Jay's Blog.

[C-Fan]

I'm really interested to see how this conversation goes, since you two are my current favorite video editors in the game.

(That first slo-mo video of you is what got me interested in high school - If I hadn't seen that and looked into footbag, I would have just walked by the place where I first met Nick and wouldn't be typing this reply right now). .

That's pretty cool, and makes a good point for why we need well-edited videos, even if they don't rake in comments. If any video gets somebody into the sport, that alone makes it a worthwhile effort imo.

I guess I would like to ask you a question - why do you make videos?.

Great question. Speaking for myself, I'd say it's some combination of:

Sharing progress, slash showing off to friends.
Having something I can show non-footbaggers to explain my hobby. I'm sure we've all had people say "oh hacky sack, I remember that." When they see a video on your phone of what you can actually do (Jay especially!), they are forced to understand that it's a bit more serious.
Creating a record of my game at any given moment. I use this to both benchmark my progress (is the stuff in my latest video as hard as in my videos from last year?) as well as to create a record for posterity, so when I retire I can look back and have an accurate recollection of where I was in my game.

Anyway, I second Ivan's question, as I'd like to hear why Jay makes videos.

[jay7]

So, why does little boy Jaychuk edit videos..

The very short of it is: I make videos because the idea of my extended footbag family enjoying one of my creations gives me and all my emotions one of the biggest thrills imaginable.
-
There are many side effects and secondary class reasons to make the videos, but when it comes down to it.. I know the magnitude of joy I feel when watching a new video. It is supermassive. When King of Footbag came out, Feet on Fire, Joulu Jupe 1,2,3, Vasek in Paris I, David Clavens Autumn/NYJ 2008, Jorden Moir's TNT+Huge Tricks, Johnny Suderman 2008 Green room, any private video on Anssi's phone (You'd drink the last platypus stem cells on earth to see these btw), etc, I remember my reactions exactly. Watching it 20 times in a row, calling my friends and forcing them to watch them.. I remember it all, and how epic it made me feel to be a part of such a ridiculous community. However, I also remember in 2006, when I'd watch even the most mediocre of Joulukalenteri videos and get these same feelings. Like many, for the first 2 years of my career, every video was downloaded and categorized, regardless of how good bad or ugly it truly was. It was like the thrill of dating a new girl and all the magic that comes from it, except, from the screen of your iPod. However, nothing will ever compare to that magical time of my life, PLUS getting a new Vasek/Moir video. My stars was that something other worldly.

Knowing that it is within my power to make a person feel like I did/sometimes do with a new video, is like getting a recipe book from God on how to make people such as Juho. At first, just like dating a girl in the beginning, putting a video online is really putting yourself out there. It is like going for that first kiss, and hoping to all hell that she doesn't bite you with her pepper spray. When you get some comment, or even a COMPLIMENT, fucking stars whirr by and tigers are no longer going extinct. You then think about making another video, but, know it *has* to be better. There is no risking trying to get boring with that girl, and face the ultimate doom of her being bored of you. So you get new computers, cameras, editing programs, travel to farther places, and try your ass off to keep the world enjoying your videos and, figuratively, finally decide to go steady and share your locker and get an ice cream every Tuesday.

Doing things like the Joulukalenteri 2011 was great for me, because I almost had the confidence to know my videos didn't suck, and that people would actually like them. Who knows, maybe it was the equivalent of asking some girl to move in with you knowing she'd say yes. When the world let me do it, and actually liked it, that was a point of "Holy Shit, I am a big boy now. I'm not dating the girl in middle school, I've like, got a job and pay car insurance". Once I realized I wasn't shit, and could edit good videos, I really enjoyed the idea that I was giving the world what it had given me. Once people started telling me that they started playing because of videos *I* made, goodness. Like, I didn't even know how to process that. The very notion that I could dish out a video, let alone a great video, made me feel like I was in a relationship which was a two way street. I belonged in the community now, and I wasn't just taking from it. That security, and that place in the world helped define me as a person in normal life, and gave me confidence unlike I had ever had. Feeling appreciated as much as I appreciated the community is perhaps the single most confidence boosting experience I have ever had. I'm not a party guy, I'm not socially care-free, and I don't excel effortlessly in many ways that I see others take for granted. To finally lose self confidence issues, and realize that I was part of something for something I found effortless and enjoyable was a huge lifelong sigh of relief. It showed me a state of being in the world, which I had always been looking for.

