For those of us TEA members who have focused our careers on the theme park market, we may sometimes forget about some of the adjacent industries where talented entrepreneurs are excited to discover who we are and what we do. Among those talents is Traylor Woodall, the ever-enthusiastic Founder and CEO of Fivestone Studios, an immersive multimedia studio serving the marketing (and now themed entertainment) industries from its home base in Nashville, Tennessee. 

According to Traylor, the brand experience market is fertile ground for themed entertainment. “Our famous saying is that we live in that intersection between technology and storytelling, so joining the TEA made perfect sense for us.”

Traylor began his career as an on-air graphic designer for broadcast television, and later made the decision to hang his own shingle and start Fivestone Studios. “We have been pumping out great multimedia projects for over 15 years, and one day one of our Clients asked us to create an immersive guest experience to tell their brand story in their lobby. Suddenly, we were in the guest experience market!” Traylor explains that his foray into themed entertainment and immersive guest experience was a natural fit, and similar to so many entrepreneurs, began with inspiration from Uncle Walt. “Walt Disney was my role model. I have a little yellow notebook I carry around with that written in it from when I was sixteen years old. I have always felt that the way the themed entertainment industry treats the customer experience is phenomenal. Because I love to learn, and my team loves creativity, we feel that the themed entertainment market can help us grow in new and exciting ways to not only deliver projects in themed entertainment, but also learn new skills to serve our clients in the marketing industry as well!”

​After making the decision to join the TEA, Traylor immediately began to find ways to invest his time and his company’s marketing dollars for TEA sponsorship. He encourages others to do the same and experience the same success. “I would definitely recommend to anyone who is considering membership, DO IT, and get involved,” he says. “There are a lot of intimate events like TEA mixers and behind-the-scenes tours to peek behind the curtain and start to understand the ways various companies work and meet people — maybe even find a themed entertainment mentor! Be eager and jump in with both feet, because virtually all TEA members are willing to help guide you in this amazing association.”

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Written by Matt Kent

​Attraction design has always thrived on collaboration; different teams will join a project at different stages. However, the dynamics of when, what, and how each team contributes are changing rapidly.

Creators, tech partners, and integrators are now interdependent. The internet has made communication seamless, allowing complex tasks to be accomplished off-site. Stakeholders can now collaborate closely wherever they are, leveraging a diverse knowledge pool to find innovative solutions.

Recently, I discussed this trend with three experiential design-firm executives I’ve worked with as part of Panasonic Connect’s technology partnership, and it shed light on the evolving landscape of collaboration in the themed entertainment industry.

​“Our process is always one of collaboration with our own teams and external stakeholders,” he says. “Sometimes a company will ask us to turn their IP into a live experience. Sometimes, we come up with the genesis of an idea and approach a particular IP for a branded partnership. There is no set formula. Collaboration with new and exciting companies also allows us to push the boundaries of what people can expect from modern entertainment.”

While complete creative freedom is always nice, he says, the reality is that most projects are tightly controlled.

“Most of the time, the client has a high-level vision in mind. Visualization is always necessary to communicate the vision to ensure alignment, direction, and approval. The freedom to go through an ideation process will always deliver the best results. But we are aware of the invisible hand of running the business. Timeline and financials usually guide the team to the final idea.”

Involving problem-solvers is key
Not all creative individuals fit the mold of artists or designers. Welcoming professionals with diverse backgrounds fosters lateral thinking, leading to innovative solutions. For example, a product engineer with a clear understanding of the attraction designer’s vision can shape new products to meet a specific need, while designers learn how to shape a product’s design by showing the engineer exactly what they need it to do.

As a growing trend, design studios are actively engaging tech partners from the beginning of the ideation process to tackle challenges at an early stage.

Lionetti-Maguire observes, “It’s interesting for technology partners to see how companies will use their products, sometimes in ways they may never have imagined. What this does is create new problems to solve. Technology has to be reliable over long periods and many iterations. When faced with the public, technology has to be at its most robust. These challenges will always create new areas of interest and perhaps even new products for both sides.”

Newman also acknowledges the value of on-site cooperation in tackling challenges, stating, “Since Moongate Design Studio focuses on LBE projects, we face many challenges due to specific conditions of different locations. As a team, we always try to clarify the possible issues in early development with partners.”

Reconciling the “what” and the “how”
However, finding the right balance between visionary concepts and practical considerations can be tough.

Lionetti-Maguire agrees. “The first concept development meeting has to be totally free. We have a mantra of ‘there’s no such thing as a bad idea’ in these meetings. That allows people to be free in their thinking and means we can push the possibilities.

“It’s then in the second phase that we begin to consider the ‘how.’ This is when we introduce technologies and attempt to see if our earlier ideas were possible. We often have to rethink certain elements or make compromises, as is inevitable in any project. However, we have garnered such experience in live entertainment that we often think several steps ahead and will have a very good idea of delivering a certain element.”

The co-creation laboratory
To realize this balance, Panasonic Connect’s creative engineer initiative fosters deeper communication between tech partners and clients. Engineers gain a better understanding of on-site requirements to propose effective solutions.

It’s the impetus of our XR Lab concept. R&D teams are brought together with LBE designers and tasked with creating next-generation experiences. For creative studios, this strong emphasis on collaboration differentiates “technology partner” from “equipment supplier.”

“An equipment supplier will often do the bare minimum, dropping off an installing kit and walking away without any further care for the project, which is shortsighted,” says Lionetti-Maguire. “A great technology partner, like Panasonic Connect, will invest time and care into their partner’s project, knowing that this will be a mutually beneficial endeavor in the long run.”

A glimpse ahead
Looking ahead, emerging technologies promise a new kind of immersive experience. “The technology we are developing with Panasonic Connect for Chaos Karts has enormous possibilities in all those fields,” says Lionetti-Maguire. “The idea of fully digital 360-degree worlds in which customers can play in real-time without the use of VR, which is limiting and inherently anti-social in the real world, is one that I find extremely exciting.”

Song looks forward to more immersive experiences driven by advanced technologies. “More advanced technologies allowing us to share the experience virtually and worldwide will only create more hybrid types of new immersive genres where the traditional theme park and new digital age experience collide and coexist.

“What excites us is not so much about the upcoming technologies; it’s about how we can forge all the tools to create a stronger and more immersive guest experience.”

If you’re interested in learning how a technology partner can enrich and sustain your next attraction, please drop me a line at kunimoto.chad@jp.panasonic.com.

Chad Kunimoto is the Global Business Development Manager for Themed Entertainment and Immersive Experiences at Panasonic Connect.

Immersive tourist attractions have received much attention in recent years and are fast becoming a popular, futuristic mainstream entertainment trend. Special effects films play an integral part in crafting such extraordinary experiences by cultivating a highly immersive environment and creating a strong sense of audience participation.

Fantawild Holdings Inc. operates upwards of 10 distinct Fantawild theme park brands, amounting to over 30 parks in total with hundreds of exciting themed attractions, both in China and overseas. A leading player in the domestic theme park industry and ranking fifth in global theme park attendance figures for four consecutive years, Fantawild has been honored with many awards including TEA’s Thea Awards for Outstanding Achievement, the IAAPA Brass Ring Awards, and the Lotus Award. These outstanding market achievements and industry recognitions are testaments to the efforts of Fantawild Film Inc. and its focus on providing one-stop solutions for theme park attractions, from content design and production, to visual effect guidance, to filming, post-production and media production.

Fantawild Film Inc., a subsidiary of Fantawild Holdings, has contributed to the film industry for over 20 years. Currently, it operates the largest special effects film research institute in China. With strong technological prowess, Fantawild boasts a complete and integrated industrial chain for special effects film production. This covers content planning, design, production, recording, equipment debugging and installation. The organization is proud to be leading the trend of special effects films by independently developing upwards of 10 distinct types of special effects film encompassing all previously established special effects film categories. 

Thanks to advanced technology and production capabilities, Fantawild has produced more than 100 world-class special effects film programs. The company presents the charm of special films from a new perspective, providing tourists with the ultimate feast for the senses and providing commercial customers with personalized special effects film programs. Fantawild’s special effects film production system has not only been utilized for its own theme parks but has also been introduced to global markets. Fantawild has successfully sold over 70 sets of special effects film systems to more than 40 countries and territories, including the United States, Canada, Italy, etc. This enables tourists at home and abroad to enjoy a spectacular viewing experience.

Special effects films with distinctive features
Fantawild Film Inc. has always been at the forefront of cutting-edge technology and continuously innovates to apply such technology to its special effects films. The company has developed over 10 kinds of special effects films. These includes dynamic track rides, suspended spherical screen movies, 360° circular-screen movies, giant screen movies, water screen movies, and holographic AR movies. 

