“Creativity and imagination are key to many aspects of life, people want to be entertained and that’s where my job comes in”
Karl O’Connor
Art Director Event Production
Karl O’Connor is an Irish event producer known for imaginative and interactive shows, notably in the Halloween genre but also large Christmas productions, seasonal events, and many different avenues of event production.
“I like to create events that put people to the heart of the show, making them apart of something greater, something interactive, something memorable. Growing up in rural Ireland I loved hearing the ghost stories that our elders would tell us . I would remember hearing how Halloween started in Ireland (Oíche Shamhna), with tales of the “Banshee” who if you heard her someone had died and the evil “Fairies” who would play tricks on people ending in death. These stories were so believable because they were told by people who I believed didn’t lie and were adults who had first hand experience with these creatures . This would fuel my imagination into believing these things were real, and the more you believed, the more real they became. This was undoubtedly where my love for scaring people came from. In a way theses storytellers were Ireland’s first scare entertainers, and I wanted to be one, just on a larger scale!”.
Studies
Karl has graduated with a Degree in Production design and a Diploma in Animation at IADT Dublin, Ireland. This unique combination of imaginative art and working production has given Karl the skills to become one of Ireland’s go-to people in the event and design industry.
Uniquely I studied animation before getting a degree in Production design. This training along with my own talent helped me bring my designs and illustrations to reality. Whether it was an AutoCAD drawing for a CNC technician to produce or a simple idea drawn with blue pencil on paper to help other people see what I could see. Illustration and my animation background has given me key skills in developing my creativity.
Blue Box Displays
Karl O’Connor- Managing Director @Blue Box Displays.
Blue Box Displays are a set and prop building company based in Kerry, Ireland. They specialise in creating large scale sets for themed events as well as, prop production, marketing activations, large scale 3D billboards and scenes for major international brands. Including; Coca Cola, Fanta, Pepsi, McDonalds and Unilever.
The Nightmare Realm Scare Attraction
Karl O’Connor owner and creative director @The Nightmare Realm
Karl created The Nightmare Realm in 2009 and has grown the event to be not only Irelands but one of Europes biggest Halloween events. The Nightmare Realm has won numerous awards including, Best European Scare Attraction 2022, Best European Independent Attraction in 2020 and Number One Halloween Attraction in the World 2018, The Nightmare Realm is being recognised world-wide for its reputation as a high quality, entertaining halloween attraction. Currently the Nightmare Realm opens year on year in the heart of Dublin, sprawling over 6000 sq. meters all indoor. The show takes a year to produce, is put together in only 3 weeks and then opens to the public for 4 weeks.
“The event has allowed me to be as creative and imaginative as I can be over the past number of years, the more creativity I’ve used the more I’ve gained”.
The event is now stronger than ever with growing audiences on Facebook, Tiktok, Instagram, X, Youtube and Snapchat. Media attention before and during the event has now grown exponentially as The Nightmare Realm has become the biggest Halloween Attraction in Ireland with critical acclaim and international notoriety.
Over the years The Nightmare Realm has welcomed an array of national and international celebrities including Megan Fox, Machine Gun Kelly, Jack Reynor and Irish Model Madeline Mulqueen, Ray Darcy , Brooklyn Beckham and Chloe Moretz. Canadian Wrestler and Actor ‘The Edge’ Adam Joseph Copeland, International girl band Little Mix, as well as yearly visits from the Irish international rugby players.
Software Skills
Production Skills
Event Design, Event production, Marketing strategies, Character development, Actor training, Set building, Social media management, Story telling.
I have an mass knowledge of materials as well as illustration skills, I understand color and light and the reasons why they are so important in setting any scene. I love art history and why why artists have been compelled to create over the centuries. I understand sculpture from poly carving to CNC work, from the architecture side my knowledge of AutoCAD has been crucial to all projects I’ve been involved in. As a production designer and animator I understand perspective and my theatrical techniques have been learned from years work working on my own shows.
Over my years working at Blue Box Displays and The Nightmare Realm, designing and sketching would have been key to projects we were working on. Sometimes I would be sketching a scene in a Christmas or Halloween show, other times I would be sketching an internal frame to aid prop or set construction.
