will the public notice avit this year?

[cerasus]

hi all - i know this is late in the day, but..

after the brighton event last year i had a bit of a rant about reaching a wider audience than just the members of this forum, otherwise we simply won't go anywhere

http://www.vjforums.com/showthread.php?threadid=4574

anyway someone mentioned the Elumenati fisheye lens and how it transformed a space at the avit us 2003 event - a guy from elumenati (www.elumenati.com) posted here a few times since but hasnt for a while. his website says the vdmx guy is working with them. can we get one or two of their beamers over here?

is anything like this gonna be happening, or is it all vj's squinting at 6 foot rectangular bed-sheets in well-lit rooms? sorry to sound negative, i just get frustrated at the lack of progress in our scene, and the inability to engage with the public. the med bar's a pretty cool space - i just want to see more imagination put into the presentation of visuals rather than vjs arguing with vjs about narrative and codecs ;)

ok, go on then, roast me :heart:

t

[mondo]

you do realise that it takes input from peeps like yourself to get the scene going further

its great to have inspiration - but even better when you can bring it to the table - avit is the only opportunity to do this that i know of and which can reach such a large core of end users/abusers

Q? why should the public be interested? its promoters who need to know - and usually this is done by hard graft on the ground and in the venues week on week.

avit is best viewed as a vj social meet imho - hope you can come and show your interest/work

[holly]

Originally posted by cerasus
is it all vj's squinting at 6 foot rectangular bed-sheets in well-lit rooms? sorry to sound negative, i just get frustrated at the lack of progress in our scene, and the inability to engage with the public. the med bar's a pretty cool space
Well, some of what you are saying is unfair, but yeah, I understand where you're coming from.... AVit can't be everything to everyone.

Look, if you are looking for a more "discerning" presentation for a potential artsy audience of non-VJs you might seriously consider producing your own small event sometime in a cozy lounge/bar. I agree that a tradeshow atmosphere isn't very cool for people to come see the art, but it lets VJs see gear and exchange technical know-how... which is what it's about, really.

Make your own showcase, curate a few VJs and DJs for the night -- in conjunction with AVit or not.... You probably have some ideas about how live-mix video can be presented to "the public". Your local public might appreciate it too!

[syzygy]

Originally posted by cerasus
i just get frustrated at the lack of progress in our scene, and the inability to engage with the public. the med bar's a pretty cool space - i just want to see more imagination put into the presentation of visuals rather than vjs arguing with vjs about narrative and codecs ;)



So get involved! AVIT is very open to new people getting involved and bringing new ideas with them.

It is a bit late in the day, but I'm sure there are opportunities to inject imaginative ideas.

Whatever events happen at AVIT happen because people were prepared to put the time in to make them happen.

I'm not directly involved in the organisation of the overall event this time round, but I am involved in one of the installations, which are squarely aimed at the general public.

I appreciate that you're not trying to sound negative, but it does seem like you want AVIT to be what you think it should be without you having to make it happen. Please proove me wrong.

If you want to take VJing to a wider audience than VJF, you'll have to do more than carp about it on VJF...

Dan.

[Rovastar]

I feel there has been progress in our scene over the past couple years since the first AVIT.

More clubs have visuals, more visuals on music DVD's, etc, etc. AVIT 2003 was bigger than 2002 and I am hoping of more of the same this year.

From your previous post the venue this year is more interesting.

It is probably too late to add additional projector systems to AVIT though. Esp difficult if AVIT got a deal with the one of teh numereous projector compainies out there.

Personaly I cannot stand bedsheets they look sooooooo unprofessional.

I do agree that a more showcase approach would be good though I don't get that impression this year that the visuals will be the main attraction at the club events. The other year we have had the say on the visuals to be used from the impression of this I get that the club will have the say. And I am lost as to where the 'showcase' will be.

