Who Am I

I am a multi-faceted Designer specialising in Concept Design, Art Direction and Production Design for the Entertainment Industries.

ART DEPARTMENT / VFX ART DIRECTOR

I am typically situated in the Art Department as a conduit to the VFX Department, designing and connecting the outputs of both departments to work with each other.

My experience encompasses Film and TV design, Industrial Design, Visualisation, Architecture, Concept Development, Theatre and Event Design. I am also an adept practical and virtual modeller.

I have an excellent skill-set to maximise the potential of an idea, regardless of its intended outcome, producing dynamic and visual design solutions.
Although my main focus is film, tv and theatre I work with all areas of design in a diverse variety of roles which makes me very useful when translating ideas into your version of reality.

I have been working in the Film and Television industries since 1996. In my years as an Production Designer, Concept Designer, Art Director and Illustrator I have gained a wealth of experience in the technical aspects of production in the Entertainment Industries. Additionally I have learned the responsibility of Design and how to reinforce the story telling that best suits the imagination in the narrative.

Entertainment Design is my passion. I love the organic nature of the process, the amazing crews we work with and the need to constantly expand my knowledge beyond the last project. I have developed a wide range of skills to deal with the work I am offered and derive great pleasure in the research and development of the worlds required to tell the stories.

Where did I come from

I was raised in Canberra, Australia and discovered that it had an open environment for the young and restless. I was fortunate to be allowed to enjoy these facets to the fullest and evolved to be a part of the creative underground.

I was a Radio DJ, Residential Designer, Illustrator, Graphic Designer, Poster Designer, Set Builder, Architectural Designer and business owner. I eventually qualified as an Industrial Designer with a passion for everything other than the normal.

I started model-making at a very young age which led to a future adaptation of Computer Aided Design in all facets of my work.

Moving to Sydney I found myself exposed to the overly-bland world of common design. A short course in Art Department Design at AFTRS saw me pursue illustration and design in the Film World. Fortunately this was just as the investment in local productions was restarting and I rode the swell over the next ten years, working a diverse spectrum of films locally and internationally.

How did I get here

I started working in the Film and TV industries in 1996 on the film Dark City. I was employed as a Concept Illustrator to create key frames of specific design moments. This involved creating unique images of the proposed design in the situation it would be used in the story. After creating “pretty images” I was tasked with generating enough solid information to allow for the construction.

At this time I was exposed to the fledgling Visual Effects component of the production. There was a distinct chasm between the departments which would persevere for a decade at least. We were on this side and VFX was on the other.

I saw an opening for a hybrid role in the Art Department. I became a “problem solver and finder-of-solutions”. My main area of design input was on the “bridge” between the Art Department and Special and Visual effects departments. Supplying designs that maintained the Designer's creative vision while satisfying the requirements of multiple departments. Moving the interaction process to the fore of the schedule -rather than later- created a smoother design interaction. I became a filter, if you will.

As a qualified Industrial Designer I am both creative and practical - something that wasn't common in the film world as a specific job title. I got the reputation for creating dramatic but workable designs that fulfilled the cinematic requirement for storytelling and the realities of fabrication.

I got really good at creating visual designs that fit or enhanced the storylines. I stopped creating “pretty” and concentrated on “artificial reality”. The designs I created would work.

Why me

The world of cinematic design and creation is changing fast. I once limited my role as “Concept Designer”.

In recent years I have evolved into an area some describe as “ART-VIS or DESIGN-VIS”. This is a specialised part of the design pipeline that builds the frameworks for the Art and Visual Effects departments to use as the basis of their designs.

I'm very good at the role I play in cinematic storytelling. I take pride in not compromising without reason, not accepting lazy design and ensuring the work I create is realistic as a design solution regardless of the intended use.

My role is potentially more important in the virtual worlds that are now being created. Too often we see situations were the physically fabricated world doesn’t work with the virtual. Having a rock-solid understanding of how the universe interacts with its contents makes for better storytelling, and this is what Im good at.

I bring 30 plus years of varied design experience to my work. The results define this.

I have designed cities, lightsabers, droids, guns, more guns, vehicles, environments, costumes and wardrobe, space craft, concerts, stage plays, virtual experiences, buildings, houses and a whole bunch of other fun stuff.

I am an educator and mentor and openly share my experiences with co-workers and students, and thoroughly enjoy watching those whom I mentor rise to great things.

And so

I am now a 50-something father of two creative women, married to my best friend and love of my life, and am happily settled in Sydney. I am now at the stage of life were I can legitimately regain some of the freedoms I once had and squandered.

I am available when required.