Kingston upon Thames, UK — Award winning creative AV design and installation specialist Sarner ended 2012 on a high note with yet another industry award to add to its trophy cabinet, for a project that was designed 12 years ago.
Valhalla, Blackpool Pleasure Beach’s most iconic ride, has been voted one of the best in Europe more than a decade after it first opened. The world’s biggest indoor dark ride was given the honour at the European Star Awards after a panel of International experts voted it one of the best on the Continent.
Valhalla, which takes riders on a Viking journey through fire, water, snow, thunder and lightning, has enjoyed longevity thanks to Sarner’s initial creativity and diversity in combining a white knuckle flume ride with theatrical dynamics of powerful storyline sequences. Sarner conceived the masterplan design for Valhalla in 2000 and are delighted to see it still winning awards 12 years on.
This accolade follows the four awards that Sarner won for its more recent creative design and installation project – the Doctor Who Experience for BBC Worldwide. Ross Magri, Sarner MD, is thrilled with the company’s winning streak and hopes to repeat the success with some of the current projects that are in production. He commented, “It’s amazing when your hard work gets recognised. But to win an award for a project 12 years after it was conceived means even more. All these fantastic awards show that Sarner really does create award winning attractions and we plan to continue to do so.”
Boyertown, PA, USA — Gateway Ticketing Systems’ Southern California User Community will be coming together February 12, 2013 in San Diego for the seventh annual Southern California User Group Meeting. The event is hosted by the USS Midway and will be at the Holiday Inn on the Bay, conveniently located across the street from the Midway in a meeting room that boasts a view of the ship. Mark Berlin, Guest Services Director at the USS Midway Museum, said of the event “The USS Midway is excited to host the 7th Annual Southern California Gateway User’s Group Meeting. We look forward to spending a day with our colleagues from the finest attractions in our region and hearing presentations that provide new ideas to better serve our guests. It’s a great networking opportunity and another reason why the USS Midway is pleased to be part of the Gateway Ticketing Systems’ community.”
The meeting, nicknamed the SoCal UGM, focuses on needs and challenges specific to the southern California area. Agenda topics will include presentations on Fraud Control, Reducing PCI Issues and Securing Customer Data and New Admission Entrance Installations, among others. Participants will also be able to take part in roundtable discussions on marketing, finance and group sales. Although organized and led by the SoCal User Community, Gateway leadership will be in attendance at the User Group Meeting including Gateway CEO, Michael Andre and Director of Marketing, Lisa Hagee, as well as Director of Product, Marcus Lopez and Manager of Business Solutions, Scott Lobaugh.
The meeting is always a highlight on the Gateway calendar of events and Lobaugh is especially looking forward to the chance to meet with Gateway’s many California-based customers: “The fact that this is a customer originated user group that has been going strong and growing for seven years is truly amazing. It’s a testament to the passion they possess for their profession. From Gateway’s perspective, it’s a great opportunity to listen and learn from our customers on how they leverage the Galaxy product suite within their facilities. It’s invaluable information that shapes our products and services.”
You can register online for the Gateway Ticketing Systems Southern California User Group Meeting.
About Gateway Ticketing Systems, Inc.:
Gateway Ticketing Systems, Inc. is the world leader in admission control and ticketing software for the attraction, amusement, and transportation industries. Located in Boyertown, Pennsylvania, Gateway Ticketing Systems provides sales, service and support for Point of Sale and ticketing systems throughout North America and worldwide.
About the USS Midway Museum:
The USS Midway Museum is a maritime museum located in downtown San Diego, California at Navy Pier. Open since 2004, the museum is an unforgettable adventure for the entire family. Guests can spend the day exploring more than 60 exhibits with a collection of 25 restored aircraft. The self-guided audio tour, narrated by Midway sailors, brings the carrier’s history to life. Those who dare can “take to the sky” aboard one of two flight simulators.
