Erik Morris

Employment History

 

Current Employment

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Technical Manager; Lighting / NBCUniversal; Universal Creative - Parks and Resorts

Orlando, FL and Beijing, PRC,  April 2017 - Present  
 

• Saved over $1.6 million in lighting hardware costs by negotiating price and fees vendors and adjusting designs using cross-discipline coordination, and without negatively impacting show quality.

• Spearheaded bid awards, direction of work, budget and schedules for contracts valued over $10 million for Universal Beijing Resort (UBR).

• Prevented design and construction delays/clashes by organizing land-wide dimmer and control rooms from schematic to detailed facility design phases, and provided methodologies to all other project lands to share efficiencies. 

• Resolution of park-wide lighting design scope gaps through team-wide coordinated negotiation and executive-level presentation of solutions.

• Coordinating designs and efforts of team members and labor in Beijing and Orlando with vendors in Beijing, Toronto, Los Angeles, Wichita, KS, upstate New York and Zhongshan, PRC.

• Developed processes, training documents and templates for ACONEX document reviews, executive presentations, cloud-based live status updates, daily reporting of status during COVID-19 impacts and a document repository for my land.

Providing technical and creative/artistic guidance and mentoring to Ride and Show Engineers, Artistic Directors, Producers, Executives, Land Directors and Attractions Managers throughout my area of focus within the Universal Beijing Resort project.  Interpreting creative intent with a technical design application and conversely interpreting technical impacts on the creative direction for all front-of-house (FOH), guest visible lighting applications. Overseeing all technical interactions between creative designers and producers, vendors, responsible engineers, specialty and general contractors, and other relevant third-party individuals and organizations. Ensuring open communication between joint venture partners and contractors based in Beijing, PRC, project team members in Orlando and Beijing, vendors in Los Angeles, Wichita, KS, upstate New York and Zhongshan, PRC. Developing documented best practices and testing procedures with attraction engineers regarding lighting installed directed on and/or within ride vehicles.  Developed a land-wide lighting control system with vendors, third party relevant manufacturers and project system engineers that allow for an interactive, expandable and didactic guest experience through lighting applications. 
 
Created, and continuing to manage and analyze responses to RFPs related to show lighting design, fixture procurement, custom fixture fabrication design and development, lighting controls system design and application. I make the initial final determination of contract awards to proposers based on this analysis and present to project executives these findings for executive approval. I manage the scope, including the scheduling and invoicing of vendors, engaged in this work, both for my particular project and in park-wide, Universal Beijing Resort scopes. I manage lighting design, custom fixture fabrication and lighting fixture procurement contracts valued over $10 million.  
 
Ensuring a high level of environmental, health and workplace safety in the workplace and in observable practice with our project vendors. Adhering to enterprise-wide safety policies, standards, and specifications while providing risk assessments and observations to the internal stakeholders within the project to resolve in a quick, safe and diplomatic method both within the United States and on the Beijing-based site. 

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Previous Employment

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Contract Lighting Designer / L1 - Alchemy Audio Visual Concert Systems (AVCS)

Basalt/Aspen, Colorado - Summer 2016 

 

• Reduced on-site lost time to injury to zero through enacting and enforcing improved safety procedures and policies for all installations and tear-downs, and boom and scissors lift operators and passengers. 

• Gained efficiencies for the enterprise by developing online, lead-level systems to report and track proficiencies and areas of improvement for all disciplines including more than 20 full-time, part-time, contract and freelance/over-hire employees.

• Saved company resources by taking over master electrician duties, after reporting risks observed during reviews of communication between existing freelance lighting programmer and multiple production teams related to a found knowledge gap of designer-level tasks of power distribution and control design components for a large scale concert series featuring multiple nightly headlining acts, including Diana Ross, Cheryl Crow and Smokey Robinson.

• Generated turnkey design solutions and documentation for power allocation, lighting and simple rigging (when necessary) design solutions using WYSIWYG, Vectorworks, Lightwright and Microsoft/Google Office software systems.

