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GES Explores Avatar with Earth Science in New Exhibition

Joe Kleiman
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GES Explores Avatar with Earth Science in New Exhibition

Glendale, CA, USA — Global Experience Specialists, Inc. (GES) has announced a partnership with Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products (Fox) to develop and tour an exhibition based on James Cameron’s AVATAR.  The state-of-the-art global touring exhibition, which will kick off in the fall of 2016, is inspired by the amazing creatures and environments of the world of Pandora first introduced in the record-breaking film. Fox and GES are developing the interactive attraction in consultation with James Cameron and Jon Landau’s Lightstorm Entertainment.

“This unprecedented global exhibition will create a truly memorable experience for fans,” said Jeffrey Godsick, president of Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products. “Bringing the world of Pandora to life and comparing it to the wonders of our own planet, the AVATAR exhibition will bring together immersive new storytelling and science in a tangible, engaging forum.”

“We have been longtime fans of James Cameron’s visionary work and this is a unique opportunity to showcase AVATAR to fans around the world,” said Eddie Newquist, chief creative officer and executive vice president of GES.  “We are thrilled to be able to provide visitors the opportunity to learn more about the wonders of Pandora through this exhibition.”

“The world of AVATAR, made possible by James Cameron’s vision and ingenious technological advancements, fits perfectly with GES’ philosophy of storytelling through art and science,” said Steve Moster, president of GES and president and CEO of Viad. “We couldn’t be more excited to present Cameron’s world of Pandora to film fans, school groups and families around the world.”

“As we expand the AVATAR story world, we look for compelling ways to connect with our current – and future – fans.  This exhibition is an ideal way to share new and exciting insights into life on Pandora that we hope will inspire guests during their visit and beyond,” added Kathy Franklin, president of franchise development for Lightstorm Entertainment.

The AVATAR exhibition will include immersive, interactive displays that highlight Pandora, the alien world created by James Cameron, putting it in the context of science here on Earth. The exhibition will treat Pandora as a real place that can be studied and visited. The 10,000 square foot experience will allow for a dynamic 45-minute guest engagement offering a wide range of exciting explorations and captivating environments highlighting bioluminescence, connectivity among Pandora’s living things as well as its incredible and diverse flora and fauna. A unique look at the complexity of indigenous peoples and cultures through the lens of the Na’vi, Pandora’s native inhabitants, will be a key component of the exhibition.  By showcasing the science and wonder of Pandora, the exhibition will allow guests to better understand the beauty – and fragility – of our own planet Earth.

Highlights of the 10,000-square-foot exhibition include:

  • –An examination of the Alpha Centauri system, home to the fictional planet Polyphemus and its moon Pandora, that offers visitors a multimedia journey into the world’s discovery and the challenges of space travel to reach it from Earth.
  • –A Bioluminescent Theater, where visitors experience a recreation of Pandora at night and learn about its beauty, danger and the connections among the many organisms that inhabit the moon.
  • –An Amplified Mobility Platform suit for guests to step inside to experience the challenge of surviving on Pandora as a human.
  • –Na’vi culture depicted through careful reproductions to provide an in-depth look at these humanoid inhabitants and how their clans have created unique ways of connecting with nature.
  • –More than a dozen hands-on interactive components that will appeal to everyone from the most avid fan to newcomers to this compelling world.

GES, producer of blockbuster touring-themed attractions and world-class live events across the globe, will design, produce and tour the AVATAR exhibition to multiple global markets to be announced at a later date.

Released in 2009, James Cameron’s AVATAR is the highest-grossing film in motion picture history, with a box office gross of nearly $2.8 billion. Mesmerizing all ages across the globe with its otherworldly visuals and groundbreaking special effects, the film quickly became a worldwide phenomenon so popular it will be followed by three sequels, with the first sequel due for release in late 2017. AVATAR was named best drama at the Golden Globes and won Academy Awards for cinematography, visual effects and art direction.

