THEMED ENTERTAINMENT
Conceptual illustration for integration of waterpark destination within an existing park, themed to giant fossils of an ancient era. Signature Icon meant to house/hold three watercoasters, hidden grottos and other water features.
"RockRipper Flats"
Themed Attraction Concept
Here, the idea was to communicate a sense of story in one image - in this case, a kitschy postcard hawking land once used as a nuclear test site. Attractions would hearken to the mid-60's, including thrilling rides through a landscape suffering from seismic upheavals and several encounters with mutant worms, culminating in a faceoff with their much larger mother. Final concepts and storyboards would detail former landmarks of the town, marked by lots of "Googie" architecture, now thrust at odd angles or torn in half - providing humorous backstory, offering old videotapes of land developers no longer brave (or stupid) enough to stick around and sell the lots in person - creating fun queues and ride experiences, including a cable "skyway" that swoops across chasms, into caves, and soars between ripped apart icons and sparking electrical towers.
SET DESIGN, PROP FABRICATION & SPFX
"HAMLET'S GHOST"
This low budget sci-fi drama was directed by a friend. About a third of the film was shot on practical locations in Georgia, but I oversaw art direction and prop fabrication for everything in Los Angeles. Tight on time and money, but we got it done, and the film, which I also co-wrote, was selected for screening at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival.
Set Design & Construction
Set Dressing
Prop Fabrication
Still from Finished Production
Retouched Image For Portrait Prop
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"HEALERS"
I wrote this 26 minute film and co-directed with Mr. Robot's Kor Adana. We developed the story together. Since our budget was tight, I wore a few hats, including art direction, prop fabrication and effects. It was fun, but a lot of work. Our tight schedule ultimately meant giving up a couple of scary scenes, which hurt the pacing and overall creepiness, but the film still won awards, and the uber-talented Kor has gone on to some great things.
"HEALERS" - Production Design & Set Dressing
"HEALERS" - Production Design & Set Dressing
"HEALERS" - Ancient Book Prop
Still from Finished Production
"HEALERS" - Prosthetic Makeup Effects
"HEALERS" - Prosthetic Makeup Effects
"HEALERS" - Digital Effects
"HEALERS" - Storyboard Samples
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"HE DOES NOT WANT PEACE"
"HE DOES NOT WANT PEACE" - Special Effects
For this unsettling, 30 minute film starring David Straitharn, the director was lucky enough to secure a renowned DP and Effects Supervisor, both of whom had worked on several prestigious features with budgets over $100 million. However, the director, a good friend, didn't have that kind of budget, and the estimate from his Effects Supervisor to pull off this climactic scene was upwards of $20,000, based on his conviction that it be done with CGI. Knowing I had some experience with animation and practical effects, the director asked me if I could possibly come up with a more cost-effective way. After looking at the plates (the existing shot of Straitharn's character walking around the living room in shock), I took the weekend to sketch up designs on how to convincingly shoot - in camera - a disembodied hand carving words into the wall above a baby's crib - and while the effects supervisor was quite dubious, the DP, thankfully, gave his blessing to my plan, assuring the director it would work. I came in and pulled it off, in camera, using old-school tricks, several hundred pounds of wet sand in a huge tray, and an actor lying on a dolly with a greenscreen sock from wrist to armpit, carving letters as we rolled him across the floor. The compositor did a real-time mockup, and the Effects Supervisor, who had overseen effects work for James Bond movies and Galaxy Quest, gave me a nice grin when it was over. The compositor seamlessly softened the blend between the wall and my sandbox (I chose sand in part because it was a neutral, warm color that would match the wall color and texture) and he airbrushed the wrist end of the hand so it faded away etherally. In the end, I pulled off the effect with a couple of production assistants helping with sand and pulling a dolly, for a total of $500. And had a lot of fun proving it could be old-school.
"HE DOES NOT WANT PEACE" - Production Design & Set Dressing
"HE DOES NOT WANT PEACE" - Production Design & Set Dressing
"HE DOES NOT WANT PEACE" - Production Design & Set Dressing
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MISCELLANEOUS PROP FABRICATION & NOVELTIES
Wolverine claws: Plywood & Epoxy
Prop Cartoon Rifle - 6' Long
PVC Pipe & Cardboard
Heading 2
Makeup Design - Halloween
Aging & Dental Work, Styrene Skulls
Pliers, hot glue, a rag and a little diluted paint can make storebought look "exhumed."
Detail
WINDOW BOX - TROPICAL FISH
Fish: Sculpey Clay, Hand painted. llluminated using hidden LEDs.
Ocean-reclaimed glass added for the "reef."
Cosplay Prop for Midsummer Scream
(Haunt Industry Trade Show)
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DECORATIONS, DEVICES & DIORAMAS
Bas Relief: Papier Mache & Plaster
2019 - Halloween Scenery - Wetbar Transformation: Mutant Alien "Cave"
For this year's Halloween Party, each room had a different theme. The living room was "Sci-Fi Monsters" - incorporating lots of kitschy 50s/60s cinema tropes and lots of giant bugs and spiders.
I had purchased a wonderful rubber alien sculpt from Midsummer Scream, and using only cardboard, melted packing plastic, grocery bags and styrofoam, transformed the recessed wetbar into a "cave" where my alien made his entrance. A few party lights added a retro touch.
2019 - Halloween Scenery - Mutant Squid-Blob
I found some giant bubble wrap and thought it would make for a fun surface texture on a "blob." Since the living room already has a strong "undersea" theme year round, a mutant squid seemed a fun idea. I made the tentacles out of some mattress foam and leftover remnants of a fun, reptillian-textured vinyl material I'd used for the "Olfactoghoul" (scroll up), layered some plastic sheeting on the main body and did some melting with my heat gun. A tiny c7 light provides illumination for the glowing eye.
2019 - Halloween Scenery - Giant Spider Egg Sac
I was about to discard a couple of old paper Chinese lanterns, then thought one might make for a convincing giant spider sac, swathed in raggedy layers of plastic. This took about 45 minutes to make. My guests steered clear of it. :)
"Ariel Ascending" - Illuminated 3D Window Box
"Rudolph-Land" Wet Bar Diorama
At the holidays, I like to create simple dioramas out of cardboard and styrofoam. They're usually kind of garish and gaudy, as it's mostly to entertain friends and their kids when they come to visit.
Home Decoration - "Brides of Nosferatu" Diorama
(Which could also be titled "How do I hide the wet bar THIS time?")
Home Decoration - "Zombie Marshes" Diorama
Repurposed a faded seascape print, some dollar store skeletons and dead branches from around my neighborhood. This is only a portion of the overall diorama, lit with LEDs and blacklight.
