Hey everyone!

Starting this week we'll be giving you a handy tip for using Resolume, every week. We're making them Twitter friendly (140 words or less), so even if you know everything already, it'll never hurt to take a look. I mean, how much time can a 140 word video take? ;)

Check out the first installment:


Enjoy, and happy VJ'ing!

ResTeam

Resolume summer school has started! We would like to welcome you to the Resolume HQ in The Hague and join us for a Resolume workshop. We're kicking things off with these 4 workshops:

Getting Started Resolume Workshop
Saturday 30 July 2011
5 hours. From zero to hero. No experience required.
This workshop teaches you all you need to know to start VJ'ing with Resolume Avenue. We go over what does what in the interface, and show you the best ways to use it. Starting with the basics on how to load and trigger clips, you'll be compositing multiple videos, applying realtime effects and using live cameras in no time. First hand knowledge from the developers themselves will make sure you'll pick up a few things even the pros don't know about. The focus will be on practical knowledge and skills, and we'll show you how to best prepare your footage, how to connect to a projector, and before the day is over, you'll be VJ'ing on the big screen yourself!
€ 100.00 Euro

Advanced Resolume Workshop
Saturday 13 August 2011
5 hours. Basic experience required.
This is for everyone who already has some experience with VJ'ing in general, but wants to get to the nitty gritty of the many options Resolume Avenue has to offer. Sync clips to the BPM or have effects pop to the music. Use Cue Points and the Beatloopr to remix your footage on the fly. Improve your performance by using midi controllers or even iPhones to control Resolume. Find out the best ways to get live camera streams into Resolume, and how to streamline your signal flow. We'll go over every nook and cranny, and leave no stone unturned. At the end of the day, not only will Resolume Avenue have no more secrets to you, you'll also have the skills to take your visual sets to the next level.
€ 150.00 Euro

Projection Mapping with Resolume Workshop
Saturday 20 August 2011
5 hours. Advanced experience required.
Warning, when this workshop is over, you'll never again be able to look at the objects around you without trying to keystone them in your head. Projection mapping has been the buzz word in the land of live visuals for a while now, and after this workshop you can get in on the hype too. We'll go over the basic tools you have at your disposal when mapping with Resolume, as well as how to take your maps to next level using Photoshop and 3D software. And if one projector wasn't enough, we'll show you how to extend your maps across multiple projectors. You'll get the lowdown on preparing your footage for working with multiple GPUs, or with the mobile TripleHead2Go solutions from Matrox.
€ 150.00 Euro

AV sets with Ableton Live and Resolume Workshop
Saturday 27 August 2011
5 hours. Advanced experience required.
Avenue has taken VJ'ing to the next level by letting you control the audio as well as the visuals. But if you want even more control over the audio, or if you work together with an audio specialist, you can throw Ableton Live in to the mix as well. In this workshop, we'll go over everything you need to know about letting Live and Resolume work together. We'll show you all about wireless connections with ad-hoc networks, and then let the apps speak via Midi and OSC, with a special focus on some awesome Max4Live patches. Also we'll go over some tips, tricks and gotchas when preparing your audio visual sets.
€ 200.00 Euro

Checkout all the workshop details in the shop.

UPDATE:
We noticed many of you are traveling from abroad. So why not stay in The Hague for a long weekend?

Jorplace hostel is a 5 minute walk from the Resolume office and a 2 minute walk to the beach. Take some kitesurf lessons on sunday!

Or stay at the F.A.S.T. surfers village and pick up a hot surfer dude or dudette. It's on the beach and a 10 minute walk from Resolume HQ.

Looking for somthing a bit more upper class? The Kurhaus is probably fantastic if you don't mind spending a bit more.

The busy summer festival season is coming so get ready with some new footage!


ModernRetro VJ Footage by the OWK Crew
The OWK crew is bringing tunnels back into fashion. Retro theme, modern style. This is the first release by the OWK crew, expect more amazing 3D footage soon!


WiredFrame by Christoph Grigoletti and VJ Mikkel
3D futuristic landscapes, mountains, cities and geometric forms, all rendered with bright minimal wireframe look.


SkatePark by VJ Hummer
These unique hand-drawn skate animations where made exclusively for Resolume by VJ Hummer aka Drifter TV.

