MICROLAND
St. Petersburg ,FL Joined 2009-07-072 Instructables 12565 Views 23 Comments 1 Followers
Hi, I'm Mike Roland. I like making stuff and have been doing so since I can remember. I'm a self employed Scenic Designer, Prop Designer, Grip and Gaffer. I'm an avid Lover of Halloween and have worked At Frightprops.com making animatronics got to work with a multitude of materials. I have been a Boy Scout, while mostly fun and sometimes grueling work and it prepared me for the military. I spent 10 years in the USAF as an F-15 maintainer and got to spend some time in the desert while I was in. Since getting out I've worked in the Theatrical, Film and Commercial industry. Designing and Making all sorts of fun stuff as well as Griping and Gaffing. I worked at HSN [Home Shopping Network] where I met my partner Charlene McLoughlin who is an artist and NY trained Scenic Carpenter. We both have recently worked at Syndaver labs where I worked as sculptor/ moldmaker and Design Engineer while Charlene was the Senior Assembly Team Manager. I also do Medieval recreation with the SCA [Society for Creative Anachronism, sca.org] which has afforded me the opportunityto make all kinds of fun things like armor, weaponry, costumes, furniture and lodging. While working in Florida I've had the opportunity to experience many different industries; Theatre, Film, Live event, Trade show, Commercial, Live Television, Haunted Attraction, Themed Atraction, Medical Simulation, to name a few. I even ran a Garage door business for two years. I've toured with the Adult Swim block party tour around the country. I designed and built sets for locally shot Horror flicks. I've designed and run lights for numerous touring Bands for several years at the Capitol Theatre in Clearwater, FL. Ive sculpted enormous foam sculptures for animal themed building facades. I've designed/engineered and built automated pumps and animatronic medical simulation equipment. I made and puppeted animatronic creatures for live Theatre and film. I've run engines in Afterburner on Hi-Tech military fighter Aircraft. I've been to real war abroad and fought in simulated real world medieval battles wearing armor I built for myself. All pretty crazy when you think about it.
