You could consider investing in a big screen and provide a more comprehensive service by renting it out for concerts and events. You could also reach out to companies that already do this.
Ask HN: How to grow a concert visuals business?
21–30 of 61 posts
Re: Ask HN: How to grow a concert visuals business?
#22First, the famous quote: "Why did I quit VJing? I was the first to arrive at the event and the last to leave. I brought and set up all my own gear, worked the entire time, and I got paid less than the coat check girl." - Hyperdelic Dave
There are many ways to get into it, but for the most part it's all about direct connections.
• Network with professional VJs, lasers, sound, and lighting services. You can work freelance to produce content and/or actually play at events. You can probably get paid to make content, but you'll only be able to help out at shows (for free) until you learn the ropes and prove you're reliable. This is the most common path.
• Contact artists directly. You'd probably just have to make free stuff until you develop a good enough reputation to get paid. This is showbiz, so there's a pretty high bar.
• Try to work at a company that does visuals. It's extremely competitive and there are not that many seats available. The first two options are your best way into this later on.
• Do it yourself. Buy a projector, contact your local clubs, raves, event promoters and offer to do visuals. Plan for very long nights. Consider doing guerilla visuals around your town.
• Keep releasing content. Pitch them to VJ loop services like vjloops.com or Resolume. Learn marketing, etc. There's very little money in this, but if you get good, you'll at least make a name for yourself, which can help with the other options.
Re: Ask HN: How to grow a concert visuals business?
#23You could consider investing in a big screen and provide a more comprehensive service by renting it out for concerts and events. You could also reach out to companies that already do this.
I did something similar during the rave days and the memories are making my blood pressure spike. It was the most annoying and time consuming way that I have ever lost a lot of money. I could have quite literally paid you $10,000 to waterboard me and it would have been cheaper, more efficient and about as pleasant.
Re: Ask HN: How to grow a concert visuals business?
#24Great work. I checked out your concert visuals 2024 reel. There is definitely work out there for folks that are familiar with techniques such as datamosh and generative visuals. People are familiar with them, since they have seen them used before, but most folks don’t know how to wield them. I’m not a business person, but have been involved in visuals for almost 20 years. I have done paid gigs that were one off thing…
That "Concert Visuals Showreel 2024" is bonkers, it seems similar to a demoscene piece but on even more crack and psychadelics. Intensely provocative, and easy to imagine it up on a huge screen.
Re: Ask HN: How to grow a concert visuals business?
#25Find a new niche? I could imagine large companies incorporating these into presentations at conferences to liven things up.
Re: Ask HN: How to grow a concert visuals business?
#26First, the famous quote: "Why did I quit VJing? I was the first to arrive at the event and the last to leave. I brought and set up all my own gear, worked the entire time, and I got paid less than the coat check girl." - Hyperdelic Dave There are many ways to get into it, but for the most part it's all about direct connections. • Network with professional VJs, lasers, sound, and lighting services. You can work freela…
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Re: Ask HN: How to grow a concert visuals business?
#27You could consider investing in a big screen and provide a more comprehensive service by renting it out for concerts and events. You could also reach out to companies that already do this.
I did something similar during the rave days and the memories are making my blood pressure spike. It was the most annoying and time consuming way that I have ever lost a lot of money. I could have quite literally paid you $10,000 to waterboard me and it would have been cheaper, more efficient and about as pleasant.
C'mon man, you gotta do story time now. Can't dangle one in front of us like that.
Re: Ask HN: How to grow a concert visuals business?
#28I can’t answer your question directly, but I will chime in and mention a parallel space where a number of small creators have built solid businesses - church visuals.
Many churches want motion backgrounds to project behind their lyrics, so companies such as StoryLoop, CMG, Shift Worship, etc. have sprung up to serve this niche.
The general business model is an annual subscription to access all their media. Monthly subscriptions don’t work because people sign up once, download it all, and cancel.
These companies have grown largely by nurturing Facebook groups of likeminded creatives who go on to become subscribers.
Re: Ask HN: How to grow a concert visuals business?
#29You could consider investing in a big screen and provide a more comprehensive service by renting it out for concerts and events. You could also reach out to companies that already do this.
I did something similar during the rave days and the memories are making my blood pressure spike. It was the most annoying and time consuming way that I have ever lost a lot of money. I could have quite literally paid you $10,000 to waterboard me and it would have been cheaper, more efficient and about as pleasant.
Yeah, you really gotta love it to do it. Otherwise, it's like buying, hauling, setting up, and running your own sound and lighting system, then DJing from start to finish, and nobody noticing.
Re: Ask HN: How to grow a concert visuals business?
#30If you're having trouble making it as the concert visuals guy, perhaps you could try being the Bitcoin concert visuals guy. Others have made a point that using Bitcoin in their marketing can drive 10% more sales.