DANIEL FLANNERY – BIOGRAPHY
Daniel Flannery is an internationally acclaimed creator, producer, and director whose work spans film, television, world expos, Olympic ceremonies, themed entertainment, architectural lighting, and large-scale live spectaculars. Celebrated as a visionary pioneer in emerging entertainment and technology, Flannery has built a career defined by imagination, innovation, and transformative audience experiences.
Born, raised, and educated in New York, Flannery began his career in theatrical lighting design for theatre, dance, and opera, laying the groundwork for a visionary body of work that would extend far beyond the stage. From theater, television, and motion pictures to theme parks, world expos, global events, casinos, and performing arts centers, he has conceived and realized immersive environments that fuse storytelling, architecture, technology, and spectacle. His mastery of light and scenography evolved into a multidisciplinary practice defined by large-scale creative direction, experiential design, and the seamless integration of narrative and space across entertainment platforms worldwide.
In television, Flannery reshaped the visual language of the modern sitcom as Director of Photography for the hit ABC series Roseanne, earning four Primetime Emmy Award nominations and an International Monitor Award. His cinematic approach to lighting departed from the flat conventions of the era and established a new aesthetic standard.
His early work in feature films as a theatrical lighting designer included contributions to major motion pictures such as Forrest Gump, Death Becomes Her, and Noises Off, further solidifying his reputation as a visual storyteller.
Flannery’s influence extends to the global stage. He produced and directed the Closing Ceremonies of the Los Angeles Summer Olympics—an iconic event remembered for its theatrical spectacle and imaginative scale. World expos have also showcased his visionary work, including Water Fantasium at the Osaka World Expo and Fantastic Odyssey for the Lotte Pavilion at the Taejon World Expo, both celebrated among the top attractions of their respective fairs.
In themed entertainment, Flannery helped pioneer the integration of Broadway-inspired scenography into major attractions. His contributions to Disney’s EPCOT and Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure laid groundwork for immersive attractions including American Adventure, E.T.’s Adventure, King Kong, Back to the Future, Conan and Jurassic Park The Ride. His award-winning Adventure Slots at Hollywood Casino earned a THEA Award for immersive gaming innovation.
Internationally, China has hosted several of Flannery’s large-scale stage productions, including Starbond, Illusions, and Elements, combining live performers, 3-D CGI scenography, puppetry, kinetic design, and multimedia spectacle. His stereoscopic dome film Majid and the Secret of Life is a permanent attraction in Doha, Qatar, demonstrating his continued leadership in immersive cinema experiences.
A pivotal moment in Flannery’s career came in 1977 when he conceived, designed, and directed the original Star Wars Concert at the Hollywood Bowl with the Los Angeles Philharmonic—an event that received a 19-minute standing ovation and launched a new format of “visual symphonies.” This innovation later evolved into his celebrated Symphantasy® series, created with Maestro Erich Kunzel, blending orchestral performance with theatrical storytelling and cinematic staging.
As founder and president of Theoria Productions and Scenographic Designs in Los Angeles, Flannery has collaborated with Disney Imagineering, Universal Creative, major television networks, global resorts, cultural institutions, and international exposition organizers. His architectural lighting projects include the Melbourne Arts Centre, the Brisbane World Expo site, and the comprehensive illumination of Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure. His achievements have earned him the LDI Lighting Designer of the Year Award and the Night Beautiful Award.
Dedicated to mentorship and education, Flannery has lectured and taught at institutions including SUNY, UCLA, UCSB, Art Center College of Design, and USC. His courses explore producing international spectaculars, Olympic ceremonies, visual music, themed entertainment design, and the art of stage and film lighting.
Philanthropically, he supports Teen Cancer America, veterans’ programs, and has served in leadership roles benefiting the Motion Picture & Television Fund and Muscular Dystrophy initiatives.
Daniel Flannery’s body of work reflects a singular creative philosophy: to merge artistry and technology in service of emotionally resonant, large-scale experiences that transcend borders and disciplines. His legacy is one of visionary leadership, artistic excellence, and enduring innovation.
Daniel Flannery’s body of work reflects a singular creative philosophy: to merge artistry and technology in service of emotionally resonant, large-scale experiences that transcend borders and disciplines. His legacy is one of visionary leadership, artistic excellence, and enduring innovation.
Selection of Credits
(Click on titles for portfolio)
"Los Angeles Olympics CLOSING CEREMONIES", Conceptualist, Director and Producer
"STARBOND", Producer. Writer, Director; an outdoor production spectacular presented nightly to average crowds of 30,000 at Yutien (Yoo Town Resort) in China
"MAJID AND THE SECRET OF LIFE", Exec. Producer, Director; an animated 3-D stereoscopic dome film which is a permanent attraction and presented daily in the Doha Qatar Awareness Centre, museum.
"ILLUSIONS", Exec. Producer, Director; a stage spectacle, with an international cast, featuring 3-D stereoscopic animation sequences, presented nightly for one year in Shanghai China.
