Repsect your VJ!!

[Gumby]

http://www.respectyourvj.net/

The respect your VJ manifesto (as posted on CDM)

A little bit of the manifesto:

So you want to work with a VJ. Curators, promoters, musicians, artistic collaborators, producers, curious minds ---- here are a few simple things to keep in mind to keep that special VJ happy.....it all comes down to

CREDIT

PAYMENT

&

TECH

GIVE CREDIT CREDIT CREDIT

VJs are perfomers, just like a DJ, a band, a singer, a dancer etc. They make the show happen. GIVE CREDIT!

Here here i say!

Show all your clients this page, then maybe we'll get some respect...especially for those free gigs you do!

[deepvisual]

Originally Posted by Gumby

GIVE CREDIT!

When I first read that I thought it meant allow payment within 30 days.

[Gumby]

Originally Posted by deepvisual

When I first read that I thought it meant allow payment within 30 days.

hahaha...no doubt someone will try and pull that one when we ask for payment

[videoswitchboard]

nice banana

[sleepytom]

respect is a 2 way street - too often i see vjs who provide a rubbish service expecting to be respected and paid for it. maybe we need a counter part site such as www.vjs-sortyourbloodylivesout.tv or something?
typical examples of fairly standard bad VJ behaviour include...
turning up late (event has a 9am get-in - vj turns up at 4pm and expects people who've been working all day to drop everything and help them with their setup)
not having your own equipment (ok so you have a V4 and a laptop, but expecting to borrow cableties / gaffatape / ladders / a table / a leatherman / a torch / etc will not earn you respect - nobody minds lending stuff when you forgot something but many VJs plan on using other peoples stuff)
expecting to be treated like part of the band rather than part of the crew.
not being there for technical run though / sound checks - then complaining about lights hitting the screen or whatever when the gig is actually running (lighting and screen positioning should be sorted out before the sound check - talking to the lighting guys when they are focusing lights will enable them to accommodate you in their plot. expecting them to change everything after they have finished setting up will annoy them)

there are millions of other obvious little tips which will help you deserve the respect that is asked for, maybe we should have an article on VJCentral about this?

[SteveG]

Why dont you invite some known VJ booking promoters to comment then

[mowgli]

Originally Posted by sleepytom

respect is a 2 way street - too often i see vjs who provide a rubbish service expecting to be respected and paid for it. maybe we need a counter part site such as www.vjs-sortyourbloodylivesout.tv or something?
typical examples of fairly standard bad VJ behaviour include...
turning up late (event has a 9am get-in - vj turns up at 4pm and expects people who've been working all day to drop everything and help them with their setup)
not having your own equipment (ok so you have a V4 and a laptop, but expecting to borrow cableties / gaffatape / ladders / a table / a leatherman / a torch / etc will not earn you respect - nobody minds lending stuff when you forgot something but many VJs plan on using other peoples stuff)
expecting to be treated like part of the band rather than part of the crew.
not being there for technical run though / sound checks - then complaining about lights hitting the screen or whatever when the gig is actually running (lighting and screen positioning should be sorted out before the sound check - talking to the lighting guys when they are focusing lights will enable them to accommodate you in their plot. expecting them to change everything after they have finished setting up will annoy them)

I've seen plenty of DJ's do this and they still get respect and money!

[videoswitchboard]

Originally Posted by sleepytom

expecting to be treated like part of the band rather than part of the crew.

i think we're going back to the dreaded "definition of the VJ" thread with this one.

I think as VJing is gaining momentum, some VJs will only be providing content and performance (and will want to be part of the band), some VJs will insist on doing the install themselves and may ask other people to play on their rig (and will want to be part of the crew), some people will even do all of the above and not want to be called VJs!

personally, I think that VJ=DJ=Band (like to hang backstage and keep their trainers clean) and that those who design and provide the install are better referenced as AV team (like it's usually done in theatre). Both should command equal respect, and I think it's ok for the AV team to babysit the VJs, usually this results in higher fees being charged for harder work and kit hire... except when dealing with superstar VJs of course.



dav

[complexvisuals]

Originally Posted by mowgli

I've seen plenty of DJ's do this and they still get respect and money!

But your not the DJ, different roles.

[mowgli]

I don't think that roles should have anything to do with professionalism or being treated with respect.