Shaun is the Managing Director of Dead Walk Designs, as well as lead designer, sculptor, prop maker and scenic painter.
Q: How did you get into the world of creating themed attractions?
Shaun: When I left art college at 19 I started out as a labourer for a local company called Creative Solutions. They did a lot of theming for SEA LIFE aquariums and similar attractions. The company took me on as a kind of apprentice, and I was very lucky that when things were quiet they would give me small practice projects in the workshop to develop my practical skills, and I learned a great deal from this. They taught me the basics of design work, how to price up jobs, and I eventually ended up being a Project and Design Manager. This is how I got my start in the industry!
Q: What has been your favourite Dead Walk Designs project to work on?
Shaun: I really enjoyed refurbishing the ghost train at Barry’s Amusements (now Curry’s Fun Park) in Northern Ireland. I love traditional horror themes, and this was a very fun approach to that. We were given more or less a blank canvas and the project allowed us to make lots of different kinds of props, sculptures, murals, signs and concrete structures. There was a bit of everything. We also had an ace team and a great client!
Q: What has been the most unusual project to work on for you?
Shaun: In 2020 and 2021, we created digital environments for the Lost Horizon festival which was entirely virtual! People could attend through VR, their PC or their mobile through Sansar. This was very different, because our digital work is normally for the purposes of building something physical, whereas this would only be visited within the digital world. This meant we didn’t have to worry about scale or build limitations. We could go wild with the ideas! I particularly enjoyed creating 3 gigantic mushroom titans for the Infected Mushroom gig, which towered over the audience throughout the performance.
I play a lot of video games and take inspiration from their world designs, so it was fun to mix set design and theming into a video game environment.
Q: What would your dream project be?
Shaun: I’d love to work on a Star Wars movie! That has been a dream since I was very young. Maybe an iconic prop or helmet for a new Sith Lord! But to be honest, anything Star Wars themed!
Horror is also a fun theme to play with. I’d love to design and build a haunted house, incorporating dark ride elements with animatronics and special effects.
Q: Can you share your favourite piece of work you’ve worked on for Dead Walk Designs?
Shaun: Ooh, that’s a tricky one. I’m proud of many things we have done for different reasons. The Boomtown projects are always great as we work with such a good crew, and it’s great to see the sets enjoyed by thousands over the weekend. I was pretty chuffed with the Lost Horizon work as it was a new challenge working within a gaming environment. I love sculpting trees and statues. But for one particular thing, I really enjoyed designing and sculpting a 3D crest for Wake the Tiger, which had to incorporate the 4 elements related to the guilds in the world of Meridia. Some of the hard surface parts I digitally sculpted and 3D printed, but mostly it was sculpted in clay, molded in silicone then cast in GRP.
Q: What advice would you give to those hoping to become a designer or theming practitioner?
Shaun: Number 1 is practice. If there is something you want to learn, make it into a project and see it through to the end. This will not only help you learn lots of valuable skills, but it will also help you start building a portfolio which acts as your introduction to potential employers.
When learning something new, it’s almost guaranteed you will stumble across difficulties that will knock your confidence, but the key is to never give up, and know that it’s ok to go back a few steps if something is not working out. In this industry, we are always learning. I have been doing this full-time for 23 years now, and still find things I need to learn or tighten up on an almost daily basis. If you find an opportunity to work with someone with experience, the lessons you can learn from them can really help you grow. Always listen, take advice, and don’t be afraid to ask questions.
If you would like to work with Shaun and the team at Dead Walk Designs, get in touch today!
