[quote]As part of the overall growth strategy for the company, François Girard brings immeasurable expertise in location-based experience and entertainment projects worldwide.” — Joe Zenas, CEO of Thinkwell[/quote]
BURBANK, CALIF. (January 5, 2015) —Thinkwell Group, a worldwide experience design and production agency specializing in the creation of theme parks, major attractions, events, museums, exhibits, expos and brand experiences around the world, announced today the appointment of François Girard to senior vice president of global business development. Girard joins Thinkwell after serving as senior vice president of development and strategy for Belgium-based Dragone, founded by renowned theatre creator/director Franco Dragone. Prior to Dragone, Girard worked as a professional consultant to Fortune 500 companies in the corporate strategy practice of Deloitte Consulting in Canada.
At Dragone, François served on the company’s executive committee and led the development and negotiation of more than €250 million in show productions value in the Americas, Asia, Middle East and Europe. Selected projects include: Le Rève at Wynn Las Vegas, House of Dancing Water and Taboo at City of Dreams in Macau, Lido in Paris, Han Show in Wuhan, Story of a Fort at Qasr Al Hosn in Abu Dhabi and the 2014 FIFA World Cup Opening and Closing Ceremonies in Brazil.
François Girard will bring his business acumen to the development of major new projects for Thinkwell Group, working with the company’s offices in the Middle East and China.
“I am truly excited and honored to join Thinkwell, an established leader in experience design with an impressive spectrum of capabilities, a dynamic creative energy and a positive culture of collaboration. I have the chance to join a company built on strong foundations with a long list of prestigious clients and projects all around the globe,” said François Girard on his appointment.
Thinkwell also announced today the hiring of the company’s 200th employee, a significant achievement for the independent experience design and production company. “We’re fortunate to have experienced such substantial growth and stability with new projects in the museum, zoo, theme park, and corporate branding center sectors,” said François Bergeron, Thinkwell Chief Operating Officer. “With the opening of our business entity and office in Beijing, the promotion of Kelly Ryner to president of Thinkwell Asia, and our operations in the United Arab Emirates, we are expanding and investing in Thinkwell’s future in a major way.”
Los Angeles, CA, USA —MacGillivray Freeman Films (MFF) has announced that two-time Golden Globe nominee, Ewan McGregor, will narrate Humpback Whales, an underwater 3D adventure documentary for IMAX and other giant-screen theaters directed by two-time Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Greg MacGillivray (The Living Sea, Dolphins, Everest). The film, presented in association with Pacific Life, will be released beginning February 13th, 2015.
Legendary documentary filmmakers, MacGillivray Freeman Films, bring their exhilarating giant-screen storytelling to one of the most enormous and vastly fascinating creatures on earth in Humpback Whales – an immersive ocean adventure that invites audiences to dive first-hand into the mysterious realm of these 55-foot, 50-ton aquatic mammals. In a splashing, gliding, musical mix of 3D imagery, underwater splendor and scientific exploration, the film asks the compelling question: what might life be like from a humpback’s point of view. Once feared as monsters, and very nearly hunted to extinction, today humpbacks are in the midst of a slow but remarkable recovery.
Humpback Whales marks the prolific large-format film company’s first entertainment-focused film exclusively on whales. The MacGillivray Freeman Films team took it as an occasion to apply all of their cumulative cinematic experience to the telling of one of the most compelling wildlife stories of our time: how humpbacks were brought back from the brink of destruction to set off a new wave of scientific discovery and human fascination with their one-of-a-kind, gargantuan beauty.
“We are thrilled to have Ewan McGregor narrate Humpback Whales,” says Director Greg MacGillivray. “He is a tremendous talent and his passionate narration will help to bring the audience on this incredible immersive journey with these complex and astounding creatures. We hope the film excites and inspires people to better understand the humpback whale, as this mammal is critical to the ecological health and survival of the ocean.”
“We are proud to be part of bringing this film to life and helping to educate the public about these truly amazing animals,” said Tennyson Oyler, Vice President of Brand Management & Public Affairs for Pacific Life. “Our partnership with Humpback Whales helps showcase that the whale is more than just a company logo for us. It demonstrates our ongoing commitment to the future.”
Often hailed as one of the finest actors of his generation, Ewan McGregor consistently captivates audiences with a diverse line-up of roles across a multitude of genres, styles and scope. From his breakthrough role as the heroin-addicted Mark Renton in Irvine Welsh’s Trainspotting, to the legendary “Obi-Wan Kenobi” in Star Wars Episode I: The Phanton Menace, to starring as “Christian” opposite Nicole Kidman in the Oscar and BAFTA award-winning musical Moulin Rouge, McGregor’s career has been highlighted by a continuous string of bold and daring performances. McGregor can currently be seen on stage, making his Broadway debut as “Henry” in Tom Stoppard’s Tony® Award-winning play “The Real Thing,” directed by Sam Gold, opposite Maggie Gyllenhaal. The play opened on October 30, 2014 and will run until January 4th, 2015 at the American Airlines Theatre in New York.
