About Us

Biography

Tyler B. Robinson is an Emmy®-winning Production Designer who moved to Portland, Oregon in 1998 following a stretch of adventures that included Honorable Service in the U.S. Army, international hitchhiking trips, and seasonal jobs to support a snowboarding habit. His time as a reconnaissance squad leader and weapons specialist sharpened his leadership, communication, and adaptability under pressure. After his discharge, he adopted a vagabond lifestyle that further developed his creative problem-solving and ability to thrive on a budget.

Using the G.I. Bill, he attended Portland Community College and landed an internship at Food Chain Films, which launched his film career. He worked on commercials, indie films, and webisodes before being hired as Production Designer for the TV pilot of IFC's Portlandia, which he continued through season five. His team’s work earned a Primetime Emmy and two Art Director’s Guild Awards. He went on to design FX’s Baskets and the first two seasons of HBO’s Barry, receiving another Emmy nomination.

Some of Robinson's feature film credits include Pig, The Kings of Summer, and the cult hit, The FP. When reviewing The Kings of Summer, film critic Christopher Redmond of Dear Cast & Crew said of Robinson’s work, "Your production design in this film isn't just impressive - it's moving.  Like an emotional time capsule, each set piece transported me back into adolescence.  Not by recreating a specific era, but by evoking an overall feeling."

After 20-some years in the film industry, Tyler was looking for a new challenge and having recently been introduced to escape games, got excited about creating immersive and interactive entertainment. Not content to design another common escape room trope, he set out to pioneer a new type of escape room , one that could teach real-life skills and even, potentially, save lives!

His concept for the Shaky Grounds Cafe was a merging of his love for escape games, military experience as a 19D cavelry scout squad leader and his recent volunteer work with his local CERT / NET team - a volunteer organization who is trained by the city to help their neighbors times of disaster.

Tyler focused on Emergency Preparedness as the theme for his flagship experience: Shaky Grounds Café—the world’s first mobile escape room dedicated to preparedness education. This 1-hour game, built into a mobile trailer, would help players develop real-world survival skills through engaging, hands-on puzzles and problem-solving.

Despite launching during a pandemic, Tyler successfully brought his vision to life. Shaky Grounds Café has since earned national attention, including recognition as one of the top 250 escape rooms in the world, and is now being considered for licensing opportunities in other cities and states.

Tyler’s mission is to Entertain, Engage, Educate, and Empower—creating experiences that leave people not only smiling, but better prepared for whatever life might throw their way.