Comeon you don't like the arguing? that is the best part I cannot wait to have Toby and Lara over hot coals over their so-called 'narrative' ;)

[cerasus]

to clear it up a bit, sorry to sound harsh - i do truly respect the work that goes into avit from the people involved. i spose this is my input, for what its worth - i tend to leave things until a minute before deadline time to get active - too late now?

i agree with you about the ground-work being done week by week, but i felt last year and still do, that avit is the best chance we have of complete control over an event, and to make that event something which pushes the envelope of whats possible, and which captures the imagination of the public and promoters.

i don't really mean something more arty or elitist - ive been travelling miles to the medicine bar nearly every other month for years for what i thinks the most banging breaks night in the country, trigger. i just think theres a gap between what i imagine visuals can be, and the reality of it, most of the time. and i AM trying to suggest ways to bridge the gap, hence the elumenati fisheye lens info request, which was kind of the point of my narky post in the first place

isnt the workshop/trade fair side of it all daytime based, and more for vjs? and shouldnt the evenings be more for the public/promotors to see what can be done with this one-off amazing collection of talent and technology? surely it can be both? if it doesnt happen then, when else will it? surely its in the interests of the likes of the hardware/software manufacturers to want the best possible demonstration of the capabilities of their products?

with respect

t

[cerasus]

i spose all i really want is to be swimming in a zero-grav space with holographic sea-anenomes pulsing to megabasslines all around and thru me

thats not too much to ask for now is it?

t

[Lara]

Hello Cerasus

Ok, I'll just do my best to answer everything.

AVIT UK aims to bring together an interested public, but we are primarily a festival by VJs for VJs. Our main focus are VJs, and their colleagues from related fields in both the culture and technology industries.

I understand that promoting VJing to the public is really important, but here in the UK we have another government-funded organisation called VJS.net that do an extrememly good job of promoting VJing to the public. In the past few years they have organised some excellent public, media and educational events.

One thing I think we did all take away from AVIT UK 2003 was that trying to facilitate too much can be a strain on resources. This year we've focussed in on our fantastic projects conceived by VJs and funded through AVIT with the support of the Arts Council England. Some of these projects are about creating new work, some are about training, some about learning, and some about showcasing and performing.

We have tried very hard to bring together practitioners from related fields to create beneficial environments for VJs working in different contexts. For example this year's activities include:

- Just Starting Workshops
Introductory workshops for those interested in VJing and an introduction to VJing for the public.

- Trade Show and Demonstration Area
Bringing together all those working on VJ tools and technologies from hardware giants to independent software developers. Attracting interested parties from other industries to a professional looking and well organised space.

- Training: Advanced After Effects, Master Classes
Bringing together experienced media professionals to give VJs free training.

- Multimedia Arts: Future Physical, Work In Progress, Narrative Lab
Bringing together multimedia artists working with dance and cutting edge live digital technologies and VJs. Creating a project that allows VJs to gain experience and skills using these technologies in projects of this scale. Inspiring people with amazing work. Exploring new academic fields in VJing with lectures and seminars, performing creative experiments.

- Using Advanced Technologies: HDTV, Be the Control, Feedback Experiment
Bringing together other practitioners with experience in new technologies. Creating work together, training, gaining experience. Being inspired by new work. Trying to make a Guiness World Record together.

- Screening Events: VJ Culture, Ohne Kohle Film Festival, VJ Documentary
VJs working as filmmakers, VJs' work on film, outlets for screening VJ work, seeing one of the first VJ documentaries. Being able to meet artists, and make contacts.

[littlecatalyst]

Originally posted by Lara
seeing one of the first VJ documentaries.
is that the first documentary about VJs or the first documentary in VJ style?

[Lara]

Originally posted by cerasus
i agree with you about the ground-work being done week by week, but i felt last year and still do, that avit is the best chance we have of complete control over an event, and to make that event something which pushes the envelope of whats possible, and which captures the imagination of the public and promoters.
t

Phew! There's a lot more going on than just my above post (check the updates thread). To be honest I don't think it is possible to have one festival that does everything for everyone, not until we have a lot more money to play with, and can afford all the advertising and marketing that will bring in the public, the promoters etc etc etc.

Having said that there's a performance module this year called VPEEK which will team up interested musicians from a variety of record labels with interested VJs to work on a collaborative performnce. This performance will happen in the Med Bar during the festival, and on the invite list will be all the promoters, record label and music business contacts we can get our hands on. [Callout for that coming early next week.]

We are committed to pushing things forward but we know from our exoeriences last year that this needs to be in a focussed and realistic way according to our time and budget. Investing directly in VJs is one way to really help the scene shine.

I hope you can see what we're working towards.

Rova I can't wait to debate with you, and to get your feedback on our narrative performance at The Mix Labs ;) This year we are putting much more effort into the design of our spaces and the presentation of our screens and venues. But yes I think it's fair to say that we've steered away from a 'showcase' in the big scale with bells on sense.