McGregor’s upcoming film roles include Mortdecai the film adaptation of Kyril Bonfiglioli’s book “The Great Mortdecai Moustache Mystery,” opposite Johnny Depp. Lionsgate is set to release the film on January 23rd, 2015. He is upcoming in Rodrigo Garcia’s Last Days in the Desert which is set to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January. He will also star in Gavin O’Connor’s Jane Got a Gun, out September 4, 2015, where he plays the leader of an outlaw gang. The film also stars Natalie Portman and Joel Edgerton. Among McGregor’s additional upcoming film roles are the action crime-drama Son of a Gun where he plays a notorious criminal who has escaped from prison, and the political thriller Our Kind of Traitor opposite Stellan Skarsgard as well as Don Cheadle’s Miles Davis biopic. McGregor is a devoted and influential philanthropist, and serves as a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF UK, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing long-term humanitarian and developmental assistance to children and mothers in developing countries.
ABOVE: left to right: Jason Goodman (21st Century 3D),”D-Day: Normandy 1944″ Producer Sylvain Grain (N3D LAND Films), Prof. Jacques Verly (University of Liege) & Jim Chabin (International 3D Society)
Los Angeles, CA, and London,UK — 3D Entertainment Distribution and N3D LAND Films are delighted to announce that “D-Day: Normandy 1944” was honored with two Lumiere Awards – Europe from the prestigious International 3D & Advanced Imaging Society (I3D&AIS) for “Best 3D Documentary” and “Stereography – Animated” during the recent sixth 3D Stereo Media summit held in Liege, Belgium. This brings the current total to an impressive 9 awards for the film.
From left to right: Jason Goodman (21st Century 3D),”D-Day: Normandy 1944″ Producer Sylvain Grain (N3D LAND Films), Prof. Jacques Verly (University of Liege) & Jim Chabin (International 3D Society).
Every year, the I3D&AIS recognizes outstanding member achievement in the 3D Creative Arts and Technologies at its top-tier 3D Awards events. This marks the second time the Society has recognized N3D LAND Films, following its “Best 3D Documentary” award win for “Sea Rex: Journey to a Prehistoric World” in 2012.
In addition to the two Lumieres, “D-Day: Normandy 1944” continues to wow audiences around the globe, garnering top prizes at the following film festivals:
“Grand Prize”, Dimension 3 Festival (Paris, France)
“Feature Film Grand Prize”, 3D Korea International Film Festival (Seoul, Korea)
“Best Documentary – Short”, 3D Image Festival (Lodz, Poland)
“Best Film for Lifelong Learning”, “Best Original Score”, “Best Sound Design” and “Best Visual Effects”, GSCA Achievement Awards (Toronto, Canada)
“D-Day: Normandy 1944” has become one of the most acclaimed Giant Screen documentaries in recent history as it continues its highly-successful domestic and international rollout into 2015, the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.
Evanston, IL, USA – D3D Cinema is pleased to announced the hiring of museum industry veteran Greg Krogen as Vice President of Theater Sales and Business Development. Krogen comes to D3D with 13 years of experience creating and touring traveling exhibitions to museums, science centers, zoos, and aquariums around the world. During his tenure at Minotaur Mazes, he oversaw numerous exhibition tours and played a key role in multiple development partnerships with non-profit and for-profit organizations. Krogen is passionate about supporting informal institutions by providing memorable, content driven experiences with strong revenue potential.
“We are very excited about Greg joining D3D Cinema,” said Don Kempf, President of D3D. “Our company is very proud of the new museum and aquarium-based digital theaters that we have opened over the past several years, and we are now stepping up further in our efforts to expand the market for educational documentary programming and exhibition. I am confident that Greg can really play a big role in all of this.”
“I’m excited to bring D3D Cinema’s extensive film library and digital theater innovations to museums around the world,” said Krogen, “and the newly-launched Cinefolio program for medium and small institutions is a must-do, all-access pass to 3D cinema that I can’t wait to share.”
Rendering of the pavilion by building designer Biber Architects, courtesy Friends of the USA Pavilion Milano 2015
I hope people will come away feeling that the United States is thoughtfully and intelligently engaged in important issues of food around the world. I hope they’ll feel that the food scene in the US is far more interesting and dynamic than they’d imagined. Mostly, I hope people from around the world will see Americans as diverse, innovative, thoughtful, and worthy of sharing a meal together. – Tom Hennes of Thinc Design, exhibit designer for the USA Pavilion at Milan Expo 2015
This article, originally published in December 2014, is part of “Tales from the Expo” – an InPark Magazine online book written by James Ogul and edited by Judith Rubin.