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Technical Specialist (Show Team) - Freelance; PSAV Presentation Services

Central Florida - 2015 to 2017

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• Development of execution plans based on the client’s desired budgeted purchases to achieve or exceed their goals while retaining flexibility to make adjustments, up to and including, day-of or on-the-fly. In all capacities I ensure safe and flexible design solutions; typically as Lighting Designer / L1 (also Master Electrician, L2, Video Lead/ V1, Video Assist/V2, Camera Switcher, Shader, Camera Operator, Stage Manager and/or multi-discipline operator).

• Programming, or direction of, design (typically on Hog, Jands, or ChamSys controllers). Maintaining effective communication with project managers and sales team, along with venue, client, keynote and entertainment POCs.

• Added value to the enterprise, as schedules allow, by training lower skilled/experienced technicians seeking on-the-job training in skills related to actual tasks, including lift operations, lighting programming, projection and lighting installation and focusing, power distribution and client/venue coordination, while directing and maintaining a strong priority on safety.

• Maintaining open, honest channels with clients allowing for recommendations on appropriate up-sells in line with goals.

• Ensuring on-site implementation, with zero lost-time injuries or reports, of safe design adhering to a stringent cross-discipline schedule including rigging, audio and staging teams, by in-house and/or third-party vendors, while keeping budgeted hours to a minimum; preventing costly, avoidable overtime situations. Adept to adapt to changing requirements, ensuring end results meet or exceed my client’s requirements,

• Conducting walk-throughs during installation, ensuring adherence to safety guidelines and achieving client goals by guiding them through intermediate (when requested or contracted) and final walk-throughs.

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Lighting Grip; Home Shopping Network, Inc. (HSN)

Saint Petersburg, FL - 2015 to 2017

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• Leading grip (lighting and basic rigging) responsibilities in change overs, installs, strikes and hot sets during the 24/7 broadcast day in outdoor and indoor studios at Home Shopping Network headquarters.

• Following internal design documentation and guidelines to ensure installation of a lighting design solution that maintains full product visibility and a balanced wash look for on-camera talent, while meeting the special requests for each independent product featured in each of the soundstages. With multiple shows and events going on in various soundstage configurations, all programming is done for concurrent usage in each soundstage using a Strand Palette family lighting console. Before all shows, across all stages, camera checks and client reviews occur and changes are made adhering to a strict schedule to ensure seamless transitions across soundstage for concurrent live programming on HSN, HSN2 and special events.

• Basic programming and updating of lighting cues on Strand Palette consoles (multiple generations).

• Maintenance and repair of all for-broadcast lighting fixtures and electrics effects.

 

Lighting and Sound Technician/Board Operator; SAK Comedy Lab

Orlando, FL - 2012 - 2018

 

• Operation of lighting (ETC ION), video (QLab) and sound (Behringer X32) during live improvisational performances and other special events. Supporting the onstage improvisation with lighting and sound effects that both meet a technical requirement for the scene and overall performance and enhance the action on-stage by implementing improvised lighting and sound effects and mixing to match the action and theme while following and operating the multi-disciplinary semi-automated cues specific to each show’s format.

• Creation of live “on-the-fly”, busking lighting designs based on mood and endowments within scenes/games and audience involvement. Live mix of microphones on actors and audience, SFX, live music on digital sound controllers. Enhancing actors' performance of typically family friendly, non-blue, improvisational theatre.

• Communication with front of house, musicians and show host in show, predominately through hand signals to ensure smooth and sharp audience experiences.

• Maintenance of space and A/V and lighting elements and reporting of issues requiring additional work.

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On-call Lead Technician A; Mad Cow Theatre

Orlando, FL - 2010 - 2017

 

• On call lighting, sound, scenic and/or video technician for Mad Cow mainstage and secondstage productions and events.

• Served as interim Technical Director when position was unfilled.  Managed move to current location, from previous location of scenic and lighting inventory. 

• Lighting Board Programmer/Master Electrician for both stage houses (ETC and Strand lighting show control consoles).

• Led build of new shop space built into existing prop storage area.

• Box Truck driver.

• Painter, scenic construction, scenic dresser, electrician, board operator/programmer, crew lead, and/or stage staff, as needed.