Las Vegas, NV and Palo Alto, CA, USA — Caesars Entertainment Corporation (NASDAQ: CZR) has a strong Code of Commitment that governs its relationships with its guests, employees and the communities where Caesars Entertainment’s resorts are located. As the world’s most geographically diversified casino entertainment company, Caesars Entertainment is encouraging its 70,000+ employees to sign up for AlertID, a free service providing critical public safety information and alerts to its members.
Members can enroll at no cost and are able to receive important alerts about crime, sex offenders, weather, natural disasters, terrorism and other important advisories from trusted public safety officials. Alerts are available online and on mobile applications and are delivered via email and mobile push notifications. Members can monitor and receive alerts for their neighborhoods as well as other areas such as their workplace and child’s school.
AlertID also provides a secure social networking environment for members to share important safety information with each other, law enforcement and Homeland Security, and provides safety tips to help people better protect their families.
“Caesars Entertainment cares about the safety of all our employees, guests and their families, and we are encouraging everyone to sign up for AlertID today. It is so important to have access to information and alerts that can help you become aware of potential threats to better protect your family,” said Jan Jones-Blackhurst, Executive Vice President of Communications and Government Relations of Caesars Entertainment Corporation.
Once enrolled in AlertID, members can view an interactive alert map online as well as on the mobile app. Members can view crime information (where available), where registered sex offenders are in their neighborhoods and other current threats and advisories based on their desired or current location. While traveling, members can access the same information with AlertID’s free mobile app, including My Family Wallet, which helps people protect their family members.
“We appreciate the support of Caesars Entertainment and the company’s commitment to public safety,” said Ken Wiles, AlertID’s Chief Executive Officer. “We, like Caesars Entertainment, are dedicated to helping people protect their families and communities. Providing universal access to crime and sex offender information, and alerts when that information changes, will help families make informed decisions about how to keep their family members safe.”
To sign up for a free account, or for more information, go to www.AlertID.com.
About Caesars Entertainment Corporation
Caesars Entertainment Corporation is the world’s most diversified casino-entertainment company. Since its beginning in Reno, Nevada, 75 years ago, Caesars has grown through development of new resorts, expansions and acquisitions and now operates casinos on four continents. The company’s resorts operate primarily under the Caesars, Harrah’s and Horseshoe brand names. Caesars also owns the World Series of Poker and the London Clubs International family of casinos. Caesars is focused on building loyalty and value with its guests through a unique combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence and technology leadership. The company is committed to environmental sustainability and energy conservation and recognizes the importance of being a responsible steward of the environment. For more information, please visit www.caesars.com.
About AlertID, Inc.
AlertID is the established leader in making the country’s public safety information universally accessible, helping people protect their families and communities. Alerts are provided by trusted sources including public safety agencies, local law enforcement, schools, neighborhood groups, neighbors, family members and friends. This first-of-its-kind, fast-growing network is the leader in helping people protect their families and communities throughout the United States and is poised to evolve into the world’s go-to public safety and security resource.
AlertID has proven to help reduce crime, using secure and proven technology to create two-way communication between citizens and Federal, state and local authorities to provide immediate information on crime, terrorism, natural disasters or severe weather that can threaten the safety of families and communities. Thanks to AlertID, seventy percent of the United States population (more than 224 million residents) can receive Sex Offender Alerts from State Sex Offender Databases. In addition, the AlertID Secure Social Network provides everyone concerned about the safety of communicating on social networks a safe and easy way to share important information quickly. In many communities, AlertID has partnered with law enforcement agencies to deliver local crime data (CAD) to members. Recent partnerships and collaborations include the Alameda County (Calif.) Sheriff’s Office, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, The City and County of San Francisco, The Nevada Department of Public Safety, Amber Alert and various counter terrorism centers, among many others.