Placing the USA flag atop the USA Pavilion under construction for Milan Expo 2015. Consul General Phillip Reeker performed the honors. Photo: Friends of the USA Pavilion Milano 2015
[dropcap color=”#888″ type=”square”]I[/dropcap]t is Italy’s turn to host a world’s fair. Milan Expo 2015, a registered exposition approved by the Bureau of International Expositions (BIE), will run May 1 – October 31, 2015. Projected attendance is 20 million. That doesn’t match the 70 million visits boasted by Shanghai Expo 2010, largest international exposition in history, but Milan’s projections are very good – considering that Hannover Expo 2000, the most recent comparable world’s fair in Europe, drew 18 million visits. (The BIE oversees two types of world expos: Registered and Recognized. Registered events are larger and of 6 months’ duration, comparable to what used to be known as Universal expos. At registered expos, most exhibitors design and build their own pavilions. Recognized events are smaller and of 3 months’ duration, and exhibitors occupy leased space provided by the organizers.)
Photo at top: US Secretary of State John Kerry, flanked by Italian Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini and leaders of US companies doing business in Italy, highlights the USA Pavilion at the Milan Expo 2015 during an appearance in Rome, Italy, on March 27, 2014. (State Department Photo)
On December 1, 2014, Ambassador Phillips and consul General Reeker signed the top and final beam of the USA Pavilion for the 2015 expo in Milan, marking a major milestone since the July 16 groundbreaking. Photo: Friends of the USA Pavilion Milano 2015
The theme of the Milan expo, “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life,” will unite 144 countries, three international organizations, 13 non-governmental organizations and three corporate participants – in a celebration of food and the challenges, opportunities and sustainability issues of our global food system. At this writing, participants are in the midst of constructing their pavilions (click here to see an aerial video). That includes the United States which recently had its topping out ceremony, commemorating that the steel girder structure of the USA Pavilion under construction had achieved its full height of 12 meters. (Click to see story and video of the USAP groundbreaking.)
The Team
On December 1, 2014, Secretary Kerry introduced Doug Hickey, appointed to serve in the role of Commissioner General (CG) for the USA Pavilion at Milan. Hickey most recently served as president and CEO of BinWise Inc., a leading provider of analytics to premier restaurant, hotel and entertainment groups around the world. He also has more than 20 years of operational experience holding senior-level positions in the telecom, Internet and technology sectors.
Doug Hickey, Commissioner General of the USA Pavilion, and Secretary of State John Kerry
Commissioner General Hickey will have the responsibility of overseeing a massive USA Pavilion of more than 44,000 square feet. Featuring a fully-functioning vertical farm, the Pavilion – designed by celebrated architect James Biber – will showcase America’s rich agricultural history and innovation-driven successes with programs and events ranging from interactive exhibits and tastings to salons, workshops and more.
The Friends of the USA Pavilion Milano 2015, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, was selected by the US Department of State to design, build and operate the US presence at the expo [click here for an article detailing the unique public-private process by which the US creates its expo pavilions]. “Friends” is a collaboration between the James Beard Foundation (JBF) and the International Culinary Center (ICC), in association with the American Chamber of Commerce in Italy.
Charlie Faas
Planning, building and operating a US Pavilion at a world’s fair is a major endeavor requiring a strong team. The pavilion’s management and program are directed by President Dorothy Hamilton (founder and CEO of ICC), CEO Charlie Faas, and Chief Creative Officer Mitchell Davis (executive vice president of JBF). They are joined by Jerry Giaquinta as Chief Communications Officer and senior adviser to the USA Pavilion. Giaquinta is a business professor at the University of Southern California (USC), and a strategic marketing and operations consultant to Fortune 100 companies.
Faas praised the team’s qualifications: “The JBF and the ICC are two highly respected organizations that have been educating and promoting America’s culinary leaders for decades. Dorothy Hamilton is one of the most influential forces shaping the American culinary landscape today. Mitchell Davis is a well-known cookbook author, food journalist and scholar. Giaquinta was the director of cultural programs for the USA Pavilion at Expo 2005 Aichi in Japan.
Faas also acknowledged Nussli Construction for quality work on the Pavilion and Andrea Grassi from GenusLoci Architecture in Milano, the local architect of record.
USC will coordinate the Student Ambassador Program for which 120 American college students will be selected to act as escorts and docents. (Click here for an article about Student Ambassadors at US expo pavilions.) New York-based Thinc Design has been selected to design the pavilion’s exhibits.
The $60 million USA Pavilion is being funded entirely through the generosity of corporations, organizations, universities and individuals. Current partners include Microsoft, Boeing, Nussli, GE, Brand USA, Uvet, DuPont, illy, 3M, McKinsey & Company and Fleishman-Hillard. US Ambassador to Italy John Phillips stated, “We rely on public-private partnerships to manage the American participation here. I am proud of this approach. We are grateful to the companies who have already made generous contributions towards the success of this Pavilion, and look forward to welcoming more sponsors, as we continue to put together an incredible team. We look forward to opening the doors of the USA Pavilion to you, and to millions of others.”
Food 2.0
The USA Pavilion at Milan 2015 has taken as its theme, ‘American Food 2.0: United to Feed the Planet.’ Charlie Faas said, “The USA Pavilion will tell America’s unique food story. We’ll explore topics including food security and policy, international relations, science and technology, nutrition and health, and culinary culture. We’ll also work to create a global conversation about the challenges of feeding the planet.”