If anyone would like to get involved, know more comment etc etc drop me a line at info@avit.org.uk

[Lara]

The documentary is called 'Exploring the Art of VJing' by Lindy Jankura, and it is indeed about VJing, not by VJs.

The Light Surgeons did an interesting piece that perhaps was the first VJ documentary called Chimera Newcastle for the Newcastle AV Fest.

So, Cerasus... will I put you down as a steward? ;)

[sleepytom]

as an event for VJs and by VJs AVIT needs to provide a technical infrastructure that is able to display VJs work in the best possible way - for the vast majority of people this means 4:3 video on 4:3 screens.

whilst this may not sound as exciting as emersive 3d environments or fisheye projections it does offer people the best chance to show off their content and mixing skills. this is a primary aim of AVIT - to enable VJs to come to together and show each other work.

[syzygy]

Originally posted by cerasus
ive been travelling miles to the medicine bar nearly every other month for years for what i thinks the most banging breaks night in the country, trigger.

t

You coming up for Trigger on Saturday?

We may well be doing a visual chill-out thing in the Kitchen, so if you are and we are then come and say hi!

Dan.

[cerasus]

>>So, Cerasus... will I put you down as a steward?

heh heh - sure, i'll be coming anyway,. thanks for the replies - i am genuinely excited about the workshops, especially the after effects one which i missed last year due to a brutal hangover, and the future physical. and i also wanna be persuaded to sell one of my kidneys for a V4 - still unsure what they can actually do

but still no-ones mentioned the fisheye lens! which was what i really wanted to know about - but after getting some good advice on being more proactive and less grouchy, i've emailed them myself asking them what theyre up to, and requesting they send me three for immediate evaluation. and a dome.

t

honestly lara, i would like to be more involved this year - i'll pm u :D

[Lara]

Haha sorry about the fisheye lens... post their address here or email me on this address and I'll send them a Trade Show document. It's too late for them to be involved in any other way because our money's all been allocated.

info@avit.org.uk

:) On a personal note....

I'm so excited I'm so excited I'm so excited...
I can't WAIT to see everyone again and do some wicked cool new stuff.

[cerasus]

ah just got your post sleepytom -isee what youre saying about 4:3 but it says on the elumenati website..

'The elumenati helped to sponsor AVIT 2003 by creating the Immersion Room using two HAL-1200 systems. AVIT attendees were invited to plug in their source materials and get lost in the beautiful cacophany of ambiance.'

isnt it only a problem with video-size if youre using them to project onto a domed surface?

--dan - not sure about this trigger yet, *really* skint but may try and get a lift up - i'll definitely come say hola if i'm there

[akira_k]

Originally posted by mondo
Q? why should the public be interested? its promoters who need to know Got to disagree here, I think the "education" about VJing has to be imparted in three levels: VJs, Promoters/event organizers/etc, and the public.

Promoters are the ones that make the events happen, but as many said before, public are the ones that part with their cash for an event, and if they are trained into what VJing is, they might start to be selective about it and generate a change in the promoter's mindset about VJing, which in turn will make a change into our work.

It's a three level ecosystem to me, and that's how I focused it for our mini AVIT events here in Buenos Aires. It ended up being something more for the public and media and a meeting point for the local scene than for promoters, and it gave us excellent results, in the public awareness department at least, which has improved lots of things in our situation with promoters/event organizers.


But I do understand that you guys DO have a separate entity that brings VJ culture into the public, threfore covering the same grounds as them, is pointless. Unfortunately we do not have such a thing therefore our AVIT activities are all there is about VJing over here.

<fingers_crossed>maybe we can go to this AVIT?</fingers_crossed>, I'd be delighted.!

[InsideUsAll]

Originally posted by cerasus
'The elumenati helped to sponsor AVIT 2003 by creating the Immersion Room using two HAL-1200 systems. AVIT attendees were invited to plug in their source materials and get lost in the beautiful cacophany of ambiance.'

I don't like to be negative about anyones hard work, but seeing as ur pushing for any info u can get, I'll give you my un-biased opinion on that elumenati stuff...

It was totally underwhelming. Pretty dim, even with no other light in the room, seemingly pretty low res, and generally not much more impressive than an oil wheel. That said they were great guys, and really interesting... maybe they've made some advances since AVit chicago, you'd have to investigate with them to see. I'm involved with AVit this year and I can assure you there'll be lots of stuff at least as interesting as there has been stateside. Rest assured!

