ll be able to set and angle you want.

Here Lori uses a technique swooping down and then lifting upwards. As the disc travels up push across at a right angle to the center. This will cause the disc to tilt and flatten outs. As it flattens spiral your nail in towards the center and gain center delay control. For an in-depth written description of this skill, check out this article I wrote back in the 90s.

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Heinsville’s New Alias – frisbeeguru.com

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Frisbee Guru

Heinsville is such a fun concept for Freestyle Frisbee Players. Hein means to play at your best, so Heinsville is the place all the players want to be. In Heinsville the disc is always slick, the wind never gusts, your nails don’t fall off, and you never get tired.

Of course, this site is all about spreading the jam, teaching others, sharing the culture, and growing the sport. As fun as the name heinsville is, it’s difficult to share with those who don’t yet know the language, which is of course a big part of the target audience.

Enter Heinsville’s new alias: frisbeeguru.com. Now, if you meet someone who might be interested in learning a few tricks, just tell them to go to frisbeeguru.com and they will end up at Heinsville.

The frisbee guru has reached the third level of transcendence of the disc. He sits in the lotus position while frisbees float about under his complete control. He is one with the disc, the wind, and himself. Now go out and spread the word. The Frisbee Guru has arrived.

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How to Set from a Rim Delay

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Ryan Young teaches us how to set the disc from a rim delay. The goal of a set is to put the disc up into the air in a position that leads into the next trick. Here Ryan demonstrates using the rim delay technique to do this. First, consider the ideal placement of the set. That is, nose away from you at 12 o’clock. This allows for easier catching. Now, take the disc on a rim delay. Begin a swooping motion that goes down and then up. The goal is to time the upward motion so that the disc is sent into the air with the nose at 12 o’clock. As the disc rotates around, pull in your elbow to keep the disc from running into it. Just before the nose is in the right place end the swoop by pushing up a little harder. The goal is to propel the disc into the air. Congratulations, you have just used a rim delay to make the perfect set for a catch.

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The Hitch Turnover

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Paul Kenny explains how to do one of his signature tricks, the hitch turnover. Most turnovers involve some sort of against the spin push. The push is what causes the disc to gyrate and turn over. So for a clock spinning disc, a whip over is done from left to right. The hitch turn over is different. It looks similar to a whip over. However its clock and goes from right to left. Somehow, with a little hitch maneuver Paul can turn it over in the opposite direction than what is seemingly possible. Even after filming the video and asking him questions afterwards I still do not fully understand it. I love tricks that boggle my mind. So, watch the video and explain in the comments how it works. Or ask questions and I’ll try to get Paul to answer.

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How to Catch a Phlaud

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Ryan Young does an excellent job breaking down the body mechanics of catching a phlaud. A phlaud is one of the more difficult catches in Freestyle Frisbee. Like a gitis, it is a cross body catch where one arm reaches around the opposite leg. But, while a gitis is like an under the leg or a flamingo, a phlaud is like a chair in that the both feet are planted and the catch is behind both legs. Another subtlety of a proper phlaud is the extension of the opposite arm. Watch the video for a breakdown of how it’s done.

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Word of the Day – Clock

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Clock (adjective)

A description of the spin direction of a flying disc. Short for clockwise. When describing spin direction, it is customary to use a top down perspective of the disc. A disc that appears to be spinning clock from the top will appear to be spinning counter from the bottom, hence the top down perspective is used no matter the vantage point. When a disc is upside down, the top down perspective is still used. Thus when a disc is turned over, its spin direction reverses. For a disc that is tilted, use the side that is the most upward. For a disc that is perfectly perpendicular to the ground, use the top side of the disc.

Example: Throw me some clock.

See also: Counter, Third World.