Fantawild is highly capable at each stage of the special effects film production process with experience in designing customized programs to suit different themes and storylines. Seeking to create an immersive sensory experience and present a splendid artistic effects, Fantawild utilizes various screen types and technologies such as visual tracking, image splicing and restoration. Perfect synchronization between specialized equipment, including dynamic vehicles, boats, and stages, combines with intricately designed programs to ultimately achieve these goals.

To best present exciting, action-packed scenes, which are favored by youngsters, Fantawild Film Inc. has designed and developed numerous 4D dark rides, such as The Wizard Academy and The Legend of Nüwa. 

Dino-Rampage, a large-scale 4D dark ride program at Fantawild Dino Kingdom in Zigong, features Mesozoic era and scientific elements. This attraction allows visitors to take on the role of a superhero who saves a city rampant with dinosaurs. The theater adopts hyper-realistic technology as well as dynamic image tracking technology. The delicate integration of stereo virtual images and real props is accomplished by synchronizing various screen types, dynamic track vehicles with multiple degrees of freedom, simulation settings, and lighting special effects with other special effects such as raging dinosaurs, collapsing buildings, storms, avalanches, and fire. Together, these elements present the chaos brought by the unruly dinosaurs. The attraction also includes sections of film in which the police swear to defend the city even if it’s the last thing they do. Visitors can partake in a fantastic sensory experience in this highly immersive and adventurous program which is simply great fun. 

In order to present dreamlike and aesthetic stories, Fantawild has innovatively developed the world’s first 360-degree holographic AR theater. Holographic AR film Eternal Love integrates augmented reality technology with live performance. The 360-degree imagery provides audience members with a fantastic view from any location within the theater, creating a visual masterpiece from every angle. Various special effects are employed throughout this production, including the mysterious disappearance and sudden reappearance of performers, props and scenes; the rapid growth of the vines on the wall; and the cracking, collapse, then vanishing of structures. Simultaneously, simulated weather changes such as wind, snow, thunder, and lightning offer audiences an enhanced viewing experience. At the end of the performance, the story’s protagonists dance together and fly into flowers after becoming butterflies. The whole performance is ethereal and picturesque. 

Qu Yuan, another holographic AR film, centers on the tumultuous life of China’s first poet. The film innovatively adopts an ink painting style, utilizing dynamic special effects animation. Perfect cooperation between a high-tech stage and live performance using holographic AR technology and stereo wall projections creates visually poetic scenes. This attraction won Fantawild TEA’s Thea Awards for Outstanding Achievement in 2019.

Fantawild excels in presenting themes and artistic effects required for each attraction through a variety of stylized film content such as cartoons, hyperrealism, traditional origami, ink painting, scroll painting, and digital restoration. The organization has developed hundreds of colorful special effects programs with distinctive cultural significances and technological traits. Among them are Bridge to Love, shown in a panoramic dome theater; Battle of Red Cliffs, a Three Kingdom-themed traditional origami experience; Marvels of Chinese Culture, a giant screen film; and Chinese Opera Express which is a trackless ride. Fantawild’s work is therefore recognized as a model for integrating technology with modern tourism. Special effects films are the core of all these attractions. Synchronizing specialized equipment and special effects combine the virtual and real worlds to present diverse themes and content in an innovative way.

Dive into the culture and explore the art of inheritance and innovation
A strong theme and cultural representation are the heart of Fantawild’s productions. Fantawild often takes inspiration from traditional stories then combines this with creativity and technology to provide tailored recreational attractions. Each production is carefully crafted and requires a lot of work. This includes research, sourcing material, brainstorming, discussing, and evaluating relevant technology. With a focus on innovative development and conversion of cultural content, as well as developing new technology and producing special effects films, Fantawild strives to achieve authentic artistic restoration through special effects. This grants cultural elements a new lease of life, and provides tourists with unique experiences.

Fantawild was the first organization in China to build a park featuring with cultures of the 10 ASEAN member states: Fantawild Asian Legend. Over 50 members of the Fantawild film creation and production team spent several months traveling Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Cambodia, Laos and so on studying the cultures and customs of these territories while collecting relevant material and resources. 

Fantawild successfully showcases the individuality of each nation, featuring the most symbolic cultural elements. Each represented territory features characteristics such as folklore, legends, and natural landscapes vividly presented on huge screens, 360-degree circular screens, or spherical screens. 4D dark ride technology, holographic imagery technology, and water-screen film technology are employed to complete the special effects production as required by Fantawild Asian Legend park. 

For these parks, Fantawild has developed over 10 special effects films, including Dancing Islands, Manila Manila, and Finding Merlion. These attractions vividly represent the colorful and diverse nature and history, as well as the perhaps unfamiliar cultures of these ASEAN nations. Nanning Fantawild Asian Legend provides visitors with a fantastic opportunity to learn more about other places and cultures without having to travel. The park has also hosted important political figures from these ASEAN nations and has received positive feedback.

The production of the giant screen film Amazing Angkor is visually impressive. To authentically recreate architectural characteristics, social customs, and the geographic landscape of Angkor Wat and its history of more than 1,000 years, Fantawild engineers visited the site in person to collect material and carry out extensive research. They then developed Amazing Angkor, a unique huge-screen film which utilizes hyper-realistic digital assets software and methods of normal mapping. Hundreds of photographs taken from a multitude of angles guarantee detailed accuracy in Fantawild’s digital models. 3D digital remastering technology was used to perfectly recreate the splendid stone structures and wall paintings of Angkor Wat.

Let’s Fly is a popular themed attraction at Nanning Fantawild Asian Legend. In this suspended dome theater, visitors can take in some of the most recognizable and distinctive scenery from several different countries. This flight simulation utilizes a spherical screen with a unique elevation angle and suspended seats which mimic on-screen movements. Various technologies were used during the film’s production, including super-realistic CG production, image drawing, and texture mapping. Fantawild collected huge amounts of research material and studied it in detail, aiming to present authentic replications using texture mapping. 

This immersive attraction is truly a feast for the eyes. Visitors can fully appreciate the magnificent scenery and landmarks of ASEAN nations, such as Mount Popa, Borobudur Temple, the splendid Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque, and the famous Shwedagon Pagoda.

This attraction represents tradition while making innovative use of technology. Fantawild enables people to see the infinite potential of combining traditional culture with modern technology. Participants will appreciate the beauty of these creative arts in this immersive attraction.

Strong technical prowess ensures quality
Rapid technical advancements encourage continuous modifications to recreational activities and a constant need for innovation to fulfill such demands. The realization of great ideas is indispensable from the advancement of technology.

Fantawild has always upheld the value of self-innovation and self-owned intellectual property rights. To date, the organization has obtained over 500 patents worldwide. Fantawild actively explores contemporary ways to integrate and apply cutting-edge technology, culture, film and other forms of media with the tourism industry. The company is experienced in and capable of all stages of the film production process, including concept design, visual effect creation, special-effects and television production, on-site visual effect guidance and shooting, audio and video post-production, motion capture, high-precision asset production, commercial advertising, 3D animation production, and virtual digital person in the field of digital content. It is undoubtedly an exemplary company within the special effects film sector.

Fantawild Film Inc. boasts strong creative and R&D capabilities, having self-developed a series of professional facilities, including a hyper-realistic 360-degree photogrammetry system and various intelligent shooting systems. Additionally, the organization has fully grasped a whole set of film and television production capabilities, such as simulation technology, extra sensory experience, and the post-production special effects of film and television productions. Thanks to all of this, much of Fantawild’s technology is considered to be some of the best in the world. 

Fantawild was the first organization in China to develop a giant screen stereo projection system with 8K resolution and 48 frames per second (fps) as well as a spherical screen projection system with 4K resolution and 60 fps. Paying close attention to 3D digital remastering technology, hyper-realistic asset technology, the integration of live shots with 3D graphics, and stylized picture effects research were all indispensable when crafting super authentic replicas of actual scenes to ultimately creating a realistic virtual world. 

​Fantawild never stops modernizing performance styles and updating the content of themed attraction. They are able do so by independently developing virtual interactive entertainment equipment and intelligent control systems such as special tracks, vehicles, boats, stages, simulation robots, and special effects devices. This has facilitated upgraded presentation formats, including suspended dome theaters, 4D dark rides, holographic AR theaters, dynamic dome theaters and so on.

It is noteworthy that Fantawild Film Inc. was also the first creative team in the world to impressively bring ancient paintings to life using digital 3D remastering technology. By independently developing techniques to create a 3D reconstruction of an ancient painting, Fantawild successfully developed Flying with Cranes, a spherical screen flight simulation which showcases this classic artwork in a way unlike any before. 

It takes a lot of time and effort to digitally remaster a painting on a giant spherical screen with 4K resolution at 48 fps. Fantawild engineers have constructed 3D model of this piece of art by employing the outlining and techniques of traditional Chinese painting and 3D digital technology. Close attention was paid to also preserve the carving strokes and intricate details of the original painting. The coloring process and manner in which the colors overlap were studied in order to make a perfect replica of the original piece. 