Sandusky, OH, USA (Jan. 28, 2013) /PRNewswire/ — Families and friends planning an overnight visit to Cedar Point amusement park/resort can save money by taking advantage of a convenient new payment plan if they pre-book their visit at the park’s resorts by March 1. The Cedar Point “Easy Pay” plan allows visitors to lock-in the park’s low pre-season rates while conveniently managing the cost of their stay in four easy installments. Packages can be purchased on Cedar Point’s website or by calling 419-627-2106. As an extra bonus, Cedar Point provides resort guests with the coveted one hour early entry into the park.
“We are always looking for new ways to make the Cedar Point experience easier and more convenient for our guests,” said Jack Highsmith, corporate vice president of resort operations. “Our new Easy Pay plan now makes it even more affordable for families and friends while staying overnight at the world’s best amusement park.”
Roller coaster enthusiasts may want to move quickly and take advantage of the park’s new payment program. May 11 marks the beginning of a historic year for Cedar Point with the arrival of GateKeeper, the park’s newest world-record-breaking coaster. Towering at 170 feet, spinning through two signature keyholes at speeds of 67 mph – GateKeeper gives guests a simulated flight experience that will break at least five world records including tallest drop, longest track and most inversions of any wing coaster on the planet. The new coaster derives its namesake by twisting up and over Cedar Point’s main entrance gates, and joins record-setting legends Top Thrill Dragster and Millennium Force, earning Cedar Point the title”World’s Best Amusement Park” for 15 consecutive years.
In addition to the park’s world-class coasters and the beautiful Cedar Point Beach, guests who stay at any of Cedar Point’s resorts will find there are endless opportunities for an extended stay. Along with park attractions like Planet Snoopy, Luminosity and Dinosaurs Alive, resort guests are eligible for $10 day passes to Castaway Bay indoor waterpark.
Cedar Point’s resorts include the historic Hotel Breakers, which merges all the modern-day conveniences with fine architecture dating back to 1905, Sandcastle Suites, the quaint lakeside cabins and luxury RV sites at Lighthouse Point, Camper Village, Castaway Bay indoor water park and Breakers Express, which offers the best deals for guests on a budget.
Cedar Point will open for its 144th season on May 11, 2013, with its new wing roller coaster, GateKeeper. For more information, log on to www.cedarpoint.com . Like on Facebook , follow on Twitter and check out their YouTube channel .
(L to R): June Gates, Belgian Prime Minister Théo Lefèvre, Charles Gates, Jr. Taken early 1960’s, courtesy Gates Corporation
by Joe Kleiman
THIS ARTICLE WILL APPEAR IN ISSUE 46 OF INPARK MAGAZINE.
When Denver socialite June Gates passed away in 2000, her obituary outlined a complicated, if not contradictory woman. Her friend Marge Davis told the Denver Post, “She was very feminine-looking, a small blond who looked like she should be on a chaise lounge with a white poodle and a box of chocolates . . . But she also enjoyed something far more deadly. She was a crack shot who went big-game hunting and shot trophy animals in Africa. She was just a dead-eye dick.”
The dome industry is just as full of contradictions. At the IMERSA Summit, taking place at the planetarium funded by Mrs. Gates’ family in Denver between February 14 and 17, members of the planetarium, digital dome, and giant screen communities will meet to explore, among other things, how to take contradictory formats and business models and make them compliment each other.
Interior, Gates Planetarium, Denver Museum of Nature & Science, courtesy DMNS. Global Immersion was the integrator on the digital fulldome retrofit
In the planetarium community, digital conversion – from the traditional starball projectors to multi-projector digital systems – has taken hold much more quickly than in the giant-screen sector. Digital projection is creating a convergence of markets, technology and content, and there is a knowledge transfer taking place, actively fueled by associations such as IMERSA, working to identify and leverage the common ground with GSCA (Giant Screen Cinema Association), IPS (International Planetarium Society), ASTC (Association of Science-Technology Centers), PGA (Producers Guild of America), TEA (Themed Entertainment Associations) and other trade groups. Members of these organizations will discuss the issues surrounding convergence during the sessions Playing Together Under the Dome on Saturday, Feb. 16 and Profits, Producers, and Purists: Crossplatforming Between Giant Screen, Dome, and 3D, on Sunday, Feb. 17 at the IMERSA 2013 Summit.
