Avit 2007?

[kattyb]

There doesn't seem to be any info on the future for AVIT UK - the site seems to have gone into suspended animation.

We're wondering if there are any plans yet, however tentative, for an AVIT in 2007 (We're assuming 2006 is out)?

Any inside-info would be hugely appreciated.

[sleepytom]

not a cat in hells chance of another avit in the UK - the word avit is tradmarked by someone eles so there can never be another UK avit.

there may be another VJing festival in the UK at some point - dunno who would organise it though - the people who organised the previous UK avits are all busy with other projects.

[kattyb]

Thanks for the info, SleepyTom. With so many VJs in the UK, I would've thought there would be loads of would-be organisers there. Would be sad if the AVIT momentum ground to a halt when AVIT 2005, by all accounts, was so awesome. We were hoping to have an excuse to head to the UK next year :)

Perhaps future ones could be called Audio Visual World Conference? Hmm, now there's an attractive acronym....

[evomedia]

Well then maybe its time to start planning one seperate from vjf/vjc for 2007, I'm happy to start giving it some thought if anyone else is interested? I could do with a new project, although I'm already snowed under but can always fit in extra. Your based in Aus kattyb why the interest in UK AVIT by the way?

[kattyb]

Aeroplanes can make from Australia to Europe now ;)

We intend to tour annually - this year's tour of Singapore, Spain and the US was great. Would really like to include the UK next time, preferably if there's a big Festival on as then we get to meet a lot more fellow VJs in a short period of time.

Funnily enough, the VJ Scene in Western Australia doesn't exactly satisfy us completely....

[LEVLHED]

you should see the vj scene in wisconsin....

[KillingFrenzy]

Why not just use the VJCentral/VJForums name as the "branding"?

If that's where the initiative is stemming from, why not bring the branding back here. Any fundraising/etc. could then be directed here.

I'm not trying to kill AVIT, but if AVIT is the "block" then the less catchy but "owned" VJCentral/VJForums are both viable.

[Lara]

We're trying to get the momentum up to do an event next year not under the name A***, but something different. Will keep updated! As always if you are interesting in participating/helping/gettinginvolvedinanyway get in touch - there's no A*** email address now but contact me through my address lara at nlab.org.uk

Cool

[KillingFrenzy]

Maybe it should just be called A***
The mind short circuits trying to make a dirty four letter word that starts with A.
How about SH*** or F** or C*******

Sillyness aside, it is good to see some rumblings occuring.

[sleepytom]

in english arse has 4 letters :P

[Scratchpole]

Will deffinatley throw in my 2 pennies.
I had a ball and learned so much from all the contributors last year,
I'm still digesting now.
Lara, I will be in touch. There is a potential (large) funding source up here in Sheffield to work on national / international collaborations.

:grouphug:

[kattyb]

We'd love to come over and run a workshop along the lines of our "Painting With Light" ones: http://vjzoo.com/ev2006a.htm - there are various funding sources we could apply to in Australia to get over there if we get a formal invitation once you have an event organised :)

[SilentEclipse]

I could try to get the footage archive I work for to sponser some kind of remix competition? :idea:

[vjpixylight]

We'd love to come over and run a workshop along the lines of our "Painting With Light" ones: http://vjzoo.com/ev2006a.htm - there are various funding sources we could apply to in Australia to get over there if we get a formal invitation once you have an event organised :)

AVit North America is still breathing and will be having an event in Texas this September...Will an official invite from us help?

[kattyb]

AVit North America is still breathing and will be having an event in Texas this September...Will an official invite from us help?

Mmm, that would be great. But we've used up all our possible leave for this year. Jasper doesn't want to give up his day-job as we can buy equipment etc at cost, and they're a really cool family-owned company. They let him take an extra week off in June so we could do Eyewash in NY and visit ppl in SF.

Might be a bit much for him to ask for any more time off this year :)

Any offers for 2007 would be fab though. Oh, and we have to fit in the getting married/honeymoon thing in somewhere along the way too.

