Valencia, CA, USA (April 11, 2013) /PRNewswire/ — Six Flags Magic Mountain today hoisted the final piece of steel onto the world’s tallest and fastest looping coaster, FULL THROTTLE, completing the “Top Hat” feature of the ride. Unlike traditional coasters, this triple launch coaster will launch riders up and over a first-ever “Top Hat” that traces the outside of the world-record loop, towering 160 feet.
FULL THROTTLE will be located near the front of the park in a newly themed five-acre section where videos, music and special lighting will extend FULL THROTTLE’S energy and excitement. With this addition, Six Flags Magic Mountain, the “Thrill Capital of the World,” firmly holds the coveted “Coaster Capital of the World” crown — with a total of 18 roller coasters — more than any other theme park on the planet. FULL THROTTLE will open in early summer.
To begin their journey through the park’s distinct mountainous terrain, riders are loaded onto sleek black and silver trains, sitting two abreast, and are suddenly accelerated from zero to 70 miles-per-hour in the first of three launches, experiencing their first inversion and thrill of navigating inside the world-record 160-foot tall loop. Riders then enter into a high-banked curve to the right and then to the left as they approach the second inversion — a Dive Loop that drops them rapidly into a special-effects tunnel. While in the tunnel, the train is dramatically decelerated and stopped, only to be suddenly launched backward up to the high point of the Dive Loop. After a momentary pause, the train drops and is magnetically launched a third time, racing out of the tunnel and through a high G-turn to the left. Riders then race up and over the “Top Hat” that traces the outside of the World Record loop, where riders will experience significant air time and a breath-taking view of the park before dropping back down, rapidly decelerating and taking the final 180-degree turn to the left and returning to the station where riders can catch their breath.
FULL THROTTLE joins other adrenaline-pumping coasters, including Tatsu — the tallest, fastest and longest flying coaster in the world; X2 — the world’s first and only 5th dimensional coaster; Apocalypse — the next generation of wooden coasters; and Goliath — the “giant among giants” mega coaster.
Beverly Hills, CA, USA (April 11, 2013) — The Academy Museum of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences will contain over 290,000 square feet of state-of-the-art galleries, exhibition spaces, movie theaters, educational areas, and special event spaces. The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures will be the world’s premier museum devoted to exploring and curating the history and future of the moving image.
The Academy’s unparalleled permanent collection contains more than 10 million photographs, 146,000 film and video assets, 80,000 screenplays, 46,000 posters, and 20,000 production and costume design drawings. The collection also includes more than 1,400 special collections of film legends such as Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, Alfred Hitchcock, and John Huston. These special collections contain production files, personal correspondence, clippings, contracts, manuscripts, scrapbooks, storyboards, and more.
First Floor
The ground floor of the Academy Museum will be a dynamic space to welcome visitors into the Museum. An expansive and lively public piazza at the northern end of the Museum will open to the Museum’s lobby, café, and gift store and will connect the Museum to the rest of the lacma campus and to the community at large.
A majestic red carpet and Cannes-style grand staircase will take visitors from the piazza into the Academy Museum’s soaringPremiere Theater–a spectacular new piece of contemporary architecture that will perfectly complement the existing Streamline Moderne building. The state-of-the-art theater will be in operation throughout the year and programming will include premieres of new films from an international roster of established and emerging directors; Academy screenings; major retrospectives; in-depth symposia; and high profile special events.
From the piazza, visitors can also enter the ground floor of the Academy Museum where they will find a two-story 12,000 square foot “Making Of…” exhibition. This permanent and interactive exhibition will recreate the experience of real-life theatrical moviemaking and will allow Museum visitors to make lasting memories while learning how to shoot and edit a film, light a set, oversee a voiceover session, score a film, overlay visual effects, color correct, become a Foley artist, utilize a green screen and more.
A 150-seat Demonstration Stage connected to the “Making Of…” exhibition will host Academy Members and other moviemaking professionals who will conduct clinics and master classes tied to the arts and sciences of moviemaking. It will also allow the Academy Museum to highlight the latest technological advancements in cinema.