Labyrint is a wonderful video by Belgian artist collective SubSquare. Good visuals + good music = so much win. Now we love a well executed projection mapping project as much as everybody else, but there's always this extra kick when we catch a glimpse of a monitor running Resolume. So if you haven't seen it yet, check out the video, and then read more about the process and the folks behind it in the interview.



Who and what and why is SubSquare?

Subsquare is a Belgian student collective founded in May 2010 by myself, Nick De Vucht and Olivier de Groelard.

We all had the same interests and dreams to start a company that brings more than just one service. We want to bring people together from different fields. I studied Graphic Design & Motion Graphics at the Academy of fine arts in Antwerp. Nick studies Audiovisual Techniques & Film at Narafi in Brussels & Olivier is currently doing Illustration. To our team we've added a Photographer and one more Video - Sound Editor. In the near future we intend to attract more creative individuals to our Subsquare platform.

By combining these studies we want future clients to have all the options available for their projects or events. Currently we bring HD party reviews / Animated Line-up Teasers / Live visual Projections & Video Mapping installations / High Quality Pictures / Videoclips / Graphic design / Motion Graphics & Visual Effects.

Can you tell us a bit about Labyrint? How did the project come about?

I've been Vj-ing for 2 years now and was always thinking about bringing things to the next level, in other words taking the visuals from the screens and into a 3D environment where people can experience the visuals and interact with the sculpture. But I soon realized that all over Europe people were thinking the same and so I became fascinated by this new movement of Video Mapping.

I've always been a fan of Magic tricks, Illusions and Augmented realities. M.c. Escher and Victor Vasarely are just a few of the artists who inspire me.
But when I saw the magical work of Pablo Valbuena a new world opened for me. More options were offered to me, I had more things to explore and more things to discover.

When it comes to art I always love the creative process more than the end result, searching for that one thing that has never done before, struggling to get the best out of an idea. That was my motivation for the Labyrint project and all the projects which i'm currently working on.

Labyrint, the name actually explains the search for techniques of video-mapping.
Just like when people struggle to get through a Maze or a Labyrinth - I had to challenge myself to discover how this process was done.
When I first saw a Mapping sculpture I had no idea how this magic was created. I've done my research but there is nowhere on the internet where you can find a dummy guide to video-mapping. So I thought let this search be the project.

Can you explain a bit about the technical aspects? How did you create the objects, and what software did you use to create the map and the content?

The triangular objects were created in Google Sketchup, unfolded with a sketch up unfold plugin and then projected on A2 Bristol papers so I could trace the unfolded shapes.

When this was completed I've searched for the right shapes and compositions for the sculpture. The Map was created with Adobe Illustrator. Projecting an empty document over the sculpture and tracing it piece by piece with the pen tool. Then I imported this Illustrator document into Maxon Cinema 4D and extruded all the shapes in 3D space. And the magic began when I finally got this digital 3D sculpture. Playing with lights, shadows, materials and other motion graphics techniques in Cinema 4D.

Finally the last stage of the proces took place in an amazing piece of software called Resolume Avenue.

Labyrint was my first video mapping experience - by now I realise that this wasn't the best approach for doing a Map and that there are great plugins and tools available. The one I've been enjoying alot lately is the IR MAPIO plugin ( iRworkshop) for Avenue.



The video shows you rocking out with Avenue and a variety of controllers. What's the setup like?

At my studio I'm using a Mitsubishi HC4000 1080p Projector. All my work is done on a Macbook Pro (2,66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo / 4 gig ram). I'm loading all my visuals into Avenue with an external HD (Lacie D2 Quadra)
through a FireWire800 cable to speed things up.

For my midi controller setup I use a M-Audio Triggerfinger to trigger all the different clips , columns and layers. And for position & rotation, fades and other effects I'm using a Korg NanoControl.



Any other projects we should know about?

Since the Labyrint project I've been involved in more Live performances and exhibitions. I'm currently working on some different Mapping Projects in which I collaborate with music producers. The idea is to bring a full audio reactive and in realtime audio visual performance with the help of software like Quartz Composer, Max for Live & Processing.

But I'm particularly excited about the invitation that I've got from the Get Set Festival in Oporto, Portugal. This will be my first step to an international audience.