Thanks for the offer though! Perhaps we could do some sort of web-cast or something? We'd like to be involved even if we can't physically get to Texas.

[vjpixylight]

A webcast would be cool! I'll keep you updated as I hear more from the ppl on the ground.
cheers

[Liquidmetro]

Come on UK! Nearly a year since the last post!!

If this is not happening due to lack of manpower, I'd be happy to help in anyway (as long as I get to keep my pants on!). I guess too late for a 2007, so let's plan 2008!!!

[elbows]

Well as was stated earlier, there is no avit UK, there is no team to moan at, everyone has moved on to other things. If you want something in the UK, a new collection of people have to come together and do something, under a new name. I repeat, there is nobody in the UK to moan to, they gave their all, they are done.

[evomedia]

`has been too long since last AVIT, but something fresh for 08 then, pity with so many VJ's not to have a big meetup

[Liquidmetro]

Well as was stated earlier, there is no avit UK, there is no team to moan at, everyone has moved on to other things. If you want something in the UK, a new collection of people have to come together and do something, under a new name. I repeat, there is nobody in the UK to moan to, they gave their all, they are done.

Doesn't get any clearer than that! ;)

I realise that the name is unuseable here and people are busy, moved on etc, but there is a great bunch of people in the UK passionate about visuals and my post was to generate interest in an AVIT style event! I would be happy to get involved, however I don't feel I have the experience and time to get a similar event off the ground myself.

It would be great to have a large scale forum meetup with demo's, workshops, jams etc happening throughout the day climaxing in a club night? AVIT UK '03 managed to get funding from England?s Arts Council and with all the new technology about, I'm sure there would be interested sponsors. To get started we need a team of people with a range of experience and skills to get it organised!! Any thoughts/ ideas?

:grouphug:

[USE]

i can help getting grant funding from arts council etc, and know a few promoters. from october i'll be based in brighton so thats where it will be easiest for me to help from, altho im willing to travel within reason natch.

what we need to do is ge a group of people who are genuinely committed to getting thsi off the ground, then arrange is an all-day meeting in real life, and thrash out the basics - location, venue, prefered acts and maybe a theme or something. online comms are handy, but you cant beat a face to face, plus its a good test of commitment.

if any of the avit orgaisers have any of the paperwork they created to produce the event, i would love to see it, just to get an idea of the various logictical hurdles and the routes that you found round them.

so, interested parties: liquid metro, me....erm post your interest and we'll start communicating properly.

[deepvisual]

tie it in with something like the next optronica.
then you'll have a guaranteed supply of VJs

[PilotX]

can I just re-iterate that you CANNOT use the word avit in any way in the uk for this type of event as it is trademarked. if you are going to organise an event do not even think about using avit in the name whatsoever. Don't even discuss it as if it was going to be called avit and you need to change the name in the future.
there is no longer any team. to be honest the uk has other events like optronica and newcastles a/v fest, and for me personally drop beats not bombs, also big chill etc. plus a/v social, vj school, lookandlisten and other vj/av nights events that alot of people get together at so there is no longer such a need for an event. in the uk avit achieved recognition of vjing as an artform that is funded by the arts council, that's it's legacy and it's a very, very important one.
good luck if you decide to try to put on a big conference type event though.

use, we didn't really find ways around the various logisitical issues that occur, especially to do with organising a very large event whilst the members of the committee are placed in different cities round the country and are unable to make regular meetings except online.. nothing ever gets decided online. paperwork? our funding apps were around online somewhere i think, but may have been on the avit sites which no longer exist.

[Rovastar]

Personally I disagree that there is not a need for such an event. Although I have not been to all of those listed by you Tom they don't come close to what AVIT became.

Yeah it cannot be called AVIT. However there is nothing to stop people calling it an AVIT type event for discussions here.

And even I would argue that you could say "Previously called AVIT".