Adjacent to the “Making Of…” exhibition, a two-story, 6,200 square foot Grand Touring Exhibition Gallery will present world-class travelling shows and groundbreaking special exhibitions. These exhibitions will play a very important role in building a broad base of support for the Museum and in attracting repeat visitors. They also will provide an opportunity to cover topics that cannot be included in-depth in the Museum’s permanent exhibits. Some of these exhibitions may be developed in collaboration with other cultural and educational institutions, further expanding the Museum’s audience and influence.
The lower level of the Academy Museum will contain many visitor amenities as well as access to visible collection storage that will give visitors a glimpse into a variety of components of the Academy Museum’s permanent collection that are not currently on display—artifacts, props, scripts, posters, photographs, and other ephemera.
Mezzanine
The mezzanine level of the Academy Museum will contain a 7,900 square foot lobby for the Premiere Theater. This lively and active space will serve as a gallery and meeting place for Museum visitors and moviegoers.
In addition, a 1,280 square foot Green Room will be located on the mezzanine level. This green room will be used by talent and vips who are hosting events in the Academy Museum and who are special guests at Academy Museum screenings, lectures, symposia, and special events.
Second Floor
The second floor of the Museum will include over 10,000 square feet devoted to this history of the movies. The Film History Gallery will be immersive, interactive, and comprehensive. Topics to be covered include: Lumière and the Cinématographe; Edison and the Kinetoscope and Vitascope; the Silent Age of Cinema; the rise and influence of the studio system; the defining of classic film genres—musicals, westerns, gangster films, horror films; the impact of World War ii on movie making; film noir and the blacklist; the impact of television on the movie industry and how films became “big” in response—epics, 3d; the business of moviemaking—exhibitors, studios, guilds, agencies; foreign films; teen culture; independent cinema; animation throughout the decades; digital vs. film; the impact of new technologies; and more.
A 144-seat theater will be embedded within the Film History Gallery. This intimate theater will host screenings that are tied to the Museum’s many exhibits. The theater will also showcase Academy film series and retrospectives, independent and experimental movies, and foreign films.
In addition, a 1,400 square foot Founders Room will be located on the second floor. For use by Academy Governors and generous donors to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, the Founders Room will be a luxurious dining and special events space.
The third floor of the Museum will house a landmark permanent exhibition for the Museum–The History of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts
Third Floor
and Sciences and the Academy Awards. Motion pictures are the most celebrated art form of our time, and the Academy Award is the highest achievement in the motion picture industry. At 8,700 square feet, this multi-media and interactive exhibition will allow visitors to walk the red carpet, learn about the history of the Academy and the Academy Awards, explore the work of recent nominees, and even have the ability accept their own Oscar. Here visitors will have the unique opportunity to learn about the Academy’s activities from Academy Members, and to experience the ultimate Hollywood moment—one that encapsulates all the passion, creativity, drama, and glamour of the Oscars.
Some highlights of this thrilling exhibition include: a history of the Oscar statuette; behind-the-scenes exploration of the history and mission of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; and an interactive gallery that enables visitors to call up every Oscar winner in every category throughout the history of the Academy Awards. In addition, the exhibition will provide an opportunity to: find out more about every craft represented in the Academy; view still shots and film footage of Academy Award shows; and access videos of acceptance speeches of past Oscar winners. Displays of typed acceptance speeches, handwritten notes, and other related artifacts and ephemera tied to the Academy Awards will enhance the experience.
A 144-seat theater will be embedded within this gallery floor. The theater will screen films tied to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Academy Awards.
