Four Fauxfire© pylons and two 30-foot long curved water screens.

Incorporating the Technifex patented Fauxfire© into this unique arrangement created a spectacular effect for these Lexington Scenery-designed fire bowl pylons which adorn the casino gaming decor.

The two 30-foot long, curved, water screens (one pictured below, left) welcome visitors as they enter the Dakota Dunes Hotel and Casino lobby.

Involvement: Concept development, lead designer, CAD designed mechanisms, engineering and drafting, facility interface, documentation, production oversight, information systems management, technical writing, graphic art, desktop publishing.

A 360° rear-projection tower, 40 feet tall. 20 feet in diameter at the top, 13 feet at the circular bar. This spectacular center-piece for the Masquerade Bar utilizes 20 high-end projectors mounted on a center structure surrounded by custom-fit acrylic glass panels for the rear-projection surface. Over the bar is a circular stage with Fauxfire® around it's edge. Fauxfire® is a Technifex-original product, incorporating steam, air and high-intensity lighting to simulate an all-too-real fire effect. Dancers on this circular stage appear to be dancing within 3-foot-tall flames. A truly breathtaking and eye-popping show.

Built in California, all the structural elements had to be designed to be disassembled, shipped, and transported on freeways, through the casino lobby and gaming floor, then reassembled on-site. Since there was no room for cranes, the mammoth structure was carefully erected using a pair of heavy-duty forklifts working in unison.

Air'n Art Designs was brought on-board from the incept to head the 3D structural and mechanical design, as well as the production effort. Engineering assistance from Entertainment Engineering helped to make this Technifex project an inspired success.

Involvement: SAE design development, engineering design, CAD designed mechanisms, engineering and drafting, facility interface, documentation, production oversight, information systems management, technical writing, graphic art, desktop publishing.

Complete 4-D immersive experience 150-seat theater with 3-D audio, wind, water, and lighting effects incorporating custom tactile sensory seats.

Involvement: SAE design development, engineering design, CAD designed mechanisms, engineering and drafting, facility interface, documentation, production oversight, information systems management, technical writing, graphic art, desktop publishing.

images courtesy of Lester Creative, Inc.

"As if it were something out of a Jules Vern science fiction..."

That is the impression someone might get after seeing this beautiful center-piece to the Falls View Casino in Niagara Falls, Canada. A creation of pure genius incorporating 360° LED video and video content, fountain effects, sub-sonic audio, sound effects, fiber-optics, and state-of-the-art laser.

Involvement: Design development, engineering design, CAD designed mechanisms, engineering and drafting, facility interface, documentation, production oversight, information systems management, technical writing, graphic art, desktop publishing.

The Chippewas of Mnjikaning First Nation, an aboriginal community north of Toronto, have turned to modern theatrical technology to showcase their ancient history and culture. Visitors to Casino Rama Resort in Rama, Ontario, Canada, are treated to an eight-minute multimedia show, designed and produced by Lester Creative, Inc., of Valencia, CA.

Involvement: Concept development, CAD designed mechanisms and engineering, documentation, information systems management, technical writing, graphic art, desktop publishing.

Fox Studios Australia is home to the world’s only Titanic experience, a unique journey of more than 20 minutes in which the visitor becomes a film extra – and is part of one of the greatest productions of all time. A recreation of the final moments of James Cameron’s epic film, Titanic – The Experience takes the visitor "on set", where assistant directors supervise their subsequent journey through many scenes familiar to fans of the 1998 Academy Award-winning blockbuster.

One of the key attractions of the Fox Studios Back lot, "Titanic – The Experience" begins dockside, where – recast as an extra for the film - the visitor queues to board the ill-fated luxury liner and is shepherded and supervised by a number of 'assistant directors', providing background and atmosphere to the main actors on the set.

What happens on the journey is pre-determined, but the visitor does not know until the iceberg hits whether they make it to a lifeboat - or meet a less pleasant fate.

Two enormous motion bases using the most sophisticated, original and durable hydraulic technology available are central to "Titanic – The Experience".

The bases move laterally and vertically (up to 22.5 degrees) and generate 2Gs of acceleration to recreate the impact of the iceberg and subsequent lurching movement of the sinking vessel.

Temperatures in the attraction range from a searing 38 degrees down to 12 degrees. Other effects used in creating the experience include fireball and flame effects, mechanical effects such as breaking pipes, ultra violet effects and state-of-the-art digital projection.

Props used in the film were shipped to Sydney and feature in James Cameron's Titanic - The Experience. They include costumes worn by the film's stars, life jackets, crockery and the actual scale model of the full ship used in the film. As well, there is the scale model of the broken ship at the ocean’s floor.

Technifex served as producer for this show and oversaw the management and direction of over thirty vendors here in the United States and in Australia.

