These days, simply playing music doesn’t always cut it in the clubbing world. People are looking to make new experiences, and when it comes to electronic music, going the extra mile and adding visuals to an otherwise audio experience can make all the difference.

One particular VJ who has been in the game for a while now is Eric Mailhe. He has been the man behind visions at The MET in Brisbane for ten years, and we caught up with Eric to find out more about visuals; what goes into the process of making good visuals and who this veteran VJ looks to for inspiration.

SR: How long have you been running the visuals at The Met?

Eric: On and off, I’ve been a part of team since ’07

SR: What inspired you to get into this line of work?

E: I actually blagged my way into the job knowing next to nothing about visuals. I was immediately hooked by the impact a production team can have on a room and as I learned the tools i grew to love the craft behind the scenes

SR: Who are some VJ’s you look to for inspiration or that you think are killing the game right now? Aussie and international?

E: Its always inspiring to see local talent develop into globe trotting artists and Australia has fostered some unique visual artists alongside its musical exports. Most recently Jonathan Zawada‘s work translating his stunning Flume cover art into a live show has been particularly inspiring.

SR: How important do you think Visuals are in a club setting? What do they bring the the table for a performance?

E: Well its a team sport. In a club setting especially, the goal is to create a feedback loop between the music, the production and the audience. When everyone is on the same page and bouncing off each other it lifts the room to level no single element can achieve on its own.

SR: What is the go-to software for creating visuals? What is your creative process?

E: Mostly I work within Adobe Creative Suite, my first point of reference is always the musician’s ideas and recent artwork, from there we take those ideas and aesthetic and expand it into something dynamic that will work as a live show.

SR: What are some reoccurring themes you use in your visuals? Be it colours, certain designs etc?

E: I know it sounds counterproductive, but I try to keep things minimal and use as much black space as possible. While its important to keep pace with the music’s momentum, Ive found that its equally important to leave enough space for the lighting to reach out to an audience.

SR: Can you show us some of your favourite visuals you’ve used in the past? 

E: Sure

You can catch Eric’s visuals in action every week at The MET Brisbane. Head to their Facebook page to suss out their forthcoming events.