I would be happy to help out if people want to seriously get something happening.

[evomedia]

to be honest the uk has other events like optronica and newcastles a/v fest, and for me personally drop beats not bombs, also big chill etc. plus a/v social, vj school, lookandlisten and other vj/av nights events

I reckon its a valid thing to get back off the ground, as most of these are not quiet in same vain...

VJ schools are aimed at beginners, and stuff like the big chill are ok for a meetup but not really the best place to talk about tech, software development and techniques.

Much the same as av social/lookandlisten/dropbeatsnotbombs/AV nights, they are more clubnights/VJ showcases rather than this type of event. And you can't hear yourself think let alone talk about the future of visuals hehe/

The closest 2 are the Newcastle AV fest, although its not VJ specific, so really isn't aimed totally at visuals. So wont attract as many actual VJ's, and so diverse its not really the place for everything AVIT covered.

So left with Optronica, I can see it is the most simular but definately not as varied as AVIT was (yet?)

But I don't think any of the above being active is the issue, AVIT was great because it was organised by people here at VJforums and VJ central. People came to put faces to names, and some people travelled a great distance but doubt many of the above have the same pull. Lets face it, it was a pain for the organisers and that may be more the issue with the restart, I can't see the problems with the name really makes a blind bit of difference as to why it stopped.

As for the name, I said orginally some years ago that AVIT was already a AV and IT conference, and was amazed we had the same name. But whats in a name, it wasn't that huge and nearly everyone who went knew about it from here...so whats the issue, just start one with a new name duh.

The name doesn't matter its how its promoted that counts, I'm not up on arts council funding so anyone with advice on process is the key.

i can hear people still thinking just settle with optronica, but honestly its organised by AddictiveTV... say no more

[PilotX]

And even I would argue that you could say "Previously called AVIT".


NO you cannot do this. if you do you will get sued and won't have a leg to stand on.
any event in the UK cannot use AVIT in any way.
sorry but that's the legal situation.

[deepvisual]

NO you cannot do this. if you do you will get sued and won't have a leg to stand on.
any event in the UK cannot use AVIT in any way.
sorry but that's the legal situation.

err...
there is very little point in trying to sue someone who hasn't got any money, ie most VJs.


anyway, AVIT is such a dreadful name only a fool would use it.
AV - IT the stuff of nightmares.
a curse of endless powerpoint presentations on the people responsible for this nonsense

[evomedia]

anyway, AVIT is such a dreadful name only a fool would use it anyway.
AV - IT the stuff of nightmares.
a curse of endless powerpoint presentations on the people responsible for this nonsense

I wouldn't say that, the idea of AV/IT is the name of a whole inductry, it refers to AV/IT installation companies like Impact marcom, Electrosonic, Savilles etc which are specialist installation companies, that use IT to control AV, and all the crossover that entails. Crestron, AMX, RS232, video wall software, digital signage systems, LED walls etc etc etc. The name was exactly correct for a expo aimed at that market.

Not even sure if AVIT is still going anyhow, its all about infocomm and cebit these days. but I can imagine its still trademarked for any conference thats dealing with either market. ie AV used for VJing

[USE]

gah. can we stop talking about the name and start talking about the content. what acts do we want to see? what sort of venue is appropriate?

i have never been to an avit, so all this talk of replectaing it is freaking me out, as i have no idea why its different form other events. if i help organise such an event, it will be its own kind of event. hanging onto the past is futile, especially in this game. i would like to hear some constructive suggestions please.

for example, would it be better to have the event stretched over several small venues with instalations in it, or would a trade fair/expo tyep format be more appropriate? dowe want it to be dominated by the big players or should it be a more grass-roots, nu-skool vj type event that is about up n coming vjs? is there a balance to struck there?

we'll think about the name later yea?

[Liquidmetro]

I would like the event to be less formal than an existing event such as Optronica although tagging on to an exisiting event would reduce risk by guaranteeing attendance.