Creatively taking inspiration from the mineral jade, Fantawild vividly represents the texture and gloss of water seen in the original painting. Fantawild also developed away for guests to appreciate the painting while inflight as visitors sit in suspended chairs enveloped by a huge spherical screen to give the impression of flying in line with cranes. Guest have close contact with the ancient painting from the Northern Song dynasty and can fully appreciate the beauty and magnificence conveyed in this landscape painting.

​Fantawild has crafted magical spaces where visitors can travel through time and experience various magnificent and exciting adventures. A combination of culture, technology, and imagination has created wonderful lands of innovation, offering visitors wonderfully immersive and dreamlike experiences.

Chad Kunimoto explains how laser projection can transform your business into a sustainable powerhouse with these 10 strategies.
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Blog post by Chad Kunimoto for TEA
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​The attractions industry is moving to address the environmental impact of creating magical experiences. PortAventura World in Spain recently became the world’s first carbon-neutral resort. Disney is progressing towards its 100% carbon neutrality goal by 2030. Universal Studios Orlando switched to LED lighting, saving about 2.4 million kilowatt hours of energy annually. Others are investing in water recycling, food waste programs, and renewable energy sources.

With so many companies relying on media-powered attractions, investing in laser projection can go a long way to minimizing your environmental impact while promoting sustainable business. Here are 10 ways that laser projectors—the heart of media-based experiences—can make your operation more sustainable.

1. Reduce waste and enhance reliability
It used to be necessary to keep an inventory of spare lamps and filters and maintain projectors regularly, which led to waste, cost, and downtime. Today, the best DLP laser projectors feature sealed optical blocks that prevent dust ingress without the need for filters, while the light source lasts for the life of the product, reducing downtime, waste, cost, and effort for operators.

2. Transition to energy-efficient equipment
Laser projectors offer excellent Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) benefits. One study found that if all European cinemas switched from lamp to laser projectors, the energy savings could amount to 150 GWh of energy annually, equivalent to the monthly production of a small nuclear power plant. Some 20,000-lumen-class projectors such as this use about 33% less energy than equivalent lamp projectors. Laser projectors maintain consistent brightness for long periods, reducing the need for calibration.

3. Reduce transport emissions
Laser projectors are much smaller and lighter than lamp projectors, with some models 40% smaller than their predecessors, for more efficient transport. Rental companies can fit more units on one truck at a time, directly reducing carbon emissions. The smaller form factor saves time, energy, and costs associated with installation, opening new possibilities for projection in areas with limited space.

4. Use fewer projectors
Some laser projectors offer a high level of brightness relative to their size, allowing you to achieve impressive image quality using fewer projectors. Lamp projectors often required stacking to achieve sufficient brightness, but now a single laser projector can accomplish the same task. Additionally, evolved fisheye lenses can provide full-dome coverage from a single projector, boosting operating efficiency.

5. Refresh the experience, not the hardware
To ensure long-term sustainability, selecting a flexible projector that can adapt to different applications is important. Laser light sources last for 20,000 hours, so you can keep using the same projectors through multiple iterations of an attraction. Compatibility with optional lenses and function boards adapt to changing needs.

6. Save time during setup
The best projectors provide a user experience that will save time, money, and resources for improved sustainability. For example, automated edge-blending and remote monitoring capabilities can streamline setup and operation and reduce resource consumption. Additionally, the use of NFC (Near Field Communication) can save time by enabling device interactions even in the absence of AC power on-site.

7. Extend projector service life
Laser projectors include Eco modes that extend service life beyond 20,000 hours. Furthermore, sensors can detect changes in the images and make adjustments to maintain color and brightness uniformity, reducing callouts. Some lenses can detect changes in content brightness or temperature and correct focus drift automatically.

8. Simulate real environments
Laser projection allows you to simulate the world’s most vulnerable ecosystems, allowing guests to experience the wonder without causing harm. From exotic flora and fauna to marine or forest ecologies, projection offers a sustainable way to share it.

9. Avoid toxic materials
Choose a projector that does not contain specified toxic substances such as mercury, lead, or halogenic flame retardants. Unlike conventional projectors that require special disposal of expired lamps due to their mercury content, laser projectors offer a more hassle-free and environmentally conscious choice.

10. Secure a technology partner
When selecting a technology partner, prioritize those with a strong environmental track record, a trusted reputation, and a forward-thinking vision for sustainability. Your values and vision should align so that you can work together to ensure that your investments contribute to environmental sustainability.

Since projectors work continuously for long periods, seeking expert advice is vital for maximizing their sustainability. When it comes time to create or renew your next attraction, engage a technology partner who understands your site and can guide you through every aspect of spatial design, from the blue-sky phase to opening day. If you’re interested in learning how you can make your media-based attraction more sustainable, drop me a line at kunimoto.chad@jp.panasonic.com.

Chad Kunimoto is the Global Business Development Manager for Themed Entertainment and Immersive Experiences at Panasonic Connect.

The TEA Masters of Their Craft program recognizes the achievements of individuals — the artists, writers, producers, engineers and craftspeople with distinguished careers who’ve made significant and enduring contributions to the industry through their expertise, innovation, leadership, and mentorship.  


The TEA Masters program recognizes a small number of individuals each year, whose skills epitomize the highest standards within their disciplines and who have used those skills to advance their field and the themed entertainment industry. Each TEA Master has built a body of work over decades that demonstrates consistent quality and execution. Often unknown except among their peers and collaborators, TEA Masters help create visceral stories, rides, attractions, events, and places that thrill, delight, and educate guests worldwide.
 
Although the TEA Masters, by definition, are well along in their careers and some have even retired, many Masters are actively creating new marvels around the world. Others are pursuing personal creative and education projects. And all of the Masters remain passionate about sharing their well-honed skills and career lessons with those interested in entering the industry or wanting to learn more about its various aspects. 
 
We want to tell those stories.
 
This column contains news of the ongoing activities, achievements and adventures of the TEA Masters around the world. These are the stories of real people who, like all of us, have personal stories to tell: an honor outside of their specialty, an art gallery or technology showcase, enjoying new places and experiences with family and friends or taking a well-deserved retirement trip.
 
This is Keeping up with the Masters!

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​We have all experienced moments when a certain image, scent, taste, sound, or texture triggered powerful memories and emotions. These memories are so deeply ingrained because our senses are directly connected to the limbic system—the primitive brain region responsible for associating sensory memory with emotion.​

Research indicates that using sensory technology to heighten the visual realism of media-based attractions can significantly enhance the guests’ ability to feel and remember the experience. This notion is widely supported by industry leaders, with a recent London & Partners survey revealing that 78 percent of event planners believe that multi-sensory events deliver more memorable and creative experiences.

Marketers have long been aware of the power of the senses in converting sales by leveraging scent, sound, lighting, and touch to influence our feelings and behaviors. These same techniques can be effectively harnessed in the experience economy to make media-based attractions more authentic and create lasting sensory memories.

Stimulating the senses for memorable experiences
The possibilities for stimulating different senses and elevating the overall experience are virtually limitless. For example, the New York Met has successfully bridged the gap between visual and tactile experiences by incorporating replica sculptures embedded with fragrances and interactive sounds. Another intriguing concept involves using acoustic levitation to suspend food particles in the air, creating a taste delivery system.

Research has demonstrated the remarkable effectiveness of scent in captivating viewers and immersing them more deeply in the visual content. Additionally, spatial audio can enhance the realism of projected images by providing directional sounds that envelop the audience. To further enhance the realism of projections, attraction designers have been experimenting with novel screen surfaces like glass, water, ribbon screens, and even organic objects.

Mist, for instance, is an established technique that adds dimensionality and atmosphere to images while refreshing the mind and body. Silky Fine Mist, when combined with high-brightness 4K laser projection, has been utilized with great success in recent projects such as the collaboration between media artist Refik Anadol and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, as well as the award-winning Japan Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.

Striking the right balance
Implementing sensory technology presents its own set of challenges, particularly when it comes to achieving harmony between form and function. Defining a specific objective is crucial; understanding what you want your audience to feel and remember is the key to striking the right balance among the various sensory elements.

However, it is not uncommon for clients seeking assistance in creating a multisensory attraction to lack a clear vision of the desired outcome. In such cases, it becomes essential for the technology partner to help them visualize the end result by showing how the physical environments and digital images can be fused seamlessly together with sensory enhancement. Finding the optimal equilibrium between image quality and cost-effectiveness while ensuring ease of operation and sustainability is just as vital as the final outcome itself.

Co-creation helps to realize your vision
In addition to having access to creative engineers who can help conceptualize and execute your vision, it is beneficial to collaborate with a technology partner such as Panasonic Connect, a global company that’s capable of providing a diverse range of technologies, consultancy services, and on-site support, all under one roof.