1570 giant screen projector being raised to projection position within dome, Hackworth IMAX Theater, Tech Museum of Innovation, San Jose, CA. Photo by Joe Kleiman
Giant screen has become a crossover market for leading digital dome (“fulldome”) specialists well known in the planetarium sector, such as Global Immersion, Sky-Skan, Evans & Sutherland and Spitz Inc., but the dome community has its own unique challenges separate from flat giant screen and 3D theaters. These include the increasing use of digital cameras for filming 3D features. An entire panel at last year’s GSCA conference was devoted to how filmmakers can compliment the sweet spots of both 3D flat-screen theaters and 2D domes while minimizing the compromise. Another issue that arose during that panel is that when digitally shot 3D films are projected onto a dome from 70mm film through a fish-eye lens, pixelation takes place.
As Paul Fraser of Blaze Digital Cinema Works pointed out during a presentation at the 2012 GSCA Dome Day, the issues of digital convergence between dome and flatscreen sectors are not just technical, but extend into business models and theater architecture. For example, Fraser pointed out that while most traditional planetarium domes are included with museum admission and showcase presentations shorter than 30 minutes, film-based giant screen theaters carry an upcharge or independent admission model with films of 40 minutes or longer.
Currently, according to Fraser, around thirty giant screen films have been adapted for full dome digital theaters, twenty-five of them by E&S. In 2009, E&S became the exclusive digital dome distributor for National Geographic’s award-winning giant screen film Sea Monsters. They utilized a patent-pending technology capable of warping the 4×3 image to successfully fill most of the screen in either 2D or 3D. But this easily creates another problem, as Fraser points out that fewer than 1/4 of digital domes feature unilateral seating like a traditional film theater. The majority are concentric, with all seats facing the center. The result is that usually 1/3 to half of the seats end up being unused for these types of presentations.
Sonicvision, courtesy American Museum of Natural History
While a giant screen film can be reduced in print size to 35mm or even video for exhibition, and can also be modified for presentation on a dome screen, this is much more difficult to do with a presentation designed for digital full dome due to the geometry of the presentation. For instance, in order to maximize image size for the IMAX screen, the trailer for AMNH’s SonicVision, which played at the GSTA conference in Boston in 2006 on 1570 film, did not include the full exterior of the image. When the fulldome feature CORAL: Rekindling Venus was shown at Sundance this year, rather than being shown at a conventional theater, a portable dome was brought in with an E&S Digistar 5 projector. And rather than being part of the main festival, CORAL was featured in Sundance’s New Frontier series, which also showcased media installations, performance media, and transmedia experiences.
Still from Sundance fulldome selection CORAL: Rekindling Venus, courtesy Felix Media
Ryan Wyatt, currently of the California Academy of Sciences, pointed out another issue in a 2006 online discussion at the Yahoo Fulldome Video Discussion Group: “A second-run [giant screen film] print can be made available for less because the print has already been used; this, of course, makes no difference in the digital world, which means that although your 1’s and 0’s don’t get scratched or worn, they also don’t go down in price.”