One thing I love is being able to trigger ideas in people, tweak their thinking in directions that maybe they couldn’t see, developing ideas and problem solving designs to make them one step closer to reality
Overseeing the construction is critical in that everyone needs to understand that something is designed a certain way for a reason. The lighting is a certain color or a prop is placed in an exact location or the front facade of a building needs to look exactly as planned. Of course sometimes you have to think on your feet and problem solve as you go but ultimately my job is to make sure all the design and hard work is fulfilling its purpose.
Acting as a vision keeper for shows over the years, the style set out by the design team needs to be maintained and must continually flow through all projects, I take great pride in this.
Experience
Karl has over 14 years experience in the event industry, from management and creative/art direction as well as extensive knowledge in set and prop construction (17 years in the prop and set construction industry), social media marketing and team management.
Working with others is essential in any role to produce the best outcome. I believe whether you have the top job or you are starting on the base of that ladder, someone always knows something you don’t! It’s critically important to listen to other people’s ideas, sometimes the smallest thing can lead to greatness.
I understand how business works, how to market to people and how to entertain people. I set up my first business in 2004 www.blueboxdisplays.ie and www.thenightmarerealm.ie in 2009, both businesses are still going strong. I understand sales and throughput as well as the ever changing face of marketing.
Guest expectation is always something is see as a fantastic challenge to creativity. People always want to be entertained in more elaborate and sophisticated ways, in the shows I have produced to date, the challenge is always to be better than before and exceed all expectations with a combination of wow factors, as well as the small simple ideas that make the experience of our guests special to them.
The Nightmare Realm Website and Nightmare Realm Facebook, Award winning show ‘The Devils Crossroad’ The Nightmare Realm RDS Dublin Ireland 2019, Award winning show ‘The Witches Children’ The Nightmare Realm RDS Dublin Ireland 2018, Tedx Talk, Beyond your fear, “All Monsters are Human” Griffith College 2017, Director at “Blue Box Displays” set and prop construction, Creative Director and Production at ” Santa Town” Christmas show 2016 Citywest, Creative director and Production “Jingle Town” Christmas show 2013 RDS, “St. Brendan” a short sand Animation during my college years. The short film went on to tour with a European animation festival around Europe, Award winning children’s stop motion short film “Northern Capers” completed during his time at IADT. The film won best Animation at the Kerry Film Festival 2007
Talent scouting
With any show i produce, part of my job is to identify key talent for the roles needed to bring my show to life. 10 years ago we would have done 1 on 1 auditions, I quickly changed this into a workshop based auditions where people could interact under certain criteria. One needs to be able to evaluate strengths and weaknesses, profile people quickly, and understand the key roles that would be suitable for each individual.
Interests
I love to travel the world trying out theme parks and haunted attractions. It always amazes me what scares people in one country and wont in another. From American haunts in Florida, Pittsburgh, St. Louis to the UK, Europe and as far as Bangkok and Tokyo, one can learn from every attraction they go to.
Selected Clients
Coca Cola / Vodafone / Luzocade / Killarney Park Hotel / Pepsi Max / Club Zero / Fanta / Smithwicks / Pixels Movie / The Dictator Movie / Heinz / Axa Insurance / Early Man Movie / Vegified / Magnum / The Nightmare Realm / Tayto / Amoy / Cadbury / Meteor / McDonalds / Jingletown / Deptartment of Agriculture / Jam Cafe / The Treasure Chest / M&M / Horizon / Kube Killarney / CWU / TedX / Mahon Point Shopping Centre / Polo
Selected Press
Red Fm / The Echo / Totally Dublin / The Irish Examiner / Podge & Rodge Official / The Mirror / Joe / Goss / Her / Fanta / The 42 / RTE 2fm / Rte Radio / The Today Show / The Ray D’arcy Show / The Irish Sun / Extra / The Times / Dublin Live / Irish Examiner / Lovin / The Journal / The Independent / RSVP / The Kerry Man / The Irish Star / Breaking News / Sunday Business Post / The Herald / Unilad Adventures / Scare Tour / Beaut / Entertainment / DailyEdge / 98fm / HotPress / The Rock Dublin /