Sally Corporation Creates New Kind of Stockholm Syndrome with House of Nightmares

Joe Kleiman
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Sally Corporation Creates New Kind of Stockholm Syndrome with House of Nightmares

Jacksonville, FL, USA (April 27, 2015) — Sally Corporation‘s all new haunted attraction, House of Nightmares, opened April 25, 2015 at Gröna Lund, Stockholm’s historic seaside amusement park.  Hundreds of visitors lined up outside the evil Dr. Morphio’s house to be the first to step inside and experience the terrifying new attraction. Some were even outfitted with self-facing cameras to capture their reaction.

Peter Osbeck & Drew Hunter
Peter Osbeck & Drew Hunter

Public interest had been building for months. “Leading up to the opening, Gröna Lund did a superb job of teasing the public with posters that came alive, creepy pictures from inside the house, a zombie kiss-cam scare prank inside a movie theater, and even a House of Nightmares commercial so frightening that it was banned from airing before 9pm!” says Lauren Weaver, Marketing Director at Sally Corporation.

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As visitors approach the exterior of an old Victorian mansion, they see a large, neon sign drawing them closer.  Special effects, lighting and sound help set the mood for the terrors that await inside.  Scenic elements enhance the back story of Dr. Morphio and his hideous experiments.

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”Nothing is as frightening as your imagination suggests it may be. It’s the idea of what may be inside which sets the stage for the frights to come. Before guests even step inside we want them to be nervous, anxious and ready for anything”, says lead designer, Drew Hunter.  “The macabre Dr. Morphio and his obsession with nightmares inspired us as we designed all aspects of the haunted house.”

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As they enter, visitors are immediately immersed in the story Dr. Morphio, an American scientist who specialized in the nature of human subconscious and the nature of dreams.  It was in the late 1940’s, the formative years of television, when Dr. Morphio hosted a program entitled “DreamLand” during which he would interpret the dreams of guests on his show.  However, at the height of his fame, his TV career came to a sudden halt when it was revealed that his personal research had become highly unethical and thoroughly illegal.  The public was shocked to discover that he was conducting experiments on human subjects in which he attempted to forcibly extract their dreams from their minds and bring their nightmares to life.

“After two years of dreaming, planning and building, I’m thrilled to see the House of Nightmares opening for the public today. I’m extremely pleased with the horrific end-result from the fabulous crew at Sally Corporation.  Working with them has been one of the best and most memorable collaborations of my career”, says Peter Osbeck, Ride Manager at Gröna Lund.

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John Wood, CEO of Sally Corporation says, “We were thrilled with the opportunity to work with such a fine group of professionals and with such an historic and remarkable park as Gröna Lund. The attraction is a complete redevelopment of a classic walk-thru haunted house…guaranteed to bring out your worst nightmares!”

Specially designed for Gröna Lund, this one-of-a-kind walk through attraction features animatronic characters and props, CGI video effects, live wire illumination, video projection, Pepper’s Ghost illusions, ultraviolet illumination, live performers, and, of course, “element X”.

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Drew Hunter, Sally’s vice President of Creative Design and lead designer of the House of Nightmares attraction says, “Element X is the subliminal. You can’t see it. You can’t hear it. You can only sense it. A superb haunted attraction will always have effective scares, sets, props, performers, sound and all else to make it top notch. But the best of the best will have that special something extra that is hard to define and even harder to design into a show. That is the undercurrent of dread, suspense, fear and anticipation. That’s Element X.  Thanks to the cooperation, talents and creativity of Grona Lund and Sally Corporation – you will experience all of that and more inside the House of Nightmares.”

MacGillivray Freeman’s Giant Screen Doc “Dolphins” Jumps the $100 Million Mark at Global Box Office

Joe Kleiman
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MacGillivray Freeman’s Giant Screen Doc “Dolphins” Jumps the $100 Million Mark at Global Box Office

Laguna Beach, CA, USA —Marking another benchmark in MacGillivray Freeman’s long history of producing some of the most successful films for IMAX theatres, MacGillivray Freeman Films has announced that its giant-screen ocean documentary Dolphins had surpassed $100 million at the worldwide box office.  The film, which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject, has been seen by nearly 20 million people in more than 200 IMAX and giant-screen theatres worldwide since it first debuted in 2000.

“With this new milestone, Dolphins confirms its standing as one of the most beloved films of the giant screen industry,” said Shaun MacGillivray, President of MacGillivray Freeman Films.  “Millions of people have been entertained and inspired by this underwater romp with the ocean’s most playful creatures, and we’re proud of the fact that the film is still playing in theatres today.”

“When we set out to make Dolphins more than fifteen years ago, we wanted to take audiences on a journey into the hidden world of these remarkably intelligent animals, to give viewers the sensation they were swimming right alongside them in their ocean home,” said producer/director Greg MacGillivray. “The film succeeds in giving people a new perspective on these fascinating mammals, which is why theatres continue to open the film for two, even three, repeat exhibitions.”

Other MacGillivray Freeman films to reach this notable box office milestone include To Fly!, Everest and The Living Sea.

The historic film is narrated by Pierce Brosnan. Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Sting composed the title song for the film, “I Love You Like a Hole in the Head,” and released an album that helped promote the film’s release. Dolphins follows a team of scientists as they travel from Patagonia to the Bahamas studying dolphin communication.  The film is produced by MacGillivray Freeman Films in association with the National Wildlife Federation with major funding provided by the National Science Foundation and Museum Film Network.

TAA Designs New Driving School, Redesigns Hotel at Germany’s Heide Park Resort

Joe Kleiman
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TAA Designs New Driving School, Redesigns Hotel at Germany’s Heide Park Resort

Madrid, Spain — TAA re-themed the Hotel Lobby of new Adventure Hotel, 22 Western style hotel rooms and the new Driving School for kids at Heide Park Resort for the 2015 season.

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Heide Park Adventure Hotel is the Villa of the crazy Adventurer Lord Explorus. Each area of the hotel has interesting props from all over the workd, made by TAA, that tell stories of his journeys. Guests can sleep in Pirate, Demon and now in 22 new Western themed hotel rooms – decorated by TAA. For the children an indoor playground has been created.

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The desert style Children Driving School “Wüstenflitzer” – for children from four until 10 years old learn in a fun and educative way the simple rules of driving while making their first drivers licence. TAA themed the entire Driving school are with cement works and props.

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For TAA it is the seventh project in a row to theme the parks key attraction. This is our best reference that TAA delivers top quality at best value for money to be appointed year by year by Merlin Entertainments and the parks management. In total TAA realized its fourth Driving School in a themepark.

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TAA themed in the past years already Transilvania area, the Wing Coaster “Flight of the Demons”, the Dive Coaster “KRAKE” and the maze “KRAKE alive!” as well as “TopiLaula” Splash Battle and Pirate Stunt Show that are in the Skull Pirates’ Bay area of Heide Park Resort as well as in 2009 the Maya Valley and pirate themed conference rooms at the hotel.

Invitation to Register for AZA 2015 Annual Conference Sept 17-21 Salt Lake City

Joe Kleiman
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Invitation to Register for AZA 2015 Annual Conference Sept 17-21 Salt Lake City

ABOVE: GRASSLANDS PORTION OF AFRICAN SAVANNA EXHIBIT AT UTAH’S HOGLE ZOO

CLICK HERE FOR REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Letter from Jim Maddy, AZA President & CEO:

Dear Colleague:

unnamed (1)The Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) looks forward to welcoming you to the 2015 AZA Annual Conference,September 17-21, hosted by our friends at Utah’s Hogle Zoo.

Please join us and experience powerful speakers, valuable educational sessions, diverse product and service providers, and unparalleled networking opportunities. The AZA Annual Conference will connect you with more than 2,000 aquarium and zoo professionals, from large and small institutions, and peers from a variety of backgrounds.

As we look forward to the Conference, we will have additional details to share that will help you prepare for the event. Watch for the regular delivery of an Annual Conference e-newsletter and please pass it along to your colleagues. And, bookmark www.aza.org/annualconference to stay current with all the latest details. We look forward to seeing you in Salt Lake City.

