Craig Wilkinson (Optikal Bloc)

Craig Wilkinson is Creative Director of the award-winning video projects collective OPTIKAL BLOC, which creates bespoke, visual-based live theatrical experiences and video marketing campaigns. Craig’s video design work has toured across Australia and internationally, including Hong Kong, North America, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and UK. Most recent live performance video design works include the critically acclaimed ROALD DAHL’S FANTASTIC MR FOX (shake & stir theatre co / QPAC), the Australian national tour of GREEN DAY’S AMERICAN IDIOT (shake & stir theatre co / QPAC), and the recent international tour of one of Australia’s most successful theatrical exports, DEIN PERRY’S TAP DOGS (Broadway Entertainment Group). In 2021, Craig joins the highly anticipated Queensland Theatre and Brisbane Festival theatrical production of Trent Dalton’s BOY SWALLOWS UNIVERSE.

Additional credits as Video Designer includes: shake & stir theatre co / QPAC: WUTHERING HEIGHTS (Australian national tour 2016), 1984 (Australian national tour 2014); Counterpilot: AVOIDABLE PERILS; Ocean Park Hong Kong / Aerial Angels: VIVA SPECTACULAR, CYBER ILLUSION SPECTACULAR; Queensland Government: CREATIVE GENERATION – STATE SCHOOLS ONSTAGE; Queensland Theatre: THE MOUNTAINTOP, COUNTRY SONG, GASP!; La Boite Theatre: PRIZE FIGHTER, PALE BLUE DOT; The Good Room / Brisbane Festival: I’VE BEEN MEANING TO ASK YOU; Polytoxic: SNAPSHOT; Home of the Arts: MISS SAIGON, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR; Opera Queensland: HANSEL & GRETEL, CANDIDE, LA BOHÈME (realisation), FIZZ!, DIRTY APPLE; Harvest Rain: THE WIZARD OF OZ ARENA SPECTACULAR (Australian national tour); HAIRSPRAY THE BIG FAT ARENA SPECTACULAR (Australian national tour); Queensland Musical Festival: FRANK & FEARLESS, THE NIGHT PARROT, HELP IS ON ITS WAY, VOICES OF REMEMBRANCE, ONE HUNDRED AND ONE YEARS; HHO Events for the Canberra Centenary: SEVEN SISTERS SONGLINE; Black Honey Company: ONE THE BEAR; Leah Shelton: TERROR AUSTRALIS.

Television credits include: Endemol Australia / Nine Network: Big Brother.

Awards include: Matilda Award for Video Design – ROALD DAHL’S FANTASTIC MR FOX; Australian Production Design Guild (nomination) for Best Video Design of Visual Effects – ROALD DAHL’S FANTASTIC MR FOX; Matilda Award for Video Design – A CHRISTMAS CAROL; Darwin Fringe Festival Cabaret Award – TERROR AUSTRALIS; Adelaide Fringe John Chataway Innovation Award – TERROR AUSTRALIS; Gold Matilda Award– optikal bloc, for projection and video work on PALE BLUE DOT, THE MOUNTAINTOP, WUTHERING HEIGHTS, GASP! and 1984; Silver Matilda Award for Best Technical Design – PALE BLUE DOT.

Craig is a proud member of the Australian Production Design Guild and is a seasonal lecturer in Live Performance Video Design at QUT.