About

Thomas Kelly

Thomas Kelly is a Creative Director based in London United Kingdom. Before founding his own studio, he was based in Wellington, New Zealand working full time as Lead Creative for location based experiences at Weta Workshop, known for their work on Avatar and The Lord of the Rings. He has worked all over the world as a Creative Director, Art Director, Creative Writer, Designer, Props Maker, Graphic Designer, and Artist. Through working with the likes of Universal, Weta Workshop, Microsoft, and Disney his work can be found in Asia, Europe, North America, and Australasia. In addition he works privately as a Freelance Graphic Designer and Freelance Scenic Designer bringing many projects to life outside of themed entertainment. Outside of the industry Thomas also has a passion for the arts as a painter, sketcher, glass blower, potter, welder, carpenter, and sculpter. Thomas got his Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree in Scenic Design and minor in Architectural Design at Carnegie Mellon University. Outside of work he often gets to travel to many cultures, museums, and landmarks wherever he visits!

Services

Part of my unique process is being able to conceptualize complex spaces and direct/create the project as a turn key conceptual design package. Everything from idea pitching, copy writing, sketching, moodboarding, storyboarding, 3d modeling, 2d rendering, package generation and even 3D flythroughs my team and I can make it happen for you. See full list below!

Artistic Statement

“Storytelling is an important part of what makes us human. It allows us to share our experiences about who we were, who we are, and who we strive to be. The most touching stories and experiences prove to be timeless through their use of theme, connection, and most often the realization of shared dreams. The past is a story that is told every day to educate both young and old and to remind us that we are all connected and the future gives us a place to make those connected dreams a reality. Through my work, I strive to illustrate how our own history gives context to our present, and how our stories guide us toward our future.

I design experiences that transport people into different worlds with the hope that, in addition to some entertainment, they might find a deeper understanding, which leads to the creation of great memories to carry throughout their lives. These spacial performances can entertain and educate guests about events in history or encourage them to explore their own past to find meaning that could positively influence the future. In theatrical design, I often look for ways to enhance the story on and off stage through a deeper understanding of its purpose and origin so that no matter what that story is, again, the meaning has a timeless impact on all those who witness and experience it.

In my personal artwork, I strive to illustrate different perspectives to understand my own world better and hope to encourage others to do so as well. Through artistic expression I believe we learn, remember, and are inspired to make the world a place that not only values the preservation of our culture, heart, and story, but also strives to explore new ideas for the future. Through these timeless experiences we can encourage everyone to become a storyteller.”