Fourth Floor
The fourth floor will house the 1,500 square foot Academy Museum Education Center. The center will be home to the Academy’s media literacy and moviemaking program for over 15,000 k–12 students each year. Media arts are the economic engine of Southern California and the program will provide a solid framework for students to access, analyze, evaluate, and create media in a variety of forms. Students will develop essential skills of inquiry and self-expression that are necessary for citizens of a democracy. Capitalizing on the Academy’s vast film archive, membership, and movie industry connections, the program will screen films, establish how movies are constructed, evaluate components of moviemaking and online media, explore messages in films and media, and investigate their cultural assessments. Students will become better cultural consumers as they learn how movies and other forms of media use images and characters to tell stories and convey cultural messages.
As part of the Museum’s media literacy program, students will learn how to make movies, and Academy Members will speak about their work to provide a window into the professions that are available to these students. The Academy is committed to creating a home for all students—one where they will have access to high-quality educational and workforce development opportunities and acquire the knowledge and skills they need to become productive and engaged citizens. The Academy believes that communities thrive when dynamic cultural resources are created and made accessible to all residents.
In addition, the fourth floor will house an 8,700 square foot Special Exhibition Gallery that will present world-class touring exhibitions and groundbreaking special exhibitions on moviemaking. Many of these exhibitions may be developed in collaboration with other cultural and educational institutions.
Rooftop Features
The roof of the Academy Museum will be one of the most spectacular special event and scenic view spaces in Los Angeles. A Rooftop Terrace overlooking Los Angeles will allow visitors to experience a one-of-kind and expansive view of the city—from Hollywood to the Pacific Ocean. It will also become the perfect place to host cocktail receptions, post-premiere parties, and other special events.
The rooftop’s Special Event Dining Room and Garden will includeseating for 1,000 and will become Los Angeles’ leading locationfor galas, awards ceremonies, and Academy special events. The space will have both indoor and outdoor seating capabilities.
The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is scheduled to open in 2017
UPDATE 4/15/13 – While IMAX has issued a press release confirming the deal at hand, the Los Angeles Historic Theater Foundation (LAHTF), a non-profit, tax-exempt organization dedicated to protecting, preserving, restoring and sustaining the operation of Southern California’s historic theatres. has given the IMAX redesign of the theater its approval. According to Hillsman Wright, Executive Director of the LAHTF:
“IMAX! Great news for the Chinese. NO HISTORIC CHARACTER DEFINING FEATURES IN THE AUDITORIUM WILL BE AFFECTED. NONE. In 1958, the proscenium was demolished, the floor in front of the screen lowered and the current BIG screen installed pushing into Grauman’s 40′ stage – taking all of it but about 8′. The rake of the auditorim floor was virtually flattened. This is not the “stadium seating” of your local octoplex from hell. As was the case in 1927, when you enter the auditorium from the lobby, you’ll be at the same level as the back row of seats. At present, you must go down a flight of stairs to reach the seating. The seating will step down gently from the back row to just in front of the screen. The area in front of the screen will be excavated into the basment below, allowing a much taller screen and for the auditorium rake to continue.”
Los Angeles, CA, USA (April 11, 2013) — The Los Angeles Times reports on plans to transform the historic TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood into one of the world’s largest IMAX theaters, pending approval from the City of Los Angeles
“Imax plans to make the Chinese Theatre one of its main venues for holding premieres of big budget action movies. The new Imax theater will be 94 feet wide and seat 986 people, making it the largest in terms of seating capacity among more than 730 Imax theaters in at least 50 countries. It would be the third-largest Imax theater in North America, only slightly smaller than Imax venues in San Francisco and Lincoln Square in New York City.
“Although Imax has two dozen theaters in Los Angeles County, including AMC Universal Citywalk, none have been large enough to host premieres, an important source of business for Imax.
“. . . The Imax theater is expected to open by September and with new stadium seating, as well as a new Imax sound system and digital projector, which will later be replaced by a laser projector system that Imax is adding to its circuit. The system, expected to be installed next year, uses patents that Imax acquired from Kodak and provides much brighter images and better color contrast than conventional digital systems.