[many2]

just to give you a different opinion about the elumenati stuff : I love it !

It's true that you must have a very bright projector to have a bright image using those lenses because the light is spread over a much larger surface than with a normal lens.

A really impressive feature of those lenses is the infinite focus : no matter where your projection surface is, be it at 10 cm or 10 meters, it will be focused :)

There are also tremendous possibilities if you take the time to map the space you are projecting on beforehand and pre-deform the content accordingly. It's a shame I can't afford to buy a couple of elumens for the project I am currently working on, it would have been really fun.

And the elumenati team is really really cool !

[sleepytom]

Originally posted by many2


There are also tremendous possibilities if you take the time to map the space you are projecting on beforehand and pre-deform the content accordingly. It's a shame I can't afford to buy a couple of elumens for the project I am currently working on, it would have been really fun.

this is the crux of the issue - the only way to make 3d projection / wacky screen layouts work well is to pre-prepare the content in advance specifically for the design of room that it will be shown in - this is not a possibility for avit as people will not have the time / experience to prepare a 3d surround show.

one of my main ideas with the avit concept is to start to organise artist retreat workshops / labs where a small number of VJs would pay to go to a residential centre to work on a specific area of VJing with some expert practitioners on hand to assist (for example a surround visuals lab with many2 would be a good event to see) - the aim of this kind of event would be two fold - one to give people a chance to receive some expert focused advice on a specific area and secondly to enable people with common artistic interests to come together to develop that area of expertise with the aim of being in a position to collaboratively produce work on a scale that is beyond the reach of the individual VJ

[cerasus]

right, thanks, i understand it a bit better now, and see why its not really a pluginandnplay projector

seems that with a bit of planning and foreknowledge of room-size (which avit has), something special can still be built though. my work mainly uses waveforms from an oscilloscope so i don't mind a bit of warping, in fact it would save me warping them by hand :)

i'm looking forward to seeing the other stuff on show at avit anyway, but this still really appeals to me, and seems like a logical evolution of the medium. couldn't the projector itself have some built-in content-deforming settings? using mirrors/magpies/magic?! i know nothing of the technology involved, maybe i'm being naiive..

couldnt find an email address on their website for more info, but id (david i think) from the company has his profile on here. wonder what johnny dekam is up to with them?

t

[syzygy]

Originally posted by cerasus

seems that with a bit of planning and foreknowledge of room-size (which avit has), something special can still be built though.


I think you still have slightly the wrong idea about how AVIT UK works.

Some time ago, details of the venue were posted and everyone was invited to submit proposals for activities they are prepared to organise as part of AVIT UK. AVIT UK then selected some of the proposals (based on feasibility and their contriubution to the overall event) to try to support financially.

The core AVIT crew will not be organising things like fisheye projection installations - they have their hands full organising the overall event, so they rely on other people getting involved to make individual components of the event happen.

AVIT is working hard to provide a place for VJs to come together in the real world. It's up to everyone in the VJ scene to make that place what they think it should be.

Personally, I'd rather AVIT focussed on the VJs rather than on trying to educate the public about visuals, but I can appreciate that other people feel differently.

In any case, 2000+ members of the public will be attending the clubnights that AVIT is involved with this time round...

Dan.

[cerasus]

i see what youre saying, dan. i should have looked into all this a while ago and offered up a proposal - like i say, i'm a last-minute kinda person

by the way, is Trigger involved with avit this year? there should be one on at the same time, in the same place, seems like a match made in heaven, or at least another dimension..

t

[syzygy]

Will try to remember to give you a nudge about putting in a proposal for the next AVIT ;)


Trigger are doing one of the rooms at Drop Beats Not Bombs on the final Saturday.

We don't normally put projectors in the Trigger room though - their lighting is too extreme for anything but ridiculous projectors... ;)

It actually like the fact they go with lighting rather than visuals in their main room - most events at the medicine bar use visuals rather than lights so its a good change for one night to go all out to levae their punters shellshocked by bright lights and heavy bass.

Dan.

[Rovastar]

Does that mean that there will be no visuals for Trigger at the CND gig? What other acts plan on doing the same? Do AVIT have any input into this at all?

