WORLD'S TOUGHEST FIXES

Sean Riley (known as “Riley” to his friends) is a master rigger, engineering enthusiast and set designer with an expertise in suspension and load transfer involving large masses and difficult access. Creating functional and architecturally sound installations, he has risen to the height of his field. He is the founder and principal rigging designer for Gravity Design Inc., a company based in San Francisco, Calif., that provides innovative rigging and force management solutions for a wide variety of clients all over the world — from circus acts to industrial installations.

Riley is always hands-on (welding, constructing, wiring), and though he is no stranger to high-risk responsibility, he has a flawless safety record.

His passion for mechanics is matched only by his passion for extreme adventure. He loves to pull on a diving wetsuit, arc up a blowtorch or dangle from a height that would have most people going weak in the knees — just for fun. He drives heavy machinery, jumps off bridges, rock climbs and is a back-country solo survivalist.

Riley studied theatre arts at University of California Santa Cruz and has taught college-level theatrical design.