OPTICLASH
The VJ Battle in Seattle
Saturday August 20th, 2005 @
Capitol Hill Art Center (CHAC)
Opticlash is the first ever VJ Battle in Seattle. Like a DJ battle,
our contestants pit their live performance prowess against one
another: instead of scratching records and mixing music, they
mix video images on two huge screens. A live DJ plays music to
which the VJs sculpt their video art, all in real-time.
Opticlash features a free public VJing seminar/workshop at 5:00
PM that evening - tools, techniques, and culture.
VJs are video jockeys - artists who mix and project powerful
video images in real-time to heighten and intensify a wide variety
of concerts, performances, and shows. VJs increasingly appear
at a diverse array of events and venues across the world. VJs.net
has a good basic description of VJing here. The battle format
pushes the art of VJing to the edge, inspiring new levels of creativity,
skill, and innovation. The Battle showcases the genre's premier
talent.
Competitors face off in a head-to-head, elimination-style battle
on two screens. Rounds will be set to live music by Seattle favorites
DJ Flave, Kid Hops (KEXP 90.3FM), and Nick Tornetta. The winner
will be selected by a panel of local judges and will take home
a $1200 Edirol V-4 video mixer as grand prize.
Judges for the 2005 Opticlash VJ Battle are Gary Tucker (marketing
director: Seattle International Film Festival), Gregg Grinnell
(senior broadcast editor: KIRO Television), Steve White (guitarist:
band KMFDM), DJ Kemal (entertainment director & resident DJ:
Club Medusa), and Mary Slowinski (digital media arts program chair:
Bellevue Community College).
Opticlash received generous grants from 4Culture and Art Patch,
making the first VJ battle in Seattle possible. Opticlash is organized
and produced by Punch Drunk Productions.
(above from website Opticlash.com)
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Credits:
Shot and edited by Travis Becker
of SeattleArt.org
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