Regards,

Jim Maddy

President & CEO
Association of Zoos & Aquariums

SeaWorld Orlando Hints of New Record Breaking Coaster

Joe Kleiman
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SeaWorld Orlando Hints of New Record Breaking Coaster

ABOVE: Steel Eel at SeaWorld San Antonio. Courtesy ThemeParkReview.com

Orlando, FL, USA — Something is stirring beneath the surface at SeaWorld Orlando, preparing to rise from the ocean depths and soar to thrilling new heights. Get ready for the frenzy of SeaWorld’s new 200-foot-tall coaster. In 2016, this thriller will take its place atop the food chain as Orlando’s tallest, fastest and longest coaster. More details on the new addition will surface in late-May.  Follow #nothingfaster as the frenzy starts.

ScareLA Seeks Volunteers for 2015 Undertaking

Joe Kleiman
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ScareLA Seeks Volunteers for 2015 Undertaking

Los Angeles, CA, USA —  ScareLA is currently seeking volunteers for its 2015 event.  Interested volunteers can apply here: http://scarela.com/team-application/

ScareLA returns on August 8 & 9, 2015 as the first Los Angeles convention dedicated to celebrating Halloween. Situated in the entertainment capital of the world, it will combine the city’s top talent and unique cultural setting with a twist. Drawing fans and haunt entertainment professionals, the event will feature top attraction designers and operators, manufacturers, artists, filmmakers and more. The weekend-long Halloween season teaser will celebrate California’s hottest scary faire with attraction unveils, workshops and classes, top industry panels, haunt experiences, screenings and activities.

What you can expect at ScareLA

–Curated collection of exhibitors showcasing scary goods, services & job opportunities
–Expert and celebrity panels on the haunt business, horror entertainment and more
–Presentations of top and upcoming local haunts with sneak peaks and unveils
–Performances by local horror themed theatre companies and musicians
–Professional demos of makeup, set building, costume creation, animatronics and more
–Hands-on workshops taught by top haunt industry professionals for all skill levels and ages
–Onsite interactive experiences
–Screening room showing premier attraction walk-throughs and local horror filmmakers
–Games, roaming monsters and more

 

PHOTO: Construction Nears Completion on USA Pavilion at EXPO Milano 2015

Joe Kleiman
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PHOTO: Construction Nears Completion on USA Pavilion at EXPO Milano 2015

Washington, DC, USA — The USA Pavilion is a one-of-a-kind building designed by architect James Biber of Biber Architects in New York. It is a 35,000 square foot space within Expo Milano’s 3.6 million square foot sustainable “smart city.” The building is a multi-level experience that flows with activity from top to bottom, side to side. It includes a massive vertical farm that will be harvested daily. “I’ve drawn inspiration from the straightforward, ‘honest’ agricultural buildings that are part of our nation’s history,” said Biber in a recent interview about the process of creating the USA Pavilion. “It is a very simple building, and when people look at it, they’ll instantly understand exactly how it was made.”

Courtesy James Ogul
Courtesy James Ogul.  Photo taken April 24, 2015.

“There’s a constant dialogue between nature and science in the USA Pavilion – and the proposition that they’re not on opposite ends of the spectrum, but very much part of a cooperative system,” the award-winning architect continued. “America’s food story is rich and innovative – much more so than most people realize. We want visitors to understand and appreciate how complex and sophisticated our story is.”

Call for Entries: GSCA 2015 Marketing, Education, and Film Awards

Joe Kleiman
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Call for Entries: GSCA 2015 Marketing, Education, and Film Awards

ABOVE: AMC METREON, host theater of the 2015 GSCA International Conference and Trade Show.

Holly Spring, NC, USA — Producers, distributors, theater directors, marketing directors, and educators:  submit your films, marketing campaigns, and education programs for consideration in the GSCA 2015 Achievement Awards.

Information about each category is available below, and further details can be found on the GSCA website here: GSCA 2015 Awards Criteria

Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony during the GSCA International Conference and Trade Show in San Francisco this September.

