Oh geez Swat lol stop your complaining. Even though I got second, I was called old once again and the second place finish moved me from a tie in 4th place to 5th place…lol go figure! haha. He also ripped my music which I thought was the most appropriate. It talks about a gun and I’m making a gun with my finger. Why is nobody catching that! Man! haha. Thanks Studio for voting. I think yours was the one I was looking forward to the most. Your check is in the mail…j/k!
I’m not complaining >:(. Just wanna know. I plan on competing one day :D. SO I want to know
What should i do next time regarding the camera angle to make it better?
starters, don’t put it at an angle below you. we can’t see you really. Second, the background is too bright and you and the string are too dark. (the shirt is black). Third, this is not related to the camera, but you made a lots of mistakes. You know way more tricks than I do, but you messed up quite a bit. YOu should work on that.
Yeah i know i messed up to much and thanks for the advice/constructive criticism.
Yes, I can. And you won’t like the answer.
First, both you and he have shown skills that are pretty decent in my opinion. Again, way, way WAY beyond me. But why the big difference?
I found your performance cold, stiff and rather “by the book” without feeling or emotion. It wasn’t exactly robotic, but it wasn’t really “with feeling”. I deal with lots of Asians, and I dare to say you appear to be Asian. I deal with a lot of Japanese, who pride themselves on being able to replicate “Western” music. Ah, they can, but without the soul and feeling behind it. Hence, best they can do is copy it, not truly make it. The Chinese steal what the can and then make it in massive quantities, and really, the rest of the area isn’t much better as they all do the same thing.
I’m not saying you steal or copy. I don’t think that. It’s just that you appear to be going through well practiced motions, which is why you ended up 4th. The 2 and 3 positions had feeling to it, as did 1. They showed another level in there, which you don’t have, or at least don’t have yet. But, you shouldn’t force it either. Let it come naturally. Take Mickey for example(Hiroyuki Suzuki), a 3 time world champion. He’s also got more than a touch of “showman” in him. He knows how to work a crowd on top of mad skills. But let’s face it, we all can’t have that. Me, I’m a tech, an engineer. My job is not to entertain, but to facilitate the entertainers. The shine, not me. Sure, at times I make them shine, but often I just let them shine through. I’ve been told I have some “showmanship” capabilities, but it’s not something I care to cultivate. I prefer to be invisible, which is also why you won’t see me doing any videos, because I not only like to lead a low profile life and lifestyle(Despite working with high-profile people), but there’s also people that I’d prefer just stay the hell out of my life and be negated any contact with me that I don’t ultimately have control over. Do I have mad skills with the yo? Nope, sadly. Well, not yet. I’m way behind. Considering if I’m lucky I get an hour total a week, it’s tough to progress. As of the moment, the yoyo is off limits until two shows are done getting their light design done, I simply don’t have any time for it, nor can I make time for it. Priorities.
Also, the others are already developing a style whether they know it or not. You just looked like you’re going through a test. “Do it, do it right, do it clean, no variation, just the trick, nothing but the trick”.
As I said, the one thing you did have was camera awareness and did a front style trick while sideways to the camera. So, you are smart about it.
I think as you progress, you’ll get more relaxed and comfortable yoyo’ing. You already have a good degree of confidence, which is apparent in your video. It just lacks any sort of personality. Then again, some people are just like that. It doesn’t make them “not bad”, it just leaves out an element. What’s really more important is that you are enjoying what you’re doing and having fun. After that, just let the rest come naturally. Don’t force it, because it won’t happen. You’re all way ahead of me.
In the end, I recommend all of you continue. I wish I could, but I can’t as I have priorities that must be tended to before I get free time to throw again. Sounds bad especially since I’ve been on a yoyo spending binge recently. Oh well, more to look forward to after October.
Thanks studio42 very insightful vote. We can see you spent a lot of time on this and we really appreciate your time(that you don’t have much of ;D)sorry bout the music though 
@studio42
thanks, I appreciate the feedback. It makes sense, since you work on audio equipment for shows, so you would look at if this would look good on stage or not. Though tbh, I find mickey very annoying to watch because he looks pretty obnoxious with those aviators and big flourishing movements he makes with his hands.
1 Gmana
2 TMCertified
3 Swatnoodle
4 Nicholi2789
5 DBYoyoer
6 Kipp556
7 Dynikus
I placed Gmana first because his tricks were constructed with very simple (this is a noob contest right?) elements, but he still managed to put them together into pretty smooth, comfortable combos.
Dynikus - sorry buddy, maybe you are ridiculously talented, but I just can’t see how you’ve been playing for less than a couple of years. Maybe I’m wrong, but you just seem far too advanced to be a noob.
Some follow-ups:
Please understand, I’ve been working with professional entertainment stuff since around the age of 9, so that puts me in the industry for 30 years(yes, that DOES make me 39, which I am). I’ve seen a lot. And as a side note on that, this “America’s Got Talent” gives me the running craps and this American Idol stuff is pure garbage. America’s Got Talent keeps going down the path this year of picking acts not appropriate to the end goal, and hence wasting everyone’s time. American Idol is karaoke at a higher level. I detest the lack of talent displayed on those shows, or the talent wasted on those shows.
Please also consider this:
In auditions, if you DO NOT HAVE them in a fetal position on the ground, sucking their thumb and crying for their mommy/daddy/test tube, then you have FAILED as someone running the audition. And that’s even if you LIKE THEM. The objective is to BREAK THEM and keep breaking them and see of the ones you like, which one is gonna stick around. Personally, I got no issue telling someone that “if I said you sucked, that would indicated that you are significantly better than you actually are” and people need to hear this BLUNTLY.
