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.
All these head banging and camera movement makes me dizzy in a second. Not for me.
Love love love this concept and I think you guys/gals here at DJTT should sincerely start going deep into creating or promoting this form of POV dj set recordings. I understand that the actual filming of these POV videos are going to be challenging for reasons stated above, BUT, this can become something MASSIVE for not only DJTT but for all of the people who come here for advice/ideas/tutorials. With the way people use the Internet these days, videos like this will be a huge game changer for the online DJ education community. Obviously these videos should be featuring well known respected artists in the community. Also I would recommend using multiple panoramic styled video camera mounts or stands so there could be multi angle shots both of above the DJ rig/table, on the sides, et., Definitely ditch the GoPro duct taped to the top of someone head being that 1. You will be conscientious that your being a part of some science experiment hoping the thing won’t fall off and destroy your gear, self esteem, and creative zone you’re balls deep in the game. But seriously, instead of searching the endless death fields of YouTube trying to find POV filmed sets of someone’s friends cousins sisters boyfriends aunts neighbor who’s a dj, go full flex and get some well known artist who would love to test this project formality out. If need be, I’ll shamelessly whore out the idea, concepts, and goals to every person who is on some kind of payroll for a well known artist to start this phenomenon for DJTT.
here’s a short mix I did with all Sybil 90s hits
Heres one I made last year for myself when I was practicing for a live set.
Thanks!
so manny videos to watch, so precious little time.
This is retarded
I have absolutely no interest in watching you DJ. Unless you have big boobs.
I find that the best videos regarding this matter are the ones where the DJ is constantly moving and adding to the set. As a live act also enjoy when they write or play a track from scratch. Here’s a couple live POV sets of me using the Roland Aria gear to write music from scratch I did a while back for example:
http://youtu.be/Nm8LZ9u8brc
http://youtu.be/_1JVJI9eMCs
Hey Check out Mario Ranieri’s Videosets too. They are really stunning and
are recorded with 3 camera angles: http://videosets.marioranieri.at
considering what has happened to gopro public stock this week, this article is well timed, because they seriously need some consumer support, or they might be going down.
I actually thought the CDJs were skipping on the CUN7 set. You’d loose your mind listening to that stuff.
B/W of Burning Man 2015…using two GoPro “Session” cams… about the 10th effort at this since BM 2014;) I was using a single Pro 4 at first, then the Session’s came out and I bought 1. Vast improvement and smaller/lighter so I put it on my wrist, terrible idea. I bought a second one to be able to do PIP as well (see video below).
I use Adobe Premiere to pull the video and sync the multiple cams by waveform (feature in Premiere). One time I did a line recording of the audio as well, and this feature is awesome agin for syncing as many videos as you want by waveform. When I did the line recording, I was able to get better quality of course, and then did a 75/25% mix so you could still hear the crowd, etc…
Latest incarnation is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQ9zIYOvLNM strictly using GoPro audio as I did not have a way to do line this night.
Shaking; Some due to being on an art car. Audio; Of course some issues but the “Session” cams have way better mics than the Pro 4’s IMO. Light; Nearby Flamethrower solved some of the problems;) Otherwise decent since there was light on the car.
Enjoy!
also made by me with the gopro https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHRFORRXZ4o
Argh, blocked in the US :/
there is a remix from joris voorn for groove armada that blocks the video in a few countryes…
also in germany.
and actually I am getting sick getting used to it…
This is officially THE coolest spot for an afternoon jam ever.
thanks man!!!
While I like it when you see what the DJ is actually doing I very much prefer a static camera on eye level (kind of a soft POV) this shaking around grinds my gears to the max.
IDK but it feels so pretentious and weird. The first DnB video especially.
Carl Rag has some sick routines involving head mounted GoPro’s.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi3rsy25xtuIYqMx1sLKM3g
Multiangle is even better. Can be performed with apps such as Switcher Studio on iPad, Wirecast on desktop. You will also feel less sick/deformed with fixed cameras http://www.djing.com/pilot/
I thought 2016 was going to be all about drones, no?
I’d say adding visuals of what’s happening in the software make for a really cool addition and add some flare to POV. Similar to what NI did with a few of their product promo vids (Shiftee’s video with the Z2 and Maschine in 2012 comes to mind). This is a really cool example I feel of those visuals in the POV style: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gj6DWHRLA4
Yeah, the issue here is scaling. How do you realistically do this for much more than a few minutes? It’s a lot of editing for just a little bit of a payoff.
I did something like this a while back, inspired by those videos.