RIT alumni are shaping new careers: 3D-workflow and technology specialist

When Malcolm Zale ’23 (motion picture science) clocks in for his job at 4Wall Entertainmenthe says it feels like “every day is a Choose Your Own Adventure book.” As a 3D-workflow and technology specialist, he tests and integrates new technology and software into the company’s workflows and rolodex of offerings.

“I’ve always loved playing with toys, and I’ve been fortunate enough to turn it into a career. The toys just keep getting more expensive,” said Zale, who is based in Long Island, N.Y. “I work in a playground for technologists in the film and television industry, and I have all the toys you could want.”

4Wall Entertainment is a full-service lighting, video, audio, and rigging company serving all facets of the entertainment industry, from corporate events and theater to live concert tours and television. The company’s work has been seen across the nation during events like Bonnaroo 2026the 2026 NFL Draftand PAX East.

Zale is part of 4Wall’s Special Projects Group. He describes the bulk of his work as applied computational photography.

Lately, his focus has been stress testing new 3D-tracking solutions for cameras and other augmented reality elements in an In-Camera Visual Effects workflow. He also is developing internal workflows for Gaussian splatting, a technique that turns a series of overlapping photos or videos taken from different angles into a lifelike 3D reconstruction of the scene.

In this role, Zale applies his knowledge of technology and best practices used in the film industry—gained through his education in RIT’s School of Film and Animation—to the live entertainment industry. His expertise is what earned him an “alarmingly long leash” to test new gear and software for wider use.

“Leadership generally trusts me to make good decisions about what sort of workflow and technologies to adopt, and to have good intuition about where the industry is going to go and what’s going to work,” he said. “Because of that, I get carte blanche to explore.”