[Lara]

Hey Rova

Drop Beats Not Bombs take over the whole complex on Saturday, with 4 or 5 different spaces hosted by other groups such as Trigger. It would be just one room that doesn't have visuals because their lighting is intense.

Dan and Tom have residencies at all the nights involved and I must say have done a fantastic job talking to promoters and giving up their own nights to accommodate everyone.

The callout does say that we're working very closely with promoters this year, especially to programme the AV acts. That doesn't mean we have 'no control' it means that we're embarking ona strong collaboration to create a great event that everyone's happy with.

[PilotX]

visuals with Trigger depends on which room they are going to be in.. if Trigger do the medicine bar then there is little point in doing visuals (you'll understand if/when you see it).. Drop Beats will attract 3000plus people and provides us with 4-5 rooms as lara has said .. other options in Birmingham would all be single room clubs, which would leave us with less space for visuals and less people seeing what is being done ..
we'd rather focus our attentions on a single event each night, rather than stretching ourselves and vjs across a number of nights.. look on the bright side - to get the same number of slots at other nights would be say 4 different nights at an average of probably ?8- ?10 each or Drop Beats at ?5 ..

[syzygy]

Originally posted by Rovastar
Does that mean that there will be no visuals for Trigger at the CND gig? What other acts plan on doing the same? Do AVIT have any input into this at all?

Why do you always have to interpret everything in such a negative way?

I said:

We don't normally put projectors in the Trigger room though - their lighting is too extreme for anything but ridiculous projectors...

In what way does that imply that AVIT will have no input into whether there are visuals? I was just saying that at previous Drop Beats Not Bombs events we have concentrated our efforts in other areas because putting visuals next to all that lighting would be pointless. I expect it will be true at the next DBNB that the other rooms will provide better settings for showing off visuals.

Trigger is a clubnight, not an act. There has only been one act that requested not to have visuals at a previous Drop Beats Not Bombs, and the DBNB promoter helped to pursuade him that his set would be enhanced by the visuals. He went away pleased with what we did during his set.

If you can provide projectors that are bright enough to work with the lighting system that Trigger uses then please do so.

In fact, if you can provide anything other than negativity then please do so.

Dan.

[Rovastar]

Aha ok so Beats not bombs will have 4-5 rooms for visuals. I didn't realise there would be so many. That is good. Catering for many VJ?s.

There are a few ways of looking at it. Cheap entry, one venue, etc means good news for us as punters but bad news in terms of revenue that we can charge clubs for the visuals.

The logistics makes more sense though and I fully understand why it has been done.

Personally I don't know if I can cope with 5 rooms of Anti Bush/Blair, stop the war visuals. And establishing close AVIT ties with this group makes me feel uncomfortable. Maybe 1 of the 5 rooms could be a politically void/free screen/room would be a nice idea - hopefully you will have space. Anyway I am drifting offtopic.

Sorry Dan I misunderstood about the Trigger night got the idea it was an act. :/

[Rovastar]

Originally posted by syzygy
Why do you always have to interpret everything in such a negative way?

I said:

In what way does that imply that AVIT will have no input into whether there are visuals? I was just saying that at previous Drop Beats Not Bombs events we have concentrated our efforts in other areas because putting visuals next to all that lighting would be pointless. I expect it will be true at the next DBNB that the other rooms will provide better settings for showing off visuals.

I am not being negative but it did and does imply that the lighting has a bigger priorty over the projected visuals. Of all the events over all the years the AVIT one is where you can do this.

I know you will be laising with the lighting team and not have them dictate the policy though.

[Lara]

Originally posted by Rovastar
Personally I don't know if I can cope with 5 rooms of Anti Bush/Blair, stop the war visuals. And establishing close AVIT ties with this group makes me feel uncomfortable. Maybe 1 of the 5 rooms could be a politically void/free screen/room would be a nice idea - hopefully you will have space. Anyway I am drifting offtopic.

Have a look at this (http://www.vjforums.com/showthread.php?threadid=9126
) thread Rova, it might give you a better idea of what Tom and Dan have done at DBNB in the past.

[syzygy]

For trigger, lighting does have a bigger priority than visuals, and rightly so.

The whole Trigger idea is about music that physically effects people. It is famous for its ridiculously bass-driven sounds.

Given that, bright lights that stun the audience into submission make a lot more sense than projection screens.

Trigger have included visuals in events in the past but, after discussion with the promoter, we decided that putting visuals in the medicine bar for their events is just a waste of effort. That's why we're providing a visual chillout space for their next event.

