FAQ
Q: Who runs Virtual Freestyle?
A: Virtual Freestyle is a volunteer-based competition run by enthusiasts of the freestyle kiting scene. At present, Adrian Bickerstaffe is the competition organiser.
Q: How much does it cost to enter?
A: Entries to Virtual Freestyle are free. You'll need a YouTube account (also free) to upload your video - see How to enter.
Q: A round is not currently underway - when is the next round going to start?
A: The launch of rounds depends on the available spare time of the competition organiser. Please be patient and understanding if news is sparse.
Q: I have some video footage for an entry, but the kite moves out of frame at times - can I still use the footage?
A: Taken from the competition rules: "Momentary disappearances are acceptable, however extended periods off screen or repeated occurrences may be grounds for disqualifying an entry."
Q: Does X count as an in-flight video edit?
A: The answer is: "probably". Generally, we advise that the kite flying section (excluding intro/outro title overlays) does not have any effects applied to the video at all. Speeding up /slowing down the video is not permitted.
Q: We used to upload video files directly to the VF website but now I need a YouTube account to submit my entry. When did that change happen, and why?
A: The shift away from direct uploads and the 30MB file size limit coincided with VF38 in March 2022. Times change - wrangling video files and imposing file size limits no longer made sense in the era of high-quality streaming video. By adopting YouTube, entrants can self-manage the hosting of their video and render the quality as high as they like, without restrictive size limits.
Q: Can I upload my entry to Vimeo or another online video platform, and submit that link instead?
A: No. It is important that all entrants use YouTube for equity, and so that a playlist of the round's videos can be created for release.
Q: When I upload my video to YouTube, do I always have to set the visibility to Unlisted?
A: Yes. The competition format has always required that videos remain private until they are released for scoring and public viewing. This way, the entry submitted by one person will not influence the entry of another.
Q: I've uploaded my video to YouTube and set the visibility to Unlisted. Can I post the link to the VF Facebook group, Fractured Axel forum, or other online outlet?
A: No, not before the entry closing date has passed and the VF organiser has released the set of videos for the round. Your entry will be disqualified if you share the video before the round's entries have been released.
Q: YouTube says there is a copyright claim on the music of my video and/or that the video will not be available in some regions. What should I do?
A: Replace the music with royalty and attribution-free music from the Youtube Audio Library and re-submit.
Q: I submitted an entry but came up with a better one before the entry closing date. Can I update my entry?
A: Yes, simply submit another entry using the same name and contact details. Your most recent submission will be taken as the final submission.
Q: I'm scoring videos and noticed that an entry breaks the rules! What should I do?
A: In these circumstances, it's most probable the issue was spotted by the VF organiser during review and deemed sufficiently minor to let through. If you suspect the issue might not have been noticed, contact the VF organiser. Entrants may penalise the scores of such videos, at their discretion.
Q: I entered the current round but my score sheet will be quite late / unsubmitted. What happens next?
A: Virtual Freestyle rounds are run to a fairly tight schedule, so unfortunately, significantly late score sheets will mean disqualification of your entry from the round.
Q: What is the difference between the raw and normalised scores, and how is the normalised score calculated?
A: Raw scores represent the sum of artistic and technical points awarded to an entrant. The raw scores are then normalised such that the entrant with the highest raw score is awarded 100 points. Given a raw score si, the normalised score sn = (sm / 100) x si, where sm is the highest raw score across all entrants.
Q: Two entrants appear to have the same score, but one is ranker higher than the other. How is that decided?
A: In these cases, there will have been decimal places present in the raw score that are not shown in the results table. In the event that two or more entrants do actually achieve the same raw score, the placing will be shared equally amongst the tied competitors.
Q: Who determines what prizes are offered for each round and how they are awarded?
A: Since Virtual Freestyle is a free competition, prizes are made possible by generous donations from people and companies within the kiting scene. The donor of each prize has final say in how the prize is awarded, however they may also elect to leave the decision up to the competition organiser, or make it an "entrants' choice" type of prize.
Q: I would like to donate a prize for a VF round - who do I contact?
A: That's great! Please email the competition organiser.
Q: Is there a place to discuss VF rounds, present and past?
A: These days, the main venue for VF discussion is the Facebook group. The Virtual Freestyle section of the Fractured Axel forum also sees some discussion, and remains a great resource for information on past rounds. You don't need a Fractured Axel account to view the posts, but you will need to make an account to participate in discussions there.
