DARKFIRE - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Programmer / System Technician
Andrew Munie started lighting in the theater during high school in Tucson, AZ where he fell in love with the creativity of the entertainment industry. He later attended California Institute of the Arts in Valencia, CA where he graduated with a bachelor of fine arts. While in college Andrew discovered a passion for dance lighting and ended up working for Jacob's Pillow, the preeminent dance festival in the world. He joined Darkfire Lighting Design in 2013 and has worked on many of our projects, including but not limited to The Voice, World of Dance, The Bachelor, Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader, as well as being tapped by Team Boland Productions to tour with Lil Wayne. He looks forward to continuing to work with this amazing group of professionals.
Benny is a proud father of 4. When he is not working, he is highly involved with his kid's baseball, soccer, and basketball teams.
Job Titles:
- Generation Lighting Director
- Lighting Design / Director
Brandon Davis is a 3rd generation lighting director. Brandon grew up with a grandfather who was an LD from the 1950s through the '70s, and a father who took over the reins from the 70's to the mid-2000s. Lighting has been in Brandon's blood his whole life.
At a young age, Brandon started working in a local lighting rental shop, learning the ins and the outs of all the equipment. Brandon quickly developed a solid foundation and started working on set more and more. Brandon met Oscar and quickly became part of the Darkfire Lighting Design team, where he has continued to refine and build upon his skill set.
Brandon's recent projects include: World of Dance, Making the Cut, Ultimate Surfer, Don't, Cannonball, and The Contender. When Brandon is not at work, he enjoys spending time in Glamis with his family and friends.
After graduating from Calabasas High School, Clifford joined the team at the Los Angeles branch of Vari*Lite Inc., a world-renowned lighting company. After spending a few months on the shop floor, He proved himself to be a smart, organized technician as was sent to the Vari*Lite company headquarters in Dallas Texas where he was trained as a lead tech.
He spent many years as either a lead tech or supervisor for a number of large lighting productions across North America, including work on The Academy Awards and the movie, Batman Forever.
As more work kept him home in Los Angeles, he joined IATSE 728 in 2006. Not long after, he was asked to join the Darkfire team as the lead tech most (if not all) of Darkfire's productions. His organizing and technical skills can be witnessed on many Darkfire shows including, The Voice, Shark Tank, and The Bachelor.
When not on site for a show, Clifford can be found in his garage working on old cars, or "on the road" at different hot rod events around the world.
Daniel still pursues designs for concert touring. He brings a unique design eye that helps live performances be broadcast ready while still maintaining that "big rock" look. When not designing or directing, Daniel can be found riding one of his many bicycles or spending time with his family.
Dan Howe was raised in Redondo Beach, CA where he discovered a passion for theatre while in high school. Later, in junior college Dan started learning about lighting and programming, which led him to pursue a BFA from the California Institute of the Arts in theatre, with a focus in lighting design.
After graduation, Dan moved to Chicago and worked in theatre, designing many shows and ultimately became the lead programmer for the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire, IL. In 2011. 101 Ways to Leave a Gameshow gave Dan his first opportunity to work with the Darkfire Lighting Team. It was that gig where he knew that the television world would better utilize his programming skills, designer's eye, and creativity. Following that experience, Dan moved back to Los Angeles in 2012 and started programming for a variety of Darkfire shows including Guy's Grocery Games, The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, Beat Shazam, Songland, T.K.O, and The Weakest Link.
Dan is an avid sports fan and when he is not honing his programming skills, he enjoys attending sporting events, working on his golf swing, and calling into sports radio shows to share his thoughts on the Chicago Bears. Dan is also a supporter of LAFC and can be found attending their home games as often as possible.
Job Titles:
- Lighting Director / Gaffer
David Vicente Martinez was born in Lompoc California and raised in Pacoima California. He has been in the lighting industry since the age of 18, when he started working at a lighting rental shop. At the age of 21 David first met Oscar Dominguez, whole quickly took him under his wing. David spent many years learning the world of studio lighting, he has continued to
work his way up, and to hone his craft as a very skilled gaffer.
David's credits include: Don't, Quizney, World of Dance, Fear Factor, The Bachelor/The Bachelorette, Fear Factor, Candy Crush, Steve Harvey's Funderdome, and many more.
David is a true example that hard work gets you places. He prides himself in the quality, and meticulous nature of his work, he truly loves what he does. Family always comes first to David. When he is not in the studio, he is out enjoying his family time. His favorite thing to do is playing catch with his two children.
Job Titles:
- LIGHTING DESIGN / DIRECTOR / CONSIGLIERE
- Senior Member of Darkfire Lighting Design
Job Titles:
- PROGRAMMER / SYSTEM TECHNICIAN
Jen Scott, a Los Angeles Native, Jen was born and raised in San Gabriel, California. An artist at heart, she often wondered how to combine her passion with her career. She graduated from California State University Northridge with a degree in Theater, with a focus on being a scenic artist. After college, she often found herself on lighting gigs, learning a new medium
of creativity. In late summer of 2014, Jen landed an electrician gig on a Darkfire Lighting Design show (Utopia), meeting LD Adam Wilson. Over the next few years, Adam took Jen down a lighting world rabbit hole, along the way meeting some amazing Darkfire family members, including Oscar Dominguez. This journey ultimately changed her career path indefinitely. What she enjoys most about working on a Darkfire show, is the challenges and creativity that constantly push her to hone her skills as an electrician, a system technician and a programmer. Not to mention being able to learn from, and work with some of the most talented and enlightened figures in the Lighting World. Credits include Guy's Grocery Games, Candy Crush, Bachelor in Paradise, The Bachelorette, Beat Shazam, Utopia and The Voice. We she's off the clock, Jen enjoys catching a Dodger game, spending time with her husband and family, and exploring the great outdoors.