Also I will be doing some Summer festivals here in Belgium, Video-mapping is quite unique when it comes to the nightlife in Belgium - Looking forward to this as well.

All these projects will be captured in High Definition by Subsquare Tv and will be published as my new Vj promo video around October 2011. You can also expect some video tutorials and guides to video mapping in the near future.

For any updates on my projects & upcoming tutorials or If you want to follow my work: http://www.facebook.com/pages/VJ-Konstruktiv/121812364571570

Thank you for all the support and interest in my work.

To some people, VJ'ing is no more than moving wallpaper. Of course we know better, but it's always nice to see it being recognized as a proper art form by other people as well. And when it gives people the chance to travel the world showing what they do, it's even better. Rafael is such a lucky person. Check out his work in the videos, and read more about him in the interview.



Overall, Resolume is mostly used by VJs in clubs. Yet you perform more in museums. Do you think people perceive your work differently because of that?

Yes. It’s like if you put one painting in a toilet, and the same painting in a museum: people are going to look at this differently. Maybe it’s unfair, but it’s like that. People go to a club for dancing, and to museums for looking… Recently maybe the trend is to invert the two. Museums look more “disco”, with all these “new media” flashy things, and some clubs are getting more “arty”, with the VJ things… Maybe…
As for toilets & museum, the inversion is already made ;)

Why did you choose video as a medium to express your self in?

I come from photography. I never have professors, but I know that they ask to their students to “suggest the movement into the fixed image”. In video, we have already the movements, so what can we suggest? This landscape attracted me. I begin to do short films, videos. Then I realized that I need a more direct interaction with my works. I began to do performances, where I can create in front of a public (when it comes ;)).



There is a lot of reference to technology in your videos, but also an big emphasis on the human body. What would you say are some of the recurring themes in your work and why?

The only things we can be sure about what we call technology, is that is going to get old, useless, and finally die. Exactly like us. Humans & machines are both very temporary concepts. This time space intrigued me. In a way, is very touching and ironic to see the naïve fascination & fears that people have for the technology they all use… But sometimes I ask myself: what is the real difference between the Morse code in 1912 and the internet technology of 2011? It’s just another way to say “we pour!” ;). Except that now we can say that with colors & smiley’s ;)
Also, what is the difference of what we call the AV scene of today and the projectionist and the pianist who improvised 100 years ago in the cinema, at the time of silent movies? It’s the technology that reveals humans, and not the contrary. Maybe in the future we’re going to have a science to study man not by the words he uses, but via the buttons he presses. So yes, really, technology is a very human concept, and that’s probably why I interrogate and use this in my work.



Can you describe your work process a bit?

Like I said before, I came from photos. Most of the time, I build my videos sequences image by image. I try to compose and decompose actions & movements. I like contradictions, so sometimes I like to suggest fixed pictures into moving images mediums.
I always have a drama, a “narrative” structure. When I began to do movies & performances, I realized that a lot of artists go to the easy abstract direction. So I found it relevant to come with basic stories. That’s why I am considered as a “narrative” video artist. Because I don’t do just decorations. But now I see a lot of artists try to do that, so I think more and more to go in the screensaver direction. Why not? Everything is cyclic . I use big cliché dramatic scenes, and try to finish more subtle. Because I see a lot of artists who try to be complex from the beginning, and finish so so cliché…

During live performance, you bring a lot of knobs and buttons to the table. How big is the live aspect of your work? Is it pressing play on a playlist, or is there an improvisation element in it as well?

It’s more and more and more improvisations. I use a midi controller connected to your fantastic program. Like this and with others tools, I am able to modify the sounds and images like I really want. At events now I use TextEdit along with Resolume during the performance.
I really try to create a moment, something more and more “unique”.
Sure, I also have a base of video sequences that I prepare before, kind of a playlist. I know before the performance some of the “stories” I want to tell. I have a narrative base, and I improvise into it and around it. Like a free Jazz band: they begin with a basic melody, a rhythm, a phrase, then they improvise around, and modify everything. My video-sequences are THE melody, the rhythm. Sometimes, like musicians, I improvise too much: I get lost. It’s scary to be lost in your own wood. But it’s also very exciting. The difference with the band, is that I play all instruments by myself. I use programs, guitars, keyboards, whatever I found to personalize my performance. Maybe I am a frustrated musician... I don’t know. And Yes I like buttons. It comes from my youth. When I see a button, I need to press it. I can’t resist. Sometimes it can be problematic. Like recently when I pushed a wrong button in the Washington airport… It was a beautiful big red one… It needed to be pressed…



You mention you travel quite a bit with your art. What are some of the more memorable places you got to visit?

