Question about VJs and VJ Software

Hi guys,

I'm doing some research into VJs and how DJs work with VJs.

I was wondering if you guys could tell me how often is it, that a DJ/artist would work with a VJ for their music?

Also, for anyone with VJ experience or experience using VJ software, what are your thoughts on the design process? Do people generally just use free assets they can find online or do a lot of VJs generate their own content using VJ software?

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Originally Posted by Jerry Dang

Hi guys,

I'm doing some research into VJs and how DJs work with VJs.

I was wondering if you guys could tell me how often is it, that a DJ/artist would work with a VJ for their music?

Also, for anyone with VJ experience or experience using VJ software, what are your thoughts on the design process? Do people generally just use free assets they can find online or do a lot of VJs generate their own content using VJ software?

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I was a doing visuals and lighting for around 10 years (but been almost the same since I've been doing it).

99% of gigs I was left to my own devices and just had to "keep making it look interesting"

1% of the time there would be a special request at a certain time of the night that I'd have to cue up. On some occasions I never even met the headliner DJ or any of his/her management.

All the best shows I did were done from the DJ booth where you have a genuine vibe going with the DJ, however thats not the case in most venues these days unfortunately.

Unless the DJ is a pretty big one, its unlikely they will want something really specific - maybe a running theme, a concept and a few suggestions for certain times of the night.

I used to use alot of stock footage, video cameras, custom images and live camera feeds and ran the show like a DJ set - everything was manually synced, personally I found I preferred it that way when the party gets hopping you can really get engrossed.

Whatever venue it is, make sure you make best friends with the Lighting Jock - nothing worse than an atmospheric breakdown with cool visuals being let down by a load of flashing multicolored lights and a guy that doesn't know where the strobe off button is.

Not to mention he's the guy that can wash out your screens with the touch of a button :p

For software I was using, Hippotizer, Arkaos, Resolume and Open TZT with a Vision mixer of some description.

Hey Jerry, are you a DJ or a VJ yourself? Just wondering what your background is and where you're wanting to go can help guide the discussion.