Geoff Binns-Calvey is a leading rigger and special effects designer in Chicago. With over twenty years of experience, his work has been seen in countless commercials, still photos, films, and theatrical productions. Clients include McDonalds, Leo Burnett, FCB, Proctor and Gamble, Sears, General Electric, Miller Brewing, Suntory, Asahi, Bayer, Red Lobster and many others.

Geoff’s tabletop “cracker fogger “ has been used numerous times in national spots for McDonalds, Denny’s, Chili’s, Red Lobster and many other clients. This one-of-a-kind machine provides realistic, adjustable, room temperature “steam” that can run all day long without wilting the food! See it in action here....  used to make realistic bbq smoke, in this application.

Geoff has years of experience with beer and other liquids for tabletop shoots, both still and motion.  Whether it's the perfect pour, or getting just the right amount of frost, ice, mist, or cool condensation on the glass, Geoff has the equipment and experience to let you get the perfect shot.

Geoff also has rentable items, such as variable speed turntables, an instant water heater for continuous hot showers, and a full array of lab glass, including everything you need to make your Frankenstein laboratory gurgle, bubble, steam and glow.


To go to Geoff's fine arts sculpture website, please click on www.geoffbinnscalvey.com

To go to Geoff and Martha's steampunk flavored photography website, please click on www.teslaslens.com

Other projects have included:

• “Space Pirates” live action video game. Prop weapon construction, bullet hits, explosions, flame throwers, and breakaway walls.
  
• The famous “Slim Jims” commercials, featuring Randy Savage crashing through walls, blowing through windows, dropping through skylights, and causing general mayhem in a safe, visually arresting style
  
• Flying Saturday Night Live’s Tim Meadows above a basketball court for an independent film.
  
• Sears washing machines spot -- a laundromat full of washing machines was rigged to blow their laundry out on cue, using safe, remotely-triggered air cannons.
  
• Constructing an oversized, variable speed, motorized turntable to spin an actor in a large armchair on top of a slender pole, eight feet in the air.
  
• Constructing and rigging a fourteen-foot styrofoam breakaway wall and column piece to collapse safely around Mayor Daley and dignitaries at the opening of the Noble Fool Theater.
  
• Exploding wedding cakes (with actors standing directly behind, splattered but unharmed)
  
• Custom props and effects for feature films, including breakaway props, stunt weapons, and pyro effects.
• Giant articulated robotic arms for an Illinois lottery spot . 
• A tankless hot water heater rigged out for commercials, to make a shower hot all day long. Good for "singing in the rain" shots, heating small pools, or anywhere continuous hot water is needed.
  
• Sets, props, and special effects in budget and on time. 
• The Giant Piggy Bank for a commercial- seven feet long, hand carved and fiberglassed, and mounted on a mechanical bull rig! See it here... 
• Snow and frost effects in the middle of September, for a Illinois Lottery Holiday spot. See it here...
  

Delivering a baseball to a wedding cake with the slingshot rifle.