Want To Get Started As A VJ? Then Step Right This Way ! Ross Web Of the Twisted Focus Team Kicks Off The New VJing Tutorial Series...
VJing is one of the hottest things to get clubland pumping in years! Using visuals and creating immersive environments where clubbers can escape and find themselves has always been the intention of club culture, and adding VJing to the mix takes things to the next level. With new cheaper projectors, more powerful laptops, amazing software and the ability to hook them all together, VJing is exploding around the world.
In this series we are going to look at what is driving the growing VJ movement, with a focus on practical things you can do to get into this growing part of club culture. We are going to look at some of the top VJing applications such as ArKaos, as well showing you how to create your own clips and how to get hold of other people’s. Finally, I’ll be telling you what to expect on the night of your first gig and how to really make an impression on your audience.
Promoters have started to accept the idea of hiring VJs because clubbers remember the night as an amazing experience, and clubs are beginning to see the need to give clubbers a more intense clubbing experience. The Screen in Helsinki, Finland is one the top clubs for VJs to play, as the club focuses on the visuals as much as the music. It is run by Micko Iho, who believes that in order to be a great VJ you need to be resourceful with the materials, and understand the feelings of the crowd and your role in the club. He says a VJ should also understand how to cooperate with the light designers, since lighting is one of the most important things in a club after the DJs. VJs shouldn’t try to work on their own.
Indeed, one of the strengths Twisted Focus has had as a team is that one of our members has been a professional lighting engineer for 11 years. VJing isn’t just about technical expertise – you still need to work a crowd. When cooperating with the light designers, the effect of the breaks and more peaceful parts in the music can be much more intense than it might otherwise be. Micko believes the Screen’s success attests to this.
Even booking agents are starting to realise the potential of VJing. Dee Horton of the Excession agency says “a club night without visuals and a good VJ is like watching a movie without a soundtrackâ€