Maintaining open communication between the technology partner and the creator, from the initial conception to the final execution, is crucial. This ensures that integrating the emotional “extra dimension” binds your guests to the experience, increasing their likelihood of remembering, sharing, and revisiting your attraction.

The technology is readily available, and your audience is eagerly waiting. All you need is a clear vision. If you require assistance in piecing together the multisensory puzzle for your museum, location-based attraction, concert, immersive experience, artainment show, sporting event, exhibition, trade show, or any other endeavor, please reach out to me with your questions or ideas at kunimoto.chad@jp.panasonic.com.

Chad Kunimoto is the Global Business Development Manager for Themed Entertainment and Immersive Experiences at Panasonic Connect.

Global entertainment leader, TEA Premier Partner and 2023 & 2024 Thea Awards producer RWS Entertainment Group announced today it is relaunching as RWS Global, comprised of its subsidiaries RWS, ted, JRA and ARC. Celebrating 120 years of combined experience, this unifying brand reflects the breadth of the company’s capacity to deliver best-of-the-best talent, visionary creative and decades of know-how as the go-to partner for making every live experience exceptional. The collective creativity and in-house expertise will drive elevated client and guest experiences around the world for parks and resorts, cruise lines, destinations and global brands.
 
“We are beyond excited to marry the superior talents and capabilities of RWS, ted, JRA and ARC under the umbrella of RWS Global,” said Ryan Stana, Founder & CEO of RWS Global. “This new creative synergy and talent pool will shatter expectations of what live experiences could and should be, reinvigorating in-person moments for both guests and brands. Four companies have become one team with endless possibilities that reach over 50 countries in six continents, creating millions of smiles each day.”
 
As the ‘one stop — and then some — shop,’ RWS Global delivers unmatched capabilities from ideation to operation, resulting in enhanced client experiences, improved visitor satisfaction and more unique surprise-and-delight moments for guests. The RWS Global team, consisting of the Creative, Administration, Talent Casting & Recruitment and Marketing & Business Development departments, will support all four subsidiaries, creating structural efficiencies and ensuring a consistent level of excellence across the brands.
 
Capabilities include:
 
RWS: Headquartered in New York City, RWS is the go-to partner for some of the largest parks, resorts, cruise lines, destinations and brands in the world. RWS offers everything needed to develop ideas, bring them to life and run them flawlessly. Services include concept and design, show production, seasonal experiences, talent recruitment, costume design and build, leased experiences and guest acts.
 
ted: London-based ted is the European leader in live moments, delivering 360-degree experience design and implementation for iconic parks and resorts, cruise lines, destinations and brands. ted’s capabilities include AV and technical, custom character development, music and media, fitness and wellbeing and retail and merchandising. With operations in 50 countries, decades of collective expertise and a top-tier team of creators, ted delivers exceptional experiences around the world.
 
JRA: As creators of extraordinary destinations, JRA, headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, develops attractions that transport guests out of their daily lives. An immersive exhibit, a thrilling adventure, a storytelling world—anything one can dream up, JRA team members can design and build. Services include master planning, writing and content development, experience planning and design, executive media production, graphic design, art direction and project management and fabrication.
 
ARC: Connecting directors and producers to a deep, diverse talent pool for theatrical and commercial projects, ARC is casting for the 21st century. ARC goes beyond known names to discover fresh talent with a commitment to fostering an inclusive casting environment. ARC repeatedly delivers on the biggest ambitions with its unrelenting enthusiasm and exacting artistic standards. Services include casting for national, international, touring and Broadway theatrical productions, as well as television, film and commercials.
 
“Each company under the RWS Global umbrella will turn big and small moments into powerful memories by leveraging their individual expertise,” said Craig Laurie, Chief Creative Officer of RWS Global. “We are committed to raising the bar by elevating experiences from concept to completion as one powerhouse team.”
 
Building off its successful production of the 2023 Thea Awards Gala, RWS Global looks forward to leveraging the capabilities of its powerhouse team to create “endless possibilities” for the 2024 celebration at its new location at Loews Hollywood. “We were honored to produce the 2023 Gala, and it was a pleasure working with TEA Executive Director Lindsey Nelson, as well as the organization’s staff, board, volunteers and contractors, to raise the experience of the events’ distinguished award recipients and guests,” said Rebecca Holmes, Director of Technical Operations for RWS and the show’s Producer/Director. “We can’t wait to start planning TEA’s 30th Thea Awards Gala in its brand-new space and with the knowledge we gained from 2023.”
 
The 30th Thea Awards Gala will take place Saturday, March 16, 2024 at the Loews Hollywood. For more information, including how to submit a project, click here.  For more information on RWS Global, visit rwsglobal.com. 

Written by Chad Kunimoto, Global Business Development Manager for Themed Entertainment & Immersive Experience at Panasonic Connect
 
Discover how location-based entertainment trends shape projector design as we explore the importance of customer-centricity and co-creative partnerships in developing user-refined products.

Most of us have experienced disappointment when a much-anticipated product fails to live up to the hype. Often, this happens when users are forced to adapt to devices that prioritize a single benefit over their real-world needs and preferences.
 
Consider the case of touchscreen controls in cars. Though drivers prefer physical buttons, many car-makers continue to equip their vehicles with touchscreens. A similar scenario unfolds in the battle between vinyl records and CDs—while digital audio is often hailed as superior, the resurgence of vinyl sales challenges that notion. Even the concept of the Metaverse, with its exciting possibilities, faces criticism from those who claim that in a business context, at least, it’s a solution in search of a problem.
 
In these cases, there is a gap between what the product designer thinks the users want from an experience and what they actually need. So, how can we avoid this situation?
 
A user-centric approach to product design
When it comes to designing projectors to support immersive media-based experiences, the key is for manufacturers to cultivate a co-creative and collaborative relationship with stakeholders in order to gain a better understanding of the problems they face. This allows them to design products that solve them and enhance the profitability of our customer’s business.
 
In the realm of location-based entertainment attraction design, it can be difficult to discern which trends are worth investing in and which will be short-lived novelties, so it is important to understand the customer’s ultimate ambition with regard to the kind of entertainment experience they want to provide.
 
By joining forces with our clients at their site or our XR Lab, we create a diverse knowledge pool that enriches each project phase, leading to better-designed products. An illustration of this approach is our REQ12 Series 1-Chip DLP projector. Let’s look at how this model was developed and how it aligns with the evolving trends in LBE.
 
Meeting demand for immersive experiences
The demand for immersive experiences continues to surge, with guests expecting ever-higher levels of visual realism in media-based attractions. Particularly in immersive 360° spaces where images completely envelop the viewers, maintaining the illusion poses significant challenges for engineers. To address this, our engineers work alongside customers to identify challenges and develop solutions that enhance image realism and create a captivating experience.
 
When guests venture close to the screen to scrutinize fine details like brushstrokes, it’s not only high image resolution that is important. It’s also crucial to ensure focus uniformity. When introducing new lenses for the REQ12 Series, we incorporated powered periphery focus adjustment. This means achieving uniform focus from the image center to the edges is easily accomplished via remote control, resulting in a realistic viewing experience even up close.
 
Furthermore, we’ve made strides in enhancing contrast. Our customers wanted to avoid the issue of dimming during high-contrast scenes, prompting us to develop new scene analysis circuitry that enables better detection of the nuances between dark and light shades in each video frame and ensures optimal contrast throughout.
 
Increasing fidelity with the source content
A projector’s ability to accurately reproduce red is paramount, particularly for artwork. Until recently, accurate red has been the domain of 3-Chip DLP products. To replicate their high performance in a smaller platform, we developed Rich Color Enhancer. This technology expands the red-channel output to deliver more accurate red tones.
 
Additionally, we noticed that customers struggled to fix color banding issues, which often surface only when content is projected. Gradation Smoother, introduced for the first time on a 1-Chip DLP projector, addresses this issue. It smooths away color banding in gradients at the touch of a button, ensuring a seamless visual experience.
 
Edge blends are another important aspect, especially when projecting at 4K on curved screens. Imperfections in blending become more noticeable in such scenarios. To counter this, we evolved our black-level adjustment technology to include point-based adjustment. This allows the black borders to match screen curvature and black levels to be set inside the blends with a high degree of precision. The result? Flawless and imperceptible edge blends that merge images seamlessly.
 
Responding to the latest trends
The growing trend of gamification also influenced the REQ12 Series design. We recognize the strong demand for interactive and personalized experiences that enable guests to connect with the story and each other.
 
To achieve this, it’s important that projectors integrate with peripheral equipment to enhance the quality of AR/XR applications, making them repeatable and shareable. With the ability to display 2K/240 Hz video without motion blur or image artifacts, the REQ12 Series can smoothly reproduce the fast-paced action of XR gameplay or eSport tournament events. Moreover, its 2K/240 Hz capability syncs with our Real-Time Tracking Projection-Mapping SDK, allowing for the limitless fusion of digital and analog elements within XR attractions. This system enables the creation of immersive and social gameplay experiences without the need for VR headgear.
 
