Themed Entertainment Litigation Expert Witness — Animatronics & Show Action Equipment | Schimmel Engineering
Expert Witness Services
Themed Entertainment Litigation Expert Witness
When a themed entertainment matter turns on whether a sculpture, figure, or moving show mechanism actually delivered on the approved creative intent — whether a finished piece matches the concept it was sold on, or whether an animatronic or other show action equipment performs at its designed speed and range of motion — Ryan Schimmel, P.E. brings direct large-scale animatronic and show action equipment production experience alongside NIST-traceable 3D scanning to measure reality against intent objectively. Available to plaintiff and defense counsel nationwide.
Ryan Schimmel is a licensed Professional Engineer in the state of Tennessee and founder of Schimmel Engineering LLC. Prior to founding the firm, he served as Mechanical Lead at Animax Designs, where he held single-point technical accountability for a 34,000 lb, 17-axis BLDC servo-actuated animatronic system deployed in a multi-city touring production. That work included structural finite element analysis, Beckhoff TwinCAT motion control programming, and full mechanical design and integration for a complex, safety-critical moving system.
That background is the distinguishing factor in themed entertainment matters: this is design and build experience with large-scale show mechanisms, not solely forensic analysis performed by someone who has never built one. Combined with NIST-traceable 3D laser scanning — a Creaform HandyScan Black Elite at ±0.025mm accuracy and a Creaform HandyScan MAX Elite for structures up to 50 feet — this practice can capture and analyze the physical geometry of an animatronic mechanism, show action equipment, show structure, or attraction component with the precision a case may require.
Ryan holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and is available to plaintiff and defense counsel nationwide.
Practice Areas
Where This Expertise Applies
Creative Intent vs. As-Built Reality — Sculptural & Figure Conformance
Scanning a delivered sculpture, figure, or themed show element and dimensionally comparing it against the approved maquette, concept model, or design specification. Establishes objectively — not by eye — where the delivered piece deviates from what was approved, and by how much.
Moving Element Performance Verification
Measuring the actual speed, range of motion, and travel of show action equipment, animatronics, and other moving show assets against their designed performance specification — determining whether a delivered mechanism performs at the speed and motion quality the creative intent called for.
Animatronic & Show Action Equipment Failure Analysis
Investigating uncommanded motion, actuator failure, or structural failure of an animatronic or other show action equipment — with direct experience designing and building the servo-actuated systems involved, not just analyzing them after the fact.
Attraction & Ride Incident Investigation
Mechanical investigation of guest or worker injuries involving attraction machinery, moving set pieces, or show mechanisms — evaluating clearance, guarding, actuation sequencing, and failure geometry.
Reverse Engineering of Legacy Attraction Components
Reconstructing the original design geometry of a discontinued or undocumented attraction part or mechanism directly from the physical hardware, when no OEM drawing survives.
Representative Case Types
Scenario — Doesn't match the approved sculpt
A client rejects a delivered figure or sculptural piece, claiming it doesn't match the approved concept. The fabricator disagrees.
The delivered piece is scanned and dimensionally compared against the approved maquette, concept scan, or digital sculpt file. The deviation map shows exactly where — and by how much — the final piece departs from what was approved, replacing a subjective argument over "does it look right" with a measured comparison.
Scenario — Doesn't perform at design speed
A show action mechanism was specified to move at a certain speed or range of motion. The delivered piece is visibly slower or more limited, and the parties disagree on whether it meets spec.
The mechanism's actual motion — speed, range, and repeatability — is measured directly and compared against the designed performance specification and the creative brief. This establishes whether the shortfall is a measurable non-conformance or a matter of subjective taste.
Scenario — Uncommanded motion
An animatronic figure moved unexpectedly, injuring a guest or worker near the mechanism.
The motion control system, actuator sequencing, and mechanical linkages are examined against the intended control logic and physical safe-guarding to determine whether the motion was a foreseeable failure mode, a control system fault, or a mechanical defect.
Scenario — Structural failure
A large-scale moving show structure failed under load during operation or touring transport.
The failed structure and its mounting geometry are scanned and evaluated against the loading conditions the system was designed for — the same structural FEA and mechanical design discipline used to build such systems in the first place.
Scenario — No surviving documentation
An attraction component failed. The original builder is out of business and no drawing exists.