Taking into account that it will not be called AVIT or reference it in anyway, what could it be called?? VJF UK?

I guess what I had in mind was a friendly event for people who post here to meet each other face to face and socialise on a big level. Namebadges with our avatars and VJ names could be good! It would be good to get a load of software and equipment providers along. I would love to see this extended beyond Edirol, Arkaos etc to firms like Matrox, Kramer, Jazzmutant. Workshops could take place throughout the day. Imagine being able to buy cables, hardware, software on the day at a slightly less than normal rate, then being able to plug in and have a jam with fellow VJs from here.

This may be naive and I can only begin to imagine the work involved in pulling off an event like this, but I am prepared to get involved. I think what is needed is experience in this area, please post if can help in anyway to get a project like this from concept to realisation. If this post is now not suitable to sit within the AVIT area then please feel free to move it so that we can move beyond the issues linked with the AVIT name and look forward! :D

edit: USE my man, that's what I'm talking about :up:

[ASMD]

I like the idea of an event giving us the chance to meet together face to face, although I imagine this approach would be lucky to attract more than 50 members, and that's only if it was held in London. Without big name DJs/AV acts and serious promotion I suspect you would be hard pushed to attract a big enough crowd to warrant a trade fair/workshops etc, etc.

So ask yourselves, what do really want out of this? A chance to turn up, show off our shiny toys and clips, demo some kit from the reps, learn how other people are using/tweaking their VJ soft, create a massive feedback loop and drink lots of beer?

If that's the case it could be organised around an established event - I suggest AV Social for the South, LookAndListen for the North. All you need is a slightly larger venue and accommodation to stretch the events to a full weekend.

[spark]

hello from s?nar.

I guess what I had in mind was a friendly event for people who post here to meet each other face to face and socialise on a big level. Namebadges with our avatars and VJ names could be good!

...this is what started avit-the-global-vj-network, the desire to connect emails and avatars to real people, and their work.

This may be naive and I can only begin to imagine the work involved in pulling off an event like this, but I am prepared to get involved. I think what is needed is experience in this area, please post if can help in anyway to get a project like this from concept to realisation.

an event like we pulled off in 2005 takes an unbelievable amount of resources, and there's no two ways about that. however, couple that initial desire that we and you had, with examples like the other avit events such as the c23 in berlin or vision'r in paris earlier this year, and things come much more into the land of the fun and achievable. i would look towards those as your models: smaller, community focused events that take advantage of existing infrastructure such as the chaos communication club congress or the reseaux-creation organisation.

If this post is now not suitable to sit within the AVIT area then please feel free to move it so that we can move beyond the issues linked with the AVIT name and look forward

as far as i'm concerned, it seems what is being discussed here sits perfectly within the avit space, so sitting here in this forum is fine. what it can't be, is called avit in the uk, but as has been said, that is just a name.

while the company avituk ltd may be closed, and the original band of organisers found themselves engaged elsewhere, that doesn't mean there isn't a legacy that can be built on and pool of experience to draw upon if you want to. so go for it, and see what happens. these things take time / nobody said it was going to be easy / don't get dispirited when the bitching starts: judge by actions not posts on a forum.

i'm going to duck back out now and leave this apartment as s?nar waits for no spark. i'll check back once i've got a whole wadge of long-overdue avit-related work out the way. but now i'm freelance again, i'm making the time and space to do it.

toby

[evomedia]

Use and Liquidmetro, where you guys based?

[PilotX]

well the 3 events looked like this, briefly:

leeds 2002: all held in Corn Exchange on one day. Daytime had maybe a dozen software people demonstrating their softwares and a couple of talks. Nightime was a single room event with music/promotion provided by Technique and all projectors provided by VJs. VJs who played each paid to do so, paying for the material that made the screen that wrapped around the balcony of the corn exchange.
the event was a VJ Multijam, with umm.. 6? 8? VJ stations, each with a VJ playing and going through a matrix out to some of the screens.

