show me the money poll

[vjTranceKoder]

This is not the first time this issue has been brought up and won't be the last I'm sure.

I see VJs that have technique and skill both with content creation and performance. I see "big" vjs pictures on the internet and once and a while get to catch a show with these folks, but my question is how much? How much money is there in VJing? Where do we make the most money? Performances? Custom content creation? DVD sales/Merchandising?

Don't get me wrong. I love VJing. That's why I'll never sell my V4 or stop shooting and mixing, but I also want it to be more than a hobby. When I say hobby I'm talking about the pay. I think it safe to speak of pay scale here, right?? I know many have been against the idea but we can always create hypothetical situations and plug in real numbers.

I know of a couple of chaps that most VJs on this site would consider successful because they have multiple releases on a major label. They make less than you'd expect, or at least less that I expected especially considering the number of hrs that went into each project. So these guys I thought had it made, but no. In reality my Dad made more than them in a year and he only pulls in $48K. I make like $20K if I'm lucky. So the question is where is the money? Is there money?, Do you think it will come as time passes and Vjing gets more exposure?
This issue is of great importance to those who wish to bring the world of VJing/AV to the forefront. How else can we hope to rise to a point of making a living with video the way WE like it.

I like Pixys method of just living rent free and saving a bit here and there planning for the next trip or party. You go, pixy! I am green with envy. But on the other hand if money is needed to raise a family for example, will Vjing ever pay the bills?

Constructive and realistic responses are encouraged. I am curious what you think. I believe there is a way if the passion is within you. Hopelessly hopeful.:angel: :crazy:

PS If you vote "other" please specify what other activities you mean.

[solly]

Hi
In reality there is no big money or money.....yet. You are lucky if you are resident somewhere but if not you cant pay your bllls. You have to call promoters, clubs, bars, event companies, etc. There is money when you get sponsors for festivals, or events where everything is covered and that your organize the thing. So you can come out with a margin for extra cash for you. But still, the money is not flowing, all vjs know that, its a shame it isnt because people dont have a clue of the effort of work at home and setting up at the scene. The ideal thing would be to set up the whole place with visual projection so that you are the one who is in control of the whole decor and that you show them that you are a must for making the place look nice, blue, red, green, with fractals, etc.....
Solo:confused:

[vjrei]

VJing still a Babel Tower and you can not make good money frok something know one undertand (except the early dot com era).

I mean, if you are a DJ you know what you can do, where your market is and the person who is going to hire you know what to expect.

VJing... there is not such culture because VJ come in to so many configurations and obviusly by this comunity there is a big deal of idealism with lots of things.

Vjs are not practical because "it is an art and because of that it have to be crazy". DJing is art as well.

There is only one solution for that but I am going to keep it as a secret for now. It have been told before but no one agree with it. I may go for it myself and then we will see.

For now the money is in the content and with big sponsors. Any way, I do not expect making 20K a year any way.

[MoRpH]

Hehehe funny you have porn as an option.. was that specifically included for me? as about 50% of my income @ the moment comes from porn related DTP :yep:

[kallisti]

well, i feel that this question is entirely accurate in its phrasing... the amount of money you can get from a big corporate job or playing a huge festival can be extremely large, however most of us do not get these oppurtunities... i chose to answer as "the common vj"...

[Exavior]

MoRpH: ah you too eh? 100% of my bills are paid via the "Adult entertainment industry"

I think the money issue is a very important one, and I?ve seen it frowned upon a lot on this forum. Most of us (if not all) are not in it for the money. We do it for the love of the art? etc. etc. But when all is said and done, the software, hardware, and time all cost us a great deal. So it is good to see the money topic come up again.

I?ve yet to do any pay gigs, as I am still quite wet behind the ears. But as a person who?s been with the ?club scene? for many years I know a great many promoters and have talked with them about VJing. Many would rather put a magic box in the back of the room and have it project randomly looped stock footage than hire an actual human. They often don?t understand the benefits of working with live VJs because they have not been exposed to them very much. And the few they often run into are not all that good.

A good example would be the web development industry. You can hire a professional developer to do your site for $3000 or pay the kid next door $300. You get less quality but in the end you get a website. VJing is much the same, in that it all depends what the promoter expects the end result to be. They just need to learn to expect more out of VJs, and that has to come with time.

I would also like to learn more about how much the average VJ charges. But I know that can change a great deal based on the venue, the skill of the VJ, and so on. I mainly want to know because if too many of us go out there and ask for too little, the promoters will get used to paying that. But it?s such a touchy subject.

[Rovastar]

There is no 'average' charage I know VJ's that work for nothing and some that get monthly gigs at like ?1,500 for a night (8 hours)

VJ rates. The way alook at it.

Minimum: Expenses - travel (taxi) to venuw and back and a couple of beers
Low: Expenses + hourly rate above minimum wage for all hours worked (rig-derig, show etc) exculding custom content for gig
Average: Expenses, hourly gig rate + half time paid or custom content (paid a professional rates)
Good: Expenses, hourly gig rate + all the time used to create custom content paid (at professional rates)
Very good: ?2,000 ($3,500) a night

For a VJ releted job if I do it full time it will be content creation. To be honest that is the bit I enjoy the most. But I suppose it will hvae to pay liek ?45,000 a year to consider it seriously as that is the going rate for London 3d programmers, etc and what I can get elsewhere.

[Esotic]

I must be working for the wrong people. ;)

Doing it for the love is what it's all about. But if the promoters and DJs get paid then I better well damn get paid an equivalent amount. At this point my pay tends to fluctuate between free (when nobody shows) and $100 (which is what the DJs are getting when all goes well). None of the shows I've done so far have been that big. My city is kinda small (like 250,000 people).

DJs don't get paid to collect records and I don't get paid to collect video footage (thank g*d for netflix and DVD burners). As time passes more and more of the footage is original, but shit, who can refuse a clip of kids breakdancing for The Pope or the NYC breakers performing on Graffiti Rock!

But I'm just about to hop on the DVD distribution bandwagon, so hopefully that will go well. I believe that the art dictates distribution. When you get to a point where you have enough good material you'll recognize that you need to package and sell it.

And oh yeah, record EVERYTHING!

Thinkin' Global, Workin' Local,

-Esotic