WonderCon 2026 Panel - Designing Worlds: Careers in Games, Costumes, Sets, and Art Direction #25

WonderCon has always been a place where worlds collide. Comics, games, film, television, fandom, and the people who build the universes we love all come together in one weekend. 

This year, I’m thrilled to return to WonderCon to moderate an educational panel focused on the many creative careers behind the scenes of world‑building across games, costumes, sets, and art direction.

Designing Worlds: Careers in Games, Costumes, Sets, and Art Direction brings together a powerhouse group of creatives who work across physical and digital production. Each panelist represents a distinct entry point into the industry and a different way to build a sustainable creative career.

Panel Details

Saturday, March 28, 2026 
12:30–1:30 PM (PDT) 
Room 300C 
Anaheim Convention Center

Panelists

 

iAsia Brown – Senior Producer, Gaming Consulting 
iAsia Brown, distinguished as “Tech Picasso,” seamlessly interweaves the realms of gaming, film, and art, manifesting her visionary storytelling. Her enduring commitment to authenticity and empowerment positions her as a luminary for diverse voices across industries. As she embarks on a scholarly journey as a doctoral student in Organizational Change and Leadership at USC Rossier School of Education, iAsia amplifies her influence. Beyond her art and academia, she ardently serves on the Board of Directors for Woman in Tech Hollywood (WiTH), Creating Coding Careers, and the Black Alumni Association at USC, further epitomizing her dedication to community, education, and advancement.

Connect with iAsia: iasiabrown.com | LinkedIn

 

Juda Escalante – Specialty Costumes
Juda is an Emmy Award-winning team member specialty costume painter with over 20 years of experience in the costume and prop industries, contributing to some of the most iconic productions in film, television, and live entertainment. From crafting walk-around character costumes for major theme parks to painting intricate props and costumes for shows like Ahsoka, The Mandalorian Season 3, Fallout Season 2 plus Movies such as Wakanda Forever, Thor Love and Thunder and Dune to name a few. His expertise spans a wide range of techniques and materials to be the talented painter he is.

Connect with Juda: IMDb

 

Chris Gilman – Founder, Global Effects 
The Foundation 
Originally from Connecticut, Chris Gilman was born into a world of high performance, literally sleeping in a crib at Daytona Speedway. This and early exposure to his father’s aerospace company—where he mastered welding and machining—combined with friendships with icons like Paul Newman and Jim Brolin, set the stage for a career of precision craftsmanship. After honing his skills as a stuntman in Arizona, Chris moved to Los Angeles, where he and his brother founded Diligent Dwarves Effects Lab in 1986.

Hollywood Excellence 
That small garage startup evolved into Global Effects Inc., a 20,000-square-foot industry leader in North Hollywood. Known worldwide for hyper-realistic specialty wardrobe and props, Chris has contributed to iconic productions like From the Earth to the Moon, Deep Impact, and Star Trek. His engineering prowess was recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which awarded him a Technical Achievement Award for developing a pioneering “Cool Suit” system that keeps actors comfortable inside heavy costumes.

Aerospace Innovation 
In 1999, the realism of his Apollo spacesuit replicas caught the attention of NASA, leading to a pivotal shift from props to functional hardware. Chris went on to:

• Redesign the Shuttle EMU spacesuit to improve ergonomics for women.

• Serve as chief designer for Orbital Outfitters, where he built the first commercial spacesuit for XCOR Aerospace.

• Consult for SpaceX on their initial suit designs and contribute to shoulder joint engineering for NASA’s Orion program.

• Supply critical hardware and crew suits for the Artemis lunar program.

The Modern Renaissance Man 
Beyond the workshop, Chris remains a dedicated student of history and the natural world. An avid scuba diver since age 12, he has dived globally. His personal interests range from Viking living history and full-contact sword fighting to medieval pottery and cooking—continuously proving that for Chris Gilman, there is no boundary between his dreams and his reality.

 

KC Mancebo – Producer / Art Director (Sailor Moon, Clamorhouse) 
KC Mancebo has worked in the entertainment industry in a wide range of disciplines. She has been an entertainment licensing agent for consumer products, a publisher, an artist manager, a festival producer and venue consultant. Most recently, KC has been producing a Food Network show for musicians and food television personalities.