Part of being a professional is knowing when to tell a client that they'd be better off not using your services.

What are you suggesting, that AVIT marches in saying "We are a VJ event, therefore we insist on putting visuals in all areas even if they'll look crap"? Way to be professional...

If we thought AVIT was going to behave like that, we wouldn't have set up contacts between the promoters we work with regularly and AVIT.

This year, AVIT isn't running any big events on its own. That means that they gain the advantage of working with experienced promoters who will do the work of organising the events and getting people through the door, but it also means that AVIT has to work in partnership with the promoters to provide visuals that fit their events.

What would you rather have, a loss-making, half empty event that sucks AVIT time away from other things, or some well promoted events that give VJs whose content fits the requirements the chance to play to a decent crowd?


Personally I don't know if I can cope with 5 rooms of Anti Bush/Blair, stop the war visuals. And establishing close AVIT ties with this group makes me feel uncomfortable.


Previous Drop Beats Not Bombs visuals have covered a whole range of peace/anti war/ broadly left wing politics. There are even typically times when, shock! horror!, the visuals are not political. The event has an anti-war agenda but that doesn't mean that every tune the DJs play is anti war and every clip on the screens is anti war.


Maybe 1 of the 5 rooms could be a politically void/free screen/room would be a nice idea - hopefully you will have space.

Maybe you'd like to put on a politically void event of your own?

Dan.

[id]

good hello from elumenati hq. we've been pretty consumed, so not much forum posting going on lately. to clarify a few things brought up here:

- avit 2003 and a showing at SAT during mutek in montreal just prior were quite successfull experiments. we'd been researching the use of our infinite-focus fisheye projection systems within multi-planar immersive spaces since the mid-late 90s, but this was the first time we brought them to the larger vj community to test out. we were using two hal-1200s, which are the dimmest and lowest resolution systems we have (1200 lumens, XGA). however, our tests with real-time multi-dimensional synaesthesic projections, even at low resolutions and brightness levels, were quite entusiastically received. of course they can always be higher res or brighter, but we were more interested in reactions to the aesthetic and psychological effects as well as application potential. we knew they weren't quite ready for prime time since custom lenses are prohibitively expensive for most independent vjs and projector technology is still evolving, which is why we wanted to sponsor the immersion room and give the avit community an opportunity to play with the systems and effect the course of development. we were fortunate enough to have derivative, goldberg, many2 (at SAT) and many others plug in and try out their video, waveform, & 3D based generative apps.

- as far as the need for geometry correction is concerned, it's completely dependent on your environment and desired effect. if you're working with generative abstractions, correction is hardly ever necessary. if you're working with representational imagery on a dome and want to create realistic environments, correction essential.

- that said, we're about to come out with a number of new systems up to 14000 lumens at much higher resolutions, and are currently working with a number of clients on different dome and immersive projection environment designs.

- as a result of of our avit junket, we began regular correspondance with dekam (http://www.node.net) of vidvox (http://www.vidvox.net) fame. we ended up working with him to design rpi's molecularium (http://www.molecularium.com), and he has since moved to elumenati hq and undergone our exhaustive indoctrination rituals, successfully emerging as a 33 1/3 degree elumenatus. it's not hard to guess what we're working on, but it's precisely the reason why we've been too busy to post to vjforums as of late...

- finally, we recently conjured up http://www.fulldome.org for any of you interested in the hemispheric aspects of immersive projection...

frater id

[LEVLHED]

re: trigger/lights/video
have you considered using some good ol' televisions instead of projectors? bright-ass and crispy. a small stack on the stage (with one turned back so the DJ can see too) could be quite effective and would easily compete with the most insane lights. this is only an option if sufficient space is available of course.

[cerasus]

if triggers where its usually at, then theres no room for much more than the brutal wall of bassbins that takes up the whole of the front of the shoebox-shaped room, with a narrow slit for the djs to see through, oh and 'the tunnel', the only visuals theyve ever had there, an led display that makes less sense the more you look at it.

a 14000 lumen fisheye projector could take care of the rest of the room :shivers:

http://img214.exs.cx/img214/2200/cal0zk.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

[syzygy]

Originally posted by LEVLHED
re: trigger/lights/video
have you considered using some good ol' televisions instead of projectors? bright-ass and crispy. a small stack on the stage (with one turned back so the DJ can see too) could be quite effective and would easily compete with the most insane lights. this is only an option if sufficient space is available of course.

