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An introduction:
Since high school I
have prided myself on creativity with a desire to learn and
"do more" to create lighting and sound experiences for all
types of productions. I went from singing in a band and
later being an on-air personality on a local FM radio station
to doing production work at a local cable TV studio. All the
while holding down a job as nightclub DJ for over 18 years.
Eventually my knowledge about moving lights (they were
"born" in the Club Industry) brought me into the
concert/corporate production business. I have been involved in almost all areas of production, from
design, direction and production management, to crewing and
tech-ing for "one off " shows, events and tours.
While Moving Lights and special effects are my areas of expertise,
I've been exposed to many facets of lighting; including
architectural, and theatrical as well as product debuts,
conventions and trade shows. I enjoy specialty design and
installations, such as nightclubs and have even done a "Haunted
House" attraction in downtown Orlando called "Terror on
Church Street". I
have toured the States and Europe as a Lighting Director for
bands such as Snap and Bone, Thugs and Harmony.
No longer a partner in the design firm of Bascombe-Gaines
Design, I am now strictly freelance. Our firm did complete production design and
management. We specialized in one-off outdoor festivals and concerts.
Currently, my design work is through my Dragonfly Design
firm and my Production Management is through Immediate Image
Group. It would take far too many pages to list all the
production gigs I have been involved with. I have worked
many very big shows in a career that has spanned more than two decades. I can and do travel worldwide
with extensive experience in the U.S., Caribbean and
Southeast Asia. I am available
for freelance work and consulting, schedule permitting.
Thanks for taking the time to review my work history. If I
can be of service to you in any way feel free to call or
e-mail. I will respond as soon as possible. Below is my
resume as of 2001. I took a 3 1/2-year sabbatical and then
"jumped" back in by moving to China in 2006 and going to
work as a Designer/Consultant for Neo-Neon International. I
even dabbled in designing and marketing my own moving light!
Not content in China, I then moved to the NYC-Tri-state area
where I have been freelancing ever since. This lists some of
the highlights of my 2+ decades in the business and is meant
to show my experience in different areas of production. A
more complete list of shows and/or events with references is
available upon request.
-Jeff
Jeff
"Merlin" Gaines
Tampa,
Florida * Long Island, New York *
Guangzhou, China
SUCCESS ATTRIBUTES
Strong project management skills. Strong organizational &
follow up skills. Exceptional imaginative, visualization and
conceptualization skills. Team player, highly
productive, organized, accurate, excellent problem solver,
very artistic and creative, exceptional analytical skills,
understanding of marketing, understanding of product/service
presentation, long history of involvement with production,
promotions, entertainment and events, exemplary/professional
communication skills. I have over twenty-five years of
experience in entertainment and production, on both
sides of the spotlight.
CAREER
GOAL
To conceive, create and implement shows in mixed or various
Medias that can impress and entertain an audience in a way
that is both moving and unforgettable.
LIVE
ENTERTAINMENT
WLPJ-91.5 F.M.
Adult Contemporary Radio Station (Medium Tampa Bay Area
Market Share) New Port Richey, Florida. Afternoon drive time
On-Air Personality, Commercial/Program Script Writer,
Character/Commercial Voice-over Talent. 1982-1985
LIVE
ENTERTAINMENT
Various Night Clubs and Raves
in and around the Tampa Bay, Miami and Orlando, Florida
Areas
Senior Nightly Music Programmer/Disc
Jockey/Emcee/Entertainer 1982-1999
LIVE
ENTERTAINMENT
Chasco Fiesta – Annual Festival and
Parade in New Port Richey, Florida.
Parade Host/Disc Jockey/Emcee/Entertainer 1995-2004
PRODUCTIONS:
Shows as Lighting Designer/Director, Technical Director,
Moving Light Programmer/Operator or other:
Reggae
Sumfest
'94,'95,'96 Montego Bay, Jamaica. Moving light
op/tech, Co-Lighting Director- Crew Chief
Sting
(Dancehall Festival)'94
Kingston, Jamaica. Moving light op/tech, Asst. Lighting
Director- Crew Chief
Sting (Dancehall Festival)'95,'96
Kingston, Jamaica. Lighting Designer/Director - Crew
Chief
Sting (Dancehall Festival)
12-31-96 Montego Bay, Jamaica Lighting
Designer/Director- Crew Chief
Air
Jamaica Jazz/Blues Festival
'96 Montego Bay, Jamaica Lighting Designer/Director-
Crew Chief
Carnival '96 Port of
Spain, Trinidad. Moving light op/tech, Lighting Director,
Production Assistant/Crew Chief
Bob
Marley 50th Birthday Celebration
Kingston, Jamaica. Lighting Designer/Director, Moving light
op/tech
Honda
"Brain Games"
Orlando, Florida. Technical/Lighting Director, Production
Manager/Crew Chief
Wellcraft Marine
Yearly Product Debut & Vendor Meeting Sarasota, Fl.