I make videos, because it is my way of showing the community that I love them, and appreciate all the things they give me. Making videos can take you to amazing places, get you closer to amazing people, solidify memories for a life time, and change your perspective on the rest of the world even outside of Footbag. It is a very technical skill, requiring a giant amount of resources, and I am happy I have gained these skills. I'm perhaps even 'in debt' to the community for giving me a playground to grow as a person and interact with the world. I've been privileged to have Footbaggers take me and my wife into their homes and treat us as family over and over again, and that is something I believe has perhaps only been possible, because of the reputation I have gained through things like videos.

I love footbag, I love the friends I've made through it, and I cherish everyone I've made a relationship with. I know, and think about far too often, what I've learned because of the people closest to me which I gained only through footbag. I've been realizing however, that the people who recognize me and how hard try, are the ones I am friends with. The people who make me feel a mutual relationship are the ones who change my life. The hundreds of people who can't be bothered to click "like", write a comment or perhaps even watch a video I've made for them, are losing the opportunity for me to keep trying for them. After openly and without consideration trying 100% for a group of 1000->5000 people, and getting the same 10 who let you know they care.. I've just lost the will to invest my time in a sink. If I spent 30 hours working on a project for someone who *will* care, their individual thank you is worth all that and more. Investing 30 hours into a project exposed to thousands of people and getting 100 views and not a single comment, EVEN from those who 'care'.... That makes me feel like shit. When I can't even imagine my 'footbag family' enjoying my videos, I lose the fundamental reason I make them in the first place.

[isirc10]

Thank you for the reply Jay. Reading that brought out so many thoughts and emotions I'm not sure I will be able to properly convey them in this reply.

TLDR; Thank you for the job you do Jay, I will do my best to show my appreciation for your videos.

First off, I will say that our reasons for editing are very similar. So are the rewards. I still remember the time I put out the Jamps trailer this year, having taken a risk and making it focus less on footbag and more on telling a story of sorts. I was nervous that people wouldn't accept it. Your comment of "Wow. Props" literally made me run into our living room and celebrate the fact that *The Jay Boychuk* liked the video. I also always enjoy Ken's comments. This feedback is what gives me the sense that I did something right when I edited that video.

I guess since I watch your videos at least three or four times, if not 20, I might as well take some time to let you know I appreciate them. I admit, I have fallen into the habit of just hitting "like" on facebook and moving on. No excuses there.

I understand your frustration. I think you should re-post this on Facebook (where the majority of video views come from in my experience) so that others realize how much their replies mean, and how many resources you spend on each video you produce. If you don't feel comfortable doing that, perhaps I might be able to put a link to this post up there. Maybe have a blurb like this at the top of the video section. People who haven't edited videos to the same caliber as your work have no idea how long it takes to capture solid footage, parse through all of it, choreograph to music, do color correction and grading, special effects, ect. To be honest, three years ago, I had no idea what any of those terms meant. Editing meant "put footage into movie maker, add music, hit export."

Since this thank you wouldn't really be fitting in the comments section of any of your videos, I think I will post it here. Your work has inspired me to get a new camera, learn the basics of photography, video production, and special effects. Those 3D titles you put into the Sports/Life trailer led me to spend a week learning how to do the same effect in AE.

Here's to editing inspiration, positive audience responses, and more Jay videos in the future.

[boyle]

Good reading, it's great to see the "master" and "apprentice" and learn about your processes behind the videos.

This was an interesting thing with the tour, a couple of aims I had were to have top players (tick), get the videos out quickly (tick) and hopefully disperse them to the wider community. Unfortunately this gets no tick.

Considering that videos are just coming out now from the Vegas Jam, which happened before the tour, the speed with which the videos came out is very good. I also think(/hope) that these videos will be some kind of magic key to unlocking future funding when the time comes.

I know that having them to show gives me extra confidence for applying for new funding, which I am doing right at this moment. I'm really looking forward to Ivan's future videos, you are really improving and I loved the storyline style of the video with the horses.

[MetZelRio]

Everybody needs to read all of the posts on this page.

With that being said, did you read them? Go read them.

Jay, I have felt similarly as I watch your videos...and I watch MANY of them everyday. When I see the view count somewhere around 300, I'm thinking to myself, "I'VE watched this video that many times, where are all the views at?" And if i go to the comments section and see nothing posted, I think, "did Nobody have anything to say about this monumental shred video?" I know I've commented at least a few times, but what good is little ol me and little ol me alone doing by commenting? I truly understand that would be/is disheartening. There are a few potential reasons maybe (?)

1.) It seems in the shred community, we don't comment on YouTube very much for perhaps convenience sake?

2.) The shred community doesn't utilize modified like they used to, therefore the comments/views aren't coming through there as much as they SHOULD BE.