We've looked at doing that, but there is just no safe space to put CRTs.

One idea we're toying with is building a safe way to hang CRTs around the stage area.

Until we sort that out though, I'd much rather do visuals in the chillout room where people can appreciate what is on the screens...

Dan.

[LEVLHED]

breaks and a rediculous number of bassbins you say? downright physical bass you say??
trigger sounds like my kinda room :)

[cerasus]

trigger is more like a wormhole than a club night..

?We are a multidimensional holographic lifeform modulating within nature that has been given the depth and aptitude to latch on to a code called sound that has the ability to transport us to other dimensions? - kosmik neil, trigger resident, promoter, creator

http://www.trigger.uk.net/trigger_electro_breaks.html

t

[Rovastar]

Originally posted by syzygy


Previous Drop Beats Not Bombs visuals have covered a whole range of peace/anti war/ broadly left wing politics. There are even typically times when, shock! horror!, the visuals are not political. The event has an anti-war agenda but that doesn't mean that every tune the DJs play is anti war and every clip on the screens is anti war.



Maybe you'd like to put on a politically void event of your own?

Dan.

It was just an idea in integrate more of the VJ community in with AVIT. I though it was a sensible one. You said yourself that not all the visuals are politically motivated why not have these VJ's in one room. This will be seen as the showpeice VJ event of AVIT whether you like it or not. I will go not for the political message that it portrays but for the visuals. Shock! horror! going to a VJ event for the visuals.

I still dislike the idea of AVIT being heavily involved with a strong political group. I fear it could put off future potential sponsorship involvement, etc and lose the more perceived 'professional' image of the VJs/AVIT but that is just my personal opinion.

[syzygy]

In an ideal world, more people would be prepared/able to put their time into AVIT and it would be able to organise large set piece events on its own.

Sadly, we do not live in that world and the AVIT team have to make compromises such as joining forces with an event that can provide multiple rooms for visuals.

Drop Beats Not Bombs is promoted to the public as a peace/anti war event. That means that people come to the event with certain expectations.

Just as it would be wrong to play heavily political content at an event where the audience would not appreciate it, it would be downright selfish to insist on a room of non-political visuals at a political event.

The AVIT team are putting huge amount of work into making AVIT happen for the rest of us (I am myself someone who isn't prepared/able to put as much time into AVIT as others)

Surely the least we can do is be positive about the efforts the AVIT team are making and understanding about the fact that putting any event together with limited resources means making compromises.


Dan.

[Rovastar]

*sigh* I am excited and appreciate the efforts gone into AVIT this year as I have other years. I do not understand why questioning/ suggesting ideas is so bad. Communication has never been AVITs strong point so asking questions one way of getting answers.

[vjpixylight]

sadly it seems that politic's are often found inside and outside of the AVit visual arena..

In this form of VJ propaganda, AVit must relalize what it shows the world, and as such shows the political nature of AVit' UK's makeup..

That is why the decision was made at AVit SF for us NAer's to start decentralizing this political nature..

Viola...AVit Retreat

With Decentralized AVit control, we are now free to develope our own regional flavored AVit's and not have to be so beholdent to a central commitee..

It should be one of the discussions that AVit UK holds in this next AVit, and should be explored..

As for the AVit Retreat, many of the things that won't work for a centralized, indoor AVit, (like a dome surround visual complex, and the eluminate lenses), will work for the more independent non-funding/sponsership retreat.
(this being that a retreat can be done by projecting the campfire out in the woods on a rock, and getting a few VJ's together to do it.
I am hoping that all you UK aviteer's start looking in this direction, and then this consent political right vs left, and UK backscratching might not ruin, what is otherwise a stelar event!!

Just my 2 cents from a non-AVit UK 2005 participant that still believes in the idea's created around AVit!!

[syzygy]

Originally posted by Rovastar
*sigh* I am excited and appreciate the efforts gone into AVIT this year as I have other years. I do not understand why questioning/ suggesting ideas is so bad.

questionning / suggesting ideas is a good thing, when it is done in a positive way, but if you put a negative spin on everything then the AVIT team end up spending their time defending their decisions rather than making the event happen.

I'm just questionning / suggesting that perhaps the way you do it doesn't end up helping, but in fact just demotivates the very people who are working hard to put on an event for you.

