Throwing Beam

Throwing Beam for Fun and Profit

illuminating
the live performing graphics
artform

VJ performances often involve canned imagery the visual equivalent of lip-syncing. But a new breed of visual performer dumps this crutch and creates fresh graphics on the spot as the primary aesthetic delivery vehicle, worthy in itself of a true and completely realtime performance. The images may be improvised or performed according to a predetermined score. In either case, however, the images are generated live in realtime under immediate continuous performer control. This new artform is known as "Throwing Beam".

Throwing Beam

To perform visual images in front of a live audience. The images may be improvised or played according to a pre-determined plan, possibly even from a visual score (although at this time very few performers can read graphic choreography notation or for that matter have ever seen a visual score). In many circles, however, improvised live is strongly preferred. As Mezz Mezzrow sez in Really the Blues, " ... to us the two things were one, a guy composed as he played, the creating and the performing took place at the same time."

The role played by algorithmic help in manipulating pixels is a matter of performer preference and hot debate. Some graphicists have complex libraries of image subroutines which are then invoked and controlled through live interaction. Others distain such "mechanical interference" as too distant and clumsy, instead using software which allows them to get their hands directly on the graphics. "I want to feel the pixels between my fingers."

And, finally, just to be absolutely clear: Throwing beam is never, ever pre-recorded and then played back in front of an audience as if being created live (no finger-sync, no Milli-viz-Vanilli).

Performers

Amy Alexander, aka VJ Übergeek, cyberspaceland.org