I remember giving video class somewhere in Central Africa. And very recently I was in Albuquerque, New Mexico. My hotel was on the mythical Route 66, where the movie “No Country for Old Men” was shot. It was scary ;). I remember also this school for deaf-mute children in countryside of Korea. I made them laugh so much that it creates very strange and beautiful sounds. I recorded this.


Who are your inspirations when it comes to video art?

First of all, animal documentaries & old political TV debate. Artists don’t use this material enough. Lots of strategy & dramas there. They fascinates me both. Of course also MTV, books, movies, people, music, & arts in general.

Are there any up and coming video artists we should be looking out for?

Geumhyung Jeong from Korea have a very new way to use this medium in her performance, far away from all clichés. Recently in USA, I discover the work of Brent Coughenour. I like the way he perverts games and programs to build his performance. Wojciech Kosma in Poland & Ilan Katin in Germany.

Check out more of Rafael's work at http://www.leafar.be

Exactly 11 years ago (May 16 2000) we registered the Resolume.com domain name. We (Edwin & Bart) were working together on VJ software for our graduation project and decided to use the name Resolume for it. Back then we never imagined we'd still be working on Resolume so many years later!

After our graduation it took us another year to test and finalize Resolume but in 2001 we launched Resolume 1.0. The first license was bought by Vision Impossible, a Dutch VJ team who also continue to rock to this day.


When we released Resolume 1.0 it had just a few blend modes and effects but it could already play AVI and Quicktime movies, display GIF, JPEG, Bitmap and Photoshop images and even play Flash files! It could play 3 layers but remember this was all at 320x240 resolution. Checkout what the Resolume website looked like back then with the Way Back Machine. Or download the Resolume 1.0 installer.


Resolume 2 was released on August 16 in 2004. New features included output to multiple screens, streaming video over the network to other Resolume instances and it featured a gray and pink interface. This caused quite an uproar back then.


Resolume 3.0 was by far the biggest release we have ever done. It was completely rewritten in a different programming language (C++) because version 1 and 2 were written in Delphi they would never work on the Mac. It was a big change but it was probably one of the best decisions we have ever made. We do not think we would still be here if we did not take that big step back then.

We're looking forward to another 10 years :D
Cheers!

Two weeks ago we released Resolume 3.3.2 which fixes some Flash instability so this week we're happy to offer you a new Flash text animations pack by Patrick Jansen called FancyType.

FancyType Flash Text VJ Footage


Hungry for more? Checkout ReadMe which we developed together with our good friends from Chromosoom.


FortyMinus was the first Flash pack we released and it remains popular today.


Still can't get no satisfaction? Roll your own! The Resolume 3 manual shows all the details you need to create your own titles for Resolume in Flash.

Dubassy just keeps on producing high quality VJ footage. He does a lot of traveling and always whips out his camera as soon as something interesting can be captured. Checkout UrbanTravelers.

Dan Wise is the author of some the top selling loop packs in our footage library, as well as a very talented VJ and motion designer. He's responsible for the touring visuals for Deadmau5, Muse and Stereo MCs, and aside from live visuals, he does some amazing commercial motion graphic work as well. It's always inspiring to see someone make a living out of doing what he loves, especially when it yields such beautiful and diverse eye candy. We figured it was time to get down to the nitty gritty.

Some of the loops from your UrbanTextures pack are used as demo footage when people first download Resolume. How does it feel that every Resolume Avenue user has seen your work?

When I was originally asked about including my content with the Avenue download I was definitely flattered. I’ve been using Resolume for many years and it’s a great piece of software, so to have my work associated with it is very exciting. Because UrbanTextures is a little bit different to what people may be expecting from VJ content, I hope it will help to get people excited about the possibilities of what you can do with some interesting clips and some decent software.

You've also done some interface design for tv and film productions. What's it like working on an 'enhance' scene?