Brighton 2003: Held in multiple venues over 3 days- Brighton Conference centre (housed most of the discussions/lectures, trade fair and the main nighttime event); A bar whose name I can't remember (housed some of the discussions/lectures and the smaller nights running up to the saturday), and an exhibition in a gallery whose name I forget.
Thursday had a couple of lectures in the bar and then an open-VJ night (to which no-one showed iirc). There was also another thing on that night though iirc, laptop jams maybe..
Friday/Saturday: Brighton conference centre (2 floors) was split into 7 rooms - 6 for lectures and a double sized room for the trade fair.
2 sessions in each room each day, so 24 a day 48 over the weekend, plus a couple each day in the bar as well...
the trade fair was mostly software producers iirc.. edirol had a stand.

sat nightime had 2 rooms - on A/V and one a VJ multijam. Oh and on the friday night there were VJs in lots of different clubs around brighton.
no-one got paid

Birmingham 2003 - Held mostly at Custard Factory (which has multiple spaces in a single complex), plus a few sessions at Vivid (local video place) and Maverick TV.
ran from Tuesday - Saturday
venues within CF: Gallery (exhibition); Theatre (lectures); Old Library (lectures in the week, trade fair on sat); Vivid (lectures); Maverick TV (lectures).
had 3 sessions per day, but some took more that one session.. something like 80 different educational sessions during the week.

nightime stuff (held at custard factory): Thursday had open VJ session with Heducation (regular night) providing music and some promotion
Friday was run with Shaanti (regular night)
Saturday was run with Drop Beats Not Bombs

(we were residents at all these nights anyway so negotiating with them wasn't hard)

all equipment used for the nighttime events and most of the daytime was hired or already in place at the venue.
iirc we paid something to most people who worked/played here, although it was not anything significant and probably only covered travel expenses

What, I think, distinguishes this from other events like cybersonica is the educational sessions focused on VJ topics, or general things (like after effects) but run by/for VJs rather than sfx editors..

the problem we found with the trade fair is that companies like kramer, extron etc. don't see VJs as a viable market, they go to plasa and the like. even pioneer and korg did not come, despite the fact that they were marketing products at VJs. Respect to Edirol for their support though.
If you want to expand this section you will need a very good salesman to do it.

in terms of numbers, well we had a few hundred people registered for birmingham and estimated brighton at around 100 i think..

in terms of venues, what we learnt from brighton (with a big central venue and the other two more than 5 minutes away) is that multiple venues are a bad idea unless they are very close (the different venues in birmingham were within 200m of each other, and required only walking down the road from the custard factory).
If you are running multiple lectures make sure they are in completely seperated rooms, as the sound leak in brighton was awful for some sessions and made them very difficult.. in birmingham it was much better as the different sessions were completely seperated.

I don't think we would have had many/any more people if the events had been in london.

personally I would suggest that you do not consider doing an event on the scale of birmingham. Brighton was almost too much as well. A smaller event, over a couple of days, with a few workshop sessions and a vj night piggybacking on a regular event would, I think, be a better plan.

[ASMD]

Sensible advice there Tom. If the event was scaled down then 4 days wouldn't be necessary.

A London based event would perhaps start with a general meetup/icebreaker and club night on Friday with resident VJs as a kind of welcomer by the organisers.

Workshops the next day with:
1. Experienced VJs demonstratiing how to get the best out each of the main softwares - VJammers, Resolumers, Arkaosers and so on.
2. Demos of hardware - Expensive things like CG8s and DVJs as well as rare old school things like MX50s and Chromascopes and how to get the best out of each of them. V4 master class!
3. Content creation - AE, 3D stuff, video feedback etc. Again, by VJs, for VJs approach.
4. Maybe business and ethics?
Ahh hell, just run workshops based on the VJ forum structure! And of course there needs to be a sequal to the massive feedback experiment!
Then on to the Roxy/AV Social. Bigger acts upstairs, bring in your laptop and plug in downstairs.