As with all USA Pavilions there are challenges to meet in development and operations. Faas said, “We’re looking forward to not only meeting – but exceeding – visitors’ expectations. America has a rich and exciting food story – one of innovation, diversity and entrepreneurship – and we’re committed to tackling food-system challenges with the global community. If people leave the USA Pavilion feeling energized and educated, we’ll have done our jobs.”
Tom Hennes
Thinc talk
“Exhibitions are wonderful places for people to build relationships with new ideas, with the familiar, and with each other,” said Tom Hennes, principal at Thinc Design. “People should encounter ideas in the exhibits that are familiar to them, and this will give them some confidence to dig deeper into the experience. If we do our job well, they’ll also be willing to encounter ideas that are new to them, enabling them to see the world through other eyes and form a fuller conception of it. That’s the real educative heart of exhibitions – giving people tools for growing new views and understandings.”
Hennes continued, “The Expo itself is focused on food – and in particular, on food security and the challenge of feeding nine billion people around the world by 2050. The USA Pavilion will offer an abundant view of that future, built out of a diversity of approaches and solutions. Within that, our two exhibition floors have related but distinct themes. The upper level – which we call the ‘Boardwalk’ level because it utilizes planks salvaged from the Coney Island boardwalk – will show ‘Abundance Through Diversity’: how different food cultures in America – farmers, policymakers, chefs, nutrition experts, researchers, and business – each contribute to global food security. The ground floor experience, ‘The Great American Foodscape,’ will look at the spectacular diversity of food in America and how it’s expanding and developing today.”
Language barriers must be addressed when speaking to the global audience of a world expo. “While storytelling is critical, and words are part of that, much can be told through cinematography and animation,” said Hennes. “One of the most important things to do in a pavilion is to communicate visually and experientially. So we stress visual and non-language auditory elements. That said, we have found in the past that a high percentage of Expo visitors speak either the native language of the host country or English. For that reason, the major graphic elements will be in Italian and English. We’re careful to avoid language that is too technical, complex, or idiomatic.”
Student Ambassadors also play a vital role in bridging language gaps. These American college and university students, selected through a competitive application process, collectively speak a wide range of languages and are there expressly to interact with visitors.
Farm & Foodscape
Rendering of the pavilion by building designer Biber Architects, courtesy Friends of the USA Pavilion at Milan 2015
The huge, vertical farm at the USA Pavilion will be one of its signature elements. “The vertical farm will be producing crops throughout the run of the Expo,” said Hennes. “We’ll be using sections of plantings in the exhibition as well, to bring the smells and tactile sensation of living crop plants into an intimate relationship with Pavilion users. We will be utilizing an extremely high-resolution LED display for an innovative interactive game in the center of the Boardwalk level exhibits.” This is excellent continuity for the US which featured a rooftop garden in its pavilion at Shanghai Expo 2010 and addressed urban community gardening in its main show, ‘The Garden,’ in keeping with Shanghai’s ‘Better City, Better Life’ theme.
Lumber from the Coney Island boardwalk was repurposed as part of the USAP structure
On the ground floor, ‘The Great American Foodscape’ will deliver an immersive, walk-through environment via projection mapping on a variety of surfaces and planes. Some of the interest and surprise for the visitor will come from the visual ambiguity between what is physical and what is digital.
Asked about this project’s major design challenges, Hennes indicated two: one related to process and the other to the Expo experience itself. “The first is that an Expo pavilion is always challenged by time – it’s an enormous undertaking that is lightning-fast by exhibition and production standards. This also makes them fun to do and imbues them with a wonderful kind of energy that you don’t see in many other kinds of exhibition. At the same time, it requires a large, diverse team of people who are dedicated, professional, and immensely capable. We’re very fortunate to have such a team throughout the project.”
Rendering by Biber Architects
The other challenge is also common to most Pavilions: “The need to tell a coherent story to millions of people moving quickly through the Expo in a way that is fun and exciting in the moment, and lasting in memory,” said Hennes. “We have to make choices about what parts of the global story of food security and the national story of American food to tell and how to distill the story into visual, tactile, and auditory experiences that will engage people in the very short span of a visit. At the same time, we have to keep people moving through the Pavilion in order to accommodate the anticipated crowds. The United States has a really good story to tell, and we want to do it justice.”
At the USA Pavilion groundbreaking ceremony in Milan: US Ambassador to Italy John Phillips, EXPO commissioner Giuseppe Sala, Milan Mayor Giuliano Pisapia, President of the Lombardy Region Roberto Maroni, and Jerry Giaquinta representing Friends of the USA Pavilion Milano 2015. Photo: Milano EXPO 2015
Sponsors
US Pavilions are paid for through the generosity of private sector corporations in a partnership arrangement with the US Department of State. According to Hennes, there will be no dedicated sponsor display area as there was at Shanghai 2010, but rather a range of options for sponsor visibility. “We’re providing a variety of platforms that invite sponsors to participate in the food conversation at the Pavilion,” said Hennes. “Because many of our sponsors have deep expertise in areas of food, they are an integral part of some of our stories in the exhibits. We have also created a large multimedia display area which we call ‘American Perspectives’ that poses a wide range of questions about food and food security, featuring answers and ideas from thought leaders, including sponsors.”
