BENJAMIN K. WALLACE

Benjamin K. Wallace

631 Atkins Dr. |   Glendale, CA 91206   | 626.390.2768 (C)   |   benkwallace@gmail.com   |   www.benjaminkwallace.com

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Summary

Energetic and talented production professionalwith broad-based skills in managing end-to-end projects with work that has achieved national and global recognition. Degreed engineer, who combines solid technical skills with creative flair in managing projects that continually exceed expectations. Accomplished leader who engages and challenges teams, optimizing human capital resources. 

Career Progression

Technical & Artistic Consultant, Los Angeles, CA Area                                              2014 to Present

Provide wide-ranging services for theme spaces and environmental design, along with related technical engineering design and support. Serve in lead roles for film production with set, prop, and costume design, as well as storyboarding and production logistics/procurement. Conduct project management services including development and management of budgets and scheduling, along with supervision of diverse, cross-functional crews. 

Selected Projects & Contributions  

• Developed a conceptual proposal for theme parkset at the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle, centered around a fictional time travel portal that transports guests to global locations of significant historical importance. The concept outlines a space that would provide an exciting and unique experience for guests to enjoy first-hand, the sights, cultures, and period cuisines of the great, past civilizations.    

• Designed and developed cost effective, but visually effective propsused in both film and theatrical productions, ranging from simple wood/metal fabrication and hand carving to more complex pieces with designs involving mechanical engineering design, safety considerations, and assembly.   

• Reviewed books and film scripts from writers, producers, and directors, providing critical review and addressing the viability of commercial publication or production.

• Served as Co-Producer, set designer, logistics, prop fabricator and story consultant on multiple award winning documentary shorts and music videos including the “Part of Your World” music video based on “The Little Mermaid” animated film that drew over 6.5 million views on YouTube.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5o30kw8Zji0

• Recognized nationally and globally for creative abilitiesfor a prop that was the first-ever American cosplayer piece shown in a top Japanese cosplay magazine also, designed a painted sculpture that appeared in White Dwarf magazine. 

• Managed environmentally friendly, low maintenance residential landscaping projects, capitalizing on themed entertainment training. Produced concept drawings and directed contractors in work scopes that included installation masonry walls, irrigation systems, year-round flowering plants, shrubs, and trees. Tracked project cost and schedule via Excel, successfully meeting all financial and timeline objectives. 

•  Established a custom furniture and furniture renovation studio. Designed the furniture with tools such Adobe Illustrator; used advanced woodworking techniques, including hand carving and specialized finishing/refinishing.Leveraged set and prop design skills in various home bed and bathroom remodeling projects. Worked with contractors and owners in space development with materials and paint selections that offered high-end aesthetics, with cost effective, alternative materials.

• Served as Co-Producer, set Designer, lead fabricator,and in other support roles for music videos “Drowning Beautiful” and “Stay with Me”, both of which achieved wide acclaim for sets and costumes as well as nation-wide popularity on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d17VFhH628Y   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JL9dBrKkSC8

• Served as Co-Producer, story consultant, set design and set construction,“SCA- The Dream” design of medieval period sets and props for this introductory video for the non-profit worldwide medieval enthusiast society the SCA. This video is on the society’s front page and used as their primary recruitment tool. https://vimeo.com/196029359

Testimonial 

“I have the pleasure and the good fortune to have Benjamin Wallace on my creative team… His innovative thinking and ability is in a variety of areas; from story concepts to shot composition, lighting, and costume design to fantastical, prop construction and engineering know how. Ben is a one-man creative army…. a tireless researcher, problem solver and creative inspiration. He has a never-ending stream of proactive and well-crafted ideas. He always makes my vision bigger and better than originally planned.” Raiya Corsiglia, Director  

Manufacturing Engineer, Glenair, Inc.  Glendale, CA                                   2008 to 2014

Reporting to both the Senior Product Engineer and VP of Engineering, served as the Project Manager on multimillion-dollar projects supervising a team of 15+ assemblers. Involved in new product design from concept, prototype, manufacturability, cost analysis, and production for connectors and cable harness components. 

• Proactively developed the company-wide assembly procedures, standardizing processes, with dissemination of important information in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Cantonese, and Mandarin Chinese which contributed to significant savings and minimized re-work due to inconsistent or ambiguous instructions.

• Sourced and qualified potential vendors; developed bid packages (RFPs)with specifications and/or statements of work. Reviewed responses, negotiated terms, and awarded work based on optimal combinations of pricing and quality.  

• Successfully completed an on time, on budget storage facility redesignoptimizing the current building, with changes that accommodated a 50% boost in staffing along with a 20% increase in storage capacity. 

Education

BS Manufacturing Engineering, California Poly Technic, Pomona, CA

PPI Mechanical Engineering PE Review Course – Currently taking courses and studying for the Professional Engineer’s certification.

Theme Park Design- 2018- A 14-week course that included park icons, elevation views, land master plan, value studies of land, attraction plan, attraction points-of-view (PoVs), value studies, and color renderings. 

Intro to I.D. modeling - 2018-Introduction to common prop and prototype materials and construction methods with work in styrene sheets, vacuum forming, and fiberglass, along with other materials.

Environment Sketching-2017- A 10-week design course in development of skills in sketching and conveying the shape of the environment.

Art Center at Night -2015 to 2017 - Figure Drawing, Perspective, Art of Visual Entertainment, Intro to Entertainment Design, Digital Painting.

Studio Arts - 2016 - SketchUp Pro 101 and 201 Certifications.

Brainstorm School - 2016 - World Building –  A design of spaces in 1-, 2-, and 3-point perspectives. 

Concept Design Academy - 2015 to 2016 - Visual Communication, Dynamic Sketching, Figure Drawing, Sketching for Environment.

UCLA, Art and Science of Entertainment Design First and Second Course, DesignIdea presented to Walt Disney Imagineering, team awarded first place out of 5 teams with concept of future schools’ curriculum. 

Technical Competencies

Software

2D/3D Cad (AutoCAD, SketchUp, SOLIDWORKS), Keynote, Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe (Photoshop, InDesign), Windows/Mac OS. 

Manufacturing Methods & Material Knowledge

Metal Working:  Lathe, Mill Machining, CNC 3 and 5 Axis, Welding (Acetylene, TIG, MIG), Casting (Aluminum, Magnesium), Forming Design. 

Wood Working: Hand Carving, Lathe, Power Tool Shaping, General Carpentry.

Plastics: Injection Molding, Vacuum Forming, 3-D Printing.

Additional Artistic/Creative Skills & Experience

O-Scale Model Sculpting and Painting (15+ years ‘experience), Furniture Design and Construction, Stone Carving, Artificial Landscape Construction, Resin Casting and Molding, Drawing (Pencil, Pen and Ink), Painting (Acrylics, Water Color)   

Professional Associations

Themed Entertainment Association

Community Leadership

Former Volunteer at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles