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Creative Works to Hold Two day Seminar on Laser Tag February 3-4 in Indianapolis

Joe Kleiman
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Creative Works to Hold Two day Seminar on Laser Tag February 3-4 in Indianapolis

Indianapolis, IN, USA — The laser tag experts at Creative Works (www.theWOWeffect.com) will soon be hosting another LaserTAG360 EVENT in Indianapolis on February 3-4, 2015. This two day educational seminar is focused on teaching the keys to adding a laser tag attraction to a new or existing entertainment facility.

This upcoming February will be the tenth LaserTAG360 EVENT Creative Works has organized. The Theme Team is excited to announce that there will be some new faces within the LaserTAG360 staff, sponsors and speakers. “We have covered all the bases with our upcoming speakers and vendors,” commented Jeff Schilling, President of Creative Works. “From our experience in this industry, we know how important it is for future operators to learn about laser tag from multiple industry experts.” With over 17 years of experience, designing, building, operating and marketing these attractions with venues around the world, Creative Works has developed impactful material to give attendees a competitive edge in a constantly changing market.

For several years now, facility conversion has been trending and operators have been looking to expand their facilities into full entertainment centers. Creative Works has been excited to help many operators make that process as smooth as possible. LaserTAG360 covers the best practices for adding additional space, how to create a new business model and get financed. Attendees will gain valuable insights from an expert instructional team with first hand operational experience. Past attendees have been able to maximize capital by reducing costly errors during the start-up phase, which many times can ring up to over $25,000.

A number of essential laser tag and facility development topics will be discussed during the two day EVENT. The first day consists of topics focusing on design insights, average costs, and revenue projections, while Day TWO focuses on the operational and marketing side of running the business. This complete 360 degree overview will help those in attendance gain the knowledge to make better informed decisions as they press forward with their projects. Time will also be allotted for attendees to schedule one-on-one meetings with staff and sponsors to review their projects and answer specific questions.

One of the most unique experiences during the EVENT will be the tour of the 20,000 SF Creative Works’ Theme Factory. Everyone will get a behind-the-scenes glimpse into how the company designs, customizes, and fabricates their attractions to fit the needs of their clients. Additionally, the attendees will get to experience the specially-built 7,000 SF showroom featuring four themed Laser Tag Arenas, Cosmic black light Golf, the award winning Lazer Frenzy lazer maze, the AtomicRUSH arcade attraction, and the new Color Crush game that was released at IAAPA in November 2014.

Sarner Creates Wearable Interactive Devices for New Doctor Who Experience

Joe Kleiman
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Sarner Creates Wearable Interactive Devices for New Doctor Who Experience

Cardiff, UK — At the brand new, regenerated Doctor Who Experience in Cardiff it’s not just the Doctor himself who gets to interact with a cool piece of technology (AKA the sonic screwdriver) as Sarner has invented a unique piece of wearable technology that each visitor gets given at the start of the attraction.

Throwing the visitor into their own episode of Doctor Who was a key ambition of this new storyline.  So, rather than just letting them watch the action from a distance, BBC Worldwide wanted to be able to give each visitor a wearable piece of technology that would totally draw them into the adventure and react with the story along the way.

DWE Time Crystal

Ed Cookson, Sarner’s Projects Director, commented: “The wearable technology had to make sense as part of the story whilst adding to the visitor’s experience, but it became apparent to us that there was nothing on the market readily available so we had to invent our own.”

Ed continues: “There are LED reactive wristbands and other similar technology currently being used but because this whole new Experience was about creating a totally immersive new storyline, we didn’t want to shoe-horn a product that didn’t make sense as part of the narrative. The pendant was designed from the ground up as a creative solution, to make sense as part of our story. In addition, we wanted to add features like vibration to create a more multi-sensory experience, rather than just a visual one and you can’t buy those off the peg!”

Each guest is given a visitor pass on a lanyard at the beginning of the Experience, allowing them access to the sacred Museum of Gallifrey.  As the story progresses it becomes clear that the Time Crystal embedded into the pass has a special connection to the TARDIS, eventually helping save the Doctor in the dramatic finale.

3D at the Doctor Who Experience

Visitors are guided as to when to use the Time Crystal throughout the attraction and it glows and flashes, and goes through a sequence of colours, throughout the journey, combining the latest in infrared, LED and vibration.  This unique technology sets a new standard for theatrical experiences across the attraction and entertainment industries.

Time Crystal Pendant facts:

–The Time Crystal was based on a glowing crystal featured in the Doctor Who episode ‘Rise of the Cyberman’;

–300 have been produced for the new Doctor Who Experience;

–Each Time Crystal can each be used for 12 hours before needing to be recharged;

–The Time Crystals are fully DMX controllable, so they can glow any colour;

–Bespoke infrared control units are used to trigger the Time Crystals at specific times and places inside the  Experience, making it possible to actively control them differently in various locations of the attraction at the same  time;

–The vibration is strong enough to be felt by the wearer through layers of clothing.

www.sarner.com

The Future of Interactive Media: Re-Establishing Place and Community

Martin Palicki
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The Future of Interactive Media: Re-Establishing Place and Community

By Clara Rice, JRA (Jack Rouse Associates)

It is a sight seen all too often – people buried in their phones, seemingly oblivious to the world or people around them. While touchscreen devices have greatly facilitated our ability to connect with those far away, they often act as a barrier to seeing what is directly in front of us. Even touchscreens in museums and cultural facilities have, until now, been an individual interaction – one person selects an item on a table to trigger a singular reaction or result. They’ve also become so ubiquitous as to become a ho-hum, least common denominator of audience expectations. But a new trend in interactive media technology looks to change that, creating collaborative, one-of-a kind experiences that reinforce the importance of community and place, taking people out of their phones and living rooms and into the cultural world.

Sculpture Lens – Strike A Pose – Cleveland Museum of Art from Local Projects on Vimeo.

New York-based media producers, Local Projects, have recently completed a number of “only-here experiences” that utilize game based interactivity. Among the interactives they created for Gallery One at the Cleveland Museum of Art is “Strike a Pose”, in which visitors do their best to try to mimic various sculptures throughout the galleries. In “Make a Face”, facial recognition software matches their facial expressions with one of 189 works of art in the museum’s collection. The matched faces are displayed and can be sent via email. These two interactives, along with nine others within the gallery, offer experiences that visitors could not have by simply swiping their iPhone screen, establishing Gallery One as a “revolutionary space in the world of museums,” bolstering museum attendance by 39 percent and increasing donations by 80 percent.

MOHAI Launchpad from Stimulant on Vimeo.

Another interactive media company, Stimulant, has been working on a variety of projects to reintroduce collaboration into digital media. Seattle’s Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) asked Stimulant to provide an anchor interactive media attraction for its Bezos Center for Innovation. Their answer was Launchpad, a multi-touch interactive mirror with depth-sensing cameras that can sense and react to guest height and movement. Throughout the experience, the mirror poses questions on what it means to innovate. At key points throughout the interactive, the mirror purposely puts touch points out of reach, necessitating the assistance of taller (or shorter) guests nearby. This multi-faceted interactive teaches that while we all can be innovators, innovation is best achieved as a team effort.

#dBcube at EMP for Decibel Festival 2014 from Stimulant on Vimeo.

Stimulant recently unveiled another collaborative media installation in Seattle at the Experience Music Project (EMP). The #dBcube, a collaboration with Microsoft for EMP’s recent Decibel Festival, visualizes sensory data from four different Kinects and creates animated visuals from five projectors. When a dancer approaches the five sided, 4’x4’ cube, the cube reacts to their movements in real time, converting them to a dazzling array of geometric shapes and splashes of light and color. If other people join the dance, their avatars are joined by a virtual ribbon, thus turning their individual moves into a collaborative, creative expression choreographed to the music. Total strangers become digital dance partners.

5. Big Heart Times Square

Local Project’s Big Heart NYC installation in Times Square combined place-based experience and collaborative interaction to create a poignant message about human interconnectedness. The ten-foot sculpture, unveiled in time for Valentine’s Day, was made of a series of acrylic tubes embedded with slowly pulsing LEDs. When visitors touched the adjacent podium, the heart beat faster.   The more people that touched the podium and each other, the redder the heart would glow. According to the designers, “the heart reflected what Times Square is made of, people and light. The more people, the stronger the light.” Again, interactive media becomes a building block for collaboration, not singularity, for communal experience, not isolation.

6. Big Heart CelebrationThe key to fostering the next generation of interactive media experiences is to create devices and programs that offer a sense of differentiation, offering visitors a digital interface not available to them at home. The touchscreen then becomes a catalyst for an experience and not the experience itself, breaking down the fourth wall so that people are interacting with those immediately around them and not with someone on the other end of the phone. With the digital media bar moving higher and higher, those museums or attractions incorporating the technology must do so in a way consistent with their mission, because today’s savvy visitors can easily identify inauthenticity or technology for technology’s sake. They must also make sure that the technology is robust enough to be utilized on various platforms and by a multitude of people – nothing kills engagement like a broken interactive. But used effectively, sustainably and in the right context, today’s digital media can reinforce place, re-establish community and re-invigorate social interaction.

Dr. Frank Heinricht Takes Over From Prof. Dr. Jörg Sennheiser as Chair of Sennheiser

Joe Kleiman
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Dr. Frank Heinricht Takes Over From Prof. Dr. Jörg Sennheiser as Chair of Sennheiser

Old Lyme, CT, USA — Having recently turned 70 years old, Prof. Dr. Jörg Sennheiser is handing over the chair of the supervisory board of Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG to Dr. Frank Heinricht, as of January 1st, 2015. Since joining the family-owned company in 1976, Dr Sennheiser’s contribution has been instrumental to the company’s success and has paved the way for a future-proof set-up of the audio company.

unnamed (21)Frank Heinricht has been Chairman of the Board of Management of Schott AG since 2013 and became a member of the supervisory board of Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG five years ago.

“Dr. Heinricht has a profound technical expertise and brings experience in managing large family-owned companies to his new role. We are very happy that he is taking over as chairman of the supervisory board of the Sennheiser Group,” said Daniel and Andreas Sennheiser, CEOs and shareholders of Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG.

In withdrawing as chairman of the supervisory board, Jörg Sennheiser is placing the management of the company fully into the hands of the third Sennheiser generation. His sons Daniel and Andreas Sennheiser have been running Sennheiser electronic GmbH und Co. KG as CEOs since July 2013.

Commenting on the changeover in the supervisory board, Jörg Sennheiser added, “My goal has always been to pass a healthy, thriving company on to the next generation.” The Sennheiser family has laid down the principles of this long-term sustainable policy in a Family Charter. This not only defines core company values such as fairness and trust, the charter also includes the commitment to maintain Sennheiser as a family business. “The company’s independence is our most precious asset,” said Jörg Sennheiser. “The family is committed to pursuing its strategy without any influence from third parties, a strategy that focuses on absolute customer orientation, technical innovation and first-class quality. This is an aim I have always pursued, and it is the basis of the decades of success that we have enjoyed and will enjoy in the future.”

unnamed (22)Jörg Sennheiser became Sennheiser’s director of technology in 1976 before taking over management of the family business as executive shareholder in 1982. During his time at the helm, Sennheiser developed to an internationally successful brand. This involved setting up new manufacturing facilities in Ireland and the USA, while at the same time expanding production in Germany. In addition, Sennheiser internationalised its sales organisation during this time. As a result of this sustained growth strategy, Sennheiser today has over 2,500 employees across the globe and is active in more than 60 countries.

The Sennheiser Group based in Wedemark near Hanover, Germany, was founded in 1945 and has gone on to become a leading manufacturer of microphones, headphones and wireless transmission systems. Sales in 2013 totaled 590.4 million euros. Sennheiser employs more than 2,500 staff worldwide and operates plants in Germany, Ireland and the USA. The company has a worldwide network of subsidiaries in France, Great Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, Germany, Denmark (Nordic), Russia, Hongkong, India, Singapore, Japan, China, Australia and New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, and the USA. It also has long-established trading partners in other countries. Georg Neumann GmbH, Berlin, a maker of studio microphones and monitor speakers, and Sennheiser Communications A/S, a joint venture making headsets for PCs, offices and call centers, are also part of the Sennheiser Group.

www.sennheiser.com

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Available Light Opens Raleigh Office Under Derek Barnwell

Joe Kleiman
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Available Light Opens Raleigh Office Under Derek Barnwell

Raleigh, NC, USA – Available Light Senior Associate, Derek Barnwell, is returning to his southern roots and opening up Available Light Raleigh in the process. Creative Director Steven Rosen reports, “We’ve done work in Raleigh before including the RDU Triangle Icon Sculpture and the venerable North Carolina Museum of Natural Science, but with Derek working locally we are extremely excited to be bringing our distinctive lighting design style to North Carolina.” With one of the fastest growing economies, the Mid-Atlantic boasts multiple cities on Forbes’ Best Places lists (15 in the Top 100 Best Places for Business!). And with over 200 AIA Architects in the Research-Triangle, 36 museums in the anchor cities, over 1000 individual interior designers, and countless other architects, museums, and exhibition companies below the Mason-Dixon line, Available Light will be better able to serve our Southern clients.

L_derek“After nine fantastic years at Available Light and 12 in New England I am really looking forward to sharing all the beauty and charm of my home with my family. We are excited to deliver high performance lighting design with unbeatable service to the Raleigh market,” says Derek.

Available Light is an award-winning Lighting Design studio specializing in Museum Exhibition, Architecture, and Trade Shows & Special Events. Poised at the intersection of Theater & Architecture, Available Light is a leader and innovator in the Lighting Design industry. As members of the United States Green Building Council, Available Light is committed to responsible and sustainable lighting solutions.

For more info contact Derek Barnwell, [email protected]

Hero Ventures Selects Production Resource Group to Handle Technical Elements of The Marvel Experience

Joe Kleiman
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Hero Ventures Selects Production Resource Group to Handle Technical Elements of The Marvel Experience

Los Angeles, CA, USA – Hero Ventures, a Los Angeles-based entertainment company, has announced that technical elements for The Marvel Experience, an epic-scale, immersive adventure experience in which guests step into and interact with the world of Marvel’s Super Heroes and Super Villains, are being led by entertainment event technology and service provider, Production Resource Group (PRG).

“The Marvel Experience has evolved into an amazing, premier touring experience, complete with unique technical elements such as 3D 360˚ video projection, first-person ‘live’ interactive gaming and a dynamic 4D motion ride. It became apparent early on that we needed an elite team of seasoned professionals in entertainment production that could offer us real solutions to help execute our complex vision – that’s why we went to PRG,” said Hero Ventures’ Chief Production Officer, Jason Rosen.

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The team assembled by Jim Lehner, PRG Senior Vice President, Special Projects and Duke Durfee, PRG Creative Director and Design Manager, will be handling all the coordination and supervision of the design and construction for the project. While The Marvel Experience’s technical requirements pose a unique set of challenges, PRG’s global reputation has been built on its ability to bring innovative solutions to a wide range of projects including Broadway’s groundbreaking Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, Olympic Opening & Closing Ceremonies, key elements of Universal Studios’ Harry Potter attraction, Super Bowl Halftime Shows and an exhaustive list of global concert tours.

“Traditional entertainment design is evolving,” explained Jeremiah J. Harris, Executive Producer of The Marvel Experience and the Chairman and Chief Executive of PRG. “Technology, guest interaction, and immersive storytelling need to be balanced seamlessly together to realize the next generation of experience-based entertainment. For Marvel Entertainment and Hero Ventures, that means taking the world of Marvel directly to fans, on a scale never before toured, and letting them enter that world fully. This is the future of entertainment; the guest doesn’t have to travel to an attraction in a fixed location, the attraction is brought to them. Of course, that takes a considerable amount of logistical planning, innovative problem solving, and meticulous coordination.”

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That same proficiency is evident in the complex control network the PRG team has designed to integrate all of the technical aspects of the production. In this case, bringing everything together “under the Dome,”The Marvel Experience is a touring complex that covers over 140,000 square feet and features seven interlocked, air-inflated Domes, with the largest towering over six stories high. Developing these new custom made Domes was a unique engineering feat in its own right.  As much like a concert tour, they had to be designed to travel from city to city, being built and deconstructed in a matter of hours.

As guests enter the Domes they instantly become an integral part of the story. While on their quest, guests will experience hands-on interactive games and a variety of show systems from 3D, 360˚ stereo projection to atmospheric lighting and audio, animatronics, virtual and augmented reality, and projection mapping—all while being interconnected to the experience via RFID in the form of a technologically advanced ‘tracking’ Super Power Band. The crowning jewel of the experience is the final battle featuring the largest touring, motion-based attraction in the world where guests are able to participate in the outcome of the mission.

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“Tracking animation, the movement of the seats, the movement of the lights, the audio levels, and combining everything else into one cohesive experience is a challenge uniquely suited to PRG,” said Lehner.  “We worked closely with the animation group and scenic fabricators to make sure that what you see and hear throughout blends with both the on-screen and physical elements that you are sitting in and walking through—and blurs the lines between fantasy and reality into what Hero Ventures is calling Hyper-Reality. Every cutting-edge, high-tech feature was designed and installed to make The Marvel Experience one that visitors will never forget.”

“Creating a themed-entertainment attraction that will redefine the ‘state-of-the-art’ requires a team of talented set designers and technical engineers to envision, produce, and execute,” noted Durfee.  “For example, Electrosonic provided groundbreaking audio and video design solutions that enabled the interactive exhibits, live gaming and virtual experiences to become a seamless immersive environment.  It is this type of innovation that differentiates The Marvel Experience from the typical traditional touring shows.”

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The culmination of the experience is an epic interactive finale in which Hero Ventures collaborated with MediaMation, the leading manufacturer of 4D/5D motion theaters, to develop a traveling, 4D motion ride. “Designing a 4D motion ride for a theater-quality ‘Dome’ experience presented exciting new challenges for our engineers and technicians,” according to Dan Jamele, VP and Chief Technical Officer of MediaMation Inc. “The unique requirements of this large scale, portable MMX®4D attraction included custom seat “tilt” angles, ensuring that the entire audience stayed fully immersed in the action regardless of where they are sitting.  Executing 4D effects such as wind and water spray also required new and innovative solutions in this unique environment.  Working alongside Hero Ventures and PRG on a project of this stature is really a unique opportunity that MediaMation is proud to be a part of.”

The Marvel Experience lands in Phoenix on December 19th and runs through January 3rd before moving on to Dallas, San Diego, and San Francisco with more cities to be announced shortly.  Tickets are available both at Ticketmaster.com and at www.themarvelexperiencetour.com/tickets.

TEA Asia Pacific Division to Host Two Day Tour of 2015 Thea Awardee Chimelong Ocean Kingdom

Joe Kleiman
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TEA Asia Pacific Division to Host Two Day Tour of 2015 Thea Awardee Chimelong Ocean Kingdom

Zhuhai, China — Members of the theme park and attractions industry will gather Jan 30-31, 2015 at Chimelong Ocean Kingdom for a special, behind-the-scenes tour. This new destination theme park was recently named for a Thea Award by the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) which has organized the upcoming tour via the TEA Asia Pacific Division.

From TEA’s Thea Awards Committee: “Chimelong Ocean Kingdom raises the bar for other Chinese park developers and demonstrates how much can be achieved with a combination of Western design and Chinese execution.”

Click here for details of the event at Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, Jan 30-31, and registration information.

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As a Thea Award recipient, Chimelong Ocean Kingdom will send representatives to Los Angeles to present a project case study at the annual TEA Summit (March 19-20) and to formally accept the Thea Award at the annual Thea Awards Gala (March 21).

Click here for more information about the TEA Summit & Thea Awards Gala.

Description of Chimelong Ocean Kingdom from the Thea Awards Committee:

Mainland China’s explosion of cultural attractions, theme parks and resorts has a radiant new standard-bearer. Chimelong Ocean Kingdom is a world-class marine life theme park located on Hengqin Island, a verdant paradise just a short bridge away from the buzzing casinos of Macau. Chimelong Ocean Kingdom raises the bar for other Chinese park developers and demonstrates how much can be achieved with a combination of Western design and Chinese execution.

Guests enter the park’s Ocean Main Street under a huge, arching LED video display simulating an underwater environment. 24 attractions (including 14 animal habitats and shows) give the park an impressive array of opening day activities. The Ocean Wonders aquarium boasts a number of new superlatives: the world’s biggest aquarium, largest collection of fish, and biggest single viewing window make for a stunning undersea experience. New expansion attractions are already in the works. The beautiful Hengqin Sea lagoon at the park’s heart serves as the stage for a dazzling nighttime spectacular.

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Since entering the theme park business in 1997, Chimelong Group has increased the scale and polish of its offerings at a dramatic pace. Chimelong Ocean Kingdom is the fifth theme park to open under the Chimelong group, and their first outside their Guangzhou home base. Each park has been significantly more polished than the one before. A number of TEA member companies contributed to this latest effort, giving the resort world-class scale and refinement.

Chimelong Ocean Kingdom stands as the biggest, grandest and best new park in China and deserving of the Thea Award because of its scale, ambition and opening day quality, along with its formidable plans for future growth.

InPark Coverage of Chimelong Ocean Kingdom:

TPG. Everything but the Creative. Really.

WhiteWater Off to Strong 2013 in Asia

Five PGAV Destinations Project Win Awards in 2014

TEA Announces 2015 Thea Award Recipients (includes full profile of all recipients)

Chimelong Ocean Kingdom Approaches End of Construction Phase

PGAV’s Chimelong Ocean Kingdom Breaks Five Guinness Records

Reynolds Polymer Provides Windows to the Underwater Worlds of Chimelong Ocean Kingdom

Project Profile: Chimelong Ocean Kingdom

The Producers Group Provides Expertise to the Creation of Four Major Attractions at Chimelong Ocean Kingdom

Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, Game-Changer: An InPark Roundtable Discussion with The Producers Group, Renaissance Entertainment and FUNA International

PGAV Destinations Project Chimelong Ocean Kingdom Awarded Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement by TEA

 

Two London Installations by Video Artist Bill Viola Brought to Life by 7thSense Design Media Servers

Joe Kleiman
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Two London Installations by Video Artist Bill Viola Brought to Life by 7thSense Design Media Servers

ABOVE: BILL VIOLA Angel at the Door 2013 Color High Definition Projection. Blain | Southern Gallery, photo: Kira Perov

Sussex, England — 7thSense Design, a specialist Media Serving technology firm for high performance attractions and entertainment spaces, has supplied Delta Media Servers to two art installations. Designed to showcase the work of internationally acclaimed artist, Bill Viola, the London-based installations use a range of new media to create art that focuses on the concepts behind fundamental human experiences such as birth, death and consciousness.

Contemporary video artist Bill Viola is globally recognized and renowned as a leading artist of the current generation. His exhibition history includes works at the National Gallery, London, Guggenheim Berlin, Whitney Museum of American Art, Getty Los Angeles and Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Delta Media Server has been integrated as the media playback engine for two recent exhibits by the acclaimed artist.

BILL VIOLA Martyrs (Earth, Air, Fire, Water), 2014 Color High-Definition video polyptych on four vertical plasma displays 55 x 133 x 4 in. (140 x 338 x 10 cm) Duration 7:15 minutes Installation view: St. Paul's Cathedral, London, photo: Peter Mallet
BILL VIOLA Martyrs (Earth, Air, Fire, Water), 2014 Color High-Definition video polyptych on four vertical plasma displays 55 x 133 x 4 in. (140 x 338 x 10 cm) Duration 7:15 minutes Installation view: St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, photo: Peter Mallet

The most recent is one of two new large-scale permanent installations at St Paul’s Cathedral in London. ‘Martyrs (Earth, Wind, Fire, Water)’ opened in May 2014 and comprises four large-format vertical plasma screens as the first moving-image artwork to be installed in a British cathedral or church on a long-term basis.

The first of the two installations, a temporary eight-week exhibition, was mounted and exhibited earlier in 2014 at London’s Hanover Square entitled ‘Frustrated Actions and Futile Gestures’. This represented nine of Viola’s works in a museum-style exhibition showcasing a mix of electronic, sound and image technology art. Presented in HD projection, the digital experience featured a range of display formats including large scale projections to both single and multi-display environments.

Long-term technology partner of Bill Viola and the company behind the installations, Associated Media Engineering (AME), provided all play-out systems design, sound playback design, control, integration and media finishing for the project. 7thSense was contracted to deliver Delta Media Server as the driving force for the displays by AME.

 www.7thsensedesign.com

Two New Thrill Rides Headed to Carowinds for 2015

Joe Kleiman
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Two New Thrill Rides Headed to Carowinds for 2015

Charlotte, NC, USA /PRNewswire/ — Carowinds construction crews on Thursday December 4 installed the final piece of the 325-foot lift hill on the new Fury 325 – the world’s tallest and fastest giga coaster. After finishing work on the hill, which stands 20-feet taller than the Statue of Liberty, construction workers placed a Christmas tree at the peak, with the biggest holiday present for the Carolinas underneath.

