Mountain Productions has appointed Simon Franklyn, entertainment industry mainstay, as their Director of West Coast Operations.
With over 43 years of experience in project and production management, staging, rigging and structural design, Franklyn is a consummate professional in all aspects of the entertainment industry. His passion and innovative spirit will advance Mountain Productions’ long-standing reputation as North America’s leading staging and rigging company.
“Simon has a spectrum of experience that has made him an invaluable member of the production community and, now, an integral part of Mountain Productions’ expansion to the West Coast market and beyond,” said Mountain Productions’ CEO, Ricky Rose.
Franklyn has previously served as a Tour Production Rigger for the iconic likes of Led Zeppelin, Paul McCartney, David Bowie, Fleetwood Mac and The Who. He also worked as a consultant and project manager on events around the globe, including complex projects in the United States, Japan, Europe, Korea, South America and Australia. "Having grown up alongside the development of staging and rigging technologies in both the UK and USA, I have worked with almost every type of system used in the entertainment industry,” said Franklyn.
“I have been very impressed with the approach that Mountain has taken in streamlining their staging systems across the board with in-house engineering and fabrication, an in-house soft goods department, standardized pre-loaded truck packs and full training for personnel. Mountain’s focus on safety and equipment organization makes my job a lot easier. I look forward to working with Mountain and helping them to continue to create great new products and staging and rigging innovations as they move west."
Franklyn has been responsible for the safe installation of hundreds of unique and challenging projects, gaining expert knowledge and practical experience in a variety of fields, including hoisting, lifting, crane work, truss and scaffold structures and work for major film studios. Some of his most notable projects have included installations at Lotte World in Seoul, the 1996 Olympic Games, an 80,000 square-foot scaffolding system for Universal Studios’ Jurassic Park, and work on the main stages at Desert Trip, Panorama and Coachella, among many other high-profile jobs.
Franklyn will help lead Mountain Productions’ expansion into the Western United States, where the organization now has the largest staging system in the industry, the MTN TRUSS HD+, along with a robust inventory of equipment and rigging services to accommodate any type of project. To discuss how Mountain Productions can help to advance your next West Coast project e-mail Franklyn directly, via [email protected].