Fractured Axel

A dead giveaway would be if a kite departed the left-hand side of the frame and immediately entered the right-hand side.....especially if it appeared to have transformed into the UL version.

A tired judge on his nineteenth video might actually miss that!

Mark

Kamikaze wrote:

Does this mean that because we have been good VF12 can begin please.

I feel that VF 12 should be some given time to breathe.

Infinitive wrote:

I feel that VF 12 should be some given time to breathe.

Well until I get some more words on the Element it is not so much taking a breather as holding its breath 'til it goes blue in the face.

Mike.

Far be it for me to necro a thread but....

unfortunately I had to reject two videos this time round. Even more unfortunate was that they were both from the same flyer, a first timer. In each case it was for excess out of frame flying. I think that there is a need to hammer home the "thou shalt not..." aspect of this a little more specifically.

What I'd like to do is add in a couple of definite no-nos on the rules page:-

• If at the start from the ground you fly directly out of frame, doing nothing on the way
• If you exit one edge of the video frame and re-enter through another

In these cases I think there is a need to specifically state that these are InstaDQs. I do think that a little leeway re: out of frame is A Good Thing™ though. Your thoughts if you please.

Mike.

This was the better of the two rejected videos...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHtCfhrv38E

It's the best I could pick out of 1/2 hour of footage (my camera battery doesn't last very long), so I sent it in. I thought the out of frame rule was more a rule against editing, and there was no time limit that I knew of for a brief out of frame. Obviously, the video wasn't edited, so I sent it in. I had been told more than once by Zippy that it didn't matter how good the flying was, to just enter.
The other entry was much worse, but a far prettier kite. I thought it looked nice, but after looking at it some more, it did suck, and I'm glad it wasn't accepted.
So, maybe with some more practice with the camera, I'll get an entry in down the road.
~Rob.

must86 wrote:

I thought the out of frame rule was more a rule against editing, and there was no time limit that I knew of for a brief out of frame.

I know that I am more au fait with all things VF but I can't read the rules page, which I haven't changed in a while, and come up with that. Would you in any case describe your video as having "momentary disappearances" or "Extended periods off screen" ? How would you account for what happens 0:25 to 0:30 ?

I had been told more than once by Zippy that it didn't matter how good the flying was, to just enter.

I have never rejected a video on the basis of my view of how good the flying has been and nor do I intend to. Your two videos were rejected due to too much/too many off screen time.

If the overall consensus is that I've been overzealous then I'll put your name into the hat for the draws that you would have been eligible for.

Mike.

No, I'm good with you decision, if the first out of frame was acceptable, the second one put it over the top. That's fine. I figured I would post the video as an example of what's unacceptable, not as some kind of protest. I figured since you've taken the time to mention my refusal on this and other forums, people should have the chance to see what you're talking about.
And yeah, I've read the rules. Kinda vague. That's why I sent it in. How would I account for what happened to the kite for those 5 seconds ? Watch the lines, or the shadow of the kite.
My opinion of the out-of-frame rule ? Make it cut & dry. If you can still see the kite, it's cool, if it leaves the screen, it's a DQ. The easy way around this for an entrant is to get a camera person and lose the tripod.
~Rob.

must86 wrote:

I figured I would post the video as an example of what's unacceptable, not as some kind of protest.

And I appreciate you doing so. As I said, if the hive mind's opinion is other than mine I'll do what I can to make some sort of correction, albeit after the event.

I figured since you've taken the time to mention my refusal on this and other forums, people should have the chance to see what you're talking about.

I'm really just trying to make sure that we are all singing from the same song sheet. I have a clear idea in my mind what is expected and want to make sure that I have what everyone else has.

And yeah, I've read the rules. Kinda vague.

Deliberately so. Early on there was a hard 'n' fast rule - out of sight, out of event - but that can be sooooo frustrating if a nice little video has to be dismissed because of a fraction of a second outside the frame.

How would I account for what happened to the kite for those 5 seconds ? Watch the lines, or the shadow of the kite.

Are you calling it momentary or extended though ?

Mike.

This is why I didn't enter this round. Very short on footage, and everything was just not in frame enough. Some great mini-runs, but always broken by an out-of-frame bit.

I think it's been well done up to this point. But making a VF video shouldn't be as simple as getting your kite to fly in frame most of the time either. And it's not...this is good thing.

Maybe just state a maximum out of frame time...regardless of the number of exits? For example, three seconds out of frame, to be divided however the video falls. This is hard and fast, while at the same time allowing some imperfection through the sieve. 2 seconds?

obi

Are you calling it momentary or extended though ?

Well, it was an extended momentary absence from the frame

Maybe the set number of seconds is the way to go, it's easy enough to count that whether it's 3 seconds or 5 seconds, I went over. Or if the rule is against exiting at one point and entering from another side, I violate that, too.
This rule is only tough for people that fly alone and have no choice but to use a tripod, an easy way around the whole issue is to get a camera person.
On a side note, I think the VF contest is a great thing, I've been following it for a while, now. Mike, I think you do an excellent job with it, and I want to say thanks for the hours of entertainment that it provides. Not to mention bringing the best kite fliers from around the world together for an event.
~Rob.