How to Become a Video DJ

DJing is a huge business with DJs not just providing music for clubs but also being hired for weddings, corporate events, school functions and the traditional clubs you’d expect them to be in. Its highly competitive with loads of up and coming DJs out there trying to get a piece of the action. To stand out many DJs are now taking their art which involves more than just simply spinning records and mixing and adding an array of special effects such as video to their mixes. Video DJs or VJs as they are more commonly known are adding video to go with their music. You’ll often see this in the bigger clubs, especially in Ibiza where the videos compliment the music and help to get the club jumping. VJing can be a full time job with many DJs becoming VJs to stand out from the crowd and do something a bit different.

Whilst there are not many VJs around they can get paid very well and this area of djing is only growing. Pioneer, Stanton and other equipment manufacturers have produced a huge range of mixers that allow a DJ to also VJ at the same time easily or VJ totally independent to the DJ.

To start VJing you’ll need some equipment. Check out anything from the NUMARK Numark NUVJ video controller starting at a few hundred dollars right up to the PIONEER Pioneer SVM1000 AV Mixer which is in the thousands and only for the true professionals. Once you’ve got some video mixing equipment you’ll want to hook it up to your existing audio system.

You’ll need some videos to play, with some skill and a program like after effects you can make your own. But the quicker way is to buy samples, loops and other premade videos. A quick search online will give you a host of companies more than happy to sell you such videos. Make sure when buying these videos you have permission to use them on a commercial basis and that their quality is high enough for huge video screens.

VJing is very much like being a DJ. You’ll need to mix videos together, mess with colors and add in extra effects as need be. Practise by just trying to blend videos together and over time much like DJing you’ll be able to add in more techniques.

Practise with another DJ or DJ whilst video DJing to see what results you can get. Get feedback from friends to see what they liked and didn’t like and then use this to help you improve what you do to be able to get bookings and increase your fees. A DJ that can also video DJ may be able to command much more money due to being able to do two jobs at once. Maybe you can consider incorporating videos shot at a club or a wedding into your performance to give it a personal touch. You can do this buy either recording live and adding it in or by taking existing footage you captured earlier in the day and adding it in.

Depending on which way you go, either a DJ VJ or a stand alone VJ remember the music comes first. Without it your videos have nothing to match up to so make sure you are either good at what you are doing or you get on well with the DJ you will be partnering with.

Also make sure to mention your video capability in all of your publicity and marketing materials. Not doing so means you are letting yourself down on a skill not many DJs have.