Marketing and Education Awards

Entry Deadline June 29

Click on each category listed below for the eligibility rules, submission worksheets, and link to the online submission form. Although the submission deadline is June 29, the GSCA recommends you start your entry early so you have time to gather all the required information.

  • Best Film Launch by a Theater
    Given for the best launch of an individual giant screen film by a theater
  • Best Marketing Campaign by a Distributor
    Given for the best marketing campaign by the film distributor to accompany the launch of a giant screen film
  • Best Theater Marketing Campaign
    Given for the best campaign to open a new theater, reopen a theater after a renovation or conversion, rebrand of a theater, or a new campaign to market an existing theater
  • Best Educational Program
    Given to the program which best represents the development and presentation of a complete educational experience using giant screen film, exhibits, educational materials, and other media or materials
  • Big Idea Award
    All campaigns submitted will be considered for the Big Idea Award, which is given for the most original and effective idea in a marketing campaign or educational program.

Film Awards

Entry Deadline June 19

Awards will be presented in the following categories, and distributors or producers must submit film titles for consideration in each category:

  • –Best Film, Short Subject (60 minutes or under)
  • –Best Film, Feature Length (over 60 minutes)
  • –Best Film for Lifelong Learning
  • –Best Visual Effects
  • –Best Cinematography
  • –Best Sound Design
  • –Best Original Score

Full eligibility policies and the link to the online submission form can be found here: Film Awards Criteria 2015

Questions?

If you have questions about the submission process or eligibility, please contact Kelly Germain at [email protected].

Lightware Matrix and Fiber Transmitters/Receivers Celebrate Campeche

Joe Kleiman
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Lightware Matrix and Fiber Transmitters/Receivers Celebrate Campeche

Lake Orion, MI, USA (April 27, 2015) – Twenty-first century technology merge with centuries of history in “Celebremos Campeche,” a projection-mapped multimedia spectacle on the Mexican town’s iconic Biblioteca (library).  Creative KAOS Management collaborated with sister company Proluxon on the project, which uses a Lightware MX-16x16DVI-Plus matrix switcher and six Lightware DVI-OPT-TX110 fiber transmitters and six RX110 fiber receivers provided by Solotech.

“Celebremos Campeche” is a 30-minute video displayed on the two-story, curved arcade of the Biblioteca in the historical district of Campeche, a UNESCO World Heritage site.  The project pays homage to the beauty, history, culture and people of the region; the video is projection mapped onto the 80×12-meter façade of the building creating a moving mural inspired by the spirit of Campeche.  Visual elements include Spanish galleons, religious iconography, Mayan masks, stylized landscapes and giant graphic flowers with saints and local people framed by the arcade’s many niches.

The permanent installation plays several times a week for all to enjoy.  It was developed within the framework of the restoration of Campeche’s city hall, customs building and Biblioteca and funded by the Secretary of Public Works of Campeche State.

Creative KAOS Management worked closely with producer Elias Ciseros from 333 Luxes as well as local and state representatives to develop the spectacle.  Creative KAOS Management partner 4U2C produced the video content.

“We have worked with 333 Luxes since 2008, and they called us about this project in 2013,” says Valy Tremblay, the project’s executive producer and production manager at Proluxon.

“We’ve used Lightware products a lot, and we know them to be really solid and reliable.  The 16×16 matrix was perfect for this,” he reports.  “We always include a router in our inventory for back up so it can re-route to a specific projector, if necessary.  We do a lot of show control.  It can detect a problem and automatically re-route the machine; within a few seconds the show is back up without any human intervention.”

Tremblay also notes that, “in show control it’s important that we control with a TCP connection without the front panel.  Lightware worked perfectly out of the box: It was flawless.  No other company really offers this kind of performance for the price.”

Additionally, “since the distance we’re dealing with is very long – 300 meters — we chose Lightware fiber transmitters and receivers to carry the video signals from the control room to the projectors,” he explains.

“Thanks to the hard work of all of our collaborators, and based on the audience feedback, we truly feel we’ve succeeded in delivering a unique experience,” says Tremblay.

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