Inspiring confidence in the long term
Reliability is a paramount consideration. Business operators shouldn’t have to worry about potential failures impacting the guest experience or the headaches associated with filter changes, lamp replacements, and regular image calibration. To ensure a sustainable experience, REQ12 Series includes an optical compliant with IP5X Dust Protected standard, ensuring optimal performance even in dusty environments.
 
Additionally, it features an Intel SDM slot that adapts to system infrastructure with various connections and AVoIP standards available through optional function boards, thereby allowing the attraction to run on a common protocol. This integration enhances system reliability and efficiency, streamlining automation processes.
 
Look beyond the product’s design
Projectors play a vital role in creating compelling media-based attractions. However, a collaboration between the technology partner and the customer will ultimately bring your vision to life. When evaluating different projector brands, we encourage you to look beyond the device’s design and consider the comprehensive range of services and expertise that support it.
 
Chad Kunimoto is the Global Business Development Manager for Themed Entertainment and Immersive Experiences at Panasonic Connect. If you’re interested in learning more about the services and technologies that underpin a partnership with Panasonic Connect, please get in touch at kunimoto.chad@jp.panasonic.com.
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The Themed Entertainment Association‘s (TEA) SATE Europe conference 2023 took place last week in sunny Rust, Germany, at Europa-Park. Attendees enjoyed a packed schedule of learning and networking. There was also plenty of coaster riding, water sliding, and many courses of immersive dining.
Europa-Park was built nearly 50 years ago by the Mack Family and is now led by the 8th generation. It has grown to become the second-largest theme park resort in Europe. Following the success of Mack Rides, in 1975 Roland Mack and his father Franz Mack created Europa Park after a trip to Disneyland in Anaheim. They have since expanded the resort and the wider company to be a true force of innovation and drive for the attractions business.

​Mack continues to create new ride concepts like VRCoaster. They also run Mack Animation, one of the leading animation studios in Europe, which creates attraction media as well as feature-length films like Happy Family. The group runs tech labs like MackNext, and more recently publishing – the Rulantica book series has sold nearly half a million copies to date.

Innovating at Mack speed
Throughout TEA SATE Europe 2023, Europa-Park and the Mack family were generous hosts, sharing their knowledge and time. They also gave attendees very special access to their parks and attractions.

Michael Mack, CEO of Europa-Park, spoke in conversation with Chris Lange, creative executive and owner of Creative Studio Berlin. In this session, he explored the unique position of being a family-run operator.

“The work and the company are your life, the rides are your uncles and aunties, so you do want to be a part of it,” said Mack. “The DNA of being a family business is thinking long-term and thinking about future generations. I look forward to seeing what my son comes up with!”

Mack is particularly passionate about integrating a digital layer into the parks. “Not that you need your phone in your hand all the time. But there needs to be a cleverer way of doing it. From robots to machine learning, to AR/RFID tech, there are exciting times ahead” said Mack.

“Our success is from doing the European way of doing things step-by-step, supporting and growing our brand.”

TEA SATE Europe 2023 attendees experience excellence in immersive dining
Early arriving attendees visited the Mack Factory before going to a meal at Eatrenalin, Mack’s new immersive fine-dining concept. Across an eight-course menu which combined stunning visual effects, an original score and audio effects with haptic elements, guests travelled on their own dark ride seat and table. This moved through the story and immersive rooms to heighten the senses.

Thomas Mack, executive partner at Europa-Park, spoke to attendees for a deep dive into the concept which is in talks to come to major cities around the world including Las Vegas, London and New York.

This high-end experience seats 160 people a night – at Europa-Park, it has been sold out since opening last November. The operations team know exactly how many seats are coming to dinner. So, they have no food waste and can run an incredibly efficient ship. Groups are staggered to go through the experience. The challenge was to figure out timings for serving all eight courses at once repeatedly throughout the night and to get the ‘dance’ and timings of the chairs correct.


Now the choreography is perfected, and the operation runs like clockwork. Themed entertainment professionals are notoriously hard to please, but the group were fully satisfied and full (of praise) for this new type of experience.

Valhalla Vikings
As its tradition, TEA SATE Europe had a fancy dress night on the first night and the theme for 2023 was ‘Vikings’. There were many dodgy beards, Viking helmets, John Snow look-alikes, and a record for the most pleather and faux fur we’ve ever seen at an industry event.

Roland Mack made a heartfelt speech to attendees at the Teatro in his Viking helmet. He thanked the event for coming to Europa-Park and reflected on the company’s history. He also thanked the TEA for his recent Buzz Price Award for his lifetime achievements. This was given just a few weeks ago at the Thea Gala at Disneyland. Mack is the first operator in the industry to ever win this prestigious award.

Attendees then saw a theatre show and dinner. They also had access to parts of the park and a behind-the-scenes preview of the new ‘Fly over Kazakhstan’ film on the flying theatre ride Voletarium.

Creating Rulantica
On the second day of TEA SATE Europe 2023, attendees heard from a panel of speakers on the creation of Rulantica, the park’s second gate indoor waterpark created by ProSlide. Chip Cleary, senior consultant at Europa-Park; Lukas Metzger, head of park operations, Matthias Lange, head of design and development at MackSolutions, and Kevin Kruschwitz, operations manager at Rulantica spoke in the panel.

Plans for a waterpark went back 20 years or so.

“Europa Park set the standard so high. Guests expected the new park to be that high quality right out of the gate. So, we had to get it right” said Cleary.

The team went on a mega-benchmarking trip across 26 indoor and outdoor waterparks around the world. According to Cleary, they had a mantra: “No palm trees, no pirates and we need lots of floor elevations.”

They had a design competition within the team. A black forest beach-themed design with an oom-pah band and pretzels didn’t make the cut. But the unique Scandinavian theme complete with ice caverns, forests and pools was the winner and Rulantica was born.

Snorri and friends
They created Snorri the octopus, who was the mascot for the new waterpark (a friend for Ed Euromouse and Edda Euromouse of the main park). The team then tied in various installations and marketing across the main park including Snorri Touren, the character’s own dark ride in the Scandinavian part of the theme park to educate guests.

Working closely with suppliers ProSlide, PGAV, P&P and many more, the design was complex with the tight indoor space and highly thematic design. However, the result is arguably one of the most immersive water parks in the world.

Rulantica was the largest private construction project in Germany for over 50 years and opened in November 2019. It has since expanded to build the Nordiskturn area and Vikingløp racing ride. This has increased the capacity of the park significantly. It also has longer opening hours so guests can experience the park at night.

After the session, attendees had a tour of the park and dinner at the Bubba Svens restaurant at the adjoining Museum Hotel ‘Krønasår’. Then, they could don their swimmers and explore the waterpark themselves.

Exploring the AI revolution at TEA SATE Europe 2023
SATE’s conference theme this year was ‘Revolution’. No more so is this felt than in the use of AI in themed entertainment. Geoff Thatcher, founder and chief creative officer, and Zoe Thatcher, designer both at Creative Principals and Yael Coifman, senior partner/owner at LDP led an interactive session showing how to use AI tools like ChatGPT for text or Midjourney for creating mood boards in initially brainstorming sessions with a client.

Geoff Thatcher pointed out the benefits of using these AI tools to help increase speed. “Disneyland was sketched out in a weekend, we need to do less talking and more doing.”

These tools pull from content and images online and can narrow down an initial discussion to then go away and do the ‘real’ concept art when a design direction is confirmed.

When using the tools the panel emphasised that they were just that – a tool. When using AI for artwork, it is best practice to be upfront with the client that you are using AI and to refer to it not as your design, but as the editor or creative director of this work.

It is also important to remember that AI doesn’t know everything (yet!) and does get things wrong. Zoe Thatcher said to always use it with caution too:

“The images look great at first, but the more closely you look the weirder they get”.
We were shown this beer advert generated by AI recently to demonstrate the weirdness…

The group did a working example with a hypothetical IP-backed park. The audience voted for the concept and the team used AI to generate a storyline and mood board in just 20 mins, while Coifman looked at the feasibility of the proposed new park using market analysis.

In another session, Fabian Manuel, creative development manager at Compagnie des Alps, framed the use of AI as an opportunity. He asked: “Is it a super danger or a super opportunity?

“It is a tool just like Photoshop or PowerPoint. It’s the industrial revolution of our times, we can adapt to it”.

Gameshows – and the winner is!
There were several sessions of audience participation at TEA SATE Europe 2023. Whilst the AI tools were working live, Geoff Thatcher played a gameshow of guessing the attraction and brand from AI concept art. Highlights included Godfather: The Ride and Fast and Furious Churros.

In another competitive session, Michael Blau, president of Adirondack Studios, and Bunyarit Hoff, intern at P&P Projects, gave a series of challenges that would happen during a project.

