VJing: A New Zealand Case Study
This thesis analyses some key factors of what is often considered a marginalised cultural and creative practice, VJing. The term VJ historically refers to Video Jockey, though in its own right VJ can be used to umbrella a number of various practices that utilise live visual media performances. This study is based on the researcher's active participation in the New Zealand (Kiwi) VJ scene for over thriteen years. Chapter One introduces some of the traditional principles and factors that are still in use in contemporary VJ practices, as well as the characteristics of the Kiwi VJ scene. Chapter Two outlines and analyses an experiment that takes these factors and characteristics into consideration. The case study utilises peer to peer information gathering through an experiment designed to generate a disruption to the intuitive mode of working to which four veteran VJs have been accustomed. The case study experiment sought to isolate key factors that impact on content creation and selection for live VJ mixing that utilise traditional principles. During the analysis, the following factors were identified: time, sight, memory, finance, environment, technology, availability, efficiency, compatibility, loops, silence, form, rhythm, movement, shape, colour and music. The experiment centred around a sample library of original content that the four VJs were asked to respond to, both through conversational dialogue and a live VJ performance. The DVD contains the results of the individual performances.