live performance, video clip player?

Bear with me as I am not a video-software savvy person, but I would
love to get the collective advice of this group on the following
matter:

Background Information: There exists an excellent free audio program
map sounds of arbitraty length to the keyboard and trigger them at
anytime. If one sound is still playing when another is triggerd, they
are mixed so you can do really great sound layering in a live setting.
We use this program to trigger live sound effects in small stage
productions. For example, to have ongoing rolling thunder during a
monolouge and then when the actor speak a certain line..trigger a
lightning crackle. The timing of these things must be handled by a
person.

My question to this group is:
Does anyone know of a program that would do a VIDEO equivalent of what
the SoundPlant program does? The true layering of video is not
essential, just a smooth transition from one clip to the next.

The goal is to have a very simple midi foot pedal trigger the clips in
a pre-arranged sequence or to allow someone to run the clips seemlessly
in a "live" performance.

Does anyone know of more appropriate (of cheaper) way to go?

- revansx

Scubajam...

It sounds like PowerPoint, part of Microsoft Office, will do the job
for you. Played on a laptop or other computer, transferrable between
computers, just select slides of what you want, triggered by ENTER or
Left Click key. For nothing, insert a black slide. You can insert
photo or video or anything, with or without sound. Be careful with
video as it sets up a link sometimes instead of actually inserting the
media; then try to transfer to another computer and the link doesn't
work. Easy to work around, just transfer both media and slideshow, and
modify the link. Surely someone in your organization has PowerPoint,
if not, use the free Open Office version at OpenOffice.org. Just make
sure you're running the slideshow, which will be full screen. Get
someone with PowerPoint experience to help. Use fade in and out from
black for smooth transitions. Most any editing program will work.
Windows Movie Maker is free.

You can also create moving jpg or I think even bmp or gif files, which
essentially are video. Then any slideshow program will work.

Sounds like fun.

Jim
Washington State