3.) I've noticed a good number of your videos are not authorized to be viewed on a mobile platform, and if this were changed, perhaps that many more would be able to view and comment.

4.) Facebook, although I prefer modified, seems to be what everyone is taking part in. Comments and views up the wazoo, but the problem there is the veiws get logged on the actual video, but the comments aren't connected to it, so when some time passes and you go to look back at what people were saying.... it appears as though nobody said a dad blame thing.

Please Consider those things if you haven't already. =)

[Cass]

I just want to express my thanks to both Jay7 and isirc10 for all the work you guys have put into video editing. I don't watch a ton of shred videos but I always set aside time for yours because I know they will be worth my while.

[Allan]

1.) It seems in the shred community, we don't comment on YouTube very much for perhaps convenience sake?

I think people are paralyzed by choice, and stymied by not being "logged in." If I upload to YouTube, and post it on modified, then link to that on Facebook, on which of these platforms should people comment? They're the most likely to actually be logged in to Facebook. If they're actually logged in to Google (and thus logged into YouTube), should they comment directly on the video? Or, wait, are they logged into modified? Should they .... oh look kittens!!

I'm not saying that's good, but it's a reality. We are evermore pressed for time and are barraged with videos (of all stripes) to watch, and any barrier to commenting has become too much for most folks. 10 years ago, we didn't have these choices...

And all that is to say nothing of the psychology of not wanting to comment on anything any more (particularly on youtube) because of the fear of being verbally abused in response. The internet is a scary place for a lot of folks, and I think people are more and more reluctant to publicly comment on anything. I think the Facebook group seems the least "public" and thus it's a kind of private haven in a wild west of openness. There's not ever been one flame war on the Facebook Group (that I've seen anyhow). YouTube has homophobic language, and you don't have to be logged in to modified to see what anyone & everyone posts, but you can't comment unless you are, but what's my login/pass again?

I think I'm going to start tweeting my videos and link that to my Google + account Is MySpace still a thing?

2.) The shred community doesn't utilize modified like they used to, therefore the comments/views aren't coming through there as much as they SHOULD BE.

I don't know. It's not as if I actually participated on modified for a good number of years there, but I did basically keep up on the much of the discussion. Not to diss anyone (it was a culture that took years to cause the erosion), but generally, in my opinion, the quality of posting has actually gone up, and there's a much more positive, friendly vibe. Since I "took over" in 2010 I've not once moderated for content beyond technical shit. So maybe, Quality V. Quantity? I always thought that there was too much focus on politics and personalities (one of the reasons I 'left'), and now it just seems like people actually talk about, you know, footbag. Even the "Discussion" forum is civil. I don't remember too many 20 paragraph-with-photos-and-video tournament write-ups in 2007.

3.) I've noticed a good number of your videos are not authorized to be viewed on a mobile platform, and if this were changed, perhaps that many more would be able to view and comment.

This. This many times. Jay7 does it (mobile) default to not being enabled for your account? Or do you turn it off for a reason. Because--and I can't recall a video of yours that does this in particular--but I can't count the number of videos that I haven't watched because I couldn't see that shit on my phone. I'm not proud of that, really, but again, it's one of the realities of our current era.

4.) Facebook, although I prefer modified, seems to be what everyone is taking part in. Comments and views up the wazoo, but the problem there is the veiws get logged on the actual video, but the comments aren't connected to it, so when some time passes and you go to look back at what people were saying.... it appears as though nobody said a dad blame thing.

This is a good point, and quite true, speaking to my above point about too much choice and the scattering effect.

I will say that there has been a definite surge in the use of modified recently. I actually stopped tracking the analytics a couple of weeks ago (a whole other post about that should happen...), but just judging by the number of posts each day, I'd say things aren't looking too bad

Despite the issues, I think social login would boost posting/comments rather dramatically ...

Please allow me to also chime in, giving my praise on all video editors. I am still shredding footbags at the age of 38 because of you good people. Your inspiration is amazing. Thank you.

Jay7 I've shown my girlfriend 4 footbag videos: Vasek's semi's routine from 2002, Nick's routine from 2010, your 300fps video, and Like Water 2. For many people, your video is the only video I've shown them. It consistently blows people away for so many reasons. I wish I could record their reactions and show them to you...

Moderated for inappropriate language

[F[uns]tylin' Eclectic]

Wow, some really great points being made in here. I agree with all of them.

I also just wanted to say, I respect that Jay is taking a break from videos/the community. I don't blame him. I know he will come back full force sooner or later and post some great things he thought about in his time off/new projects he wants to work on/etc..