Tables had to choose answers (it might be a delay in approvals or a wrong date announced) and how you as a creative company working on the project would react. The winner would have the best quality attraction and have the least costs. The game got quite heated. But it showed these are all real problems many suppliers in the room face and encouraged dialogue on how to respond.

Immersion vs immersivity
Wim Strijbosch, researcher and lecturer at Breda University of Applied Sciences, looked at the science of immersion at TEA SATE Europe 2023. “There are as many definitions of immersion as there are authors that write about it,” said Strijbosch.

He presented a graph that tracked the word immersive on blooloop over the last decade, showing (with the exception of the pandemic when we had more pressing matters to write about!) that the word immersive was used more and more year on year across the site. So is it a buzzword?

Strijbosch compared Immersion vs Immersivity. The latter is a feature of experience design, and the former is a physical phenomenon. He chose to look into immersion only which is a form of play.

Strijbosch said: “Play is evolution’s gift to learn new things and make it fun for its own sake.”

He added: “Play is for everyone. Play can be broken down into:

• Spatial play (pretend play) eg like a flying theatre
• Social play (role play) eg actors interacting or escape rooms
• Narrative Immersion (story-led) eg a dark ride
• System Immersion (interactive play) eg a shooting ride
  
  

Attendees also heard from Chris Lattner, CEO of escape room company The Room Laboratories. Escape rooms originated in Budapest, Hungary, and over time rooms have become more complicated with guest expectations getting higher.

According to Lattner, 80% of escape rooms are simple puzzle rooms. Only 5% are high-end, highly themed experiences. So, there is a real opportunity in the market for authentic theming.

“We use real materials when it can be touched with no fabrication as it has to be believable. They can even lick it if they want to!” said Lattner. “Every single item in the room needs a backstory to support the characters.”

Looking at universal design at TEA SATE Europe 2023
Arielle Spencer, a graduate researcher in planning, design, and the built environment at Clemson University; Christian Lachel, chief creative officer at BRC Imagination, and a virtual Paul Ralph, access and inclusion director at Euan’s Guide, spoke about the benefits of universal design.

“Often, the design comes first and then you need to accommodate for individual abilities. This quickly becomes expensive and timely and you can’t possibly add on everyone’s needs” said Spencer. “With universal design, it is designing without the need for adaptations. It is not just accommodating but improving the experience for everyone”.

A dropped curb is an example of this which helps many people walking on a pavement. But a separate disabled queue line entrance would be an accommodation and separate experience, not a universal design.

Spencer states some easy wins the industry can do. For instance, changing language used internally, varying characters’ abilities for more representation, making sure your website can be read on screen readers and using alt tags. The biggest is updating the content on the site. “If a guest doesn’t know what they can do at your attraction, that is a lost guest”.

Jones is a wheelchair user and consults with companies on how to accommodate disabled guests. “Accessibility is the practical stuff, like the ramps and audio description etc. Inclusion is how I feel when visiting somewhere. If staff aren’t trained on how to accommodate disabled visitors, then inclusion fails (even if you have all the tangible stuff),” said Ralph.

There is a vastly underrepresented audience in disabled visitors and there is a real opportunity for the industry.

“There are 1.85 billion disabled people in the world. That is 1 in 4 people, a market larger than China” said Lachel.

“Research has shown disabled visitors spend more money. Their dwell time is longer, and they bring more people with them,” said Jones. “The collective spending power of the UK disabled market is £274 billion.”

The well-being revolution
Dawn Foote, co-founder of Katapult, spoke with Jamie Quince-Starkey, founder of Down to Earth Derby, about the importance of natural spaces to well-being, and how we can incorporate this into designing attractions that re-wild. Both worked with the Eden Project on the city-wide project in Derby, UK. The first phase, ‘Electric Daisy’, is opening soon.

Attendees at TEA SATE Europe 2023 also heard from Emma Newell, from Magnetic Moon Coaching, and non-executive director at 7thSense on the impact of burnout in the workplace. This included practices to calm your nervous system. Attendees also learned how to look out for symptoms in colleagues and teams in the workplace.

Trent Oliver, founder, principal and managing director at Blue Telescope, looked at design and how best to tell an authentic story. Using a case study from their work with the Sloan Museum, the team had a deeper blue sky meeting with the museum’s staff, asking the improv questions ‘yes and what if…’ to distinguish that what they wanted wasn’t just a beautiful gallery, but an honest reflection of Flint Michigan where the museum was based.

The staffing crisis was a topic of conversation throughout the sessions. Michael Mack spoke about the new Talent Academy to provide opportunities and a pipeline of talent for the resort’s hires. In fact, in the queue for a slide at Rulantica on our visit, we saw large posters asking the captive audience if they wanted to know more about employment opportunities at the park. They could scan their interactive RFID band to get an email with more information.

Margareet Papamichael, director, CLEAR Associates, spoke about the economic landscape for many operators. Ageing populations and fewer young adults have led to a squeeze on the median workforce. More degrees and education means more student loans. With the cost of living crisis, many employers are struggling to raise wages as their own costs are skyrocketing.

Papamichael called on designers to ‘get rid of the lap bar’ and as an industry design structural solutions to help operations in the parks minimise staffing needs or improve efficiencies.

Gardaland for TEA SATE 2024
The event was MC’d by Suzy Griffiths, VP at IMG and George Lawton, lighting designer, George Lawton Lighting Design, with help from Chris Willrich, director at D J Willrich, and the TEA EMEA President.

Melissa Ruminot, TEA international president and VP of marketing and client development at Nassal, was in conversation with Kevin Murphy, senior VP at Kraftwerk Living Technologies. The session focused on Murphy’s career in the industry and his recent Peter Chernack Distinguished Service Award. There was also a session with David Willrich, the DJ Willrich founder, as a newly awarded TEA Master, moderated by Lawton.

Paul Kent, VP of global business development at Mad Systems handed out the ‘Coggie’ awards.

On the final day, attendees could see the results of the NextGen Showcase – a new educational and mentorship programme for young professionals. Throughout the last 10 months, participants have worked on a hypothetical brief on a new theme park project with support from senior mentors in the industry and practical, educational sessions, to train the next generation of theme park professionals.

The 23/24 programme is now open until 9 June 2023 for entrants. The programme is also seeking mentors who would like to support the project.
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TEA SATE 2024 will be going to Gardaland, in Italy. The next EMEA event is a TEA Explores trip to Parc Asterix in France from Thursday 22 June 2023 to Saturday 24 June 2023.

Blog Post by Clara Rice for BlooLoop. Original post found HERE. 

While the Thea Award winning projects may have all been different, Clara Rice explores some common themes that run through this year’s honourees

“The end of something is always the beginning of something else”. The Themed Entertainment Association’s 2023 Catalyst Award recipient, Susana Tubert, quoted this phrase to describe her illustrious, non-linear career through New York theatre, cultural festivals to eventually Disney. But this adage about transition and change could have just as easily described the reinvigoration of the TEA’s INSPIRE Week. TEA INSPIRE 2023 took place at the Disneyland Hotel from 13 – 15 April.
The three-day affair included the TEA INSPIRE Leadership Forum, TEA INSPIRE Conference and Thea Awards Gala. It offered a new format, a new look and a new commitment to sharing knowledge, celebrating excellence and sparking creativity.

TEA INSPIRE Leadership Forum 2023
The week began with the inaugural TEA INSPIRE Leadership Forum. This new event, sponsored by Fivestone Studios, was included in the program as a direct result of TEA executive and C-suite member feedback. According to TEA executive director, Lindsey Nelson, it was a resounding success. It offered small group breakouts, open dialogue and deep dives into the current and future state of themed entertainment.

We really wanted to develop a place and space for executives to come together in an intimate forum (attendance was limited to 100) to engage in an open dialogue about business challenges in a space that transcended the competitive realm,” said Nelson.

“A highlight of the event was the participants’ ability to select from a list of discussion topics related to industry opportunities and challenges via an online polling tool. From those member-selected discussions, big ideas began to bubble to the surface, which became the mined ‘gold’ from this collective thinktank.”

According to Nelson, 70% of attendees reported that they made 5 to 10 new contacts by attending the Forum. 100% of post-event survey respondents indicated that they achieved their own personal participation goal. Plans are already underway to expand the Forum and create more avenues for dialogue in 2024.

TEA INSPIRE Conference 2023
Although Master of Ceremonies Brian Morrow quipped that the event: “Smell[ed] like the old one but feels like the new one”, TEA INSPIRE not only featured a new name (it was previously known as the TEA Summit) but also new voices, fresh perspectives and a reimagined peek behind the curtain of the Thea Award recipient projects.

“The Number One effort was listening to our audience and editing the program to better fit their current needs,” said Morrow, founder and owner of B Morrow Productions.