Working on content for Film & TV is great! There are obviously a lot of cliches with film graphics, and the ‘enhancing a poor quality image to reveal something crucial to the plot’ sequences are some of the funniest. Anyone who has ever used a computer knows they don’t ‘beep’ every time you press a key, you can’t look round corners in CCTV footage, and you can’t hack into the CIA database in under 60 seconds...using your watch. But due to a combination of filmic mythology and convenient script writing, I’ve spent part of my career enhancing car number plates, making viruses flash on screen as laughing skulls, and showing network security breaches in giant red flashing letters. It wasn’t all comedy though, I think I also made some stuff that looked pretty cool too!


Awesome 'enhance' scene compilation on Youtube. Although Dan didn't work on these specific scenes, we thought the whole thing was too funny not too include ;)

How does working on commercial and corporate projects relate to working as a VJ? Do you have a similar approach for both, or does one require a very different skill set than the other?

On one level they are polar opposites. Corporate work can sometimes be restricted by both vision and brand guidelines, which means there isn’t always the potential to create something original. VJ work on the other hand is a lot more open, with no real rules, and is much more free and unrestricted. However, there are also some brands and companies that are very forward thinking. Lifestyle brands and companies that want to get the attention of younger audiences, for example, often take elements from youth culture and draw upon music scenes, events, vjing, and street art for inspiration. So the gap is often not as large as you’d think. I also believe that as we become a more visually aware, culture, people’s expectations about production values are changing, and the application of better designs, slicker interfaces, and a visually rich user experience, all bring people closer to the world that VJs and other digital artists live in all the time.


Very slick motion graphic piece for Skype

You're one of the founders of All City Collective, which is focused on street art. How does that relate to your work as a VJ?

For me, starting All City was always a combination of celebrating all the art that was out there, and fulfilling a desire to express myself more. There’s a lot of scope for experimentation on the street, both conceptually and with the different mediums you use. I have always loved the idea of free, anonymous art, accessible by everyone. It’s stripped back, raw and honest. This sense of experimentation and liberation definitely feeds into my work as a VJ. On an aesthetic level, I’ve always had a thing for dirty, run down streets and buildings, which certainly fed into the UrbanTextures pack. Work on the street is also very transient and can be gone the next day, so the value you place on it changes. It’s even more special when it’s there, but you learn not to get so attached to it. This is very similar to projected video, which only ever exists in a single moment.

Your loop packs range from textured gritty content, to a graphic vector look, to a glowy, dreamy, sometimes almost technological look. All in all very diverse. How do you manage all these different styles?

While I think it’s important as an artist to constantly develop your own technique and style, I also believe it’s even more important to keep challenging yourself to develop new ways of expressing that style. As someone with a passion for visual things, I get excited by the diversity of styles that exist in film and motion graphics. Whenever I see different pieces that look cool, I think about how I could take elements of the concept or treatment and mix it with my work to develop something new and different.

Where do you get inspiration?

These days I can find inspiration anywhere, from idents on music channels, to animations on console games, to iphone/ipad apps. I Live in East London which is very creatively vibrant place, and this also has an influence on me. Club flyers, posters, street art, independent shops, clubs nights, galleries and exhibitions all have an effect too. Websites like ffffound, lookslikegooddesign and tumblr also make it much easier to find quality work.

Can you describe your working process a bit? Do you sit behind AE and fiddle around, or do you have a specific something in mind and sketch everything out in detail before hand?

My creative process usually happens in two parts. Firstly, I think you need a strong concept as a starting point, to create a framework within which to work and a direction in which to go. This then gives context, which is the beginning of all my work. After that it’s all about the execution. I always start with a lot of ideas which I feel I have to try, and get out of my head. Even if they don’t all work it’s good to just get them out. Then I can look at what is working best and develop those ideas further. This is where experimentation and ‘happy accidents’ can shape the final outcome. Once I’ve gone through a few rounds of this, and have a whole load of ideas fleshed out, I can tweak, play, and remove bits until I’m happy.

What's your tool set for creating content, application wise?
I live with After Effects, Photoshop and Illustrator open most of the time, with some C4D thrown in for good measure. Though I constantly remind myself that they are only tools. If I’m trying to achieve something, and I need to draw it and scan it in, or use a piece of custom software, then I will. I don’t let the limitations of the software limit my work. Lately I've been working with some great programmers and developers on a few creative projects, where the only solution is to create bespoke programs and functionality to realise the concept. This highlights how creative problems can be solved both technically as well as visually.

