I recently helped create a breakaway wall for a commercial shoot—designed to break safely and dramatically on cue. While I don’t have footage of the final break, this post gives a behind-the-scenes look at the process, from foam-core prototypes and precision seams to building in the rain.

When Detroit musician Durracell asked me to create a giant inflatable heart for his live show, I had never made an inflatable before—but I said yes anyway. This post walks through how I tackled a completely new medium from scratch, from early research and visual brainstorming to trash bag prototypes, sewing tips, fan selection, and final construction. Designing into the unknown can be intimidating, but with curiosity, testing, and a little improvisation, big ideas can take sh

Discover how Fuller’s Earth—a versatile, safe, and easy-to-use clay material—brings dusty, aged, and atmospheric effects to film sets. From makeup to pyrotechnics, learn why it’s a go-to tool for production designers and how to use it safely.

Tools of the Trade: How the Cricut helped me recreate 1999 Women’s World Cup jerseys for NFL Films on a tight deadline — and why it’s now a go-to tool for design projects.

Sharpie + box cutter: two simple tools I never go to set without. Affordable, reliable, endlessly useful on any creative job.

Learn how tracing can save time in projects like stop-motion animation and help you hone your drawing skills by copying masters or your own

Recently, I had the chance to work with my long-time collaborator, Mike Oak , on a commercial stage shoot. Our task was to build large...