Biography

About Hurricane Bestman

Creative Philosophy

I believe the most powerful experiences are built at the intersection of story, engineering, and physical reality.

My work begins with a clear idea — then pushes through the constraints of material, scale, and logistics to make that idea real in the world.

The goal is not just spectacle, yet transformation — to create environments that shift perception, hold attention, and stay with people long after they leave.

Creative Technical Director with over twenty years of experience delivering large-scale immersive environments across themed entertainment, festivals, film, and public art.

Specialising in the integration of scenic design, engineering, fabrication, and show systems — including LED architecture, lighting, projection, and audio.

Known for translating ambitious creative concepts into reliable, buildable environments for large audiences — combining design leadership with deep expertise in fabrication, installation logistics, and media integration.

Career Timeline

2002

Bachelor of Design (Industrial), UTS

2003

First gig — lightsabers for Star Wars

2004–2008

Project Manager, Big City Productions, Sydney

2008–2013

Senior Technical Designer, Showman Fabricators NYC — Broadway, Guggenheim, Times Square, Rockefeller Centre, The White House, Super Bowl

2013

Design Engineer, Opera Australia

2013–2014

Head of Scenery Shop, Thomas Creative

2015–present

Creative Director, XYZ Dimensions

2017–2018

Creative Director & Technical Producer, Defqon.1 Australia ($1M annual budget)

2019

Robot SPACELand — Vivid Sydney ($350K)

2020

Prawn Run — permanent public sculpture, Lake Illawarra

2021

Robot SPACELand — Melbourne, 4 sites ($250K)

2024

Burning Man Dragonfly art car ($300K)

2025

Giant Cave Designer — cave film set ($1.8M)

2025

Spaceship Designer — Spaceballs ($3.5M)

Built with Purpose

Built from upcycled industrial waste streams, sourced within 5km of my studio.

Most of my festival stages and large-scale works follow this approach — including Psychedelic Forest, Killer Fish, Hole in the Wall, Crystal Cave, Spaceship, Ragebot, The Gatekeeper, and Robot SPACELand.

It's about extracting value from what's been discarded — and proving that scale, impact, and spectacle don't require new materials.

Festival Worlds

Technical Capabilities

Software

  • Autodesk Inventor
  • Rhino
  • Grasshopper
  • AutoCAD
  • Photoshop
  • Illustrator
  • Premiere
  • Unreal

Skills

  • Large-scale fabrication workflows
  • Structural design
  • LED and lighting integration
  • Scenic engineering
  • CNC
  • Rigging
  • Welding

Licenses

  • High-Risk Work (Boom, Fork, Crane)
  • Heavy Rigid Driver's License

Let's Build Something

Available for international projects in themed entertainment, festivals, film production, and public art.