 

Freelance Lighting/Scenic/Sound Designer and Technician; EMT Productions

Altamonte Springs, FL - 2002 - 2013

Haines City, FL - 2013 - 2017

 

• Designed, programmed and lead installation and operations of live events, staged performances and taped/steaming productions under strict scheduling and budgetary constraints to meet and exceed client needs in coordination with multiple disciplines and overall production direction. 

• Added value to turnkey repertory plot and controls solutions by including training documents and courses.

 

Specializing in Staged and Live Event Lighting Design; management of self and technicians and designers per event.  Efficiently negotiating contracts, invoicing and billing. Completing design work through performance operations and tear-downs, as contracted; including rehearsal and production meetings, AutoCAD/VectorWorks design and documentation.

 

Completing design through final phase within sensitive time and budgetary limits.Maintaining a high level of communication and collaboration through the project cycle.  Design, draft, lead installation and realization of design solutions for a myriad of clients needs and budgets, mostly in the theatrical/staged environment. I create a design based on director and producer feedback, other designer coordination and my own script analysis.

Providing additional services and support through management, training, and supervision, of on-site crews as needed., and by adjusting scopes to include serving as Stage Management, Master Electrician, Carpenter, Board Operator, Adjunct, etc. as contracted.

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Technical Producer; Cybis Communications

Orlando, FL - 2014 - 2015

 

• Director-level management of Event Technology division (hiring, staffing, budgeting, logistics and warehouse management of labor and resources) and staff management of 6 full/part-time, 2 interns and additional freelance/local assistant directors, designers, programmers, operators, electricians, and hands nationwide.

• Grew in-house talent through the creation of Cybis Academy; cross-training and growing staff skills which allowed for more concurrent and adjacent production schedules and saving enterprise money through reducing outside video hires to zero and lighting programmers to two.

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Transitioned Cybis from a hiring unskilled Production Assistants, to hiring skilled Production Technicians for event load-in and strikes utilizing both my personal network and connections along with my knowledge of where to look for specific skillsets. Transitioned high-achieving warehouse freelancers into Assistant Technical Directors and Assistant Directors. 

 

Started and was responsible for the hiring of Event Technology Interns for the company. Created budgets, RFPs, logistical and technical plans, renderings, wiring diagrams and technical on-site teams matching creative production goals with internally available technology, staffing strengths and through negotiation with unions ans external vendors.

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Led on-site load-in, installation and strike for all events maintaining superior safety records, with zero lost time injuries, and efficient installation of all events. Often, upon complete installation I transitioned to Director, Lighting Director, Technical Director, Video Switcher, Camera Operator roles. Produced all Cybis events for the Mall at Millenia.

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Coordinated all event vendors and venue services, including audio, rigging, power, staffing and scheduling needs for all events.I built, trained and comprehensively reviewed freelance team members and processes for warehouse and inventory efficiency and co-training. Approved all in-division purchases/contracts.  

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Created processes and training for all employees on how to utilize the inventory, specific to their job titles, in order to facilitate smooth warehouse asset allocation.  Built connections with 3rd party vendors building a dedicated network for Cybis Event Technology willing to assist us in meeting our budget for all events.

 

Entertainment Technician; The Walt Disney Company

Lake Buena Vista, FL - 2014 

 

• Collaborating with the team, built and installed all lighting effects for the 2014 Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

• Trained in pyrotechnics installation assistance for all Walt Disney World Theme Parks daily shows and special events.

• Trained in boom and scissors lift operations/driving.

 

Artistic & Technical Director and Teacher; Polk County School Board

Polk County, FL - 2012 - 2014

 

• Teaching design, technical theatre, acting, improvisation, theatre history and scriptwriting to students grade 6 to 8. (McLaughlin Middle School and Fine Arts Academy). 

• Taught design and technical theatre to students from grades 3 to 8. (Davenport School of the Arts) 

• Directed all mainstage and competition productions throughout the school year. 

• Lead all production designs, builds, installs, hangs/focuses and strikes for all on-campus theatre productions and special events in all production spaces. 

• Directed usage and upkeep of technical theatre element inventories and all on campus production spaces. 

