I am an entertainment designer who has spent his entire career working, designing and installing major theme park attractions around the world. My experience involves every aspect of the theme park industry from operations to design to prop installation. My beginning as a Disney cast member led to my first professional position at Imagineering as a show set designer. From there I have been able to work on blue sky projects with Thinkwell and design and install a stage show for Universal Studios. Most recently I spent more than 5 years designing, producing and installing Treasure Cove at Shanghai Disneyland.
Education
Cal Poly Pomona - Bachelor’s of Architecture 2007
Skills
- Hands on experience in all phases of design - blue sky to design development to production and installation both in the US and China.
- Expert knowledge of AutoCAD 3D, Rhino, SketchUp, Navisworks and Photoshop.
- 4 years experience in Disney park operations. 3 years field installation experience at Shanghai Disneyland.
- Extensive knowledge of theme park and entertainment industry trends and technologies.
Experience
Walt Disney Imagineering — Production & Show Set Designer
Treasure Cove/Pirates of the Caribbean (Shanghai Disneyland) - January 2011 - March 2016
As one of the original design team members, I began on Treasure Cove and its various attractions in early blue sky phase. Over the course of the next two years we developed seven separate attractions for the land - six of which I managed the show design packages. These involved a wide range of methods from highly detailed Maya, SketchUp and AutoCAD 3D models to more traditional 2D drawing packages for small venues.
Following the vendor award, I was tasked with approving hundreds of shop drawings and began making regular trips to Shanghai to supervise production. I was tasked with overseeing production on a daily basis by making daily trips to vendors both around Shanghai and in the US. I partnered with our creative directors and producers to ensure design intent was being met as well as quality material and construction. We also partnered closely with operations and various show disciplines to have production checks on a regular basis.
Moving from production to installation required extremely detailed plans with the local general contractor to ensure schedule and creative intent were being met along with final details such as paint, lighting, area development, graphics and safety checks. Often I was required to produce additional field drawings to communicate design intent for last minute changes and clarifications. My final phase on the Treasure Cove was props installation which involved daily mock ups and staging in venues throughout the land.
Adventure Isle (Shanghai Disneyland) - January 2011 - October 2013
Responsible for producing show set packages for the entire land including 3 major attractions, area development, restaurant and retail locations. Oversaw early concept layouts which evolved into 3D rockwork models using Navisworks. Produced 2D & 3D drawing packages including a highly complex interactive attraction never before done (Challenge Trail).
Frozen Ever After (Epcot) - March 2016 - June 2016
Acting production designer for final installation details with the animation team to ensure guest safety and show quality.
Backlot Tram Tour (Disney Studios Paris) - March 2016 - June 2016
Managed production of a show set package for an attraction refurb that involved new special effects, animated figures and show set pieces.
Cars Land (Disney California Adventure) - June 2007 - April 2009
Hired by WDI directly from college via the Imagi-Nations competition. First assigned to Cars Land show set team. I was tasked with early conceptual modeling and track layout designs. I produced a full show set design package for the attraction.
Thinkwell Design — Concept & Show Set Designer
Lotte World (Korea) & Universal Studios Hollywood - May 2009 - January 2011
Hired for the creative and blue sky phase of several new theme park concepts in China. Responsibilities were show set, concept design and art direction. Also designed a new special effects show for Universal Studios Hollywood from concept to production to opening in three months. Working in conjunction with Universal Creative, produced 3D renderings, a design package, large scale physical model and supervised installation and opening of final show.
Disneyland Resort — Attraction Operations
California Adventure Attractions - June 2003 - January 2007
First began working at the Disneyland Resort during college. Trained on California Screamin’. Selected for opening team of Tower of Terror and Monsters Inc.
References
Andrew Sanchez —Executive Show Set Manager, Shanghai Disneyland
andrew.a.sanchez@disney.com +86-186-1671-4960
Nancy Seruto — Executive Producer, Shanghai Disneyland
nancy.seruto@disney.com +86-180-1736-1520
Rob Wiedemann — Production Designer, Universal Creative
rob.wiedemann@gmail.com 314-583-9531