James Ogul
Additionally, many sponsors are providing in-kind donations of technology that will be featured in the USA Pavilion. There are screens at the rooftop level and in the queue area that will carry specific messages from sponsors. And sponsors will have the privilege of access to meeting and hospitality spaces within the pavilion during the course of the Expo.
Read more about US Pavilions at world expos in James Ogul’s “Tales from the Expo” series, exclusive to InPark Magazine:
Barton, VT, USA — Charlie Morrow (b. 1942 in Newark, NJ) is a composer, sound artist, performer, and innovator whose goal over the past four decades has been to bring experimental sound and music to a wider audience. And, through avenues including concert performances and ad jingles, city-wide events and film scores , museum sound installations and hospital sound environments, his work has in fact been experienced by a wider audience than most creative artists can claim.
A composer who studied with Stefan Wolpe and worked with avant-garde Fluxus artists in New York in the 1960s, Morrow has written works that range from the “recomposition” Very Slow Gabrieli, a Giovanni Gabrieli sonata stretched many times its normal length, to Toot ‘N Blink, an orchestrated chorus of boat horns with blinking lights, as well as the score to the acclaimed 1970 documentary Moonwalk One and innumerable ad jingles, including those for Hefty trash bags (“Hefty, Hefty, Hefty! Wimpy, wimpy, wimpy!”) and Diet Coke. In 2010, he was honored in New York with Little Charlie Fest, a five-day celebration of his work presented and organized by Michael Schumacher/Diapason Sound Art Gallery, John Doswell Productions and WFMU FM in association with Steelcase.
A trailblazer in staging large-scale festival events – at which he was always recognizable in his signature bowler hat – Morrow created city-wide summer solstice celebrations in New York City from 1973 to 1989 through the New Wilderness Foundation, an arts organization he founded in 1974 with poet Jerome Rothenberg that promoted cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary art and performance, while exploring relationships between current developments and cultures of the distant past.
And in 1979 he founded Charles Morrow Productions and built a global network for sound explorations. In the 21st century, he created MorrowSound state-of-the-art technologies – including True 3D sound and 360° VR sound (see below) – at the forefront of the rapidly-expanding field of immersive sound. His work in the creation of sound environments is currently showcased in venues worldwide, including the Magic Forest & Aviary at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio; Marimekko’s New York flagship store on Fifth Avenue; SC Johnson’s corporate headquarters in Racine, Wisconsin; and the Hall of Planet Earth in the Rose Center for Earth and Space at New York’s American Museum of Natural History.
In the coming weeks and months this year and next, three distinct exponents of Charlie Morrow’s sound work will be showcased in the U.S., the U.K., and Finland:
— Tool Sound Image, part of Tools: Extending Our Reach, opened December 12, 2014 (on view throughMay 24, 2015), at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum – A component of one of the opening exhibitions of the newly-renovated Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum (91st Street and Fifth Avenue in Manhattan), this multimedia composition, featuring True 3D sound and video, combines sounds and images of tools – including keyboards, a spinning wheel, knife, fiddle, and pestle – and their users. “3D immersive sound extends the video space forward to fill the gallery,” says Morrow. “Tool sounds are floated in ambiences like morsels in a soup, edge-blended with the ambient sonic broth.” In addition, Morrow’s audio work, Birds for Bertha and Bill (named for his grandparents), a soundscape of Central Park bird sounds, will be part of the museum’s second-floor permanent installation.
— Sound installations in Lincoln Castle Revealed, the reopening of the restored castle in Lincoln, England, in Spring 2015 – Lincoln Castle, in Lincoln, England, renowned as the home of one of the four copies of the 1215 Magna Carta, will reopen after a four-year renovation in Spring 2015, to mark the landmark charter’s 800th anniversary. Morrow has created a series of True 3D soundscapes to bring to life the Magna Carta Vault (the display of the castle’s copy of the 1215 Magna Carta and the 1217 Charter of the Forests), interpreting the scene of King John’s sealing of the document with recordings of the Lincoln Cathedral Choir in situ; and Lincoln Castle Prison and Prison Chapel, evoking the authentic environment of the Victorian prison with sounds of prisoners and Chapel services, featuring contributions from noted British TV actor Keith Barron as Chaplain.
