Welcome to my blog. It’s all about playing with flying discs and getting the most out of it. Feel invited to join the flight.
picture by Anton Capellman, check his wordpress page: http://antoncapellmann.wordpress.com
My brief history: Since the 70s, when I was a teenager I loved to throw things: the first things were definetly stones, followed by flat stones skipping over water. Balls came after my stone ages and were rather made for kicking or hitting, the real evolution was the Frisbee, or the flying disc.
In the 80s, my mum came back from a trip to the US and my present was my first Frisbee. It gave me instant joy and countless wonderful moments. I had to make something with it and share it. So I played with my friends, checked out other discs and different weights and sizes, found out about ULTIMATE, loved the team spirit, felt the urge to spread it, founded teams, gave courses – first at my school in Heilbronn then in my student days at Bremen University.
In the late 90s, I also started to play DISC GOLF and DDC on a regular basis, became GERMAN DISC GOLF CHAMPION in 2008, played at Europes biggest Gameshow WETTEN DASS …? , have been competing at international Disc Golf tournaments for 10 years, in private or for the German National Team and became PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2012 in the Master Division.
In 2000 I made my first attempt filming what I love most: people and flying plastic. The result was the official video of the WFDF WORLD ULTIMATE AND GUTS CHAMPIONSHIPS in Heilbronn. A little later, I teamed up with the brilliant video department of the Hyzernauts and soon we were the video documentary team to be asked for the FIRST EUROPEAN MAJOR in Finland and the following biggest European Disc Golf tournaments. After playing for years, it was important for me to focus on the fun side of the sport rather than only the serious competitive part. As a quite good player who made it to many finals, I had the chance to compete with Europes top players and was as a filmmaker in the position to make fun with the top players without offending them as they knew that my results are professional and entertaining, especially because of these special funny details.
That main craving, that was growing constantly bigger in the back of my head – making all these fine films about flying stuff myself – was that I wanted to watch a film about the complete history about the sport; a flic that brings it all together. Yes there were books, mags and many funny clips but nothing gave me that satisfaction that I wanted. The positive comments on my film works and finding two friends as sidekicks and sometimes real partners who would join me on that trip, gave me the destinct push I needed to actually embark on this trip into the crusty vaults of flying disc history. After spending three years making THE documentary about flying discs called THE INVISIBLE STRING, in 2012 the film was finally there and I love it. What’s even better: the players who shaped the history of the flying disc love it too! WOW! I’m in that unique position not only to have met many players of the ‘Who Is Who’ of the Frisbee World but in putting that film together I actually did a favour to all of us who wanted to watch a film like TIS. Many have started to make a film noone finished it. Now it’s done to enjoy. Hopefully many more will watch it and find out about the joy involved playing with these gyroscopic airfoils. During the making of TIS I especially fell in love with urban playing and streetstyle as there are no boundarys just rewarding sessions – ahhh and sometimes cops, who do not share the funky moments in the concrete jungle!
In this blog I want to share stories that are not told in the film. I aim to make you laugh or think and I hope to get you out and play because that is the thing that makes the biggest difference to your daily grind: quality playtime! Also I love to invite you to comment on things I wrote or post questions that I might be able to answer if I can manage to file down my oversized flying disc knowledge.
Now let’s focus on getting rid of that wintertemperature as it’s way better to play without gloves and long johns.
Love, peace and respect
Jan Bäss, Berlin, April 2013
flying°disc°lovers 