Infitec 3D glasses on display at Light+Sound 2012 in Lucern, Switzerland, courtesy Infitec GmbH
According to Michael Dowling of Sky-Skan, “Unlike flat-screen theaters where a generic DCP (digital cinema package) would usually work for a certain type of system, when we distribute a program, we have to create a specialized version from the master for each individual theater, based on its screen geometry, projectors and lenses, and the placement of those projectors.” One of the newest trends in digital dome is fulldome 3D. Sky-Skan currently holds the Guinness world record for brightest 3D planetarium with its Definiti 3D installation at the Macau Science Center in China. Global Immersion also offers 3D digital dome projection through its Fidelity 3D system while E&S offers its Spherical 3D brand for its Digitstar theaters. A preferred 3D format is Infitec. In this method, also used on theme park attractions such as Universal’s upgraded Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man and Disney’s Star Tours – The Adventures Continue, one set of projectors displays the left eye image and the other displays the right eye image. Using a set of filters in the projectors, the left eye image shows the lower frequencies of the RGB colors and the right eye image shows the upper frequencies of the RGB colors. Filters in the glasses cancel the right image in the left eye and vice versa. The combined images re-join both halves of the RGB colors, providing full color fidelity and the full brightness of a single set of projectors.
Denver Museum of Nature & Science, host of the IMERSA 2013 conference, courtesy DMNS
By installing digital projection, an exhibitor drastically reduces the cost of equipment and prints and, in the case of a dome, is able to install a system capable of showing product, including 3D, mastered for the theater’s unique geometry. The Denver Museum of Nature & Science, home of the Gates Planetarium and host institution for the IMERSA 2013 Conference, experienced this digital advantage first hand in 2010, exchanging its IMAX 2D projector for a new digital 3D IMAX system.
A longtime benefactor of the museum, June Gates passed away only a week after chairing its Centennial Gala. She and her husband Charles felt strongly about experiencing the world and allowing children to experience its wonders as well. Through the convergence of digital dome and giant screen, the world and the universe will become much more accessible for generations to come.
Joe Kleiman is News Editor for InPark Magazine and a feature contributor. A veteran of giant screen and film-based attractions, he can also be found on the web at www.ThemedReality.com.
San Diego, CA and Lake Anna, VA, USA — Jeffrey Kirsch, Executive Director of the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, will join the panel discussion “Playing Together Under the Dome” at the IMERSA 2013 Summit, February 14-17, at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. The session will examine how fulldome can leverage common ground between intersecting industries in digital multimedia. Kirsch, former chair of the Giant Screen Cinema Assocation (GSCA), is recognized as a pioneer and major contributor to the production and exhibition of IMAX® films in science museums. The Fleet is home to the world’s first IMAX Dome theater, installed in 1973, and with the recent installation of a new giant dome screen digital GSX™ system from Global Immersion is the first Giant Dome Theater in the country to share a digital planetarium with an IMAX Dome theater.
“I am looking forward to representing GSCA, and in particular the new Giant Dome Interest Group (GDIG) of GSCA, in the panel that will discuss the future of immersive media,” says Kirsch. “The business models are very different for digital fulldome venues, and we need to share ideas as to how we can move forward together.”
Also on the “Playing Together Under the Dome” panel are multimedia producer George Wiktor of The GW Group, representing the Themed Entertainment Association; Thomas Kraupe, director of Planetarium Hamburg, representing the International Planetarium Society; and producer Jay Williams of Super 78, representing the Producers Guild of America. IMERSA board member Michael Daut, Director of Show Production/Marketing at Evans & Sutherland, will moderate the session.
IMERSA (Immersive Media, Entertainment, Research, Science & Arts) is an international nonprofit professional organization that celebrates and promotes immersive and fulldome media for education and entertainment in planetariums, schools, museums, cinemas, events, and attractions. The IMERSA 2013 summit will feature fulldome film screenings in the Denver Museum of Nature and Science’s Gates Planetarium, keynote speakers, panels, workshops, and vendor presentations. Visit www.imersa.org for information and registration.
About GSCA
The core purpose of the Giant Screen Cinema Association (GSCA®) is to advance the business of producing and presenting educational giant screen and immersive cinema experiences globally. GSCA’s membership includes more than 260 organizations in nearly 30 countries. Member organizations include giant screen filmmakers, distributors, theaters, suppliers, manufacturers, and students from around the world. For more information visit www.giantscreencinema.com, or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/giantscreencinema.