“Following a model it has used in other venues, Imax will sell its equipment to the owners and receive a percentage of ticket sales. The new theater is part of a series of renovations to the Chinese, including a new box office marquee on Hollywood Boulevard, financed by owners, film producer Donald Kushner and his partner Elie Samaha.
“The men acquired Grauman’s nearly two years ago from previous owners Warner Bros. and Paramount Pictures parent Viacom Inc., who, in turn, acquired the venerable theater after the Mann chain, which owned it for decades, filed for bankruptcy.
“In addition to hosting premieres, the Imax theater will screen traditional Hollywood fare and may also show Chinese movies, potentially taking advantage of Imax’s ties with several Chinese exhibitors, including Dalian Wanda Group, which last year acquired AMC Entertainment, the nation’s second- largest theater circuit, for $2.6 billion.”
Orlando, FL, USA — All 750 rooms and suites at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando have been completely renovated with a fresh, new Mediterranean-inspired design that enhances the guest experience. Designers took their inspiration for the new rooms from the upscale, sun-drenched resort of Portofino, Italy and its historic harbor along the Italian Riviera.
This massive $14 million renovation project took more than 5,000 gallons of paint, nearly 45,000 total work hours and more than 35,000 yards of carpeting to complete. A special time-lapse video captured the transformation of one room from start to finish.
“The new rooms celebrate the charm, romance and glamour of Portofino, Italy’s grand vacation villas and hotels,” says Karen Daroff of Daroff Design. “A refined palette in soft neutral cream colors, paired with sun-baked shades of aqua are complemented by rich, terra cotta-colored marble and custom-designed, white-washed furnishings.”
Featuring cobblestone piazzas, outdoor cafés and a nightly balcony show, Loews Portofino Bay Hotel is located on-site at Universal Orlando Resort and is connected to Universal Studios Florida, Universal’s Islands of Adventure and Universal CityWalk by a scenic waterway. Hotel guests enjoy three themed swimming pools, seven restaurants and lounges, a world-class spa and an exclusive package of theme park benefits including Early Park Admission to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal’s Islands of Adventure and complimentary Universal Express Unlimited ride access, allowing guests to skip the regular theme park lines all day.
Atlanta, GA, USA — Offering what is sure to be another popular and engaging summer exhibition, the Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA) in partnership with Georgia Tech is pleased to announce an interactive show highlighting the work of women game designers and artists titled “XYZ: Alternative Voices in Game Design.” “XYZ” seeks to challenge the misperception that women neither play nor create video games. The exhibition opens July 12 and runs through September 1, 2013.
Museum visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy the interactive aspects of the exhibition. For art and design connoisseurs, “XYZ” provides a diverse and expansive picture of the art of game design, and offers even seasoned gamers new insights into what games are and can be. The show will include not only familiar mainstream games, but alternative genres such as art, independent and documentary games. “XYZ” includes a broad spectrum of works representing a legacy of alternative visions that demonstrate the capacity of game design to convey a wide range of ideas,
experiences and emotions.
The aim of “XYZ” is to celebrate women’s contributions to the advancement of the video game medium by highlighting their influence and accomplishments. Every piece in the show has been wholly or partially created by women. Today, women comprise only 10 to 15 percent of the
gaming industry, and the percentage of those participating in the actual design process is even lower. Nevertheless, women continue to serve as major creative influences in the mainstream video game industry as well as in alternative genres.
“XYZ” is being developed in partnership with Georgia Tech’s Experimental Game Lab and Digital Media Graduate Program, both in the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts, and is curated by a team of world-renowned game curators: Celia Pearce, director of Georgia Tech’s Experimental Game Lab and co-founder of IndieCade, the international festival of independent games; Cindy Poremba, internationally recognized game artist, member of the art game collective Kokoromi, co-curator of the international experimental game showcase Gamma and co-curator of “Joue Le Jeu/Play Along,” a landmark exhibition of video games held at the Gaîté Lyrique in Paris in 2012; John Sharp, associate professor of Games and Learning, School of Art, Media and Technology at Georgia Tech, co-founder of Art History of Games, conference co-chair for IndieCade and curator of Spacewar! At the American Museum of the Moving Image; Akira Thompson, a former Disney Imagineer, game designer and director of game maker relations for IndieCade; and Adam Rafinksi, associate curator, artist, theorist and founder of the GameLab Karlsruhe at the German art and technology center ZKM.