Those edits included networking icebreakers led by Bob Kodzis of Flight of Ideas, Inc. and moderated panel presentations themed around such topics as “Surprise”, “Spark”, “Perform” and even “Over, Under, Around and Through”. There were also breakout Q&A sessions in smaller rooms throughout the Disneyland Hotel’s Conference Center.

“We have new audiences we design for. To match this, we must have and need new types of talent to join the industry,” added Morrow. “INSPIRE will always tap into our legacy talents and giants in our industry but look for more emerging professionals to take the stage with new voices and experiences to share. This combination of talent that makes our industry so special is powerful.”

The combination of talent alluded to by Morrow included projects of varying sizes, scales and locales, one of the more diverse assemblages of moderators, presenters and recipients in the event’s history and a continuation of TEA’s INSPIRE Scholarship Program in partnership with Big Break Foundation.

Common themes at TEA INSPIRE 2023
The winning projects may have been different. However, several common themes emerged as both owners and operators graciously lifted the curtain on their processes. Andreas Veilstrup Andersen, group CEO of Liseberg, noted that this willingness to share both milestones and mistakes is somewhat unique to the themed entertainment world:
“There is an openness and willingness to share in this industry that is fantastic.”

1. Pandemic perseverance
TEA INSPIRE 2023 was only the second to take place since the onset of COVID-19. So, the majority of the recipient projects faced the daunting challenge of designing, fabricating, installing and/or opening in the chaos of a global pandemic. For some recipient projects, the pandemic offered unforeseen challenges, but for many, COVID created opportunities and strengthened team bonds. 

Underlandet is Liseberg’s first dark ride addition in 50 years. The team designed and fabricated it with P&P Projects and Quarry Fold Studios in the middle of the pandemic, with suppliers and the client team communicating solely through Zoom. Despite the obstacles of remote creation and the park’s subsequent 17-month COVID closure, the ride has since delighted both children and adults alike. It now anchors the park’s new Kaninlandet children’s area.

China’s strict prevention methods and long-term closures had a profound effect on the construction of Universal Beijing Resort, and consequently its award-recipient attractions Jurassic World Adventure and How to Train Your Dragon: Untrainable. As with Underlandet, reviews were often handled remotely. The creators joked during their session that attractions were “built via WeChat.”

Those onsite, however, faced 14-day quarantines upon entering the country and then another seven days upon arrival at the resort. Even after these quarantines, team members endured temperature checks six times per day. They also had to decipher contract tracing apps and health check info written entirely in Mandarin.

Rather than fostering isolation, however, these shared challenges brought the crew and creatives of Universal Beijing Resort closer together. The obstacles unified them around the goal of completing their portion of this monumental project. “Everyone lived and breathed this experience,” said Daniel Jenkins and Rebecca Team of the Jurassic World Adventure creative team. “And they all protected it.”

Exploring sound at TEA INSPIRE 2023
There were other glimmers of light and possibility among the darkness of COVID. The ongoing difficulties of travel in and out of China meant not only that the Shanghai Astronomy Museum also had to be designed and constructed via Zoom, but it meant that the museum’s representatives could not attend INSPIRE and the Thea Awards gala. Instead, attendees enjoyed a session about a seldom-discussed topic in themed entertainment – sound.

Composer Stephen Thomas Cavit took attendees on a musical journey through the museum’s galleries of Home, Cosmos and Odyssey. He explained how the nuances of each composition coincided with the exhibits’ subject matter. For instance, warm comforting notes for Mercury, and distant, colder tones for more distant planets. The presentation offered a rare glimpse at how auditory creations shape an experience.

According to Jennifer Tuft and Jo Cantrell, the creators of Particle Ink: Speed of Dark, COVID was the “best thing that could have happened” to their project. They were primed to workshop their “moving graphic novel” in New York City in Spring 2020 and had signed the lease on a five-story building. As with so many of these projects, the pandemic forced them to reassess, reprioritize and reimagine. So, they moved their production to a flexible space in Las Vegas.

They also “catapulted into the metaverse”, exploring the realm of Web2, Web3, NFTs and mobile gaming. This has now expanded their business model and revenue-generating potential while enveloping them in Las Vegas’ vibrant creative community.

2. Risk and (long-term) return
Although the attractions, rides, parks and museums that visitors enjoy every year often appear to have been conjured by magic, the process is rarely easy. Even in the absence of a pandemic, supply chain issues, a credit crisis and a labor shortage.

These projects often take several years, thousands of people, and (hundreds of) millions of dollars. They also take grit, wit and a steely capacity for risk. At times, you need to motivate and encourage. Other times, as Lifetime Achievement recipient Roland Mack of Europa-Park asserted, “You have to be hard, you have to believe and you have to go.”

Chasseurs de Tornades is the newest ride at France’s Futuroscope. It was the culmination of four years of work and the result of an even longer Vision 2025 master plan aimed to increase dwell time and in-resort spend. This 360-degree motion theater was the first of the park’s three new planned attractions. According to Futuroscope’s creative director, Olivier Heral, it is also a signal to the public that “things are changing.”

Other future additions include a waterpark and a second hotel. It’s these kinds of capital risks that have catapulted the park to the third largest in France, entertaining nearly 2 million visitors annually.

A leap of faith
James Jenson literally took a leap of faith when developing Thea Award recipient project JUMP by Limitless Flight as part of his mission to “create life-changing moments.” Despite the fits and starts of producing a free fall simulator, the fits and starts which he candidly and sometimes comically shared in a behind-the-scenes video, the leap eventually paid off. The project has plans to scale to multiple locations.

Addressing TEA INSPIRE 2023 attendees, he said that he believes the process of jumping off a mountain – either in reality or virtually – was a metaphor for life’s uncertainties. He said that sometimes we all need to just “step into the darkness and see what happens.”

Of all these award recipients, perhaps the best example of long-term return was that of Disney’s Main Street Electrical Parade, recipient of the Thea Classic Award. This spectacle has delighted over 300 million guests since its debut at Disneyland on 17 June 1972. The creative team reminisced on some of the technical challenges of its fifty years. For instance, maintaining half a million colored lights and choreographing the show’s illuminated performers.

Despite the show’s iterations and changes over the years, the first bars of “Baroque Hoedown” still send audiences cheering and the Blue Fairy again lights the way. For The Main Street Electrical Parade’s original project director, Ron Miziker, “the excitement never stops.”

 3. Amorphism
T he lines between categories of destinations are blurring as immersion grows as an art form and storytelling conveyance. Three of the more prevalent examples of this trend that were celebrated at TEA INSPIRE 2023 were the Irish Racehorse Experience, QUAKE – Lisbon Earthquake Center, Absurdities: Vol. 1 and, on a massive scale, Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser.

The Irish Racehorse Experience celebrates a legacy of Irish thoroughbred racing spanning over two thousand years by incorporating 21st Century personalization and interactivity. Throughout the experience, visitors learn what it’s like to own, train and race their racehorse. After buying a yearling, they choose their trainer and devise a program for their specific thoroughbred.

The training journey culminates in a five-furlong race. Here, visitors have the opportunity to actually ride a mechanical horse programmed to their training specifications. Their previous choices determine race’s outcome. By combining a time-honored tradition with modern gaming technology, the Irish Racehorse Experience allows the everyday visitor to get in the saddle of this unique sport.

Shaking up history-based attractions
The first rumblings of QUAKE – Lisbon Earthquake Center began in 2015 when Portugal’s capital decided to make a targeted investment in tourism and leisure. The challenge: create a 90-minute attraction at the intersection of science, history and entertainment that focused on the city’s devasting 1755 earthquake and subsequent fire and tsunami, with a goal of turning over 144 guests per hour.

The result, seven years later, was a 100-minute, story-driven walkthrough experience with 9 scenes, featuring state-of-the-art projection mapping, an original soundtrack, special effects like smoke and scents, immersive show lighting and richly thematic environments. The attraction reached its stated goal of 144 guests per hour and similar attractions are currently in development.

By literally shaking up the definition of what a history-based attraction could be, QUAKE blurs the lines between museum, show, ride and attraction. Creative director Marco Ruzza likened the challenges of creating the experience – and the tremors of life in general – to the safety protocol of a seismic event: “Drop! Cover! Hold On!”

Absurdities: Vol. 1 by ANDSOFORTH cooks up a feast of delights for the eye and the palette. It offers six perfectly timed and portioned courses of food with a side order of performance art and a garnish of the unexpected. Hidden doors reveal kaleidoscopic rooms. Zebra-suited comedians serve what look like burgers and fries but are in reality anything but.

The small groups whisked through this whimsical dining experience discover quickly that nothing is what it seems. But the disillusionment is all part of the fun in this experience that is part café, part escape room, part immersive theatre and all multisensory mastery. 