Involvement: Concept development, CAD designed mechanisms and engineering, documentation, information systems management, technical writing, graphic art, desktop publishing.

"Rusty", a twelve-foot-tall animated baseball player and four water cannons showcase the "Splash Landing" theme to the new Pac Bell Park, home of the San Francisco Giants baseball team. "Rusty" is fashioned after a turn-of-the-century toy but is in actuality a state-of-the-art animatronic figure capable of a dozen pre-programmed skits. After a stolen base, "Rusty" comes out a performs a mock run and slide along a 100-foot track mounted to the right field wall. A home home might prompt "Rusty" to come out of his brick-camouflaged shed and perform a moon walk or a Johnny-be-good air guitar performance. "Rusty" is fully articulated with even a changing glove, depending upon whether he is fielding or up to bat.

The water cannons accentuate home runs or other significant events during the game. Volumes of water are ejected out the tops of the cannon towers in a focused stream, which at night are further enhance by intense colored lights, creating a fireworks type of light show with the magnificent San Francisco bay as a backdrop.

Involvement: Concept development, CAD designed mechanisms and engineering, documentation, information systems management, technical writing, graphic art, desktop publishing.

Designed by Technifex, their booth won "Best Booth" at the 1999 IAAPA trade show. Air'n Art Design took the preliminary concept and developed it into a feasible, build-able design. This modular booth is all aluminum construction and even has a second-story conference area with a gracefully spiraling  staircase.

Involvement: Concept development, CAD design and engineering, documentation, information systems management, technical writing, graphic art, desktop publishing.

Featuring a dazzling 360º exhibition of shooting fountains, kaleidoscopic lasers, billowing pyrotechnics and water screen projections.

Involvement: 3D fly-through demonstrations for site line studies and presentation packages

Products to enhance the Water Park visitor's experience.

Water blasters, slide-tube special effects, projection effects (see video), and a multitude of themed environments... Hundreds of unique and powerful products and enhancements for the wet and wild world of water parks!

Involvement: 3D mechanical design, Product Development, Injection molds and part development, Documentation, information systems management, technical writing, graphic art, desktop publishing.

Expanding the immersive experience of theater audiences, taking them from simply watching, to feeling that they are phyisically being affected by what is happening on the screen.

Sensory input features are incorporated into the 4D theater seat and surrounding environment; 3D visuals, smoke or fog, scents and smells, wind and breeze, surround audio, water spritz, rain, air bladders in the seat, seat vibration, air ticklers... some of the techniques used to thrust the guest into the next dimension of theater entertainment.

Involvement: 3D mechanical design, Product Development, Documentation, information systems management, technical writing, graphic art, desktop publishing.

Technifex used specialized lighting, fog, and animated mechanisms to recreate the haunting of the Queen Mary in The Ghosts and Legends attraction onboard the famous ship.

Involvement: CAD Design, Drafting Documentation, information systems management, facility interface, technical writing, graphic art, desktop publishing.

Client: Technifex, Inc.

Video Wall, Footlocker Retail Store
Manhattan, New York (1998)

Concept study of a moving "video wall" for a Flagship Footlocker Store at Walt Disney World, Florida.

Each video wall consisted of 12, 36" LCD displays mounted together to form a single video source panel. Each panel were to be mounted on a telescoping boom-arm that extended and retracted and moved around a circular track and could form various combinations of video presentation.

Involvement: 3D fly-through demonstrations for site line studies and presentation packages

"Sparkling Fresh" Water Purifier/Dispenser
Santa Clarita, California (1997)

The "Sparkling Fresh" project, for Hydrotechnology, Inc., involved the creation of a logo and an image for use on the Sparkling Fresh water dispensers located throughout the Los Angeles area.

Involvement: Logo Development, Concept Design and Art Direction.

MGM Grand Hotel/Casino, Entrance MGM Grand - Las Vegas, Nevada (1996-Present)

Assisting Lester Creative, Air'n Art Designs helped to create the internal structure for the showcase statue as well as many facility/show related elements.

Involvement: For Lester Creative; Mechanical Design support, concept development, research and development.

Involvement: For Lester Creative; Mechanical Design support, concept development, research and development.

For Lester Creative; Concept Phase Only. General Motors/Walt Disney Productions add-on to the Transportation Pavilion showcase.

Involvement: For Lester Creative; Mechanical Design support, concept development, research and development.

For Lester Creative; Concept Phase Only. Add-on spectacle of a giant monster figure (static) incorporated into a water ride attractions' loading platform.

Involvement: For Lester Creative; Mechanical Design support, concept development, research and development.

Backyard Monsters II: The World of Insects

Santa Clarita, California (1995)

Involvement: Concept and design, Project Mechanical Engineer.

