Mac App for triggering and mixing video live? itunes for video clips?
April 26, 2019 9:38 AM Subscribe
I've had several opportunities to DJ parties for people. I've been doing this in an extremely lo-fi way using iTunes with a secondary on-site computer triggering video clips in a playlist independently in an archaic PC program.
I know there are better ways to do this.
I'd like to find a program that will allow me to have a playlist of video clips (maybe compatible with looping gifs too?) So that I could run everything from my laptop.
An example: I have lots of retro clips of aerobics, dancing, cartoons and other video clips of movement and action. I like playing these onscreen while dance tracks are going. Most of the time they synch well enough. I'd also like to mix in actual artist music videos for some tracks.
– I know there are DJ programs out there but I'm having trouble with the video component.
– The easier the better but I'm willing to learn.
– I'm willing to purchase the software but my budget is extremely limited.
– Synching everything is a bonus
– Cheap or Free is a double bonus
AskMeFi has nailed it on every other software question I've had so I know there must be someone who has solved this. Thanks!
An example: I have lots of retro clips of aerobics, dancing, cartoons and other video clips of movement and action. I like playing these onscreen while dance tracks are going. Most of the time they synch well enough. I'd also like to mix in actual artist music videos for some tracks.
– I know there are DJ programs out there but I'm having trouble with the video component.
– The easier the better but I'm willing to learn.
– I'm willing to purchase the software but my budget is extremely limited.
– Synching everything is a bonus
– Cheap or Free is a double bonus
AskMeFi has nailed it on every other software question I've had so I know there must be someone who has solved this. Thanks!
CamTwist Studio is meant for broadcast/streaming and webcam sources, BUT it allows for movie sources (maybe gif too?) and you can setup 'buttons' to swap between sources - in addition, you can load in other sorts of sources like music visualizers. It's free, so worth trying out.
posted by destructive cactus at 1:34 AM on April 27, 2019
posted by destructive cactus at 1:34 AM on April 27, 2019
Have a look at VDMX. It's been a while since I used it to do what you're describing, but it was reasonably straightforward and very fun to use. After a day or two of practice, I felt comfortable live mixing between a library of video clips, adding effects, looping, etc.
Editing to add there is a free trial available and I don't recall exactly what the trial restrictions were, but they didn't get in the way of me being able to perform live. That may have changed, though.
posted by mustardayonnaise at 12:18 PM on April 27, 2019 [1 favorite]
Editing to add there is a free trial available and I don't recall exactly what the trial restrictions were, but they didn't get in the way of me being able to perform live. That may have changed, though.
posted by mustardayonnaise at 12:18 PM on April 27, 2019 [1 favorite]
I have used QLab For this.
QLab is industry standard for professional theatre playback of sound cues and video. They also added lighting but you can ignore that. The free tier has lots of capability but is limited in output channels for sound and surfaces for video. I think stereo playback of sound and one surface of video without complex transformations are free. You can cue media from a list with a space bar “go” button or setup hotkeys to fire cues with different keys on the keyboard. You can program cues that stop, fade, or start other cues. Basic audio editing and effects can be added to your media files on a per cue basis.
The interface takes some learning to get the hang of but is very mac-like and user friendly. They have great video tutorials. It is very limited for making on the fly adjustments to currently playing media.
The licenses are expensive but you can rent a license on a day rate. So you can use the free version to build and test your cues and then rent the pro license for a few days to prep and run your event.
I find this software a joy to use and the company is very friendly.
Other packages that designers I know have used for video are Isidora by Troikatronics and Watchout by Dataton. I would avoid Watchout as it was very expensive (we had a little armored case with $5000 worth of hardware license single keys) and not conducive to low budget use. I never used or purchased Isadora.
posted by sol at 5:14 AM on April 28, 2019 [1 favorite]
QLab is industry standard for professional theatre playback of sound cues and video. They also added lighting but you can ignore that. The free tier has lots of capability but is limited in output channels for sound and surfaces for video. I think stereo playback of sound and one surface of video without complex transformations are free. You can cue media from a list with a space bar “go” button or setup hotkeys to fire cues with different keys on the keyboard. You can program cues that stop, fade, or start other cues. Basic audio editing and effects can be added to your media files on a per cue basis.
The interface takes some learning to get the hang of but is very mac-like and user friendly. They have great video tutorials. It is very limited for making on the fly adjustments to currently playing media.
The licenses are expensive but you can rent a license on a day rate. So you can use the free version to build and test your cues and then rent the pro license for a few days to prep and run your event.
I find this software a joy to use and the company is very friendly.
Other packages that designers I know have used for video are Isidora by Troikatronics and Watchout by Dataton. I would avoid Watchout as it was very expensive (we had a little armored case with $5000 worth of hardware license single keys) and not conducive to low budget use. I never used or purchased Isadora.
posted by sol at 5:14 AM on April 28, 2019 [1 favorite]
djay pro has a video mode that looks pretty neat, though I've never used it. I'm a real big fan of the software for regular DJing, though, and poking around the video function seems like it's pretty straightforward. I believe it is $50. Which, given the state of other DJ software, is a real good deal!
posted by wemayfreeze at 8:50 AM on May 16, 2019
posted by wemayfreeze at 8:50 AM on May 16, 2019
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Alterscape at 7:14 PM on April 26, 2019