About the Georgia Tech Digital Media Program
The Georgia Tech Digital Media graduate programs in the School of Literature, Communication and Culture provide both the theoretical and the practical foundation for careers in digital media, design, research, and development. The aim of the Digital Media Program’s Experimental Game
Lab, is to investigate and extend the expressive capabilities of games, to foster critical analysis, and to better understand and influence the role of video games in culture. Both are part of the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts, which is recognized nationally and internationally for teaching and research examining the human context of engineering, science, and technology. Founded in 1990, the College is named in honor of former Atlanta Mayor Ivan Allen Jr. (1911-2003).
About Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA)
MODA opened in its new home in Midtown in March 2011, and is the only museum in the Southeast devoted exclusively to the study and celebration of all things design. MODA advances the understanding and appreciation of design as the convergence of creativity and functionality through exhibitions, education and programming for visitors of all ages. MODA’s vision is of a world that celebrates design as a creative force that inspires change, transforms lives and makes the world a better place. MODA regularly features exhibitions of architecture, industrial and product design, interiors and furniture, graphics, fashion, and more. For more information, visit: www.museumofdesign.org
The Crystal serves as home to Siemens’ Center of Competence – Cities, a team of multi-disciplinary urban experts. The 2,000 sq.m. (21,500 sq. ft.) interactive exhibition guides visitors through the urban infrastructure of the future by examining the possibilities for sustainable mobility, building technologies, power and water supplies and healthcare.
The theme “Forces of Change” is announced when visitors enter the exhibition and are directed to the mezzanine level. There, an immersive black box theatre uses ten DLP projectors to create a dynamic presentation displaying the challenges of Demographic Change, Urbanisation and Climate Change in short video loops.
The presentation’s unique display surface covers an end wall and carpets most of the floor. The projected images are sourced, blended and warped to fill the screen without distortion and are accompanied by a powerful multi-channel soundtrack.
Outside the black box theatre, three touchscreen exhibits further explore the challenging Forces of Change. In the Urbanisation exhibit, four 55-inch touchscreen LCDs in portrait mode are sandwiched between poured concrete slabs. The Climate Change exhibit uses four embedded 32-inch touchscreen LCDs also in portrait format. The Demographic Change exhibit has a three-sided configuration with widescreen LCD touchscreens comprising two of the sides.
Visitors receive a RFID-tagged card for the exhibition. The idea is that visitors collect a “crystal” at each exhibit, which appears on the tag reader as illuminated coloured indicators showing which zones the visitors have already seen.
One of the first stops is the Creating Cities zone where the “Cities Icon” takes centre stage. Crafted from LED panels, it displays a series of images received from the control room. Other exhibits in the zone include the “Understanding Cities” interactive display and the multi-user “City Game” whose four 24-inch LCD touch terminals are capped by 55-inch repeater displays.
The Safe and Sound zone looks at protecting the city and addresses topics such as fire prevention, rapid response to incidents and crowd control. The “Fire Prevention” exhibit structure, composed of ArtBoard modules provided by Light Emissions, features giant, cut-out lettering on the modules spelling words related to the security theme, such as trust, peace of mind, shield and care. Three interactive terminals enable visitors to discover the causes of fires; visitors’ responses modify a big, curved low-resolution LED display of flames.
The Smart Buildings zone is dominated by a cube-shaped space in which three sides display five-metre wide projected images. In front of each is a 40-inch LCD touchscreen, which invites visitors to create their own sustainable buildings and watch them constructed on the displays. Another exhibit shows what makes the Crystal a sustainable building by using two touchscreen displays and an array of LED indicators to reveal real time statistics about the Crystal’s rainwater recycling, heat pump efficiency and solar energy performance.
