PIXnMIX Live




			PIXnMIX Live Live Event Videos Live Labs
			PIXnMIX Live Live Event Videos Live Labs

The PIXnMIX crews were selected from a wide range of applicants to give a mix of experience and interests: web designers, photographers, musicians, all with their own ideas about the kind of work they would be keen to produce. Our mission was to give them a creative toolkit of soft- and hardware skills, combined with the ability to develop a coherent aesthetic to work towards a live VJ show, rather than a film production...

As we had hoped, the learning process was very 2-sided: just as the participants picked up tips and skills from each other, so on the 'teachers' side the VJ specialists finally had the chance to be taught after effects properly, and the production specialists had their eyes opened to the possibilities of realtime composition.

LAUNCH EVENT

19th October 2004 saw the launch of PIXnMIX at the Custard Factory. Absolute + Syzygy and Videocy (from the VJammAllstars) played showcase A/V sets and ran an informal VJ Playground where a good number of people came and had a go - getting the chance to try out the hardware and software to be used in the lab programme and generally see what it's all about.

PIXnMIX LAB WEEK 1

The first pixnmix got off to a flying start. The experienced group of artists brought together an exceptional blend of talent, experience and enthusiasm. With group members having skills at times exceeding those of the facilitators we were all picking up new tricks and techniques. The kit proved to be robust and reliable, the ingenious design of the Shuttle machines meaning we could maximize the available space. The diversity in experience and backgrounds of the participants has resulted in an impressive range of work, both in style and content which bodes well for the next lab and production time. I'm itching to get stuck into the next set of labs and then see the creative sparks fly when we all get together in a couple of weeks' time.

Matt Higginbottom - VIVID AfterEffects tutor

Workshop Picture - people sitting at computers

PIXnMIX LAB WEEK 2

A week that exceeded all expectations!

With a wide range of professional and academic backgrounds, this weeks aspiring vj's proved to be a dynamic and talented bunch. Having traveled from all round the country to make the most of this chance to get a real head start in the world of vjing, everyone was buzzing with excitement. A subdued bunch in comparison with first group, most people were keeping their cards close to their chests and quietly getting on with their work. By Thursday however, the group was coming into its own, quickly getting the hang of their newly acquired skills. All the facilitators were mightily impressed by the quality of the clips that had been put together by Friday afternoon. Now it's up to everyone to get their heads down and make sure the 16th is a night to remember.

Matt Higginbottom - VIVID AfterEffects tutor

Workshop Picture - whole group watching demonstration

Workshop image - Eileen with CDs for eyes

PIXnMIX LAB WEEKS 3&4

I rocked up in Birmingham near the end of 2 weeks of 'facilitated production time' at Vivid with a van full of cables, monitors, and all the other gear needed to put on a substantial audiovisual show.

Not having seen any of the stuff since the end of week 2, I was blown away by the standard of what had been produced in the meantime. We spent a couple of days practicing with a live performance setup, making final tweaks to the content and then jamming the shows in VJamm, playing with the features of the V4 mixers and deciding on what MIDI control was best suited to each performer's emerging style.

Then it was a matter of coiling wires, packing boxes, loading the van up and awaiting the next day when it would all go live at the Custard Factory...

Mark Scarratt, VJs.net

Workshop image - Vikram at a computer

Workshop Picture - Eileen and Vikram





PIXnMIX is produced for Channel 4's IDEASFACTORY by VJs.net	about ideasfactory \|	contact us \|	terms and conditions \|