How recent is your content in your performance?

[mikef]

I have been thinking about Brain [Eyetrap] comments about a vj book, and I ask myself this question.

How up to date is your work and does it really matter?

EG Some of the material we are screening is many years old, whilst some is very new.
Our remix of Koyaanisqatsi is a good example, this is now 3 years old.
but how many of you have seen this? and would you know it's an 'old' performance?
and would a remix of a 80's film be out of date?

For a viewers point of view, unless it has been screened everywhere, it would be difficult for them to know whether it's old or new.
unless you are familiar with the artists work
I have seen on this forum people saying "Hexstatic's work looking dated".
surely this is because it has been widely seen and available on DVD and people are more familiar with their work.

or you could argue the content is only part of the performance!

Surely at the end of the day, it's the quality that counts.
I am interested in peoples thoughts

cheers
Mikef

[toastie]

I totally agree with you. Sometimes its also about how you mix the visuals. You can get older material and make it look fresh by mixing it in new ways. Clips I'm getting bored of now will be interesting again in time. Its nice to see some earlier footage again when you've forgotten about it.

As for Hexstatic - Timber may be 8 years old, but I've seen little improvement in that style of mixing. People who say their stuff is knocking on is just jealous.

Its definately about quality, not age.

[RayV]

freshness - is what i like to feel @ a gig
so i try my atmost to produce a new preset for each gig,
ok, i do not always manage, but at least for magor gigs.
i know its changes my own "zone",
when i have new material i feel better, curious, new
& it keeps me interested & into it rather than feeling i'm repeating myself.
i know the punters & the promoters would never know,
but i do it for my own amusement & well being.
ye, u can always find new twists mixing older presets
but what about the excitement
:yep:

[PilotX]

I get bored if I don't have new stuff.. but one of our residencies we've had for nearly 5 years now and there's clips that have been there for years..


Originally posted by toastie
As for Hexstatic - Timber may be 8 years old, but I've seen little improvement in that style of mixing. People who say their stuff is knocking on is just jealous.

Its definately about quality, not age.

yep.. timber is fresh every time i see it.. it's about quality for sure.. the same way that beethoven sounds fresh (to me) despite having heard most of his major symphonies many, many times and them being 100s of years old.. so does strauss for that matter, and muddy waters, metropolis etc. etc.
but these are of course the genius works and most art will not be like that.. I think most things, no matter how good, will run their course and it will only be occasionally you will have any desire to watch/listen to them (platoon is a good example of this for me.. great film but I know it too well.. not true for Brassed Off, Funny Games or Straight Story though.. but maybe at some point it will be)..

just thought i'd mention a thread on another board talking about a Ray Davies gig and not being happy about the amount of Kinks stuff he played as compared to his new stuff..(not enough old stuff - only about 60-70%) does the artist decide about new stuff or the audience? who is more important.. hmmm.. (I say the artist, obviously.. it's thier job to direct thier audience ;) )

[mondo]

mike
the quality of teh clip and its use in a performance will always shine through.
i never get bred of GOOD clips but get pissed off i dont spend time rendering NEW clips

too many ideas - never enough time
<shit - my recent performances still use 2/3 year old clips>

also depends on topicalities - ie. political clips can seem quickly dated

[Rovastar]

I disagree with some of the points here. I think it depends a lot on what the content is.

I do computer generated content and real-time at that so if I did stuff that was 8 years old it would be laughable.

Much like special effects in movies. If you watch 'Superman' there is ahuge black line around him. :) Today there are no such obvious floors. There is a constant battle to get the best effects. That is computers for you. :)

So if you do computer generated art then it is important to stay with the game.

If you don't then you can expect criticism and to be classed a newbie or old has-been. :)

Vjing is often a blend of technology and art. There are many technophobes that don?t embrace the latest technology as it is too much to learn. And there are many technophiles that are obsessed with technology and effect and miss out on the bigger picture.


To answer the question. Most of my stuff is in the last year or so but I am in the process of updating many/all scenes to take advance of new hardware (graphics, cpu power).


To answer the question. Most of my stuff is oldest 12-18 months or so but I am in the process of updating many/all scenes to take advange of new hardware (graphics, cpu power).

[mondo]

rova
you can tell teh difference between one of your trance tunnels and another!!
amazing;)

[videoteque]

I bet that as good wine taster, he can tell the year of any tunnel you show him!!! :P

Rova, did you finally got to make yourself in the Top20 VJ list using your Winamp fans?? (I hope you answer yes!)

[dongbamage]

Originally posted by mondo
rova
you can tell teh difference between one of your trance tunnels and another!!
amazing;)

obviously got a better trained eye than u, maybe u shouldn't be vjing...? :P

[videoteque]

Not every VJ is into tunnels!!! :rolleyes:

[dongbamage]

no :rolleyes:

[WordVirus23]

Originally posted by RayV
[B
but i do it for my own amusement & well being.
:yep: [/B]

Couldn't say it better myself...

however, on this note, I've found it's more fun playing to new audiences, as my entire library of clips is all new to them... whereas @ my regular residencies, I have to strive to keep things fresh... life without striving for anything would be mundane tho.

..james...

[Rovastar]

Originally posted by mondo
rova
you can tell teh difference between one of your trance tunnels and another!!
amazing;)

;)

BTW does is your 9/11 footage look dated yet? :P

[Rovastar]

Originally posted by videoteque
Rova, did you finally got to make yourself in the Top20 VJ list using your Winamp fans?? (I hope you answer yes!)

I never bothered too in the end only a link on one of my websites. THey made it too complex for the real fans - who can name 5 decent VJ's I know I struggle to do that.

I'll see how this year pans out the 'panel' will all vote for themselves anyway.

[akira_k]

I try to keep myself pretty damn fresh. Sometimes I use an odl clip or two but I get bored of stuff easily so my stuff tends to be fresh.

Whenever I am on a gig-frenzy and I cannot sit down to work teh concepts I want, I start boring myself and try not to extend that period of non-production for too long.

[nocternal]

i agree with a lot of differnet points here, but im not gonna go quoting all of them, coz i cant be arsed.

I think its all about variety,you (sorry- I) wouldnt wanna put on a show using all old clips, coz then it would be just like a show i did years ago BUT then again, depending on how your mixing it/what your mixing it with can give it a totally different vibe..

..I try to make as much new content as I can as an ongoing thing, as I go through fases of liking the look of different things/styles/footage/effects etc...

..but this doesnt mean that im JUST gonna be using brand new clips, I Had a gig last week and one of my group was using a REALLY old clip he made of me going all out on the T-Bar of an MX12. It looked brilliant, totally fitted the breaks, and inspired us to go all out and get into the visuals even more

so to me, its all about what you think is gonna work at the moment in time...................

rob