Galactic Starcruiser
Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser has quite simply redefined the immersive experience forever. This mind-blowing multi-day adventure combines live entertainment, interactive performance, food, beverage and accommodation into a never-before-seen spectacle.
According to the creators, who spoke at TEA INSPIRE 2023, the secrets to Galactic Starcruiser’s success include extensive playtesting. This began years before the first guests ever entered the space. The immense talents of the attraction’s cast members and crew are also key. The performers must transform into the characters of the Star Wars pantheon over a period of two straight days. They guide guests through the narrative, or perhaps consciously lead them astray.

By actively listening and engaging, these performers, led by a show director behind the scenes, ensure that the guests can contribute to this journey through a galaxy far, far away at a level that is comfortable for them. The personal interactions that result from this unprecedented blend of cutting-edge technology, complex storytelling and immersive theater are rarely predictable, often emotional and always out-of-this-world.

In addition to fully immersive experiences, tools like Beaudry Interactive’s Diva Real-Time Control, a suite of hardware and software tools that enables performers to activate design elements through mere gestures or poses, are busting down the fourth wall of more traditional theatrical experiences to create next-level audience engagement. From Big Bird walk-around characters to TV game shows, Diva amplifies performer interactions with lighting, scenic, sound and the guests themselves. This creates richer and more integrated immersive storytelling possibilities.

Creating a stand-alone ride, food and beverage experience, retail outlet or live show is not enough. As these celebrated projects demonstrate, the beauty is in the blend.

4. Agency and urgency
The ramifications and aftermath of COVID-19 have shed a spotlight on a variety of societal issues. This includes racial inequity, economic disparity, sustainability and the growing impact of technology.

These critical issues are intrinsically important. And, they are also beginning to modify the behavior of consumers, who choose to spend their money with companies committed to systemic change. The TEA explored several of these topics at INSPIRE 2023 in its State of the Industry Roundtable, moderated by PGAV Destinations VP, Al Cross.

From a sustainability perspective, time is running out to address global warming. Several parks are pledging to mitigate the damage. According to Dan Memis of Universal Destinations & Experiences, Universal’s attractions have vowed to be carbon neutral by 2025 because “there is no other option.” Area 15 CEO Winston Fisher explained that sustainability efforts will be most successful if they are more than a box to check or a speech to give. Operators must integrate them into an attraction’s overall narrative.

AI and DEI
Artificial intelligence (AI) is another hot topic in themed entertainment. Creators are, in equal measures, lauding it as a game-changing design assistant and condemning it as a soulless, Big Brother overlord that seeks to displace workers and replace human interaction.

Darcy Troy Pollack of MGM Resorts International asserted that AI is “just another member of the team”. Pollack said that AI is “too valuable of a tool not to use” but it must be “embraced cautiously”. Meanwhile, Europa-Park’s Michael Mack reassured the crowd that “we are still in the people business”. He added that “we have a role to play in the future entertainment of tomorrow.”

The panel commented on the positive changes towards centering Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) at the TEA INSPIRE conference, among the TEA’s initiatives and throughout the industry. However, they also acknowledged that the work was far from complete.

The panelists admitted that themed entertainment is not seen as an attractive employer. That is because creativity is often not considered synonymous with economic opportunity. And the adjectives “purpose-driven” and “entertaining” are often seen as mutually exclusive. The lack of representation in the industry, and the differing definitions of DEI across countries and continents, present additional challenges.

The panelists agreed that there is no quick fix. But they said that sustained and broad outreach to educate diverse groups on the career opportunities available and train them on the skill sets necessary offered the most realistic chances of success. The overwhelming sentiment expressed in the Roundtable was that change is coming. Companies, organizations, attractions and destinations can either move with it or be engulfed by it.

Making a difference
This was a sentiment shared by the TEA’s two Thea Catalyst Award recipients as they spoke at TEA INSPIRE 2023. Chevy Humphrey is president & CEO of the Museum of Science and Industry Chicago and chair of the Board of the American Alliance of Museums. She cautioned that the future of America is here, it is diverse, and it is empowered.

Chevy Humphrey accepting her Thea Award. Image credit Annie Lesser“Audiences have agency and want to make a difference,” she said. “They want to be part of organizations that care about the world.” She pointed out that “Generation A will be the most culturally and racially diverse generation in history”. Humphrey also challenged INSPIRE attendees to examine how they will communicate with and learn from these future leaders.

She advised the group to avoid “one size fits all” approaches and develop programs tailored to their individual communities. Plus, she said they should be humble and embrace things they may not want to hear. They should center “modeling, mentoring and motivating” and seek partnerships as opportunities to scale their efforts.

Fellow Catalyst Award recipient Tubert has used her position as creative director with Disney Live Entertainment to scale her representation efforts and foster inclusive narratives. She has created productions like Disney Festival of Holidays, Plaza de la Familia, and the Lunar New Year Celebration.

Tubert encouraged attendees to “keep finding your voice” to drive positive change and embrace Walt’s mission that everyone is welcome. But like Humphrey, Tubert believes that change comes from the top:
“It’s all about finding the right leaders to do the work.”

5. Stewardship, opportunity and hope
During TEA INSPIRE 2023, several of the projects talked about being stewards or protectors of a ride, show or exhibit. However, Roland Mack’s stewardship transcends a single attraction, encompassing a resort, a 243-year-old company and seven generations (and counting) of family legacy.

Creating the second-largest park in Europe was not something that the Mack family ever aspired to do in the remote town of Rust, Germany. But Roland Mack’s father Franz Mack was “a believer.” Even in the face of countless naysayers, the Mack Family believed that by starting a small park that served as a showroom for their rides, they could grow it into something special.

Now those naysayers work for Europa-Park. The expansive resort offers a theme park, an indoor water park, six hotels, a campground and world-class food and beverage options. The resort’s creation has been a family affair since the beginning. Roland’s wife worked in the office and supported its success. Now, his children are working in various aspects of its operations.

“We try to be very close together and close to the business,” says Roland. He now watches the 9th generation of Macks, his grandchildren, as they gleefully test out new rides: “The key is to make them curious to do nothing else.”

Keep going
The journey has not been without its hardships. A 2018 fire engulfed two areas of the park, destroying the Pirates of Batavia Boat Ride. But despite the damage, the park opened to guests the next day. And a reimagined ride of the same name opened a mere two years later. Last year, 250 displaced Ukranians sought refuge at the resort. They were welcomed with shelter, food, language instruction and in many cases employment.

Mack likes to think that along the way: “We did more right things than wrong. We try to do faults only one time.” The key to success is to: “Keep going all the time, never stopping.” It’s also critical that you have a deep conviction in what you are offering the public. Even in the face of unprecedented challenges. “You have to believe in the future. Believe that the business model is doing well.”

Mack’s optimism and belief in the business model appear to be well-founded. Pre-COVID “consumers” have become post-COVID “revenge travelers.” Thea Award-recipient parks like Europa-Park, Liseberg, Futuroscope and the Disney and Universal resorts are experiencing their best attendance since 2019.  

“Everyone is so hungry for memories and content, said Fisher. “There’s never been more excitement for experiences. Memis added: “We’ve gotten through the pandemic. As a result, people now are not about buying. They are about creating memories. It is a moment of relief and opportunity.”

The Thea Awards gala at TEA INSPIRE 2023: a night of surprises
Capitalising on this moment of opportunity, and bolstered by a refreshed TEA INSPIRE conference, this year’s Thea Awards Gala offered some debuts and surprises of its own. This included an animatronic baby velociraptor from Jurassic World at the pre-Gala reception and red carpet pre-show news coverage by TETV. There was also a surprise closing number, with Tinkerbell leading glow-stick-waving guests in a mini-Main Street Electrical Parade.

But the biggest surprise of the night was the announcement by Nelson and TEA International Board President, Melissa Ruminot that the 2024 Thea Awards Gala would be moving to the Loews Hollywood. It will take place on 16 March 2024.

A world-renowned marker of excellence
“We are thrilled to be able to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Theas in the epicenter of the entertainment world – Hollywood!” said Nelson. “The Loews Hollywood offers the ideal venue to help us meet our goals of creating space for business networking and entertainment while delivering strong attendee value for the price point. After seeing the success of this year’s events, our volunteers, staff and production teams are highly motivated to continue to enhance the program to deliver greater value to members.

“We have long known the Theas are integral to the member value proposition. We are all excited to continue to help them realize their full potential as a world-renowned marker of excellence.”

To ensure that the Thea Awards continue to celebrate excellence in the field, TEA encourages creators, doers and dreamers to submit their projects for the 2024 Thea Awards. Nominations are now open and will be accepted through 7 July.
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For more information on the 2024 Thea Awards recipients, check out the digital Thea Awards program. TEA would like to thank its TEA INSPIRE 2023 sponsors THG, Zeitgeist, FrankNDesign, Fivestone Studios, and its scholarship partners, AREA 15, Big Break Foundation and Warner Brothers. Sponsors for the Thea Awards Gala included Production Partner RWS Entertainment Group and Premier Patron Sponsor Chimelong.
Top image credit Annie Lesser