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VJ'ing

M.W.Kauw-A-Tjoe15 december 2004, CWI, Amsterdam

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video art

• Pioneers (1950s)• Sir Whitney Sr.

• Early video manipulation gear• Video Synthesizers: analog devices from the

early '70s driven by oscillators, similar to analog audio synthesizers. Create and modify video in realtime.

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Rutt-etra VideoSynthesizer (1972);

black & white,with a 4 bitframebuffer.

FairLight Computer Video Instrument (1984)

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DJ/VJPop culture

DJ'ing• mixing records

VJ'ing• motion graphics

Dance Scene

DJ'ing• Radio Chat

VJ'ing• TV Presentor

Mainstream

v

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old vj approach

originated in the early nineties;• pre-rendered video sources (tapes)• manipulation through

• change channel opacities (blending of A and B)• apply blending effects

Mixer VCR-BVCR-A

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disadvantages

• limited degrees of freedom (compared to PC)

• pre-rendering takes high preparation cost• hardly any audio-visual synchronisation

possible

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nowadays

No more VCR's, PC or Mac is main source of visuals!

• video editing software (after fx, premiere)

• 3d graphics software (maya, blender)

• standard VJ software (resolume, midivid)

• modular software (pd, jitter)

• self-programmed stuff (kombinat, 'openvid')

• synchronisation signal protocol

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VJ vs. filmmaker

What are the main conceptual differences between expression through traditional film and through VJ'ing?

• live-interaction (instument-like manipulation)

• strong emphasis on integration with music

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audiovisual sync

Synchronisation enhances integration as well as interaction!

MIDI is often used as a signal communication protocol• originally for audio signals• much MIDI hardware available (keyboards,

drumpads, button controllers)

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PC-3

PC-2

Turn

tabl

eAu

dio

Mix

erTu

rnta

ble

PC-1

Screen 1 Screen 2

VideoMixer

MIDI

Audio

Video

Kombinat(widescreen)

Midivid(stereo)

Logic(sequencer)

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PC-3

Keys DrumPads

PC-2

Screen 1 Screen 2 Screen 3

VideoMixer

3x3Matrix

VCRMIDI

'Openvid'(dual screen)

ResolumePC-1MIDI

Ableton(sequencer)

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technical analysismany ideas involved:

1 filmed footage versus animation2 realtime playback (hardware limitations)3 hardware & software interaction4 realtime manipulation and generation5 narrative and composition6 synaesthetics7 multiple screen display

many overlapping areas!

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Pro:• video played like an instrument (dynamic

manipulation)• complex abstractions possible through

software generationCon:

• merging the music and visuals conceptually can prove to be very hard! (sometimes they even interfere with eachother)

• sometimes too decorative effect, superficial (moving wallpaper)

art

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worlds collide theory• (generative) video/film art• traditional VJ'ing• computer graphics (vector, 3d, games)• (electronic) musicWhat is called VJ'ing nowadays floats

somewhere in between these domains

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conclusionVJ'ing mainly encompasses

• realtime visuals• interactive visuals• integration of sound and vision

There are many new technological and creative challenges in this domain ^_^