Production Manager-Lighting Director
Central American Games
'94 Ponce, Puerto Rico. Moving light op/tech, Production
Assistant/Crew Chief
Caribbean Music Festival
'96 Cable Beach, Bahamas. Lighting Director, Assistant
Production Manager- Crew
The Fugee’s
‘Oct.
’96 Nassau Coliseum, Long Island, New York. Lighting
Designer/Director
Fris
Vodka
Regional Product Debut Tampa, Fl. Technical/Lighting
Director, Production Manager/Crew Chief
Billy Graham Tampa, Fl.
The Inaugural Event at Tampa's Raymond James Stadium. Chief
Production Electrician
Dunlop Tire Corp.
Super Bowl Party Technical/Lighting Director, Crew Chief
Caribbean Music Festival
'96 Cable Beach, Bahamas. Lighting Director, Assistant
Production Manager - Crew Chief
Reggae-Fest '96 Orlando,
Florida. Production/Stage Manager, Event Coordinator,
Lighting Designer - Crew Chief
Miss Mississippi Pageant
'92 Vicksburg, MI. Moving Light
op/tech, Co-Technical Director
RCA Corp. Regional
Vendor Product Debut Tampa, Fl. Video
Producer/Director-Technical/Lighting Director
Film And Television Credits:
Rickey Martin Live
Music Performance from Macdill Air Force Base, during the
Half-time Show of Super Bowl 35 Tampa, Fl. 2001
Local
Electrics Crew Chief for the load in
(*Note:
I was also the Key Grip for the "skydiving" sequence aired
prior to his live performance)
"Mo' Thugs" - Mo'
Thugs Family Music Video
Lighting
Designer/Director
"The Reggae Movie"
Feature Film
Lighting
Designer/Director
"I'm Single" –The Chill Deal
Boys Music Video
Lighting
Designer/Director
"For The Love Of Money-Live" -Bone,
Thugs and Harmony Music Video
Lighting
Designer/ Director
"Bone,
Thugs and Harmony Live at the Universal Amphitheatre"
Concert Film
Lighting
Designer/Director
"World Premier/Inaugural Game of
the Florida Panthers Hockey Team" Miami, Fl.
Lighting
Designer/Director
"Combinacion Perfecta"
Live Concert Event, broadcast live from Miami Arena around
the World on UniVision, Featuring: Tito Puente, Celia Cruz
and many other Latin Music Legends
Moving
Light Programmer/Operator
(*Note:
I was
nominated for an award for my work on this show)
Elton
John/Billy Joel “Live”
from Miami, Fl. Pay-per-View
Generators/Electrics/Grip - Show Call Deckhand
The
Rolling Stones “Live”
from Miami, Fl. Pay-per-view
Generators/Electrics/Grip - Back Line/Band Gear - Confetti
Cannons
Tina Turner “Live” from
Miami, Fl. Pay-per-view
Electrics/Grip - Rehearsals - Truss Spot Operator
Bus-Arena Tours as Lighting Designer/Director:
Snap/Turbo B
European Tour '93 Lighting Designer/Director
Def Jam Record’s 10th Anniversary
Tour "The Show, The Tour” Lighting
Designer/Director
The Budweiser Back to School Tour
'96 U.S. Tour Lighting Designer/Director -
Bone, Thugs and Harmony + two of four other support acts.
Productions as a Stage Hand for Intercept Management
Corporation or Ocean State Rigging and Event Staffing (Both
based in Orlando, Florida):
Outdoor
Shows
(Steel, Forklift, Inflatable's, Deck Calls, Generator and/or
Electrics/Production, Back-line, Rehearsals, Forklift
op, etc.):
Hialeah
Spring Festival
Hialeah, Fl. -Sunshine Festival of
States St. Petersburg, Fl.
-The Rolling Stones Tampa, Fl.
-The Rolling Stones
Gainesville, Fl. -The Rolling
Stones Miami, Fl. -The
Rolling Stones Orlando, Fl.
-Rod Stewart Tampa, Fl.
-Live Orlando, Fl. -Crosby,
Stills and Nash Tampa, Fl.-Chicago
Tampa, Fl. -The
Moody Blues Tampa, Fl. -Sting
Tampa, Fl. -U2 Tampa,
Fl. -U2 Orlando, Fl.
-U2 Miami, Fl.
-George
Strait Nokia Festival Tampa, Fl.
-"Armageddon" Feature
Film Cast & Crew Premier Showing and Party at Kennedy Space
Center, Florida.
Indoor
Shows
(Electrics, Forklift, Production Runner, Spotlight,
Back-line, Rehearsals, House Lights, Inflatable's, Show call
Deckhand, etc.):
Nine-Inch Nails
Orlando and Tampa, Fl. -Ted
Nugent/Bad Company Tampa, Fl.