— MorrowSound 360 Virtual Reality Experience: The First Use of MorrowSound 360° VR Sound Software with Oculus VR at Heureka, The Finnish Science Centre, in Vantaa, Finland, in Spring 2015 – For the first time, MorrowSound 360° VR sound system, unique in the world of sound design, will be combined with the Oculus virtual reality technology, and incorporated into a “virtual reality experience” that will be presented at Heureka, The Finnish Science Centre in Vantaa, Finland, in Spring 2015. The MorrowSound 360 Virtual Reality Experience includes Harri Koskinen’s VR chair and invites visitors to exclusive site-oriented programming – e.g., a helicopter flyover or a tour through time – using an Oculus VR or similar virtual reality device, and listening through headphones to sound using MorrowSound 360° sound system – allowing a spherical cinema experience that adjusts both the visual and aural perceptions to the user’s motions.
A Case In Point: A Competition for Performances of John Cage’s 4’33” in Berlin and New York
Charlie Morrow
Charlie Morrow calls avant-garde music pioneer John Cage “my patron saint.” On November 16, 2014, Charles Morrow Productions presented an event that took place simultaneously at Galerie Mario Mazzoli, Berlin, and the Ear Up! Gallery at the fabled Ear Inn in New York City: a looped installation of 12 finalists, selected from 37 submissions, of the David Tudor Memorial 4’33” Competition, a “celebration and rethinking of impermanence” curated by Charlie Morrow and Christopher Williams, and named for the pianist who premiered the landmark John Cage work, four minutes and 33 seconds of no intentional sound.
Recordings of 4’33” – essentially recordings of 12 sound environments – submitted by those including composer Phil Niblock, artist Nina Kuo, and sound artist Andres Bosshard, were experienced in 3D using Morrow’s Sound Cube, a surrounding system of eight speakers creating an immersive sound space. The recordings – which were made with systems of varying sophistication – were channeled by the Sound Cube to create an immersive 3D sonic location for each.
The winner was writer and radio DJ Bart Plantenga, and the two runners-up Sirpa Jokinen and Stephen Flinn. The program also featured recordings, also played through the Sound Cube, of six works by Fluxus composers Alison Knowles, Simone Forti, Dick Higgins, Geoff Hendricks, Sten Hanson, and Robert Filliou.
What is MorrowSound® True 3D Sound?
Using Morrow’s Sound Cube, a surrounding system of eight speakers, True 3D sound projects sound above and below the listening plane, creating the illusion of an expanded space where sound moves up, down and around.
–True 3D sounds allow many separate sounds to be heard simultaneously, each from its own location.
–True 3D sound can be layered vertically as well as horizontally.
–True 3D sound can emulate the motion of sound in a 3D space.
True 3D sound has been showcased at major venues and events around the world, including the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, the 2006 Torino Winter Olympics, and 2009 Design Week Helsinki.
The Charlie Morrow Archive in Barton, Vermont, now houses Morrow’s scores, writings, designs, correspondence, media, publications and artifacts.
Toronto, Ontario, Canada (December 16, 2014) – Organized by The Immersive Technology Alliance, the Immersed conference was the first major East Coast industry building event for technologies such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and stereoscopic 3D. Featuring over 40 speakers and dozens of exhibitors, Immersed catalyzed new business success through networking, media exposure, and education. Proceedings from Immersed are being gradually made available online at http://www.getimmersed.com
The exhibition alone was worth the price of admission, with some of the best curated technologies and applications of the AR, VR, and 3D industries. Couple that with the stellar speaker line up, this was one event that was not to be missed, ” said Ana Serrano, Chief Digital Officer at Canadian Film Centre and Producer of the Body/Mind/Change David Cronenberg Rift Experience.
Premium level sponsors included Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) and ImmersiON-VRelia. Founding Partners were Canada Media Fund and Ontario Centres of Excellence.
“Much as the Virtual Reality (VR) movie Lawnmower Man generated maximum inspiration despite being produced for very little money, the Immersive Technology Alliance (ITA) began as a non-profit formed strictly from vision and limited resources.
The Immersed conference demonstrated that not only is The ITA gaining its own powerful wings, but it is also fulfilling the VR/Artificial Reality community’s mandate with everyone’s interests and success at heart. The ITA’s growing influence on the industry is both remarkable and deserved. Anyone seriously interested in helping this industry grow for the long term only benefits by joining and participating,” said David Traub, Principal
of Epiphany Film Fund and Immersed speaker who was also responsible for producing the on-display graphics work in the Lawnmower Man. Lawnmower Man is the 1993 science fiction movie that introduced VR to the global audience.
“Immersed didn’t just mark the beginning of a first-of-its-kind event, it marked the beginning of new relationships, new businesses, new ideas, and probably new friendships as well,” said Ray Sharma, Founder & Chairman of XMG Studio Inc and Founder & Executive Managing Director of Extreme Venture Partners.
“Immersed was tremendously successful for us. We made some very important connections for our business and have been selected by Ontario ministry of Economy & Trade to go to NAB Show as part of the Ontario trade mission. There will be measurable results from the meetings we had,” said Irene Vandertop, Producer, DEEP 360.
Dimension Technologies Inc. showcased their latest 3D monitor prototype at Immersed, and garnered media attention and praise. They also benefitted from a new business relationship they didn’t have access to before.