The failed part is scanned and its original design geometry reconstructed as a fully dimensioned model — establishing the baseline needed to evaluate whether the failure reflects normal service wear or a manufacturing or design defect.
Scenario — Touring production incident
A show mechanism failed mid-tour, and counsel needs an expert who understands touring production constraints.
Touring animatronic and show systems face repeated setup, teardown, and transport cycles that stationary installations don't. That operational context — not just the mechanism's design — is often central to understanding why and when a failure occurred.
Fee Schedule
Rates
Record Review
Case material review, scan data analysis, and preparation of findings.
$250/hr
Site Inspection
On-site dimensional capture and mechanism inspection using NIST-traceable 3D scanning equipment.
$300/hr
4-hour minimum
Deposition
Sworn pre-trial testimony.
$350/hr
2-hour minimum
Trial Testimony
Live courtroom testimony.
$400/hr
4-hour minimum per court day
Travel
Portal-to-portal, plus mileage, airfare, and lodging billed at cost.
$150/hr
Rush Fee
Applies when counsel requires turnaround under 5 business days.
+50%
Retainer & Terms
A retainer of $1,000 is required before work begins and is replenished as it is drawn down. Rates apply equally to plaintiff and defense engagements. Cancellation of a scheduled deposition or trial appearance with less than 48 hours' notice is billed at the full applicable rate.
Questions from Attorneys
Can you verify whether a delivered sculpture or figure matches the approved creative concept?
Yes. The delivered piece is scanned and dimensionally compared against the approved maquette, concept sculpt, or digital model. The result is a deviation map showing exactly where and by how much the final piece departs from what was approved — an objective measurement rather than a subjective argument about likeness or quality.
Can you determine whether a show mechanism performs at its designed speed or range of motion?
Yes. The actual speed, travel, and range of motion of an animatronic, show action piece, or other moving show asset can be measured directly and compared against the designed performance specification. This establishes whether an underperforming mechanism reflects a measurable non-conformance to spec or a subjective disagreement over creative intent.
Do you have direct experience with animatronic and show action equipment engineering, or only forensic analysis of it?
Direct experience. Prior to founding Schimmel Engineering, Ryan Schimmel served as Mechanical Lead at Animax Designs, holding single-point technical accountability for a 34,000 lb, 17-axis BLDC servo-actuated animatronic system deployed in a multi-city touring production — including structural finite element analysis, motion control programming, and full mechanical design and integration. This is design and build experience, not just after-the-fact analysis.
What kinds of themed entertainment matters is this expertise suited for?
Animatronic and show action equipment malfunction or uncommanded motion incidents, structural failure of show mechanisms or moving set pieces, guest or worker injuries involving attraction machinery, actuator and motion control system failure, and disputes involving legacy or discontinued attraction components with no surviving engineering documentation.
Do you work for plaintiff or defense counsel in themed entertainment matters?
Both. Rates and methodology are identical regardless of which side retains us. We report what the mechanical and dimensional evidence shows.
Can you reverse engineer a discontinued or undocumented attraction component?
Yes. Many attractions and touring show systems run components with no surviving OEM drawing, especially after a manufacturer has gone out of business or a show has been in service for years past its original design life. We scan the physical part or mechanism and reconstruct the original design geometry as a fully dimensioned model — establishing the baseline needed to evaluate whether a failure was consistent with normal wear or reflects a defect.
Are you a licensed Professional Engineer?
Yes. Ryan Schimmel is a licensed Professional Engineer in the state of Tennessee, and founder of Schimmel Engineering LLC.
Do you travel to attractions, theme parks, or touring production sites?
Yes, nationally. The scanning equipment is hand-carried and portable, and can be deployed on-site at a park, studio, or touring production location. For individual mechanisms or components, mail-in scanning is also available.
What is your fee schedule?
Record review is $250/hr. Site inspection is $300/hr with a 4-hour minimum. Deposition is $350/hr with a 2-hour minimum. Trial testimony is $400/hr with a 4-hour minimum per court day. Travel time is billed at $150/hr portal-to-portal plus expenses at cost. A retainer of $1,000 is required before work begins.
Have a Themed Entertainment Matter That Needs Technical Analysis?
Tell us the nature of the incident or dispute, the mechanism or attraction involved, and your timeline. We respond promptly.