KC started her career in business importing, designing, and manufacturing in the fashion industry. Her understanding of consumer product development served her well as an entertainment licensing agent when she was called upon to design and develop a wide range of tour and retail merchandise for Christina Aguilera, The Spice Girls, the Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, and N’Sync, as well as product lines for Warner Brothers, Sony, Universal, and DIC, and independent films and shows including Pokemon, Dragonball Z, Sailor Moon, and H.R. Pufnstuf. LinkedIn | Twitter @clamorhouse | Instagram @clamorhouse

 

David Tobocman – Composer, Film & Television 
David Tobocman is a multi-talented musician and music professional with over three decades of experience in New York and Los Angeles. A composer for TV and independent film, the Emmy-nominated songwriter of “The Forgiveness Song,” written for the Nickelodeon animated series, Robot and Monster, a recording artist for kids with five albums under his belt, a record producer and recording engineer, a multi-instrumentalist, a working cocktail pianist, and the author of Listen Loud: The Rock Albums That Changed the World, as well as the Music Editor and a columnist for Esthetic Lens magazine. LinkedIn | Twitter @tobocman | Instagram @dtobocman

What We’ll Talk About

This panel is designed for students, emerging creatives, career‑switchers, and professionals looking to understand how creative industries really work. Topics include:

• The many roles involved in designing worlds across media

• Entry points and career paths that aren’t always obvious

• Collaboration across disciplines and teams

• How technology is changing creative production

• Practical advice for building a long‑term creative career

The conversation will be moderated by Heather Cook

 

Heather Cook currently serves as Principal PM Manager and Lead for Microsoft 365 Customer Advocacy Group at Microsoft. She works on a team of community program managers whose charter is engagement, evangelism, and growth by building strategy, programs, and connections for our community members with Microsoft. Heather is a former Microsoft MVP for Microsoft 365 Apps and Services. Over the past twenty years, Heather has led marketing for Global Cloud Providers and run a software business. She lives in Marina del Rey, California. She has traveled the world extensively for pleasure and by speaking about Power Platform, Office 365, SharePoint, Microsoft Teams, Workplace Culture, Community, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging. Heather is a published playwright and a graduate of the University of Washington School of Drama, Seattle, WA.

Connect with Heather: LinkedIn | Instagram | BlueSky

A huge thank you to Eddie, Tommy, Laura, Adam, Michelle, Amy, and the entire Educational Team at WonderCon! For decades, they have been a force to be reckoned with for their passion for curating beautiful sessions for the program.

If you’re curious about how games, costumes, sets, art direction, and sound come together to create the worlds we love, join us.

Friends with panels

Lorran Garrison - Panels

Mixer for Teachers and the Popular Arts Enthusiasts – Friday March 27^th – 7:30-9:00pm PDT

Comics as Counter-Narratives: Teaching the History They Tried to Erase – Sunday March 29^th – 12:00pm – 1:00pm PDT

Dr Sara Roldan - Panels

KHAAAANN!!!: Inside the Mind of Star Trek’s Most Beloved Villian - Friday March 27 - 9:00pm - 10:00pm PDT

Stranger Things Psychology: Demogorgons N’ Diagnoses - Saturday March 28 - 6:00 pm-7:00pm PDT

Welcome to Starfleet Academy - Saturday March 28 - 9:00pm - 10:00pm PDT

What is WonderCon?

WonderCon is an annual pop culture convention organized by the same team behind San Diego Comic-Con. Held in Anaheim, California, the event celebrates comics, movies, TV shows, animation, gaming, and cosplay. It features a packed schedule of panel discussions, exclusive previews, celebrity appearances, and an extensive exhibit hall filled with artists, publishers, and collectibles. WonderCon provides a vibrant space for fans and industry professionals to connect with their shared love of storytelling and creativity.

Whether you’re a dedicated comic book enthusiast or a casual pop culture fan, WonderCon is an immersive experience that celebrates the ever-evolving world of fandom culture.

You can follow WonderCon on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wondercon/ and Linktree.

Hope you can attend our panel!! Cheers