However, I do look forward to your public return and to your future videos. You and Ivan do make some of the best videos in the sport. The more videos, the more the knowledge gets spread. We need knowledge spread. We need videos. I agree with Allan about the high speed video you made. It was perfect for non-players and I have showed it to many people, myself.

One idea I had about these high speed promo videos, is that maybe at the end of each promo video we make from now on, we could provide a youtube link to tutorials on how to do the basics… Which brings me to another point.. Beginners have nowhere ORGANIZED to go and learn stuff. Matt K and I plan on doing something about this in the not-so-distant future. But yeah, basics tutorials should be added to the ends of promo videos with big high speed tricks. (Reason: a non player, but maybe a hack kicker, looks at the promo video and sees all this cool stuff, but thinks "How could I EVER do that?" If a tutorial button is offered at the end of these videos, the person interested can have that "How TF do I do that??" question answered immediately at the end. Plus it seems like that's how society works nowadays. People are too lazy to even go to a website (which might be typed at the end of a video) that they have to type into a search bar on their own time. I feel success will boost if we just include a button to link directly to a series of tutorials. Curiosity always gets the best of people scanning youtube videos. If you link it, they will click it.)

Also, Allan, I seriously agree with the social login thing. I back your hypothesis about increased posts 100%.

[brianbear]

Yo Jay! Thanks for all the wonderful videos you have made, and organizing the christmas calendar.
You bring joy to many many footbaggers. not to make excuses, but I sometimes do not comment on videos because then I feel obliged to go comment on everyone's and whos got time for dat?! well i do, but besides me maybe not many people. I actually kind of feel like i should go post in everyone elses blogs now too hah.

anyways,
Keep doing what you do. Miss hanging and shredding with you, your last trip here was fun!
got that morpheus b2b yet? i've only sauced it once since you left.

[Derek]

Geeze, that's a fuck-load of inventing. I am pretty guilty of never commenting, apologies. Your videos are quite fantastically amazing, whether it's footage of you, or not. Hope to be shredding with ya in the near future.

[Asmus]

Fortunately, I knew the music choice of a few players, but like, Aleksi said months ago he'd use Ricky Martin, so I might have watched a completely different routine than everyone else

He said it in the car from Helsinki to Worlds to me as well. I was so disappointed sitting there at the judges table ready to get my dance on.. Might even have affected my judging..

Lots of interesting discussion in here! This is one of those times where modified is awesome. Thanks for starting that Jay.

[jay7]

Why hello there Blog.

So, things are somewhat settled in my neck of the woods, but not over. Currently start a new job on Monday, where I've been hired at a decently awesome (Seeming) company. I'll be speaking German, and, they told me that they'd rather pay for me to learn a third language than hire+train someone else. So, hopefully I get to pick up another language, make good money, 3 weeks vacation/year, etc. It will be my first job without steel toe shoes, which is going to be neat.

Footbag has been treating me well. I've played, somewhere between 7 and 14 days in a row. Since I'm not looking for work, and my life is settled enough, I've got oodles of free time before work starts to kick some hacky. I've been enjoying it, and making progress which is nice. I'm wondering if I should crack 10 fearless, since I never have (Nor have I tried). I'd like to take advantage of the fact that I am still in shape enough to do it, because if I for some reason slack off, I can only imagine it'd be brutally hard to get back up to this level. I think I'm going to go ahead and drill it though, since I don't think I'd take pride in doing a bunch of it one sided or something. Perhaps I'll take a page from Ken's book and even film it.

Some possible inventions I remember.
Swirling splicing * (pickup, mirage, far legover, double pickup)
Shit, there were more. I completely forget them though. Either way, those were from yesterday.


I have no footage of myself from the tour to speak of, but Aleksi's GoPro managed to catch some decent stuff. Ground/Table top footage isn't my idea of a good time, so I decided to just make a completely raw video for once. I only wish his GoPro was on for more of the time, since I remember hitting some stuff I am more proud of. Anywho, a raw video is a blog video. Three cheers for whoever finds it entertaining enough to watch the entire thing.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joH8OuncFrU[/youtube]

[C-Fan]

Congrats on the new job!

Also, props on the nebulae. Rare to see that both sides.

[bluevampire101]

Congrats on the new job!

Also, props on the nebulae. Rare to see that both sides.

^ What he said!
Congrats

Also, is it the option to learn any third language? Or choose from a list?

Yay! More Jay footage!

[Allan]

Watched the whole thing on my phone, whilst not connected to wifi, so you took a chunk of my mobile data. Well worth every MB I liked the run with the DSO mid-string.

Props on the new job.

