WiiJ Video VJ Software

Live Visuals with the Nintendo Wii Remote

WiiJ Video Demonstration

Using the Wii Remote (a.k.a. Wiimote)

WiiJ Video uses the Wiimote's pointing ability and accelerometers to control movies and effects with simple hand gestures. The two-handed nature when using the nunchuck allows for a powerful control style: selecting effects with one hand and manipulating them with the other.

There are four layers with four effects each. You can control the composite blending of the layers with the D-pad and switch movie clips and effect presets with the buttons. You can also record and loop automations for each effect to layer many effects over each other.

Judgement Day - Finis Omne

How it Works

Effects are divided into manipulators and generators. Generators can be movies, camera input, cellular automata, spiderwebs and other textures. Manipulators transform the image from the generator into somthing else, like color bias, hue rotation, convolution/blur, kalidescope/mirror transformations, and more advanced effects.

Most of the effects are implemented as shaders in the GPU, so the system is fast enough for real-time performance. WiiJ Video is written in Javascript using the Max/MSP/Jitter platform.

The Wiimote connects via Bluetooth thanks to the aka.wiimote interface by Masayuki Akamatsu. I built a simple USB-powered "sensor bar" using two infared LEDs and attached it to my MacBook Pro for the Wiimote's IR pointing functions.

Gallery

Performances

I have used WiiJ Video for improvisational cinematography in many different shows for many different types of music. If you would like me to do visuals for your band in the San Francisco Bay Area, please contact me.

• Maus Haus and Battlehooch New Years Party @ Hemlock Tavern, San Francisco, CA
  (December 31, 2009)
• Judgement Day, La Fin Du Monde @ Annie's Social Club, San Francisco, CA
  (November 19, 2009)
• Maus Haus, Church @ Amnesia, San Francisco, CA
  (October 10, 2009)
• Sugar and Gold, Battlehooch, Vos @ Eagle Tavern, San Francisco, CA
  (October 8, 2009)
• Battlehooch (with The Toy Soldiers) @ Slim's Nightclub, San Francisco, CA
  (August 20, 2009)
• Maus Haus @ Bottom of the Hill, San Francisco, CA
  (July 26, 2009)
• Never Knows Best (with So Many Dynamos) @ Hemlock Tavern, San Francisco, CA
  (July 15, 2009)
• Battlehooch (with Tempo No Tempo and Deastro) @ Bottom of the Hill, San Francisco, CA
  (June 24, 2009)
• Battlehooch (with Ponytail and Cryptacize) @ Bottom of the Hill, San Francisco, CA
  (May 12, 2009)
• Battlehooch (with Tempo No Tempo and Hot Toddies) @ The Uptown, Oakland, CA
  (May 1, 2009)
• Maus Haus @ Sacramento, CA
  (April 12, 2009)
• Maus Haus, Church @ Wow Hall, Eugene, Oregon
  (April 11, 2009)
• Maus Haus @ Lewis and Clark Sunburn Festival, Portland, Oregon
  (April 11, 2009)
• Maus Haus (with Wooden Shjips) @ Holocene, Portland, Oregon
  (April 10, 2009)
• Never Knows Best @ El Rio, San Francisco CA
  (March 12, 2009)
• Battlehooch, 60 Watt Kid @ The Hemlock, San Francisco, CA
  (March 10, 2009)
• Noise Pop 17 Festival: Maus Haus, Sugar & Gold, Tempo No Tempo @ Benders, San Francisco, CA
  (Febuary 27, 2009)
• Maus Haus, Battlehooch, White Cloud, DJ Gatsby @ Bottom of the Hill, San Francisco, CA
  (January 24, 2009)
• Fused Circus @ The Vet's Hall, Santa Cruz, CA
  (January 16, 2009)
• Maus Haus, Animal Collective Listening Party, French Miami, DJ Grantaloonz, Josh Rampage @ The Knockout, San Francisco CA
  (January 6, 2009)
• Joan of Arc, Maus Haus @ Dreamers and Make Believers, San Francisco, CA
  (December 5, 2008)
• Hey Three Eyes, Aunt Dracula @ The Hemlock, San Francisco, CA
  (November 28, 2008)
• Half Handed Cloud, Pope of Yes, Fertile Cresent @ The Hemlock, San Francisco, CA
  (November 26, 2008)
• Synthia Pane and Chone @ Ninjam, Santa Cruz, CA
  (November 21, 2008)
• Battlehooch, George Cochrane, DJ Sarahdactyl @ Floppy's Flophouse, Oakland, CA
  (November 5, 2008)
• Hey Three Eyes (with Titus Andronicus, Neighborhood Stars) @ Hemlock Tavern
  (August 3, 2008)
• Battlehooch (with Grand Ole' Party, Mr. Tubes) @ The Casbah, San Diego, CA (view video 1) (2) (3)
  (July 18, 2008)
• Battlehooch (with Howl) @ The Smell, Los Angeles, CA
  (July 17, 2008)
• Battlehooch, The New Bloods @ The Space Gallery
  (June 18, 2008)
• Mammatus, Battlehooch @ Kimo's Penthouse
  (May 24, 2008)
• Maus Haus, Dark Meat @ Hemlock Tavern (view video)
  (May 8, 2008)
• French Miami, Battlehooch, Hey Three Eyes @ Bottom of the Hill
  (April 23, 2008)
• Finest Dearest, Maus Haus, Saything @ The Bike Kitchen
  (April 7, 2008)
• Battlehooch, Maus Haus @ Hemlock Tavern
  (February 7, 2008)
• Battlehooch, Chinese Bookie @ The Rickshaw Stop
  (December 29, 2007)