PHOTO (L to R): Thomas Ring, Paul Fly, Chris Lee, Tommy Schatz-Thompson, Michael T. Shupbach
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, USA – Animax Designs continues to be an innovator in the themed entertainment industry with their latest unveiling of their Technical Design team. As the company continues to establish itself as a powerhouse in themed entertainment and location-based entertainment industries, they needed a team that combined engineering prowess with deep knowledge of creative design, figure finish and mechanical assembly – meet the Technical Design team.
Newly hired Chris Lee, Director of Technical Design, along with a team of four additional members will lead projects from the perspective of technical design and production with the responsibility (and authority) for curating each project from concept through final design as well as best practices for overall project approach and build plans. The Technical Design Managers (TDMs) will be the glue that holds all required disciplines together throughout the process, encouraging collaboration while shepherding the work effort, altogether toward successful completion and the satisfaction of all project goals.
The implementation of this team reinforces the company’s already collaborative project management style. With over a century of specialized experience amongst department heads in their respective industries, the Technical Design team will intertwine this experience with project management to deliver some of the most complex animatronic characters in the world.
Promoting from within, Animax Designs appointed four members of its team to serve on the Technical Design team as Technical Design Managers.
Thomas Ring – A veteran in the animatronics industry, Tom brings over 26 years creative direction and technical design expertise to the team.
Michael T. Schupbach – A master puppeteer, brings over 20 years of experience from the television and live entertainment industry.
Paul Fly – Former Assembly Manager at Animax Designs and a classically trained sculptor, brings over 11 years of themed entertainment experience along with company-specific knowledge to the team.
Tommy Schatz-Thompson – Seasoned fabricator, rigger, animator, and award-winning director, brings to the team a well-rounded toolkit from his time in the stop motion and film production industries.
Leadership and direction to the team will be provided by Chris Lee as the Director of Technical Design. From the perspective of Steve Andersen, Vice President of Operations, “It’s the combination of career and personal experience that made Chris a standout candidate for the director position. He has a unique skill set that will assist us in our rapid growth as we continue to innovate the future of animatronics.”
The former Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Anode, Inc., and former Senior Product Owner at The Dalton Agency, Chris brings almost 30 years of experience in the technology and interactive exhibit industry to the company.
Possessing a vast – yet specialized – toolkit, Chris will utilize his nearly three decades of experience in leading award-winning teams to further reinforce the collaborative process at Animax Designs. During his time as the CTO at Anode, Inc. he oversaw the creation of one of the first Software-as-a-Service digital signage offering in the United States – the FireSign, which included a web-based CMS, cloud server architecture, and local software-based media players. During his time at Anode Inc, Lee also served as the conceptual and technical lead over a new interactive exhibit at the County Music Hall of Fame and Museum that hosts over 250,000 visitors per year based on the on-board product analytics.
Contributing to his already expansive professional toolkit, Lee also possess hands-on electro-mechanical fabrication experience from building many cinematic-quality robotic replicas, competition animatronic props and costume components, and radio-controlled and ride-on vehicles for enthusiast community participation, fandom conventions, and personal enjoyment.
“I’m excited to bring my experience in digital storytelling, product management, and guest experience to the Animax family. I’m grateful for the opportunity to lead this dedicated and resourceful team of Technical Design Managers as we work to advance our company’s capabilities and processes. It’s a dream come true to be a part of such a talented group of creative professionals working together to bring characters to life,” said Lee. Chuck Fawcett, President & CEO of Animax said, “It has taken 30 years of continuous growth and building significant scale to afford us this opportunity, and Chris has the ideal credentials to lead us there!” Fawcett further states, “The level of complexity in the characters we are now designing and building requires a team to help drive non-conventional thinking, while at the same time understanding the fundamental components required in bringing three-dimensional characters to life in the most life-like ways. The addition of Chris Lee and team is a unique approach in the industry and one we believe will keep Animax Designs ahead of the competition.”
For more information, or to schedule an interview, contact Jay Rottinghaus at
j.rottinghaus@animaxdesigns.com or (513) 479-7280.
ABOUT ANIMAX DESIGNS
Animax Designs, headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, creates animatronic and interactive characters, animated costumes, and puppets utilizing leading-edge technology and superior craftsmanship. With over 140 highly-skilled employees, Animax serves some of the largest operators in the world in the themed entertainment, live attractions, location-based entertainment, commercial, film, and television industries. For more information, visit www.animaxdesigns.com.