The Clean and Green zone features a dramatic centerpiece composed of a living wall of vegetation. Because the wall keeps the plants sufficiently wet, Electrosonic provided two IP65-rated LCD touchscreens to ensure reliable operation. The Water is Life zone includes displays about harvesting rainwater, desalination and recycling waste water. The Health Life zone focuses on staying healthy, personalised medicine and reducing healthcare costs.
The main interactive in the Go Electric zone is a spectacular gesture-operated exhibit, which includes a Tesla coil spark display within a Faraday cage. The Keep Moving zone emphasises the role of electrically-powered transport in a number of LCD and interactive displays.
The Future Life zone, the finale of the exhibition, is centered on an optimistic panoramic show “Enter the City of the Future,” which shows how cities could look and operate if ideas presented in the Crystal were to be applied. The show is displayed on a nine-metre curved screen by three DLP projectors with short-throw zoom lenses.
This zone also includes terminals where visitors can review their tour based on the data accumulated using their RFID card. The “What Do Today’s City Leaders Think?” exhibit offers comments from city leaders from around the world.
Both the introduction and finale shows use 7th Sense servers as the image sources. They provide both synchronous multi-channel replay and image “blending and bending”. All other sources are DVS products: DVS Blade players for simple video replay and DVS video computers for the interactives. They are mounted in twelve 19-inch racks in a dedicated control room.
Medialon Showmaster has a comprehensive control interface and scheduler for full control of individual exhibits, along with global power up/down facilities to enhance the building’s green energy credentials. The Showmaster is supplemented by a Stumpfl Show Controller.
The Crystal was designed by Wilkinson Eyre, Architects with Pringle Brandon the interior/fit out architect. Exhibit fabrication was by The Hub; content for the AV and interactive exhibits was created by ISO, All of Us, Clay, Squint Opera, Spirit Link, B12 and Siemens Software. “Forces of Change” was produced by Event Communications; the “City Game” was developed by Siemens. Exhibition lighting design was by DHA Design.
Los Angeles, CA, USA (April 10th, 2013) — Electrosonic is pleased to announce its Technology Day for Control Rooms, a free event slated for April 17th at its Burbank headquarters.
Attendees will have the opportunity to experience the latest technologies for control rooms, and discuss custom solutions with Electrosonic’s expert staff and some of the leading products manufacturers in the field. Technology Day will showcase the latest developments in simulation training, collaboration, networks, content streaming and distribution, and display technology.
“Attendees will view the latest technologies, expand their knowledge and network with other professionals in the arena,” says Todd Miller, VP of Control Rooms at Electrosonic. “Electrosonic has successfully hosted Technology Days for several years. We’re excited to be focusing this month’s event specifically on control room applications.”
Those attending Technology Day will see hands-on product demos by top manufacturers and be a part of in-depth discussions on the newest innovations in command and control rooms products and solutions. Participants include Barco, Christie, Crestron, Extron, Jupiter, Planar and RGB Spectrum.
Technology Day is scheduled for 12 to 9 pm on April 17, and features an evening cocktail reception with raffle giveaways. Attendees may RSVP by email at [email protected] or register online by visiting the event page at electrosonic.com/tech-day-burbank More information about the event is also available from the Electrosonic Control Rooms team at 1-855-333-3601.
Kansas City, MO, USA (April 10, 2013) — Opening Day at Worlds of Fun is always a special time, but this year, fans anticipating the park opening can count it down together at the park’s overnight party. The all-nighters will be rewarded by the park with huge perks including $17.99 admission, a private ride session on the Patriot roller coaster, breakfast, and fun activities.
As the sun sets on Friday, April 12, the fun begins for anyone attending this free activity when the official line for the event begins to take shape. The park’s front gate area will be home to tents, sleeping bags, blankets, and fans ready to countdown the hours until the park opens for 2013. Worlds of Fun staff members will be on hand to provide the fun with prize drawings, snacks, and trivia contests.