Four giant, fully articulated, anatomically correct insect showcase (Tarantula spider, Caterpillar, Fighting Beetles, Wasp) and educational interactives. This sequel to the original world-touring exhibit was created following urging by museums enthusiastic for more high-quality animatronic giant insects.

Involvement: Concept development, CAD designed mechanisms, Interactive elements design, documentation, information systems management, technical writing, graphic art, desktop publishing.

Four fully articulated dioramas depicting scenes of Mans' early existence as well as educational interactives.

Involvement: Concept development, content research and development, CAD designed mechanisms, documentation, information systems management, graphic art, desktop publishing.

This twenty-foot tall, thirty five-foot wing spanned, fire spewing dragon carries a live actor on it's head during the show. It incorporated state-of-the-art computer controlled compliance systems.

Involvement: Concept development, CAD designed mechanisms and engineering, documentation, information systems management, technical writing, graphic art, desktop publishing.

Four guest interaction figures and a thirty-eight-foot-tall tree superstructure. These figures, located in a casino lounge, would sing and play music until a guest hit a jackpot and they would wise-crack and cajole the guest.

Involvement: Concept development, CAD designed mechanisms and engineering, documentation, information systems management, technical writing, graphic art, desktop publishing.

A passel of pirates, wenches, parrots and props were designed and built for this fun-loving “dark-ride.”

Involvement: Concept development, CAD designed mechanisms and engineering, documentation, information systems management, technical writing, graphic art, desktop publishing.

Involvement: Concept phase design support, Concept development, research and development, bid support.

Involvement: Concept phase design support, Concept development, bid support.

Involvement: Concept phase design support, Concept development, Bid Support.

Twelve fully articulated, full sized, animatronic dinosaurs for their amusement park showcase.

Involvement: Concept development, CAD designed mechanisms and engineering, documentation, information systems management, technical writing, graphic art, desktop publishing.

Two of five full size, museum-quality animatronic dinosaurs.

Involvement: Concept development, CAD designed mechanisms and engineering, documentation, information systems management, technical writing, graphic art, desktop publishing.

Showcase for this theme park included a 14' giant squid, and various pirate figures.

Involvement: Concept development, CAD designed mechanisms and engineering, documentation, information systems management, technical writing, graphic art, desktop publishing.

Four giant, fully articulated, anatomically correct insect showcase (Praying Mantis, Unicorn Beetle, Emperor Scorpion, Black Widow Spider) and educational interactives. This world-touring exhibit gained critical acclaim from entomologists for it's anatomical accuracy and detail.

Involvement: Concept development, CAD designed mechanisms, documentation, information systems management, technical writing, graphic art, desktop publishing.

Four, fully articulated mythical figures (Bacchus, Apollo, Venus, etc.) which appear to be marble statues mounted on a fully functional rotating fountain, that suddenly “come to life” and entertain passersby with song, humor and wit.

Involvement: Concept development, CAD designed mechanisms, documentation, information systems management, technical writing, graphic art, desktop publishing.

This dancing water opera included special optical and aquatic effects which required special design consideration for submerged and semi-submerged devices and effects.

Involvement: Concept development, CAD designed mechanisms and engineering, documentation, information systems management, technical writing, graphic art, desktop publishing.

Eighteen-foot-tall Paul Bunyan and his thirteen-foot-tall Blue Ox, Babe, highlighted this attraction along with various other human and animal figures.

Involvement: Concept development, CAD designed mechanisms and engineering, documentation, information systems management, technical writing, graphic art, desktop publishing.

A nine-foot tall, fully articulated animatronic creature that might resemble a Yeti, or “Big-foot.”

Involvement: CAD designed mechanisms, documentation, information systems management, technical writing, graphic art, desktop publishing.

An animatronic fantasy figure used in mall displays.

Involvement: Documentation, information systems management, technical writing, graphic art, desktop publishing.

Figures included a twenty-foot-tall, waist to head, fully articulated genie. Twelve-foot-tall sunflowers and assorted dancing lollipops.

Involvement: Documentation, information systems management, technical writing, graphic art, desktop publishing.

A twelve-foot-tall animated dinosaur for their theme park attraction.

Involvement: CAD designed mechanisms and engineering, documentation, information systems management, technical writing, graphic art, desktop publishing.

Dozens of animatronic fantasy creatures that put Disney's “Small World” to shame.

Involvement: CAD designed mechanisms and fabrication, documentation, information systems management, technical writing, graphic art, desktop publishing.

Two hundred various figures from one-foot to ten-feet tall.

Involvement: Documentation, information systems management, technical writing, graphic art, desktop publishing.

Complete “dark-ride” show, with over twenty various figures, lifts and props.

Involvement: CAD designed mechanisms, documentation, information systems management, technical writing, graphic art, desktop publishing.