Lie-in sunday, perhaps a pub lunch if the weather is good. If people are willing to provide their own accomodation and travel, and do the workshops for free you wouldn't even need much of a budget, just room hire.

[Liquidmetro]

Thanks for all the background mate!
A smaller event, over a couple of days, with a few workshop sessions and a vj night piggybacking on a regular event would, I think, be a better plan.


Workshops the next day with:
1. Experienced VJs demonstratiing how to get the best out each of the main softwares - VJammers, Resolumers, Arkaosers and so on.
2. Demos of hardware - Expensive things like CG8s and DVJs as well as rare old school things like MX50s and Chromascopes and how to get the best out of each of them. V4 master class!
3. Content creation - AE, 3D stuff, video feedback etc. Again, by VJs, for VJs approach.
4. Maybe business and ethics?
Ahh hell, just run workshops based on the VJ forum structure! And of course there needs to be a sequal to the massive feedback experiment!
Then on to the Roxy/AV Social. Bigger acts upstairs, bring in your laptop and plug in downstairs

Couldn't agree more! Possibly a Sat and Sun preceeding a bank holiday monday to ensure good attendance on both days and nights. I think it is important to keep it to 2 days max so that people converge at the location at the same time and to maintain a lively busy atmosphere.

evomedia - I'm Bristol based, so would be able to offer a bigger contribution if it was around here, however obviously London is a good choice and I am prepared to get involved and offer time wherever it is.

I really like the idea of following the vjforums structure. I think it would be good to run workshops on things that are on multi screens & multi projector setups, custom screens, rigging and the less immediate, yet highly useful aspects of VJing. Keeping the focus on a by VJs for Vjs approach means that you can skip the 'This is what VJing is, how to be a VJ' stuff and jump straight into useful, relevant, hands on workshops for both new and exisiting VJs.

It's the face to name thing that I reckon would really benefit the community and develop future work, opportunities, collaborations and friendships. If nothing comes out of this, then I think it would be a shame.

[Rovastar]

If people are willing to provide their own accomodation and travel, and do the workshops for free you wouldn't even need much of a budget, just room hire.


One of the issue about London is for people with nowhere to stay it is expensive.

I think you should budget (especially if you are getting government grants, etc) for *some* payment for people doing the talks, etc. Even if it like ?100 to help cover travel, accomodation, prep time, etc.

[monsho]

Just to throw something in the mix, AV Fest is taking place up in Newcastle, Sunderland and Middlesborough next March, might be a good time to do an AVIT style event, with a big region wide focus on Audio Visual events, a big festival to run alongside etc. Should be quite a lot of people in the region then, and also another reason for people to travel up. We'll be doing a series of our Lumen nights throughout the festival, as well as 2020 in some form.

Have a good working relationship with the organisers of the festival, so can bring it up next time we meet if there is any interest...

[leolodreamland]

well having organised the gallery at the last avit in brum in 2005, i feel we are long overdue another event. it was definitely one of the most exciting times of my life as a vj or anything. meeting face to face with people who understand what i think about all the time was a kind of freedom i'd not felt before. it was like saying goodbye to my family at the end. i saw something large growing out of it, with maybe smaller tributaries coming off, such as the workshops, gallery, vj showcases happening autonomously. smaller events whenever and the larger week-long one every two or three years.
but having joined at the last minute and still being fairly inexperienced i don't think i understood how much work had been put into the organisation by a lot of people who had careers that were taking off outside of this. now, having more experience of organising events and applying for funding, i think it's understandable that it got put on the top shelf.
i do envision that new blood will carry it to the next stages whilst being advised by the old. so it's great to see people getting passionate about suggesting something is doable. i think having a weekend long event at a/v festival in march is extremely viable and that we should contact them straight away. if newcastle is where avit started then the newly named and reborn organisation/collective/nutshop would do well to happen there.