“After seeing the DTI glasses-free 2D/3D displays at Immersed, Nvidia gave us the 3D Vision green light. Nvidia is one of the leading 3D software makers for gamers, so this is a big deal for us,” said Thomas Curtin, VP of Business Development for Dimension Technologies Inc.
“At Immersed, the top content producers, hardware innovators, and technology providers converged to shape the trajectory of the Virtual and Augmented Reality industry,” said Manuel Gutierrez-Novelo, CEO for ImmersiON-VRelia. “The opportunity to bring thought leaders from all areas of the industry together to share and learn from one another cannot be overstated.”
“Everyone felt a certain pride in having an event like this in Toronto. The attendees, speakers, and exhibitors regularly commented that Immersed was unique compared to other events they are used to attending, and we are certain it’s going to be even bigger and more influential next year,” said Neil Schneider, Executive Director of The Immersive Technology Alliance.
The next annual Immersed conference in North America is tentatively scheduled for October 4-6, 2015 in Toronto, Canada.
A non-profit corporation and non-proprietary in nature, the ITA is the official voice and industry body for technologies like augmented and virtual reality, 3D, gesture technology, and more. http://www.ita3D.com
St Louis, MO, USA — This month, the southern portion of the Central Riverfront will open to pedestrians and motorists. Bicyclists will be able to use a new separated lane along Leonor K. Sullivan Blvd., and visitors to downtown and the Gateway Arch will be able to access the cobblestone levee and riverboats.
When work shifts on the Central Riverfront, access to the Arch and riverboats will change. For maps and more information on getting around and parking downtown for the Arch, visit www.CityArchRiver.org/construction.
This section of the Central Riverfront will be the first CityArchRiver component to open since Great Rivers Greenway broke ground on the project in November 2013. The roadway has been raised 2.5 feet between Chouteau Ave. and the Grand Staircase. New permanent lighting fixtures and planters will be installed in 2015.
North of the Grand Staircase, demolition work is already underway along Leonor K. Sullivan Blvd. to the Biddle Street Trailhead.
When complete in 2015, the entire 1.5 mile Central Riverfront will have more lighting, security, and green space. The raised roadway will flood less often and connect to the new Circulation Loop, now under construction, around the Arch grounds.
Los Angeles, CA, USA — CXC Simulations, known for engineering and manufacturing the only professional level automotive racing simulator practical for home or commercial use, announced their full turn-key solution for realistic head-to-head racing for entertainment, hospitality and amusement centers at this year’s 2014 IAAPA Expo. More than a single participant attraction, CXC simulators allow sim drivers to race against their friends and colleagues and compare lap times while spectators watch the full track-view action – all in real time. CXC provides design and installation services, business revenue model and venue management software and hardware.CXC debuted their new sim center platform (division) of virtual reality racing to potential business owners looking to make additions to their amusement centers, entertainment hubs, and enter a new market with the latest in full immersion attractions.
During the four days of IAAPA, hundreds of business owners and entrepreneurs interested in new ventures visited CXC’s booth. By the end of the conference over 750 fans, drivers, and possible clients were able to experience the Motion Pro II themselves. Within 30 minutes of the opening of the exhibition, Chris Considine, CEO and founder of CXC Simulations, finalized his first sales transaction to Andretti Parks.
“We chose the CXC Racing Simulators for our next location because they will give our valued guests a very real and challenging racing experience while allowing several drivers to compete against each other. CXC offers professional-level simulation to our customers at an affordable price”, said Eddie Hamann, managing member of Andretti Indoor Karting & Games.
In addition to the Andretti transaction, there were several proposals initiated as well as follow up meetings with many interested parties. The business model and venue management software tools resonated with operations managers who recognized the importance of such features for running their establishments.
“CXC has always been on the cutting edge of racing simulators, and our private and corporate clients are among the few who have been able to join in the realistic experience of racing in our Motion Pro II on the world’s most famous race tracks,” said Chris Considine, founder and CEO of CXC Simulations. “We wanted to take this experience to a bigger level and felt that high-end amusement centers or sim-centers would be a great business model, and this show certainly proved to be a great decision.”
The sim-center equipment, hardware and software is completely flexible and designed for the requirements of the specific center location and business model. CXC offers a complete package ranging from retail space design (interior design), customized hardware, gaming software, venue management software, training and maintenance. Sim-center set-ups can support any range of users – upgradable at any time from a single station to multiple unit clusters.
“The Motion Pro II user experience is considered the ultimate rush and the next best thing to driving on the real track,” said Considine. CXC Simulations’ Motion Pro II is a full motion simulator that delivers breathtaking realism and tactile feedback. Interactivity and immersion are delivered via panoramic visual displays and surround sound. An ultra-powerful steering force feedback motor, professional-grade steering wheel and pressure-sensitive pedals allow the driver to feel every detail of the car’s behavior.
St. Louis, MO, USA — From China to Spain to America: PGAV Destinations designed beautiful, award-winning attractions that opened to much applause and fanfare. The firm is thrilled to showcase these incredible, innovative destinations and share in their clients’ celebrations.