“When Fury 325 opens this spring, Carowinds will have two of the 10 tallest rollercoasters in North America and we’ll have a total of 14 roller coasters, which is something that only several parks in the world can top,” says Mike Fehnel, Carowinds’ vice president and general manager. “The only thing as thrilling as the rides is the amazing construction story that’s currently unfolding.”

Riders will begin an ascent that takes a terrifying 63 seconds to climb, then plunge down an 81-degree drop, reaching speeds of up to 95 mph as they race through a series of hills, curves and quick transitions. All told, it will take each of the three, 32-passenger open air trains nearly 3 minutes and 25 seconds to complete the 6,602-foot ride.

The new ride will be visible from uptown Charlotte, renewing the park’s skyline along Interstate 77 and serving as a symbol of changes to come. Fury 325 is part of a planned $50 million multiyear investment to bring new life to founder Pat Hall’s original vision for Carowinds. The park is being revamped from top to bottom to celebrate Carolina culture, including new rides, attractions and food from different regions. Fury 325 will be the centerpiece of a new, 8.2-acre main entrance plaza that includes more than 900 parking spaces closer to the gate, upgrades to improve traffic flow and expanded guest service facilities.

As Carowinds construction crews build Fury 325, the park announced a second new ride Wednesday called the SlingShot. It will also debut in the Spring of 2015.

Carowinds SlingShot Debut

A pair of cables will catapult the two-person capsule nearly 300-feet into the air – nearly as high as the Statue of Liberty – at speeds up to 60 mph. After some brief weightlessness, riders will zoom back toward the ground, often rotating head-over-heels and bouncing up and down until they come to rest at the launch point.

The ride will be an additional charge attraction; costs are being determined. SlingShot marks the second new ride at Carowinds for 2015.

“Carowinds will be a destination for thrill-seekers,” says Mike Fehnel, Carowinds’ vice president and general manager. “We’ll have two of the 10 tallest rollercoasters in North America, a total of 14 roller coasters – which is something that only three parks worldwide can top – and now we’ll have two new ways for riders to scream with joy at roughly 300 feet in the air.”

Like Fury 325, the SlingShot will be visible from uptown Charlotte.

www.carowinds.com

National Geographic to Distribute “Living in the Age of Airplanes”

Joe Kleiman
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National Geographic to Distribute “Living in the Age of Airplanes”

Washington, DC, USA (December 11, 2014) — National Geographic Studios has acquired the global theatrical rights to the film “Living in the Age of Airplanes,” which takes audiences on an epicjourney through 18 countries and across all seven continents as it presents a unique perspective on how the airplane has changed the world. It will be available to 15/70 flat and dome film screens and to all digital screens when it is released worldwide on April 10, 2015.

Produced and directed by Brian J. Terwilliger (“One Six Right”), “Living in the Age of Airplanes” is narrated by actor and pilot Harrison Ford and features an original score by Academy Award-winning composer and pilot James Horner (“Avatar,” “Titanic”). The film was shot in 95 locations around the globe, from remote places like the South Pole and the Maldives to historically significant sites of ancient civilizations. The narrative weaves together the profound ways that aviation has transformed our lives, connecting countries and cultures while expanding horizons and minds.

“Since we were all born into a world with airplanes, it‟s hard to imagine that jet travel itself is only 60 years old, just a tick on the timeline of human history,” said Terwilliger. “Yet practically overnight, our perception of crossing continents and oceans at 500 mph has turned from fascination to frustration. I want to reignite people‟s wonder for one of the most extraordinary aspects of the modern world.”

“Living in the Age of Airplanes‟ is the perfect film for National Geographic,” said Mark Katz, president of distribution for National Geographic Studios. “Its visuals are breathtaking, it tells an amazing story and will engage audiences on a variety of levels, from adventure to geography to exploration and more, which aligns completely with National Geographic‟s mission to inspire, illuminate and teach.”

www.airplanesmovie.com

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