Joanne Avalos, with an entertainment family background, it is no surprise that Business Manager of Darkfire Lighting Design, Joanne ("Jo-Jo") Avalos wound up in the lighting business. Born in the UK, her formative years were spent in lighting shops, backstage at concerts or breathing fog fumes at lighting trade shows. By middle school she had an enviable collection of laminated passes. She met Oscar Dominguez while she was working as a production coordinator at VLPS in 2004 and was an early member of the team that launched Darkfire in 2007. A wearer of many hats, she supervises the calendars of Oscar and the team and coordinates the availability of equipment on each show. In addition to the hectic daily workflow, she handles the firm's legal, financial and real estate interests. She especially enjoys developing and maintaining vendor and lighting manufacturer relationships in a world of rapidly moving technology. As the company grows and diversifies, she welcomes the many opportunities to learn the intricacies of design and show production. She thrives on the adrenaline fueled medium of live television where she provides support to multiple concurrent Darkfire designed projects. She considers herself incredibly fortunate to have been given the opportunity to work among the best lighting team in the business. In her limited leisure time, she enjoys cooking and taking camping trips with her husband and daughter, but only to places with adequate cell phone reception.
Job Titles:
- Lighting Design / Director
Justin McAdams was born in Houston Texas, but raised in Tujunga, California. Justin got his start in the industry working for various rigging companies. He first met the Darkfire crew on Fear Factor, when he was hired to help rig. By the end of that first season, having put in many
Marina Fregoso has worked her way up through the lighting industry. She started in an administrative role with TMB and quickly found herself dealing with customer relations and inventory management. Marina joined Darkfire Lighting Design in 2012, she has been thrilled to gain more experience and is helping to shape the future at Darkfire.
Job Titles:
- Founder
- Head
- Founder - Lighting Designer
Oscar Dominguez, the founder and head designer of DARKFIRE INC, is the man behind the exciting visuals of NBC's THE VOICE, THE BACHELOR and SHARK TANK. With over 20 years of experience lighting live and episodic television, he is one of an elite group capable of producing the large scale lighting spectacle that top-rated TV shows demand. Darkfire is a three-time Emmy Award-winning company, in the categories of outstanding lighting design and outstanding lighting direction for a variety series.
Job Titles:
- Director
- LIGHTING DESIGN / DIRECTOR
Sam Barker is a three-time Emmy award-winning lighting director who enjoys the challenge of creating an engaging visual experience for television audiences. With nearly 25 years of experience, Sam is well versed in all aspects of lighting using his vast industry knowledge to accomplish the unique goals for each project. Not only creatively, but from an organizational standpoint, Sam listens and responds to the client's needs. His career includes variety and episodic television, awards shows, talk shows, game shows, comedy, live events, and music performances. His most current credits include "Songland" and "The Voice" on NBC and "Beat Shazam" on Fox.
Job Titles:
- PROGRAMMER / SYSTEM TECHNICIAN
Todd Brown, was born and raised in Oxon Hill, Maryland. He earned a Bachelor Degree in Psychology & Animal Behavior from Towson University in Baltimore, while also holding an internship at the Baltimore Zoo. Before going back for his Masters, Todd was volunteering at the Smithsonian National Zoo and bartending at night. One evening, Todd met Animal Planet's Jeff Corwin and his Executive
Producers. They all hit it off right away, and a month and a half later, Todd was in Florida working on his first TV show, The Jeff Corwin Experience. Todd started off as the PA, then, AC and 2nd Camera operator. For the next 8 yrs. Todd was a part of Jeff's crew traveling the world and working in every type of environment imaginable. Todd also worked as a Camera Tech on the Bachelor, where he was first introduced to the Darkfire crew. This is when Todd developed an interest in the lighting side of the industry. Todd then jumped on board with Darkfire, and continues learning all aspects of the lighting world, while still maintaining an interest in the camera tech side of production. Todd is humbly married to his wife Tracy and enjoys traveling with her whenever they can.
Todd Warn was born in Norfolk Virginia but grew up in Simi Valley California. Todd became a certified commercial, and residential electrician at the age of 20. Todd built a fantastic career for himself in this field. It wasn't until 2010, that Todd was hired to do some power work for The Bachelor, this is where he first met the Darkfire Lighting Team. Before he knew it, Todd was part of the Darkfire team and started learning the ins and the outs of the television lighting industry.
Todd has since worked his way up over the years and has become a very skilled gaffer, who brings a wealth of practical experience to his work. Recent projects include: The Bachelor, The