Liam Findlay, a 32-year-old from Dorset, has a unique and intriguing profession: he creates smells for theme parks. His home in Weymouth is filled with an eclectic collection of scents, from the eerie to the delightful, all bottled and stored on a bookshelf in his lounge. These smells are designed to enhance the immersive experience of theme park attractions, making roller coasters more thrilling and Halloween mazes more terrifying. Findlay's work taps into the powerful role that smells play in our memories and emotions, as he explains, "Theme park guests might not realize it, but smells hold incredible power over their memories and emotions." This niche job is not just a conversation starter at parties, as it often sparks curiosity and intrigue. Many people are unaware of the existence of such a profession, which adds to the fascination surrounding it. Findlay's journey into this field began with his experience as an attraction designer. He initially managed an escape room in Weymouth and later contributed to the design of an escape room for the Bear Grylls adventure in Birmingham. His understanding of the attraction design process and the challenges faced by the teams behind these creations have been instrumental in his success. Despite not having a perfumery background, Findlay's expertise lies in his ability to comprehend the intricate details that go into creating immersive and captivating attractions. His work showcases the often-overlooked importance of smell in theme parks, where it can transport guests to different worlds and evoke a range of emotions. The role of a smell designer is a testament to the power of sensory experiences and the impact they can have on our enjoyment and engagement with theme parks. As Findlay's story demonstrates, sometimes the most extraordinary jobs are those that lie just beneath the surface, waiting to be discovered and appreciated.