-Queensryche Tampa, Fl.
-Bob Seger Orlando, Fl.
-Jimmy Buffett Orlando,
Fl. -White Zombie
Lakeland, Fl. -Natalie Cole
Walt Disney World's Yacht and Beach Resort
-Steely Dan Orlando, Fl.
-Steven Curtis Chapman
Lee County, Fl. -Stone Temple
Pilots Tampa, Fl. -Rush
Tampa, Fl. -Steve Miller Band
Orlando, Fl. -Tool
Orlando, Fl. -Bush
Tampa, Fl. -Phil Collins
Orlando and Tampa, Fl. -Barney On
Ice Tampa, Fl. -Benny
Hinn Orlando, Fl. -Stars
On Ice Orlando, Fl. -Tina
Turner Miami, Fl. -Reba
McEntire, Miami, Fl. -Faith
Hill/Tim McGraw, Tampa, Fl.
-Elton John, Tampa, Fl.
-Barenaked Ladies, Orlando, Fl.
-Van Halen Orlando, Fl.
Dixie Chicks Orlando, Fl
Corporate or Hotel Functions (
Corporate/Private Parties, Theme Parties, Product Debuts,
Sales Meetings, Conventions, Trade Shows, etc.)
As a freelance Lighting/Technical Director, Dimmer Man,
Lasers, Stagehand, Forklift or Board Operator:
Glaxo-Welcome, Smith-Barney, Nike
Apparel, SeaRay Boats (Tampa Trade Show Booth),
Fidelity Investment Group, Pillsbury,
Lucent Technologies, A/C Delco, Johnson & Johnson, General
Motors, Health South, Microsoft, General Electric, Sony,
Ford Motor Company, Walt Disney World Event Services
Division (Shareholders
Meeting, Company Executive Summit, Grand Opening of The
Animal Kingdom & more), Levi's,
Proctor & Gamble, Reebok, Matsushita Group (Panasonic &
Technics Audio), Clay-Paky Lighting (Trade Show
Booth at LDI Orlando), NFL
Experience, (Fan-interactive Museum/Amusement
Center) at Super Bowl 35, Tampa, Florida.
Sporting
Events:
As a freelance Lighting/Technical Director, Dimmer Man,
Cable Page, Production Assistant, Crew Chief, Stagehand or
Board Operator:
Olympic Gymnastics Finals
in Orlando, Florida. -Olympic
Central American Games Ponce, Puerto Rico.
-Olympic Skating Competition
Orlando, Fl. -Super Bowl 35,
Tampa, Fl. -The X-Games
St. Petersburg, Fl. -Solar Bears
Hockey Games Orlando, Fl. -Orlando
Magic Basketball Games Orlando, Fl.
EDUCATION:
Hudson Senior High School - Hudson, Fl. -Graduate, Class
of 1982
*Clubs and Special Interests:
President- Audio-Visual Club
Student Media Center Audio-Visual Aide
Selected for Elite "Media & Studio" classes in the Art dept.
Student Art Aide- Photography, Pencil and Pottery
Selected for "Applied Business Law and Applied Criminal Law"
College level/credited, extra-curriculum Classes
*Lighting Designer/Director for
all large functions and performances in the School
gymnasium, operating an old Century-Strand Dimmer/Lighting
System
*Major subjects studied:
Sociology, Psychology, Behavioral Science and Child
Psychology, Advanced Art- Media & Studio, Applied Business
and Criminal Law, Business and Marketing
*High School Athletics:
Track and Field-Lettered
Wrestling-Lettered
Whole Track Audio/Recording Workshop,
St. Petersburg, Fl. -Graduate 1982
*Studied
Analog Recording and Mixing/Mix-down of up to 24 tracks of
Audio to 2-track stereo in a studio environment. Also
studied Analog Mixing and Recording of live audio
reinforcement and mixing live stage monitors.
I have
extensive experience in every aspect of productions both
large and small. I can and have done every type of job there
is in a production except climbing and rigging. I have
ground rigged and obviously, being a Lighting Designer, have
a great deal of knowledge about rigging. I just do not climb
out on to high steel beams or climb wire ladders into flying
truss. I have no problem with lifts or catwalks. Nor do I
have a problem with heights in general.
From Forklift to Front of House, from setting up/striking
Grand Pianos to Calling/Directing huge Multi-Media Shows or
Concerts, I have always worked in the entertainment,
production or hospitality industry. I have managed crews
larger than 100 men/women and can also be very productive
all by myself.
If given a project, I can and would complete it, on time
and on or under budget. I have equipment vendor,
set/display, labor/staffing and Hotel connections all over
the U.S., Europe, Southeast Asia and the Caribbean.
Home
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Bio
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Resume
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Writings
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Gallery
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Links
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Everything Else
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Contact |