commercial vs art?

[oxygen]

what should u do, when you get an offer to do vj-ing for very commercial
events, which are not really the parties you want to be at ~?
ok, for 1 time you can say' just go for the money', but when you have to do this for a whole year? every week?( i'm talking about high quantity/low quality commercial based events)
for me i feel i would rather stick to the art of vj-ing and perform only the things i like to do , or am i very naive?
... any comments?

[vjrei]

I'm totally agree with you!

Give me their phone number and I'm going to talk to them and explain them the situation.:mad:

How much was it?:D

[vjpixylight]

I have a friend, and fellow VJ in a similar, albeit non VJ related position..

He does freelance video work for a very rich client that pays him quite well, but expects the most outrageous work deadlines out of him..

My friend is often throwing things, or on the verge, with respect to the pressure this client puts him under..

I am in no position to tell my friend what to do, as my friend is really the only stable moneymaker of our group, but if I could tell him what I think, I'd tell him to tell his client to either back off on his expectations, or find someone else to be his slave..

Maybe you could do the same with this commercial work that from the sounds of it, you are not really in too.
Give these ppl an offer for your services that fits into what you think is appropriate for your artistic outlook, and if they can't cope with the new and inspired visuals that you give them, well...I'll leave the alternative up to you..

[thomase]

Well, it all depends on how you make your money apart from that. Personally I would rather do such a job for a year instead of working nine to five. If you have enough time to do your thing, then why not gi for the job. That's basically how I work: A non-commercial a/v band and vjing that pays 150 euros for each logo incorporated...

[bluntfaktory]

keep doing it to pay the bills , money is money but there is no rule saying you can't find your self a dirty little underground crew and be there VJ when you have the time . your working in the field , that's good . use your assets then to stay in touch with the work you really want to do . it's a massive advantage on your side of the court , us it and swing hard .

[littlecatalyst]

Oxegyn you have a nice enough reputation that i would be suprised if you couldn't take on that gig, play when you absolutely have to, but fill the roster up with other VJs.... as long as the promoters have 1 person they can deal with they will be happy, you won't have to always miss the parties you'd actually rather be playing, and on top of it you will be giving other vJs a shot.... i dunno, to me it sounds like a good deal all around... if you were a younger vj i would have said take the gig for the experience, but at this point it could be helpful for loads of other dutch (and euro) VJs.... not to mention some extra $$ for you for keeping it all together. i think its a bit too far away for Rei to go.. but there's tons of others, no?

PS: do you know who is going to VJ at the Spookadelic Dance (at the AMP, by those killer killer party people, psychedelic sceneries)??? I'd kill to play there!!

[littlecatalyst]

yes, i said Kill

[oxygen]

thnx guys for being helpful.
at this point my main problem was the frequency and quality of it, and the way he wanted my dedication towards it. i know i cannot give it when i cannot
learn from it.
(and you can see that in a glimpse!)
also he told me he wants strict policies and to have my connections
to become my bookings-agency (... so he can make a sellout!...not..)

now, i decided not to do that frequent event thing, but told him i am interested to work on some projects with him for bigger events. (as i did before few times)
so now i leave it up to him.
and i know if he will choose another vj because of this reason i made
my decision well!!

[oxygen]

littlecatalyst: i dunno about that event you're talking about...i know the place AMP, but never heard of this party.

[fisheye]

Do the commercial work with low artistic quality for a shitload of money and keep it low profile.
Do the artistic intressting work with the money you made. And make a lot of fuzz about it. Put it on a website , talk with people, .... after a while things will shift in the right direction.
Hopefully.

K

[vjpixylight]

good job oxygen!! it takes a kindred spirit to stand up in the face of adversity(and with the control that money buys) to choose what is best for your own mental health and welfare..

I noticed that most of the replys to this post were under the idea that you can have your cake and eat it too,(which is possible, but not always probable), and until you have been there, only you can know what to do, and still feel good about it..

I have known differently, because, as i have stated with my friend in this similar situation, the commercial side can end up eating you alive, leaving you to wonder why, after you have been sucked out of all your artistic energies, and for what, to satisfy someone that will never be satisfied..

Of course, one size does not fit all, and there is a happy medium between commercial work and your own artistic work, but it is a fine line that is hard to stay on top of, and what really matters is what makes you the most happy, (and therefore prosperous) in your own life..

sorry cool cats, but this is just MHO..

[oxygen]

vjpixylight:
yes, what you mention here is more then true and my opinion as well.
thanx a lot!

[thomase]

I justed wanted to add something...

I played a gig yesterday that lasted an icredilbe 13 hours. Since it was charity I would have had no money from it but high risk. It was outdoor and very rainy. Because I incorporated 3 Logos I got some money out of it and was able to add 2 cameras to my setup. Without the sponsors, I would not have been able to do this gig...

[oxygen]

wauw !!!13 hours is a long long very long time on your own!
re-spect!
..and a good example of merging creative and commercial thinking!

[BrainStove]

I?m the richest being on earth since I?ve only could to accumulate Knowledge & Wisdom and under any circumstance Money or Richness, therefore the only things I have to my disposal is Freedom & Independence, that is; to myself.