Video DJ – 5 Reasons Why It’s Stupid.
As the cost of entry on the software and equipment to DJ with video decreases, it seems more and more VDJ’s are popping up. It’s one of those things that is kinda cool, and bar and club owners are impressed with it. Suddenly, you get dance clubs that only want VDJ’s and turn away DJ’s that rock dancefloors because they aren’t set-up for it (e.g. me).
Some may perceive this article as an angry rant. “Some DJ guy is upset because he doesn’t get work.” “Dude should really get with the times.” If only life were so simple. I have taken a firm stance against investing in the equipment necessary to perform video mixes, and for GOOD reason. It doesn’t make good economic sense to me as the DJ/Performer as a business, nor does it make good sense for the bar/club in most cases. Here’s the reasons why.
It Costs More
For both the DJ and for the bar/club. Video DJ requires more expensive equipment, bigger hard drives, more sophisticated software, more subscriptions to music and video services. Any VDJ that doesn’t want to be upside down in their hobby, should charge more money per night to render VDJ performances. My initial investment to even get into it, for example, would probably be around $1,500, not to mention the enormous amounts of time it would take to create and maintain my library of videos.
So in that regard, it’s more expensive to the bar/club too. Video DJ’s at a minimum should make DOUBLE that of an audio only DJ. Sometimes even higher than that depending on some circumstances I will describe later in this article.
Nobody Cares
Unless your bar or club is some kind of uber-sleek, “let’s all sit around on plush couches and be sexy,” type of ultra-lounge, I guarantee you that hardly anybody is even so much as looking at those screens for more than 2 seconds at a time. When I was younger, and going out to clubs before I started DJing, I was there to look at the easy-on-the-eyes members of the opposite sex. (Anyone ever heard Trey Songz “2 reasons?”) The ONLY people who are even remotely diverting their eyes to your video screens, are people on their asses, and honestly, they will look at anything you put up there provided it’s not offensive. People dancing and having fun are probably looking at some honey in front of them, (or stud,) or having a twerk-off with their friends, or laughing at that guy who only knows the “crip-walk” dance.
It Doesn’t Make you Money
Why not use that pristine screen real-estate for something MUCH more useful. One word. Marketing. Seriously. Throw some drink specials up there with pretty pictures of cocktails and drippy ice cold beer, and watch it boost bar sales. Promote your upcoming nights if you have different acts, promote your DJ lineup or weekly schedule, promote your social media. Use your social media to engage people to spread the word about your business. Unless there’s some local sporting event, or big fight that people actually WANT to see, put those screens to work making you money. At least when someone is standing at the bar waiting on their drink, they will at least look up and see an opportunity to visit again or spend more money.
It Hinders the DJ
Another troubling consideration is the fact that we DJ’s are trying to perform a HOT dance mix. Many times, we have special remixes or even personal edits of tracks that we play, that won’t have videos, which means, either they don’t get played, or there’s no associated video with them, unless we make one. I don’t know if you’ve ever tried to edit/render video before, but it is INCREDIBLY time consuming. For a DJ to be able to do this, they pretty much are excluded from being able to also have a day job. Again, as the bar/club, are you paying enough for the DJ to make a decent living? I mean, they COULD make their work available for other DJ’s to purchase also, but I don’t even want to get into the licensing headache.
It Doesn’t Convert Foot Traffic
This should speak for itself. Another final argument as to why it’s more important to have a hot dance mix than it is to have video, (and yes I know you CAN do both, but again…$$$$$), is because you can’t convert foot traffic into patrons if there’s no line of sight. I have worked in bars before, and had people walk up to me and tell me they came in SOLELY because the music was dope. I doubt anyone ever walks into a bar and tells the VDJ, “I was walking by, and your visual transition was so striking, I had to come in.” Hindered performances or poorly paid, (most times starter DJ’s,) will not bring that heat to convert walker-by into loyal money-spending patron.
Video DJ is cool and all, but I seriously doubt it will ever prove to be anything more than a novelty for dance clubs and bars. Again, there’s a place for this in the DJ universe, but it’s mostly environments where people spend most of the time being anti-social and sitting on their duffs. Next time you see a bar doing it, REALLY pay attention to what people are looking at while they’re there. (You REALLY want it to be a drink menu, not a video.) Think about how much they really care. If you had an old Family Ties or Cosby show episode up there, would they even know the difference?