“It’s been a fantastic year,” says Mike Konzen, principal and chair of PGAV Destinations. “We’ve experienced unprecedented growth in all of our markets, including zoos, museums, theme parks, and more. As the global economy continues to rebound, we’re seeing new and long-standing clients eager to innovate and expand their offerings for their guests, here and abroad.”
PROJECT OPENINGS
When Chimelong Ocean Kingdom opened on Henquin Island, it immediately set five Guinness Book of World Records, most notably the “World’s Largest Aquarium.” Ocean Kingdom, which blurs the lines between thrilling rides and immersive animal habitats, has also won the Themed Entertainment Association’s Award (Thea) for Outstanding Achievement. The theme park serves as PGAV Destinations’ first full theme park master plan and design in Asia.
Thunderbird – Holiday World
With the welcoming celebrity power of “Jungle” Jack Hanna and long-time supporter Betty White, the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium opened PGAV-designed Heart of Africa this summer. The new, immersive experience depicts the soul of Africa’s lands, the spirit of its people, and the thrill of its animals (such as lions, giraffes, zebras, cheetahs, and more) through up-close, experiential adventures.
Based in St. Louis, Missouri, the one-of-a-kind Inside the Economy Museum opened this fall and soon welcomed throngs of field trips. The unique museum educates guests on how their individual actions – such as shopping, saving, investing, the careers they choose, and more – impact the local, national, and global economy, all through nearly 100 fun, cutting edge, hands-on exhibits.
PGAV Destinations returned this year to its Salou, Spain theme park design, PortAventura, for the opening of Ankgor: Adventure in the Lost Kingdom. Immediately capturing the world record for longest interactive boat ride, Angkor revolutionized the traditional ride design by creating a winding, mysterious path through a lost jungle as guests explore Angkor Wat-inspired ruins. The attraction went on to be voted “Europe’s Best Family Ride” at the European Star Awards.
Cardinals Hall of Fame and Museum
Showcasing the largest team-held collection in Major League Baseball, the Cardinals Hall of Fame and Museum opened in St. Louis to kick off Opening Day 2014. The Museum celebrates and explores thousands of stories, victories, and heroes from the late 1800s to today. The Museum has since won Creativity International’s Silver Award for Outstanding Creative Design and HOW International’s Merit for Graphic Design.
Holiday World opened three wonderful, immersive retail and dining attractions for the summer season. Mrs. Klaus’ Kitchen, Safari Outpost, and Wildebeestro all complemented the storied park with themed experiences that enhanced the destination’s Christmas section and Splashin’ Safari waterpark. Holiday World also announced the 2015 opening of Thunderbird, marking their first steel roller coaster and PGAV Destinations’ third record-setting wing coaster.
INDUSTRY AWARDS
It wasn’t just new destinations that attracted industry attention. Numerous PGAV-designed aquariums, museums, theme parks and more continue to receive national and global accolades, year after year.
Angkor: Adventure in the Lost Kingdom, PortAventura
For the second year in a row, Discovery Cove was voted the number one amusement park in the world in the 2014 TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Awards, topping the likes of Universal’s Islands of Adventure and Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Disneyland, and Animal Kingdom. The same award program also recognized the Georgia Aquarium as one of the top three aquariums in both the world and America, and was also voted North America’s best aquarium in USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards.
Celebrating its first anniversary, this PGAV master planned and designed Space Shuttle Atlantis received the American Alliance of Museums’ top Muse Award in the Multimedia Installations category. The breathtaking attraction also won Creativity International’s Silver Award for Outstanding Creative Design and the International Academy of Visual Arts’ Communicator Award of Excellence for its more than 60 immersive, interactive exhibits.
Rounding out PGAV’s 2014 trophy case was the new Biergarten at the Anheuser-Busch brewery in St. Louis, which landed the firm’s third Creativity International’s Silver Award for Outstanding Creative Design. The carefree and relaxed atmosphere tells the rich story of Anheuser Busch, and provides unique and fun ways for guests to learn about beer brewing and the brewer’s history.
Heart of Africa, Columbus Zoo
PGAV DESTINATIONS
In addition to project openings and numerous accolades, PGAV Destinations innovated through new partnerships, staff development, and its renowned research. To address the international development of science education, the firm partnered with COSI Columbus to create COSI+PGAV Global, a unique collaboration of science center operators and designers. PGAV also piloted PGAV GO, an innovative professional development program that empowers staff to design their own self-directed educational programming. Lastly, PGAV Destinations published two landmark studies that garnered extensive industry attraction. First, Storytelling: It Can Change Your Mind explored how we process stories and how expert storytelling can be incredibly impactful at destinations. Second, Digitizing Destinations 3.0: Technological Preferences of Today’s Destination Guest was published in the firm’s quarterly magazine, Destinology, and showcased a revealing study on what guests do with their smartphones while at destinations and their specific attraction preferences regarding technology.
