Reading Response:
To differentiate between the terms of VJing, Live Cinema and Live Audiovisual Performances, we must understand the relation between them and their supposed hierarchal standings. Live Audiovisual, as depicted by Ana Carvalho, works as an “umbrella that extends to all manner of audiovisual performative expressions” (134). This artistic umbrella harnesses under its wing, expressions that include VJing, live cinema, expanded cinema and visual music. The term itself is generic and vast for it fails to identify a single style, technique or medium, rendering it complex at the same time. Its “live”, “audiovisual” and “performative” features are grounded in a nature of improvisation. This sense of improvisation has developed alongside the increase in immediacy and ‘liveness’ in technology (cameras, mixers, software) for image and sound manipulation that now permit the capturing and presenting of performance simultaneously while an action is happening (134). The category is often commended for the opportunity it provides audience members across the global to understand the numerous innovative expressions that it entails.
Though similar, the practices of VJing and Live Cinema are crucially distinct under the wing of Live Audiovisual Performance. VJing, as we had learned in the past, runs parallel to the responsibilities of a disk jockey (DJ). VJs are rooted in the manipulations of live visuals as DJs are rooted in the manipulation of audio. It is however, unlike Live Cinema, much more interactive based in terms of its relationship with the performer and the audience. The acts of VJing, can be relatively restrictive when compared to the likes of Live Cinema. VJs may have the artistic freedom of improvisation and a lower demand for narration, but for the most part, VJs lack the upper hand in a performance. They have less control; having to rely on their fellow collaborators (lighting engineers, DJs, set producers) as well as the response of the audience members. Since the VJing aspect is so heavily interaction-based, it is here we see that the performative aspects of VJs are often times more than not, restricted to the monotonous setting of a nightclub, where they are treated like wallpaper and supporting acts.
Live Cinema on the other hand is a much more hands on and demanding genre. In essence, the goals of Live Cinema are described to be much more personal and artistic to the eyes of the creator as well as the audience member on the receiving end. This is where “many live cinema creators feel the need to separate themselves from the VJ scene altogether” (93), for goals of live cinema are relatively difficult to achieve in the club environment. The creator is given a much “larger degree of creative control over the performance” (95), there is much more leeway for the artist to create what they want, given that they don’t need to follow trends and situational norms. Furthermore, compared to VJing, Live Cinema houses a much larger importance on narration and communication, where story telling then becomes a needed skill in articulating meaningful representations to the audience.
Examples
Live Audiovisual Performance
Ryoichi Kurokawa is a household name in the genre of Live Audiovisual Performance. The performance’s usage of synthesized and impactful sounds that play in collaboration with distinct visuals do not have strong narrative sense, but nonetheless work as a personal and artistic piece. His usage of human depictions, animal species and other meaningful representations further convey a sense of artistic expression to the audience member.
Live Cinema
This performance by Ge-Suk Yeo can be categorized underneath the Live Cinema wing of live audiovisual performances for its usage of concrete narrative aspects to form visual art. The theme of aquatic life and narration of the light down under within the dark seas is prominent in this performance.
VJing
This example of VJing is a standard performance that does not necessarily harness any narrative components, but makes use of live manipulation of audio and its visual storage to create an atmosphere that allows members present to become harmonious with the performance. The performance brings people closer to the performance they are seeing.
Sources:
Carvalho, Ana. “Live Audiovisual Performance.” The Audiovisual Breakthrough, 2015, pp. 131–143.
Menotti, Gabriel. “Live Cinema.” The Audiovisual Breakthrough, Edited by Cornelia Lund, 2015, pp. 83–108.