Does making a loop pack come fluently, or do you ever start on something and eventually set it aside because it doesn't work out?
For me, the creative process is always one of tension, and I think that if you aren’t constantly questioning what you are doing and why, you aren’t going to produce your best work. Sometimes ideas don’t always work out, and having the confidence to delete something that isn’t working (even if you spent a long time on it), ultimately makes you a much better creative, and the work you produce stronger.

When is a loop pack finished? Do you smack it together on a rainy Tuesday afternoon, or is it the result of months of meticulous tweaking?

It can definitely be really hard to stop fiddling with your work and say ‘that’s it!’, it’s finished. When you yourself are the client, there aren’t the same deadline and budget restrictions that mean you HAVE to finish a project by a certain time and in a certain way. It takes discipline to say enough is enough. For me, when I can render the clips out, have a play in Resolume, and like what I'm seeing, that’s usually when I think it’s ok to release them into the wild. I think it’s very important to finish things and move on, you get more done and you learn a lot more.


Dan banging out a session with his CosmosFabric loop pack

What about approaching a stage design project like the Deadmau5 stage? Do your perceive the different conditions as limiting or challenging?

Personally I like working with limits. I think it helps force you to be more creative, and to go further down paths you may otherwise not have gone down. Limitations shouldn’t be seen as a hindrance to a project, as often, overcoming the challenges imposed by them will give strength to what you produce and help make something more unique and engaging.

What are some the highlights of your visual career thus far?
Working with high profile artists such as Muse, Deadmau5 and the Stereo MCs is definitely something I am proud to have done. I still feel that I am only just starting out producing visuals professionally, so to have some heavyweight names in my portfolio is great. Touring as a VJ is also a highlight, I love travelling and I love the buzz of live shows, so to get paid to do both doesn’t get much better!


Tour visuals for Muse

Do you have any exciting projects coming up?
I have a few things in the pipeline that are definitely quite exciting. I’m working on developing an interactive installation concept at the moment which will look to create a form of ‘volumetric video’ that will react to interaction as a visually abstract, intelligent entity. I’m also moving into some new studio space in the next few weeks, so I'm massively excited about having more space to experiment and try new ideas. I also have a few new VJ packs in development which I really want to get finished!

Who are the people working in your field that we should be on the look out for? Who are the up and coming motion designers?

So many people are out there making really cool stuff it’s always hard to narrow it down. Universal Everything constantly innovate and create amazing work, as do UVA. I also love the work of Joshua Nimoy who programmed a lot of the clever, generative effects in the recent Tron movie. I’m also massively influenced by people who work outside of motion graphics. Artists like Olafur Eliasson, James Turrell, Làslò Moholy Nagy, who all experiment with light and space are well worth checking out if you don’t know their stuff. D&AD also showcase some of the best emerging creative talent, bringing the spotlight onto graduates as well as more established creatives.

We are really happy with the stability of Avenue ... except when playing Flash files. But 3.3.2 fixes this. We have a love hate relationship with Flash and it remains an untamable beast but at least it's not crashing Avenue anymore.

A few bugs concerning masks are fixed. Thanks to Helder Freitas you can now enjoy the Resolume interface in Portuguese and a few other bits and bops are fixed too.

Resolume Avenue 3.3.2 release notes
[fixed] Flash instability
[fixed] Portuguese Translation by Helder Freitas
[fixed] MIDI or DMX deck switch deadlock
[fixed] Effects linked to dashboard reset to default value on startup
[fixed] 3 part OSC position messages to audio/position/values crashes Avenue
[fixed] Column names disappearing (again)
[fixed] DMX clip trigger mapping is not saved in composition map
[fixed] Luma Key: White still visible at 0%
[fixed] Memory leak in file browser when set to thumbnail mode
[fixed] Loaded AFX that are bypassed cause audio-drop out when un-bypassing them
[fixed] Strobe effect on resized clips displays incorrect
[fixed] Masks are not applied correctly
[fixed] Clip with mask not displaying in output window when triggered
[fixed] Clip displays wrong mask
[fixed] Clips triggered by DMX ignore the layer target setting

Download & Enjoy!
The Resolume Team
Edwin Bart Dani Tim Joris