"ELEMENTS", Producer, Director, Designer; a theatrical production, with an international cast, integrating video projection. The show was presented nightly and ran for five years in Shenzhen China.
"ADVENTURE SLOTS", located in Hollywood Casino, Tunica, is an immersive, award winning, gaming experience inspired by adventure films.
"Symphantasy®", Co-creator with Maestro Erich Kunzel, of a television special and a live concert spectacle featuring George Clooney, Kelsey Grammer and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra.
"WATER FANTASIUM", Creator, Director; voted by critics as the No. 1 attraction at the Osaka World Expo, featuring water, animatronics, fire and special effects.
"FANTASTIC ODYSSEY", Lotte Pavilion, Creator, Director; most popular attractions at the Taejon S. Korea World Expo, featuring water, fire, illusions and automated scenography.
"COSMIC SYMPHONY", in the Tokyo Dome, Creator, Director, Designer; presented nightly for over a decade this attraction was presented nightly in Tokyo Japan.
"VOYAGE 350", Creator, Director, Designer; a purpose-built theatre resembling a tall ship, set sail nightly in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. A cast serving as the ships’ crew shared the story of the founding of Maryland with Illusions and film projected on three grand sails.
Melbourne Arts Centre, Architectural Lighting Designer for the building of this iconic arts centre which includes all front and back of house for the Hamer Concert Hall, the State Theatre, the Playhouse, Art Gallery, foyers, restaurants and rehearsal facilities.
BRISBANE WORLD EXPO, Architectural Lighting Designer for the entire site of the world expo.
UNIVERSAL STUDIOS FLORIDA, Architectural Lighting Designer for the full site of the studio theme park.
UNIVERSAL'S ISLANDS OF ADVENTURE, Architectural Lighting Designer for full site of the theme park.
"ROSEANNE", Director of Photography for All episodes seasons 1 thru 8 on ABC Television.
The original "Star Wars Concert", in 1977 with Zubin Mehta and the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, conceived designed and directed by Flannery.
Theatrical Lighting Design for major motion pictures, "DEATH BECOMES HER", "FORREST GUMP" and "Noises Off".
Creative contributions as conceptualist, scenographer and lighting designer to Disney's EPCOT including "AMERICAN ADVENTURE", "Journey Into the Imagination" and "Kitchen Kabaret".
Concept development, design and production to Universal Studios Hollywood and Orlando and ISLANDS of ADVENTURE, for area development and attractions including "ET's ADVENTURE", "KING KONG", "KONGRONTATION", "Back to the Future" and "JURASSIC PARK THE RIDE".
Academia
Flannery is devoted to teaching and mentoring, having shared his expertise through lectures and instruction at many institutions, including State University of New York (S.U.N.Y.), University of California Los Angeles (U.C.L.A.), University of California Santa Barbara (U.C.S.B.), Art Center College of Design, and University of Southern California (U.S.C.).
Some of Flannery's courses, lectures and curriculum include:
Creating International Spectaculars - Producing Noteworthy World Expo Attractions - Producing Olympic Ceremonies - Visual Music - The Art of Stage Lighting Design - Directing Shows with Diverse Global Casts - Scenography for Themed Entertainment - Lighting Design in Multi-Camera Television Series - Theatrical Lighting in Feature Films - CGI Lighting Design - The Art of Aquatic Entertainment - Foster the Entertainment Entrepreneur - Seizing Opportunities for Creations - Motion Capture of Performance Art - The Scenarist - Thriving in a Freelance Environment - When & How to Pitch Your Show - Promoting and Integrating Your Brand.
Some awards
A THEA Award for Adventure Slots at the Hollywood Casino in Tunica
The first LDI Award for Lighting Designer of the Year
Night Beautiful Award for his Universal Studios Orlando designs
Philanthropy
Supports Teen Cancer America with his Symphantasy®. Supports various Veterans programs. For over a decade he served on Executive Committee of the GOLDEN BOOT AWARDS benefiting the Motion Picture & Television Fund. Served as president of the Manhattan Chapter of Muscular Dystrophy for four years. Contributed his services as photographer to Muscular Dystrophy
Education
Flannery was educated in the art of scenography and lighting design for the stage at the prestigious New York Studio & Forum of Stage Design.
Flannery pursued his filmmaking education under the guidance of experimental filmmaker Scott Bartlett at Columbia University School of the Arts in New York City. Additionally, he honed his directing skills under the mentorship of renowned figures Uta Hagen and Herbert Berghof at HB Studio.
Affiliations
Flannery has been a member in numerous guilds, unions and trade organizations, including:
ATAS (Academy of Television Arts & Sciences), PGA (Producers Guild), IATSE (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees), SMPTE (Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers), ICG (International Cinematographers Guild), TEA (Themed Entertainment Association), USITT (United States Institute of Theatre Technology)