Giants of the Deep
Pacific Science Center - Seattle, Washington (1990)

Four life-sized animatronic whales which included a swimming Sperm whale, Narwhal and Orca (“Killer”) whale. A Gray whale spy-hopping through an ice flow and a Humpback whale rolling over and fin flapping. All swimming motions were designed and programmed using hours of research and observation of real whale swimming patterns.

Involvement: Concept development, CAD designed mechanisms, documentation, information systems management, technical writing, graphic art, desktop publishing and programming of their lifelike motions.

Dramatic scenario of an earthquake induced flood and fire. Specialized props were designed to simulate and portray realistic events (tanker truck overturning, water tower eruption, power line collapse with sparks and flame.) that interact with live actors and stunt persons.

Involvement: Concept development, CAD designed mechanisms, documentation, information systems management, technical writing, graphic art, desktop publishing.

These famous forty-foot tall simians are known the world over for their awesome appearance and realism (such as real bad breath, generated by a scent cannon using banana extract and ammonia). One giant ape hangs off of a bridge pylon while another terrorizes the tour vehicle.

Involvement: Concept development, CAD designed mechanisms, documentation, information systems management, technical writing, graphic art, desktop publishing.

Animated beasts for interactive laser tag game.

Involvement: Concept development, CAD designed mechanisms, fabrication, documentation, information systems management, graphic art.

“Pollutie”, as he later became known, was a star attraction in this animatronic/live action “opera” where the “product of evil pollution” (composed of old car parts, sewage waste, various pieces of scrap form a gigantic humanoid skull ten-feet in diameter with pointed metal chomping teeth) battles the champion of man with laser-like pyro-techniques and smoke.

Involvement: Concept development, CAD designed mechanisms, fabrication, documentation, information systems management, graphic art.

“Leviathan” movie effects (1988)

Animatronic creature effects and high-tech deep sea suit props for the making of the film.

Involvement: Production logistics and schedules, design and fabrication.

“Short Circuit 2”
“Short Circuit 2” movie effects (1988)

Fully animated radio-controlled movie props, and miniature models.

Involvement: Design concept, prototype development, department management, budgets and schedules.

Animatronic high-tech children's toy that employed double-track (stereo) audio cassette to manipulate analog animation control and audio sound track. The resulting products were “Teddy Ruxpin”, “Grubby”, “Mother Goose” and “Hector”, “Baby Teddy Ruxpin” and “Baby Muppets” applying the same technique.

Involvement: Design concept, prototype development, department management, budgets and schedules.

Animatronic integrated “Walk-a-Round” costumes for trade shows and promotions. Incorporated remote radio controlled facial and audio system.

Involvement: Design concept, prototype development, department management, budgets and schedules.

Animated figure, set miniatures and props for “Value Tales” TV show.

Involvement: Design concept, prototype development, department management, budgets and schedules.

Tour figure prototypes and props.

Involvement: Design concept, prototype development, department management, budgets and schedules.

Hasbro, Mattel, Rankin/Bass, Filmation, Family Home Entertainment

Videocassette advertising and promotions (1985-1986)

Involvement: Art director, packaging designer, point of purchase animated display design and prototype fabrication, trade show booth design, production artist, client coordinator, graphic artist, camera technician, photographic artist, computerized image manipulation, information systems management.

Videocassette advertising and promotions (1985-1986)

Involvement: Art director, packaging designer, point of purchase animated display design and prototype fabrication, trade show booth design, production artist, client coordinator, graphic artist, camera technician, photographic artist, computerized image manipulation, information systems management.

General audience programs video promotions (1985-1986)

Videocassette advertising and promotions.

Involvement: Art director, packaging designer, point of purchase animated display design and prototype fabrication, trade show booth design, production artist, client coordinator, graphic artist, camera technician, photographic artist, computerized image manipulation, information systems management.

Videocassette advertising and promotions.

Involvement: Art director, packaging designer, point of purchase display design, trade show booth design, production artist, client coordinator, graphic artist, camera technician, photographic artist, computerized image manipulation, information systems management.

"It's a Small World”
Theme park attraction - Tokyo Bay, Japan/Orlando, Florida (E.P.C.O.T.)/ Anaheim, California (1980-1983)

Various figures and props in this popular showcase.

Involvement: Animatronics fabricator.

Various figures and props in this popular showcase.

Involvement: Animatronics fabricator.

Several dozen elephants, alligators, pigmies, gazelles, horses, figures and props in this popular showcase.

Involvement: Animatronics fabricator.

Various figures and props in this new showcase.

Involvement: Animatronics fabricator.

Various figures and props in this new showcase.

Involvement: Animatronics fabricator.

Fancy Pockets
Women's apparel, jeans (1978)

Designed ornate, symmetrical patterns to be stitched on the rear pockets of women's jeans.

Involvement: Designer

Designed color and pattern coordination for fall line sweaters.

Involvement: Designer