Thoughts?
This article is absolutely bias and untrue. Video Djing adds plenty revenue to your pockets. I charge an additional $250 to video DJ. It doesn’t require any more work than just DJing with MP3s. You load, mix, and that’s it…just like any other time. Only difference is one extra cord, videos are playing, and my logo is on the screen too. Which is great advertisement for those who don’t know me. A video record pool costs the same as a regular record pool. The pool I’m in provides both and is cheaper than any other service I’ve ever used.
Fact, venues that have TV screens bring more traffic than those that don’t.
Unless it’s football season, there is nothing to put on those TVs other than a DVD (which most times is a music video DVD on loop). So why not have videos to the music that’s playing?
There are 2 types of people who go to clubs… those that dance and those that don’t. It doesn’t matter what you play, the ones who don’t/ won’t dance simply will sit and enjoy the atmosphere. Might as well give them something to look at. I’ve been given numerous compliments, tips, and emails about what I do.
In addition, I put events and drink specials on the screens for places I’m resident. Simply add a flyer jpeg to the music file and it’s done.
The cost of video DJing software is up to you. Virtual DJ comes with it and Serato is $130. I made that back on my 1st VJ gig plus 100x over.
But here is the big question, how does VJing hurt you? Does it take away business? No. Does it make people dance less? No. Does it cost more than it’s worth? No. Is it difficult? No.
“For a DJ to be able to do this, they pretty much are excluded from being able to also have a day job.” << Wrong. I know plenty who do.
Again, as the bar/club, are you paying enough for the DJ to make a decent living? << I live on my DJing alone.
And if you want to make more money as a VJ, yes you can sell videos to other VJs. You can also offer your video editing skills to others (such as VJ logos) and make some easy money.
This entire article is absurd. Not everyone needs to make a living DJing and not everyone cares to spend some money to enjoy their hobby. Most people's hobbies don't even get them paid, so what's wrong with doing something that makes you more money? In the end, it's about how you sell what you can do. If you're out VJing or DJing for pennies then that's on you. If you don't see the value in VJing then it's not because it can't be done…it's because you can't do it. To write an article saying it's stupid when there are tons of VJs out making serious bucks doing it…just makes this article even more ridiculous.
That’s cool and all, Tee Oh, but the market makes a difference. If I charged an extra $250 a night to spin video, I simply would not get work in my town, regardless of talent or following. It’s hard enough to get a club to pay you $250 in the first place, unless they’re a MAJOR venue.
Your analysis about the cost of entry being untrue makes some generalized assumptions that don’t hold true to every DJ. A Serato plugin is only useful if I’m a Serato DJ, which currently, I am not. VDJ Pro on the other hand, at $300, is the lowest cost of upgrade for me, as I have the hardware necessary to run it, but it would be a performance trade-off for me. I would be gaining video capabilities, but losing performance of the DVS, as in my experience with VDJ 7, I had issues with the cueing being consistent, and it generally just doesn’t perform as well. Moving to that DVS would affect my mixshow performances unless I swapped my decks for a controller, which again is a gear investment. I’m not being disingenuous when I say it’s a hefty cost to upgrade, for me at least.
As far as your comment about it being a hobby… if it’s a hobby, do it at home, or throw some house parties. Hobbyists have no place in the Professional DJ market, because if you don’t take it seriously, you shouldn’t take food out the mouth of those who ARE trying to make a living. It’s complicated now due to the reduced cost of entry for low-level gear, making it possible for EVERYONE to become a DJ, and as the linked article suggests, people are far too eager to play clubs as a hobby and NOT even remotely interested in being taken seriously as a professional.
I do it because I love it, and wouldn’t if I didn’t because It’s crazy hard enough to make money at it, and in my opinion, the cost to do it outweighs the alleged benefit. Not everyone may agree with me, but that’s how I see it, especially in my market.
Great post Trenton. Normally if I’m having a good time its the music that pulls me. If I’m bored out of my mind at a club (which shouldn’t happen) and I’m sitting down then yea, I’m going to look at the TV screens because neither the other club goers or the music is appealing to me at the moment.