Educational questions about avit uk

[wellREDman]

As you may know, AVIT UK?04 will take place at the Custard Factory in Birmingham from 8-14 November. Currently we are gathering submissions for proposals for those who are keen to take on the task of running a module.

We would also like to know what type of educational events you want to see happen at AVIT UK?04.

Last year we had some really great workshops and discussions such as, Colour Theory; Future of Vjing; Sampling versus Self Creation; and Motiondive, Resolume, and Vidvox Suite workshops. This year we are hoping to build upon what we achieved last year and we want your input.

So this thread is for you to make some suggestions for what you would like to see. But also as a sounding board for modules you might like to develop and submit as a proposal. [Deadline: 30 March 2004 see www.avit.org.uk for further info].

Just to get the discussion started, here are some ideas:

Software ?
What is the most inspiring use of software you have seen? Would you like to learn those skills? Or are you or someone you know capable of teaching those things? Have you achieved the best installation possible by rewiring 12 bits of software to talk to each other, creating new applications for existing components? Have you built your own software for that special job no one has thought of, or are you the master of a particular piece of software and want to share your skills for the benefit of all?

What is it that excites you about using software to accomplish your work? Are you still the author or are you somehow lost in the whole process and only retain a small degree of authorship? Is the software more important in your work or is your presence in the process still paramount? Do you have a unique view on software and it use?

Content creation -
What?s the most amazing content you have ever seen? Have you been in the scene long enough to know of a wide range of very inspiring material and do you know the people that create this stuff, yourself included? Are you capable of bringing them together, or presenting their content? What are the burning issues of content creation? Should it be narrative, symbolic, abstract or structural or a collage of used and referenced material? What?s hot what?s not? Are you influenced by artists from outside of the VJ scene? Who are they and why/how do they influence you?

Do you have a body of content that you feel has contributed or is contributing to the development of the scene? What are old techniques, what are new techniques, what are the techniques of the future? What methods do you use to create content, do you have professional skills that others can benefit from? Do you know professionals that have skills that you would like to see used in vjing? How do we move the art of content creation along, how do we create new spaces to show our content in?

Politics, law and meaning -
Copyright debates aside, is using sampled footage a legitimate creative process? How should we apply meaning to imagery, what meaning is acceptable to apply to footage? What techniques of applying meaning do you employ, and where do you get those skills from? Who has inspired you to do more with meaning? What idea does vjing commonly explore, should we change this?

Historical context -
Where are the roots of VJing, and do you have view on this? Have you undertaken personal research in this area that would be benefit to the discussion? Does it come from graphics, performance, video art, filmmaking, art practice, popular culture? Or is there something you feel hasn?t been mentioned before? Are you passionate about finding out where you fit into the world of the VJ? Are there people you know of that you feel have contributed to the VJ scene, but haven?t been given credit? Or do you see VJing as essentially a much older artform, that appears modern because it uses new technology?

Theoretical context -
What is VJing all about? What are the burning theory issues that surround it? What theory issues can be talked about to help people understand where we come from, what issues can help us better understand and improve what we do? Is it all spectacle, culture jamming, structural approaches to image making and image construction, or is it all about the loop? Is it all about subconscious meaning? Is it about the notion of the performer, or is it about becoming a participatory medium? Is it about to become a new form of entertainment that can engage its audience in a better more thoughtful way than TV and other passive mediums? What can other art forms teach us about content and style?

[Rovastar]

I think with the recent politics debate that will be an interesting debate.

[PeterRubin]

Obviously, I would love a session on "Politics or not.....?"

[sleepytom]

why?

its very clear to me that this is not a debate - its an argument prehapse but there is little chance of anyone having there minds changed by shouting at each other. peoples minds will be changed by showing political visuals (thats the point of them after all) but talking about it is just a waste of time.

discussion of political content fits into a wider discussion of content in genral but i feel it would be a waste to have a debate that focuses on political content

i would like to see a discussion of sharing - people talking about experiances they've had with other vjs and using each others content / working together on productions / performing at the same time.

[syzygy]

I agree that it would be best to concentrate on discussions where intreresting results for all concerned can come out, rather than topics that are obviously going to lead to big end / small end religious arguments.

Having said that, a session for VJs who are interested in using their work to spread political messages would be good. One thing that came out of the thread over the last week for me was that a lot of VJs don't understand the range of different forms that political messages can take in visuals.

I think it would be interesting to have a session where people who use visuals in different ways to spread messages talk about the techniques they use - everything from shock tactics to subtle persuasion and there is some discussion of which techniques work in which situations.

If we make the sessions less 'x vs y' and more 'exploring z' then I think we will get more positive outcomes from them.

Dan.