Five years ago on the DJTT blog we did a roundup of a then-emerging trend: DJs wearing point-of-view cameras while playing sets. Now that action cameras like the GoPro have become less of a specialist item and more ubiquitous, it’s no surprise that we’re seeing an increase in the number of POV DJ set videos posted online. Read on for some of our favorites in this fun Friday roundup.
Challenges Of Filming POV DJ Sets
We’ve written in the past about the things that make great DJ performance videos, but strapping on a GoPro to your head while DJing does present a whole new set of challenges. The biggest challenges seem to be:
- Shaking: Try not to move your head to the beat too violently so people can still see what is going on. In general newer cameras have better compensation for this kind of thing, but still will suffer if you’re head-banging too hard
- Audio: Just because you have a great camera on your head doesn’t mean you get to forget about why people are watching. You should still record your DJ set when you start your mix.
- Light: GoPros and other action cameras are used primarily for outdoors filming – so they look best with a ton of light in the frame. Obviously DJ setups are often dark, but if you can add more light to the scene, it is well worth it.
Six Example POV DJ Sets
Over To You: Good POV DJ Sets?
We only spend an hour digging around the web for videos of DJ sets and routines recorded in this style – but there clearly are more out there that are winners. Reply in the comments with your thoughts on what makes this style of video interesting (or not!) and share any more good example sets you’ve found.