Enough of this flamery though, lets think about the positives...

Drop Beats Not Bombs is only one of the opportunities that there will be for people to perform and see visuals during AVIT, so lets not get too hung up on it.

There will also be:

Heducation (non political hip hop)
Shaanti (they sometimes have political artists but the April lineup is not looking like being at that end of things)
VPeek (the showcase-style event)
Step Up and Play (open mixer)
Mix Labs (results of educational sessions)
4X4 by Exceeda - high quality inspirational work

I'm really excited about this lineup of events - it should provide ample space for all manner of visuals.

Dan.

[VJ555]

Listening to you guys just makes me soooooooooooo jealous.....! The kit and the events sound awesome! AVIT got any plans for anything here in Australia? Specifically us folks here in the worlds most isolated city, Perth. We have a fairly healthy VJ community getting going and would love to get involved.

Alan

[Lara]

Originally posted by vjpixylight
In this form of VJ propaganda, AVit must relalize what it shows the world, and as such shows the political nature of AVit' UK's makeup..

That is why the decision was made at AVit SF for us NAer's to start decentralizing this political nature..

Viola...AVit Retreat

To be honest, we picked our date for the festival, and we didn't know until later what the club nights during the festival would be.

It turned out to be Drop Beats Not Bombs, and we didn't mind one bit. Firstly because we were hoping that people would realise that it was more of a coincidence than a conspiracy to put those dastardly political VJs back at the top of the agenda.

Secondly, on the committee we think that Dan and Tom's approach to the event, and the subject matter has been brilliant. NOT endless Bush and Blair cuts ups but curated themed sets about world peace. Perhaps it's time to reform what we understand as 'political?'

Again see this thread. (http://www.vjforums.com/showthread.php?threadid=9126%3Cbr%20/%3E)

World peace should be a topic that can engage and inform people of all political persuasions. Besides there's plently of other ways to get involved peformance-wise: Shaanti and Heducation should accommodate most hedonistic styles.

[vjpixylight]

of course I have always supported world peace(as many do here on the forums) and will continue to do so..
I have VJ'ed with Dan and Tom @ their CND gig as you may know L, and support this kinda activity 100%.
That said, after last year's hassels with many of the VJ's not being excepted to perform, and subsequently seeing the AVit UK core selection of Avit VJ's in such a secretive closed group process, make me wonder how transparent the process really is..

I was thinking that it would have been more open to the rank and file to select themes and VJ's they would want to see live..(I do realize tho that this can be a harder road to travel)
The UK is very Unique to the VJing world in that there are so many active VJ's there. I understand that their has to be a certain amount of controlled planing involved because of this. My hats are off to all of you who do put in the time and do it from the :heart:

I just wonder if there would also be room for the opposite view of drop Beats, not Bombs", in an AVit UK event?? Maybe something like the solid rocket booster's rendition of the infamous "Hate Parade".?(with all their style of blood, guts, and gore)

I think visuals are all about contrasting images and archetypes,and giving peeps views of both sides of the coin as it were..

I'm not trying to put a negative spin on this(sorry if it is coming out this way:()
but It seems that there are many peaceful ways to promote world peace outside of the clubs where that is at the bottom of most peeps minds, thats all..:o

[Lara]

Originally posted by vjpixylight
I was thinking that it would have been more open to the rank and file to select themes and VJ's they would want to see live..(I do realize tho that this can be a harder road to travel)

I appreciate what you're saying Pixy, it's always good to hear opinions, suggestions and other ideas. Being pretty honest about the whole thing I think we've opted for the solution that is logistically the easiest. All those on the organising committee works full time in their jobs, and so time is a limited resource.

We are having an Open Mixer night though... perhaps people would like to suggest themes for those performances? Get a bit of discussion going?

[vjpixylight]

Originally posted by Lara
I appreciate what you're saying Pixy, it's always good to hear opinions, suggestions and other ideas. Being pretty honest about the whole thing I think we've opted for the solution that is logistically the easiest. All those on the organising committee works full time in their jobs, and so time is a limited resource.

We are having an Open Mixer night though... perhaps people would like to suggest themes for those performances? Get a bit of discussion going?

here justAPixys suggestion for the open mixer nite..
but,so as to not post it twice, read my last post here (http://www.vjforums.com/showthread.php?threadid=10678)