• Created and maintained departmental budgets both internal to the department and in collaboration with school budgets. 

• Maintained high safety standards and OSHA compliance, with zero incident reports over tenure. 

• Programmed and designed lighting solutions utilizing conventional, intelligent and LED fixtures for concerts, dance, theatrical and other productions and events on EDI Bijou II (McLaughlin) and Strand Palette (Davenport) consoles. 

• Served as Stage Manager, Lighting Designer, Sound Designer, Scenic Designer and/or associated crew roles as needed for productions and events across all artistic disciplines and events. 

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Students, under my instruction, in the theatre department showed an average of 25% increase in learning gains.

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Competition pieces at ACT Fest received top scores in Middle Schools for Technical Challenge, Scriptwriting and One-Act events in 2013-14. Superior and Excellent ratings in all other categories entered in student individual events. Sponsor of International Junior Thespians Society Troupe # 88897 (McLaughlin Middle School and Fine Arts Academy), seeing membership grow by 300%.  Built a volunteer pre-production and production crew, and developed student involvement incentive programs for use in all on-campus productions, saving school resources from outside hire needs and building engagement on campus. 

 

Entertainment Technician (Seasonal: Summer); LEGOLAND® Florida

Winter Haven, FL - Summer 2013

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• Opening / Closing systems operations for all ride, show and background music/effects parkwide at LEGOLAND Florida and LEGOLAND Florida Water Park.

• Maintenance and repair of GLP intelligent and LED fixtures, 70 Volt parkwide sound reinforcement and fog, haze, snow and other theatrical effect instrumentation.

• Installation and programming of W-DMX and DMX using GrandMA and WholeHog III controllers.

• Maintenance of Alcorn McBride show control (IO64, SMPTE, v4 & v16 Pro in "4D" theatre and in ride/show envelopes.

• Designed and built life size, to-scale scenic properties for the World of Chima grand opening, media opening and Fourth of July events based from LEGO® World of Chima™ models.

• Commissioning of The World of Chima.

• Gained efficiencies parkwide, at zero cost, for the Entertainment Team, by creating workflow, lighting inventory and work order tracking documentation and procedures utilizing existing Microsoft Office licenses.

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Led the design-build work of to-scale wood and foam opening ceremony World of Chima props. These full-scale props were based on LEGO products, where I determined the correct scale factor for all pieces within a maximum margin of error of 1/32”.  Performed key repair and maintenance on existing World of Chima props, costume character headpieces and effects to ensure top quality onstage with increased usability for cast and crew.  Assisted in the installation of sound and lighting components to the ride envelope, area development background music and queue environment at the new World of Chima.

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Responsible for 70V sound system elements installation, maintenance and repair and general network, video, show control, sound and lighting troubleshooting and repair. 

 

Master Electrician (Summer Contract); American Stage Theatre Company

St. Petersburg, FL - Summer 2012

 

• Executed lighting design elements for production including hang, cabling/wiring, focus and programming (ETC EOS) sessions.

• Created and updated documentation for all process and budgetary needs and updated or created Lightwright and VectorWorks paperwork.

• Liaised between Lighting Designer and Technical Director.

• Maintained/repaired equipment incl. MAC 2k, Sea Changer, dimmers, additional accessories & conventional fixtures.

 

Technical Stage Staff; Radiance of the Seas

Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines - 2011

 

• Setup, strike, changeovers, run crew, deck management on-board venues. Multiple back-line, production show, guest entertainment and special event setups.

• Electrician for day-to-day theatre maintenance/support needs including tasks as a followspot operator and tasks which consistently required lifting, carrying and/or pulling weights up to and beyond 75 pounds.

• Repaired and maintained; MAC 250, 500 & 600, Roboscan, QFX & ETC fixtures, speaker drivers, SHURE microphones, scenic) properties and effects, etc.

• Elected as a Crew Welfare Committee board member; designing, organizing and running crew events on-board and in port for Radiance of the Seas crew.

• Hosted for Sports/Tournaments, player for Improvisation Showcase with guests, sound engineer/male understudy for dinner theatre murder mystery.