[MetZelRio]

Three cheers for me! So stoked for the raw footage for real.

[boyle]

I liked the vibe of the raw footage. I don't think you should have a problem hitting 10 (or plenty more) fearless. Some of those higher level tricks in that video looked very, very easy for you. Congrats again on the job, as you said it makes it much easier to make time for things like footbag when you're not fully focused on the job hunt.

[C-Fan]

Saw in Cass' blog you shredded with FAT. Blog post on the session?

[jay7]

Not many have joined the ranks of ''People who have traveled to have a session with Jay'', but Cassy joined those ranks today. The conditions of the shred were such that, she would drive here, if I supplied a shred spot, shredding, and food. I, typically, make it a life goal to over exceed people's expectations with food when I cook for them. However, I knew I had no perfect concoction to brew for her. I had days to dwell on it, and I just felt like there was that something missing, just, one variable that if I had, would pull it all together. Sadly, that variable never came, and I braintooted into the world of normalcy. After skyping with Caroline Birch in the morning, I realized I had 50 minutes to get to the store, buy the food, and then meet Cassy. Fail. Everyone and their Polish grandma was out at the Polskideli today, and each line just took ages. Anyway, sliced meats, cheeses and a few desserts later, and I had to say goodbye babcias and hit the road to meet up at the shred spot.

We waltzed to the end of the park, which emerges to a wonderful lakeside view with rocks, small waves and water fountains with ducks and amphibians enjoying the perfect weather. Cassy and her sassy hoop came to the session, likewise her potentially legendary bluetooth speaker with lovely shredbeats. Time to shred it was.

It is nice playing with Cassy, regardless of tricks hit, because even though I have spent, literally, 2 hours of my life one on one with her, I just have always got the vibe of.. Not needing shred to be in the same area. It is also nice, because I know she actually likes footbag enough to play alone, travel for, and everything else... So I know playing with her won't feel like my tricks are falling on dead eyes. It is nice to think someone might actually enjoy seeing you play.

Her first 20 minutes of shred music was perfect for like, shredding and not playing, and I wore myself out pretty quickly. Despite being in good shape, none of my activity involves endurance these days, and it is obvious when it comes to a 2 man. Fortunately, my muscles, muscle memory, and brain still work, so it might have not been an entire waste of her time to come She is full of potential though. I know she is traveling, and playing all the time with lots of people... But I really felt like we should have more one on one sessions, because there are just so many things her legs deserve to hit. She was so close to so many different tricks today, and it is just obvious how much potential there is to tap, and, it is just so natural for me to want to open the valves full tilt. I guess it is this same energy that leads me to constantly try to push my limits, and not stick around where I belong though.

She had some splendid strings, and probably my favourite trick she did many times was blender. I really am excited to see her do more of these, because it just looks like a blender that deserves a spinning paradox set. I don't know, it is just neat to see another different style and appreciate how far she has come since like, 2009ish when I last played with her more than once per year. She hit some new tricks today, including fairy ss symp mirage, which I am sure resulted in a flower growing right in front of Johnny as he walked down the street, for him to pick and give to his lovely girlfriend. I know this is not the most glamorous way to describe her, but, Cassy seems like a shred-hole in the middle of a field,. It is just inevitable that things will pass by and fall in. Just, there is only opportunity, with like, everything, and, shit will most definitely pile in. It is weird. Just, every concept I can think like ''There are 18 different sets and other components you could hit, without trying hard''. Fucking potential.

I had a few decent strings, but nothing worth bragging about. I found myself saying, more than once today ''I never try this. I should. I am worried I am not good enough to hit it though'', and then I would hit it shortly after. Highplains-flurricane was second try, blurry whirl spinning whirl rpt was first try, blurreist blurrier repeat was like, 2nd try, blurry drifter stepping drifter rpt was within a few tries... It is just kind of nice to sort of, 'have' those things even though I don't practice them. The ground could have been more even, but I noticed that just forced me to bail a few times until I got to the perfect spot, and then shred a bit more. It feels weird purposely bailing, and not just trying to do more and more genuine over and over again.

Anyway, then we had some picnic in the park, I word vomited all over the premises, and realized ''I could shred more''. My legs, back, etc. all feel splendid. I actually kind of want to shred again. Nice to feel that way, but, similarly I feel bad that my endurance was so bad that I couldn't have just used that shredenergy when we were playing I picked up some nice food hints from her whilst eating, so I think next time I'll have enough info to properly prepare some food.

I don't mind this game.

[Cass]

Awwh you're too much Jay Boychuk!

I wouldn't rule out weekday evening sessions if it means more of that kind of action