Now, understand my position on yoyo as it pertains to myself:
This is something I do for ME. I’m never gonna be great, if I’m lucky I might be good, but most likely i won’t be. I want to learn it enough for me to enjoy it and be able to do random combos and waste time while being able to hopefully do cool stuff. I’m not doing this with the intention of performing, and I have no intentions to compete. I do have a minor performance item planned, but it’s 20-30 seconds and it’s part of a distraction element. I’m not into the whole “let me video myself” thing, so you’re not going to get a video out of me, no matter how hard you beg and plead. About the closest I intend to get to anything serious is that I’m working on an “exposure in schools” thing, tied to the programs designed to encourage to get kids off the couch and up on their feet and active. A few tricks in each style, some videos and show the variety of yoyos available from within my collection, Q&A and some hands on. It also turns out it’s helping me break through serious depression issues I’ve been having for the past 8 years. I’ve been diagnosed as being clinically depressed, but I refuse to be medicated, because I can’t work with my brain swimming in artificial chemicals. It’s not an option I’ve allowed to happen.
Now, you may be thinking “hey, you’ve got lots of cameras, you’ve got tons of gear, you’ve got high end video software, what’s your deal?” My deal is simply that I am not “the focus of attention type”. My job is mainly as an engineer and technician. I am technically speaking, a behind the scenes kind of guy. I got no issues hitting the stage, but I typically do that as a tech position. My main task is front of house mixing, which is often done from within the “house”.
Now, onto you guys:
Gmana:
Don’t apologize for your music. I just stated my opinion. Even if I didn’t just get off SacAnime and all the kids in cosplay costumes and carrying portable boom boxes playing speed up Japanese puke-pop, I’d still detest it. But, it was more important to judge the performance, so I had to mute the music. Keep in mind you can’t please everyone.
Swat:
So, you intend to compete? Your dry performance will be fine for competition but it will be boring from an audience perspective, but it’s not about the audience, it’s about the judges. My suggestion is to keep practicing(same advise for everyone regardless of skill level), but in your case, keep recording yourself for self analysis. Save some of those videos just for seeing how your skills and playing evolve. The odds are in your favor that the missing elements will come to you when the time is right. You’re 5 months in, you’re concentrating on the tricks and their execution, which is taking all you have right now. You CANNOT force the other elements, let it come from within and then come OUT. I see no reason why you can’t compete. You’ve set your goals rather high, and that’s good, so keep at it and you’ll get there. Plus, if you’re going to compete, you’re going to want to perform in things like talent contests as well as any other way to perform in front of an audience to get used to that sort of situation. Non-yoyo contests will be difficult if you’re not an “entertainer”, so you’re going to have to let those elements build quicker, but again, don’t force it, let it happen naturally.
To the rest:
As always, keep practicing. I think you’re all doing a fantastic job at what you’re doing, considering your ages and time throwing. On one hand, I’m a bit jealous because I’d like to be at any of those levels(being able to do combos), but I’m not because I cannot get the time in to practice. I won’t go into my personal life, but it’s tied to a household that thrives on ensuring I am unable to get done even work related stuff. It’s a matter of intentional sabotage and disrespect for the purposes of a sick power-play environment and leave it at that. You all enjoy it, so keep it up. If anything, it can be something you can do your whole life and have fun. Fun can be as convenient as reaching into your pocket and throwing a yoyo! DO NOT underestimate this. Too much of us outgrow fun or forget what fun is or even how to have fun. That is bad. We ALL need fun to stay healthy. Now, I’m not saying the yoyo will replace a gym or eating right, but there’s more to health than just physical health. There’s also mental health and emotional health, and in some cases, spiritual health.
@studio42
Yeah, I have been working on that. I have been downloading at playing many videos at about 1/12th speed so I can see exactly how to do the trick. In fact, I have a sort of mentor. He has been helping me get tricks down, and I actually wanna challenge him to a battle one day, so that is also a goal of mine. In fact, we have already planned a battle between me and him, about a year from now. So I have a year to make up for the huge skill gap difference between me and a friend. But back on topic, thanks Studio, your advice is something I will keep in mind when I practice. I’ll be sure to record myself a bunch of times, though going back and forth is going to be annoying.
@The other competitors
I’m actually jealous of most of your knowledge in tricks. Some of you are doing tricks I haven’t even attempted yet. Keep that up and you guys will be making tutorials and such soon. Great battle guys (though it isn’t over yet)
Overall, I have been highly impressed with all competitors - all of you have learnt so much quicker than I did. Well done!
ouch. lol
I really have only been throwing for about 9 months though. I started about 2 or 3 weeks before my first post on here, which was just back in february.
I guess I’ve just learned fast though. Even yoshi was surprised when I told him how long I’d been throwing. haha
Wouldn’t that be 7 months because i started a month after you in March?
oh wow. My math was off. ><
I either started mid january or early february. so I guess 7 or 8 months.
I was counting the month I started in as 1 month.
Goes into fetal position and cries
wow… you either got made insane god given skills or you have yoyo for like 6 hours a day. Dang. I take off my hat to you sir.
I agree. I’m more like the second one I try to practice 4 hours a day if i don’t have too much homework.
You must have the patience of Ghandi. I could yoyo maybe 1 hour most, just straight yoyoing. If I am talking with friends or watching TV I can do more though
Not straight more 30 minutes here and there after school and maybe if i’m lucky 10 minutes before school and five when i wait to get picked up.
Well it seems to be working. You know much more tricks then I do. I was stuck in china for a month, and couldn’t access youtube, so I was practicing the same tricks over and over and over again XD.