 

Lighting Designer/Technician/Stagehand; Orlando Repertory Theatre

Orlando, FL - 2010 - 2015

 

• Over multiple show contract positions, designed lights and operated lighting, sound, scenic and rigging equipment, hardware and software for both in-house productions and external clients/rentals.

• Part of technical / design teams for six of the top seven highest grossing productions over tenure.

• Served as the company liaison/facilitator for external clients, most prominently the Orlando International Fringe Festival.

• Worked with actors and technicians ranging from age 10-adult.  

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Gameday Announcer & Statistician - Orlando Dragons; National Xtreme Baseball League

Deland, FL - 2010-2011

 

• Provided live game-day play-by-play and color commentary over live broadcast and in-stadium PA.

• Tracked and updated live stats and game-day stats for league use and broadcast.

• Live mix audio and SFX with broadcast and PA commentary.

• Prompter and Cue Card reads for sponsors/advertisers.

 

Improvisational Actor; Power 2 Improv

Kissimmee, FL - 2009-2011

 

• Player/performer for award-winning family/child friendly, high audience involvement short-form improvisational comedy productions.

• Added values by marketing for public productions, setup and strike at production site locations.

 

Designer/Project Manager; Digitec Interactive

Orlando, FL - 2009 - 10

 

• Designed English and multilingual eLearning serious games and traditional eLearning courses.

• Created Storyboards, design strategies and documentation, prototype development, testing and workflow process management and designer.

• Developed process improvements at enterprise-wide and project levels.

• Point of contact between external clients and internal development on local, national and international scopes.

• Managed day-to-day operations of multiple congruent projects with external and internal clients, including "blue- sky" and project health sessions.

• Constructed project bids on estimates and overages for new accounts.

• Programmed and produced XML content for games and eLearning solutions, wrote game/narration/dialogue scripts, developed and implemented game/story content and scoring systems.

• Directed for voice-over talent and sessions, quality assurance lead and database manager for congruent projects.

 

Playwrights' Round Table - Vice President/Technical Director

Orlando, FL - 2008 - 11

 

• Oversaw period of growth in membership and awards for original productions as chairperson for marketing and advertising, and script reviews and production selection boards.  

• Unanimous annual election as Vice President in 2008, '09, '10 and '11.

• Technical Director for Playwrights' Round Table - a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

• Artistic Director; 2010 John Goring Memorial One-Act Festival and Awards show (inaugural).

• Led marketing, advertising & play reading/adjudication committees and expansion of membership, advertisers, promotional materials & income.

• Managed technical and production staff in multiple organization shows/events.

• Successful scenic, sound and lighting designs of multiple organization shows/events.

 

Designer/Project Manager; Electronic Arts, Inc.

Orlando, FL - 2005 - 09

 

• Designed, supported production teams and/or provided QA leadership of multiple titles including: Madden NFL, NCAA, Tiger Woods, UEFA, Fight Night, Battlefield and additional franchises and single production titles.

• Led as a 3rd party standards expert and documentation reviewer maintaining compliance with Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo titles.

• Led transition enterprise-wide from Gen2 to Gen 3 consoles from a quality assurance and standards compliance perspective.

• Provided content for EA Online properties including EA Fantasy Football.

• Promoted multiple times over course of career, starting at QA Online Tester, Lead Compliance Tester, Associate Producer and Project Manager.

• Additional details and credits available upon request.

 

Lighting Lab Supervisor; University of South Florida - College of Visual and Performing Arts

Tampa, FL - 2002 - 03

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• Oversaw technical theatre lab students (new, non-major and experienced) and teach lighting maintenance and repair.

• Instructed students how to read and create applicable paperwork, including: plots, instrument/dimmer schedules, lamp/gel/gobo inventories, etc.

• Tracked all student hours and tasks for grading purposes.

• Created work/assignment schedules/plans for classes (2 per semester).

• Maintained equipment and inventories for all 4 theatre spaces in college. 

• Led lighting crews for all load-in, focus and strike sessions for college spaces and productions.

• Collaborated with Lighting Designers, Coordinators and Master Electricians on scheduling and task management for all pre-production tasks within the college.

• Recommended students to faculty for college production assignments.

• Mentored and developed students.