Throughout the night fans will anxiously be awaiting sunrise, as those that stay at the park are rewarded with something better than morning coffee to wake them up, a full hour of exclusive ride time (ERT) on Patriot roller coaster before the park opens. Plus, during the ERT session, the park will provide a free breakfast at the ride. In addition, the park’s Season Pass Processing Center will open early for campout guests. Those campers without a season pass can purchase a discount admission to Opening Day for only $17.99, a savings of $31 off the normal gate price.
All campout activities are free although park admission or a Season Pass is required to enjoy the exclusive Opening Day festivities. Worlds of Fun opens for the 2013 season on Saturday, April 13, and the park is open weekends only through May 5, 2013. For more information, please visit worldsoffun.com.
Worlds of Fun is owned and operated by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, a publicly traded partnership that is listed for trading on The New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “FUN.” In addition to Worlds of Fun, Cedar Fair owns and operates ten other amusement parks, four water parks, one indoor water park, and five hotels. Cedar Fair also operates the Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park in California under a management contract.
Chris Conte, interim president, TEA Asia Pacific Division
Burbank, California USA, (April 11, 2013) — “The Themed Entertainment Association(TEA) is pleased to announce the formation of the Asia Pacific Division,” said TEA International Board President Christine Kerr of BaAM Productions. “With so much industry activity in the region, the Association is forming this new division to help organize activities and events, and to help improve our understanding of and dialog with our member companies and their clients throughout the region.” The TEA is an international alliance of individuals and companies that design, build and create compelling places and experiences, from theme parks to museums, from corporate brand centers to live spectacular events.
As a creative community, members of TEA gain opportunities for international and regional networking and collaborating within the themed entertainment and experience design industry. The flow of information helps improve the quality of guest experiences and the success of owner-operators. To best ensure that this interchange occurs at the regional level, the Association has divisions that organize and produce social networking mixers, educational events, behind the scenes tours and other activities of interest and value to TEA members and their clients. The Asia Pacific Division will be the fourth regional division formed by the TEA, joining the Eastern North America, Europe & Middle East and Western North America Divisions. “An interim Asia Division Board has been appointed to assist with the election and installation of a permanent board, and Chris Conte of Electrosonic has agreed to act as president during this all important formation period,” said Kerr.
“The formation of the Asia Division is an incredibly exciting moment for the TEA and the industry,” said Conte in accepting the interim presidency. “It recognizes the importance of the many companies and talent working across the region that are creating compelling places and experiences, and the need for the TEA to take a more integrated role in helping to support and organize those firms and their clients as they endeavor to design and build ever successful attractions and projects. Forming a permanent Asia Division Board as quickly as possible is the goal and focus of our interim group.”
An election by TEA members based in the region will be held to determine the permanent members of the Asia Division Board, with the results to be announced before the Asia Attractions Expo 2013 (IAAPA Asia) in Singapore in June of this year. A call for candidates will be released next, and all TEA members working in the region are encouraged to consider running for the initial TEA Asia Division Board of Directors.
JRA’s (Jack Rouse Associates) Assistant Project Manager Clara Rice attended the Thea Awards and Next Gen “Breakfast with Champions.” (and contributed great tweets throughout the weekend!). She contributed the following report, summarizing the two events.
The last day of the Themed Entertainment Association’s Summit weekend offered a morning of discussions between the industry’s present and future leaders before capping with the razzle-dazzle “main event” honoring this year’s Thea Award recipients.
Saturday began with the TEA Next Generation Committee’s “Breakfast with Champions.” The Next Generation Committee seeks to inform students and recent grads about the Themed Entertainment Association and the industry as a whole and offers resources and support as they begin their themed entertainment careers.
