Down the Unconventional Path – An Interview With Orlando Informer’s Matthew Miller
TechCulture Staff We sat down with Matthew Miller, Senior Director of Technology and Business Development at Orlando Informer, the go-to source for theme park expertise. Beyond his work as a theme park technologist, Matthew travels and speaks across the US, sharing his story while inspiring others to follow their dreams.
Matthew, we are super excited to have you here today! Can you give us a little background on your career and how you got into the theme park space?
My pleasure, thank you for having me! My career in the theme park industry started around 2010. Over the last decade, I have helped design various projects for Disney and Universal Studios. While I loved being involved in these projects, most of my time was spent at Universal Parks & Resorts, where I specialized as a theme park technologist. There, I worked on developing attractions and guest experiences for Universal parks in Orlando, Hollywood, Beijing, and Osaka. My work worldwide has allowed me to help create iconic attractions such as Transformers: The Ride 3D, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and Super Nintendo World.
Wow, it seems like you’ve hit the career jackpot with that one! It’s amazing how we see and hear about these iconic rides and attractions, yet we never know the backstory of their inception. What inspired you to start your speaking engagements alongside your work in the industry?
Most definitely! When I think about what it was like to get started in my current career, even getting my foot in the door was not an easy task. I was enthusiastic about getting into the theme park industry, yet I had no idea where to begin. That struggle is what inspired me to start my speaking engagements. I wanted to share my story and mentor others because I knew precisely how difficult it was to get a solid foothold on this career path. I wanted to design roller coasters and work on incredible technology projects, but the struggle was intense without a solid roadmap or industry connections. So, I began speaking publicly as a means to help others on their journey. I always ask myself, “who is the type of person that I wish I had met when I was just getting started” and I hope to be that person for young professionals across the nation.
Truly inspiring! I definitely understand what you mean by wishing you had someone to guide you along the way, as a good mentor is often the key differentiator that fuels young professionals into their desired career path. What would you say were the most significant challenges you faced when starting out?
Well, no professional connections or a clear plan was undoubtedly at the top of that list!
See, I had a burning desire in my heart, and I knew I was passionate about theme parks. I just didn’t have a mentor or anyone that could guide me in the right direction. I had to go out and search for people who I thought I could learn from. I spoke to everyone, and I truly mean everyone. From the cook at Waffle House to the cashier at my local gas station, anyone I met I asked, “do you know someone who works in the theme park industry?” I was so desperate to try and get my foot in the door!
It certainly seems like that would be the most challenging part! Genuinely impressed with the grit and grind mentality, as I feel most would give up at that point, but you certainly kept going. How would you say your experience was different from someone who would take a more traditional path in this industry?
The lack of connections, paired with the lack of direction on my part, forced me to take a more creative approach. I assumed that if I tried to design special effects in my dorm room, someone somewhere might offer me a job.
I would visit the major parks in Orlando and try to find the effects that I thought were the “coolest” in terms of the wow factor and technique. Then, I’d go to Goodwill and Home Depot looking for cheap supplies to try and build these effects and illusions right there in my dorm. I focused on Pepper’s Ghost, Projection mapping, and interactive computing elements. The learning curve was intense, but I was able to figure out how to produce these effects with a meager budget.
Next, I made a private youtube channel where I would upload videos of my work. This became my first draft of a portfolio, allowing me to show my projects to others down the road. Since the link was private, only the people I wanted to see the work had access.
Looking back, I was often embarrassed that I made these projects from scrap materials. However, now that I reminisce on those days, I think struggling through a non-perfect situation and learning how to complete a project with a super low budget helped me long-term in my career!
