Peter McGowan is one of the founders of PlainJoe and Storyland Studios. He is a champion of bringing clients’ unique stories to life by broadening their visual vocabulary beyond words and helping shape the cultural influence of their organizations.

Having worked with large-scale corporate clients such as Infinity, Nissan, IBM and Johnson & Johnson, as well as creative pioneers including Disney, Universal and Lego – Peter has a robust background in technology, art, and architecture which has equipped him to skillfully integrate these fields of design to tell immersive stories on the graphic and environmental stages. He is especially passionate about partnering with non-profit and cause-based organizations to reflect their missions with excellence and heart.

At the end of the day, he loves spending time with his wife, Jennifer, and their three kids making memories that usually involve Lego sets, Star Wars, Disney, or all three.

Peter’s Projects

Ozone Story Tech

A TECHNOLOGY COMPANY FOCUSED ON DELIVERING OUTSTANDING 3D CHARACTER CREATION TOOLS

Peter serves as the CEO of Ozone Story Tech, an innovation-driven firm specializing in real-time immersive storytelling, AI-powered interactive experiences, and world-building technology. The studio is pioneering advancements in 3D spatial computing, virtual production, and digital twins, helping brands create dynamic, adaptable, and deeply engaging experiences across platforms.

Trilith Studios

MASTERPLANNING A CREATIVE HUB WHERE STORYTELLERS LIVE, WORK, AND THRIVE

A groundbreaking creative hub spanning 1,000 acres, Trilith is a visionary cultural ecosystem that blends entertainment, community, and innovation. Storyland Studios played a pivotal role in master planning Trilith Live, a $300 million mixed-use district featuring a performing arts center, media studio, and a vibrant town square, as well as the design of the Trilith Studios Tour, a one-of-a-kind immersive experience bringing the magic of filmmaking to life.

Alliance Redwoods

REIMAGINING A CAUSE-DRIVEN RETREAT THROUGH IMMERSIVE DESIGN AND NATURE

A legacy project bringing adventure, education, and conservation together, Storyland Studios worked with Alliance Redwoods to create a cause-driven experiential retreat that blends nature, storytelling, and innovative design.

Glen Ivy Hot Springs

REVAMPING A DESTINATION BRAND, INCLUDING SPATIAL AND DIGITAL EXPERIENCES

Storyland Studios partnered with Glen Ivy Hot Springs, an iconic wellness retreat, to revitalize its brand identity, redesign the guest experience, and enhance its digital presence. Through a strategic master plan and an immersive brand transformation, Peter’s team helped drive a 300% increase in organic traffic and positioned Glen Ivy for a successful acquisition.

Matt’s career began at the Walt Disney Company, where he led national brand and marketing programs for the Walt Disney World destination, Walt Disney World Resort Hotels, Golf and Dining, and ESPN Wide World of Sports. Over the course of his career, Matt has worked with dozens of multi-national companies, including Cedar Fair Entertainment, the Biltmore Estate, Chiquita, and Habitat for Humanity. He joined Storyland Studios in 2020 to serve as the Chief Innovation Officer.

Matt’s Projects

Kebulania

DESIGNING & MASTER PLANNING A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND FILM CITY IN LAGOS, NIGERIA

A groundbreaking Nollywood-inspired film city and entertainment hub, Kebulania is set to redefine the African entertainment landscape. Storyland Studios is leading the master planning and immersive design to create a world-class destination for filmmakers, creatives, and global audiences.

Bethany Children’s Health Center

TRANSFORMING A BELOVED CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL THROUGH HEARTFELT SPATIAL STORYTELLING

Storyland Studios partnered with Bethany Children’s Health Center to reimagine its campus through an immersive, story-driven master plan, blending healing environments with engaging, interactive spaces that uplift young patients and their families.

Matt’s Projects at Previous Firms

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

CRAFTING IMMERSIVE BRAND EXPERIENCES FOR DISNEY’S WILDEST THEME PARK

As part of his tenure at The Walt Disney Company, Matt contributed to brand and marketing strategies for Disney’s Animal Kingdom, one of the most immersive and narrative-driven theme parks in the world.

ESPN Wide World of Sports

SHAPING THE BRAND EXPERIENCE OF DISNEY’S PREMIER SPORTS DESTINATION

Matt played a key role in the brand and marketing development for ESPN Wide World of Sports, a premier multi-sport complex that hosts elite athletic competitions, training camps, and global sports events at Walt Disney World Resort.

Matthew Luhn is a sought-after story supervisor, award-winning writer and director, branding consultant, and keynote speaker with over 25 years of experience creating unforgettable stories and characters. He’s an alumni of Pixar Animation Studios whose story credits include the Toy Story film franchise, Finding Nemo, Cars, Monsters, Inc., Monsters University, Up, Ratatouille, and more. As a speaker and consultant, he has served some of the world’s most well-known brands, including Google, Meta, LEGO®, Coca-Cola, Target, Sony, Apple, and many others.

While studying at CalArts, Matthew began his career as the youngest animator to work on The Simpsons. Today, he’s an international Fortune 500 storytelling consultant, award-winning writer & director, keynote speaker, branding consultant, and the author of The Best Story Wins. We welcome him as a friend of the Storyland Studios family. 

Matthew’s Projects

Story Artist

Matthew was a story artist at Pixar, developing films such as Toy Story 2 and 3, Finding Nemo, Cars, Monsters, Inc., Monsters University, Up, Ratatouille, and more.

Story Supervisor

Matthew acted as story supervisor for a number of Pixar shorts and specials, including Toy Story of Terror and Toy Story That Time Forgot. 

Kai has a passion for telling stories at the intersection of physical space and virtual presence. Growing up in sunny southern California where Hollywood storytelling is at its peak, Kai has an aptitude for leading constructive conversations with companies all over the world that increase both brand recognition and user engagement.

He has developed a wide range of projects that span from Physical Interactive Kiosks to Facebook’s Oculus VR Development to IOS & Web Apps. His design and development background allows him to speak intelligently as design teams hand practical assets to software engineers. If the idea has a moving pixel, Kai has helped bring it to life.

When the work day comes to a close, he enjoys making memories with his wife Kasey and their two kids. For added fun, you can catch Kai surfing on the weekends just south of Newport Beach, CA.

Tyler brings a wealth of experience – over twenty one years – working in the entertainment industry to bear leading projects at Storyland Studios. Prior to joining the SLS team, Tyler worked in various roles at Thinkwell Group in the media, project management and project development departments and has been involved in many signature, global Thinkwell Group projects, including the Google Customer Experience Center in Redwood City, CA, the Jaguar Land Rover Brand Experience Centre, Ski Dubai: Snowfari, and The Hunger Games: The Exhibition. His career has developed through both themed and on-screen entertainment, working as a Show Producer creating blockbuster traveling exhibitions, running promotional events for major entertainment brands, and as a freelance Film/Television/Commercial production professional.

Prior to joining Storyland Studios, Joe worked in the automotive and entertainment industry including Primedia Inc., Kelley Blue Book, and Foreshock. He has creatively lead digital campaigns for Sony PlayStation, MotorTrend, Kawasaki and Bosch. With a degree in Graphic Design from Chapman University, his background experience includes development of UX strategies and innovative user experiences across a range of digital channels and platforms advocating on user-centric solutions. He is passionate about technology and actively stays in-tuned with the latest digital trends. Today Joe leads the interactive team at Storyland Studios and PlainJoe Studios, occasionally finding time to help with design and development.