Students listen during the Next Gen “Breakfast with Champions”
The invited guests for the morning were Buzz Price Award recipient, Frank Stanek, Technifex CEO and TEA co-founder Monty Lunde, and Thinkwell Chief Creative Officer and TEA Past President, Craig Hanna. One of the dominant themes of the discussion was specialization versus generalization. Is it better to be a Jack (or Jill) of all trades, or is it better to hunker down within a specialized set of skills? How can you be a generalist when company HR departments are only reading resume keywords? The consensus among the group was that the more adaptable you are, the greater career longevity you will most likely enjoy.
Monty Lunde of Technifex
The speakers offered their personal stories as examples of how being flexible can offer big career benefits. Stanek began his career at Disney as a locksmith. He had no idea how to cut keys, so he spent evenings learning from his father. Less than a decade later, he was an integral part of what would become Walt Disney Imagineering, responsible for business planning on all new Disney projects. Lunde’s first job was selling persimmons, and he originally thought he would pursue a medical career like his father before him. Instead, he joined Disney’s EPCOT Illusioneers team before founding Technifex in 1985. Craig Hanna made himself indispensible (something he advised the students to do themselves), parlaying what was supposed to be a six-month contract position at Universal into six years as Director of Attraction Development before also going his own way and co-founding Thinkwell.
Lunde told the students that their career would most likely result in a series of right turns. As long as you’re not making U-turns, he said, openness to this perpetual state of pivot can only serve to broaden your skill set as well as your LinkedIn following. And what to do about those pesky HR people who throw your resume into the circular bin when they don’t see the words ‘engineer’ or ‘AutoCAD’? “Ignore them,” Hanna instructed. “After this weekend, you have a room full people you can contact. You don’t need to go through those channels anymore.” The bottom line is, know what you bring to the table, and if you aren’t familiar with a specific skill that you might need for a job, smile, nod and learn it quickly. As Craig Hanna so adeptly quoted from Ghostbusters, “if someone asks you if you’re a god, you say ‘YES!’” Don’t assume a particular job isn’t right for you, and if you get it and it turns out not to be a fit, just keep pivoting.
Stanek, Lunde and Hanna’s stories had a profound effect on the students, and the feedback from the breakfast was extremely positive. “I honestly cannot describe how meaningful those two days meant to me,” said one student. “As I was there, I was amazed at how open and willing everyone was in helping Next Gen members.” Another student said the event helped her “stand taller” and left her “with many more friends who range from writers to engineers…an awesome feeling.” Having witnessed the event as a Next Generation Committee member, I can unequivocally say that the students’ energy was contagious, and I cannot wait to see where these future industry leaders land. A big “thank you” to Next Gen Committee Chair Kile Ozier and TEA Event Producer, Kathy Oliver for their hard work and dedication in organizing Breakfast with Champions. For more student comments, as well as photos from the event, visit InPark Magazine’s Facebook page.
Dinner at the Thea Awards, photo courtesy Clara Rice
That evening, it was time to dim the music, light the lights and wear your best penguin suit or gown as the Thea Awards took center stage. The theme of the ceremony was ‘Pure Imagination: Through the Eyes of a Child”, and the host was a young boy named Valin with big dreams (and great dance moves). Throughout the evening, we marveled at towering Transformers characters Bumble Bee and Optimus Prime, watched Cars star Mater the Tow Truck roll onto the stage, and gasped as the death eaters from Harry Potter surrounded us. Even actress Bonnie Hunt, who played Sally in the Cars movies, joined the festivities, presenting the Thea Award for Cars Land to the movies’ director, John Lasseter. “This year’s Theas were absolutely sensational, one of the best ever,” said Keith James, Chief Executive Officer of TEA member-company, JRA, and TEA Past President. “Not only were the projects first rate, the production values, singers, dancers and special guests were unbelievable. It made for a fun night to be a part of, and the whole TEA team did a stellar job.”
Congratulations to Summit co-chairs Roberta Perry and Pat MacKay, and to Kathy Oliver, Gene Jeffers, Judith Rubin, Christine Kerr and the entire TEA staff and board for a fantastic weekend of events.