About the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center
The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center (“the Fleet”) is home to Southern California’s only Giant Dome Screen Theater and 100+ hands-on science exhibits for all ages. Watch immersive giant-screen films in the Heikoff Dome Theater, featuring a NanoSeam™ Dome screen. The Fleet is the first Giant Dome Theater in the country to share a digital planetarium with an IMAX® Dome theater, following the recent installation of a new, state-of-the-art, giant dome screen digital GSX™ system from Global Immersion, which augments the existing IMAX projector in the Heikoff Dome Theater with one of the most comprehensive and powerful full-dome experiences available today. Experience eight galleries of fun, interactive exhibits, including major traveling exhibitions. A hurricane simulator thrills visitors with gusts of wind up to 80 miles per hour. Enjoy sandwiches, salads and healthy treats in Galileo’s Café. Find unique educational toys and games, books, IMAX DVDs and more in the North Star Science Store. Located at 1875 El Prado, two blocks south of the San Diego Zoo on Park Blvd, the Fleet Science Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to furthering the public understanding and enjoyment of science and technology. For information regarding current admission prices, please call (619) 238-1233 or visit our website at www.rhfleet.org.
Independence, OR, USA — Ride Development Company (RDC), a leading bumper car manufacturer in the United States, recently introduced a new line of LED illuminated bumper cars at the 2012 IAAPA Exhibit in Orlando, Florida. The new cars, “Krazee Wh!rl™” and “Krazee Voltz™” complement RDC’s array of current electric floors and battery powered bumper cars.
General Manager Tami Dean explained, “We found LED lights are more durable and appealing and can withstand the constant bumping, more so than conventional bulb lights.”
RDC is a leader in the industry with over 30 years of technical know-how and bumper car experience. With both USA and international clients, RDC is rapidly producing their new line of LED cars to meet customer demand. RDC’s new LED bumper cars are programmed to display different colors and flash synchronization. Add-on kits are available to existing clients. “Our new LEDs can easily configure to our existing bumper cars,” said Dean. “In fact, since their IAAPA debut, we have had to ramp up production to meet new customer demand.” Dean added, “We are flattered that other companies try and imitate us, but unfortunately, they fall short in terms of RDC’s competitive pricing, patented bumper design and overall reduced operating expenses.”
RDC’s high construction quality and consistently reliable and safe cars are built with long-term investment in mind. Dana Wyatt, Director of Operations at Pacific Park located in Santa Monica, California recently stated, “RDC bumper cars have enjoyed a 36% increase in ridership and revenue over the old style “Italian” bumper cars we had previously”
“Quality and reliability equals longevity and higher profits,” said Dean. RDC’s investment philosophy is simple for new buyers. The decision to purchase bumper cars is only half the consideration. The other half is the cost it takes in terms of maintenance and upkeep over the course of many years. “We are proud to say RDC cars are a maintenance dream for owners and operators,” Dean said.
Orlando, FL, USA — Aquatica is pleased to be hosting the fourth annual Special Olympics Florida Polar Plunge® 2013 on Saturday, February 2. Individuals and teams, alongside Special Olympics athletes, families, sponsors and community members will experience heart-warming and bone chilling-extremes as they take the plunge into the cold Aquatica wave pool to raise money for Special Olympics Florida.
Hundreds of “Plungers” are expected to participate in the Polar Plunge for Special Olympics Florida – and there’s still plenty of time to join in this unique, wacky event. In addition to jumping into cold water for a good cause, a highlight of the annual event is the array of crazy costumes Plungers are encouraged to wear in the name of fun.
You can take the Plunge individually or with a team, and everyone who raises a minimum of $100 may Plunge. For just $100 in pledges, Plungers will receive admission to Aquatica, an All-Day Food Pass, official Polar Plunge® T-shirt and two spectator passes. There are numerous incentives for individuals to raise additional funds, including tickets to Aquatica, SeaWorld and Discovery Cove. In addition, plungers can stay and enjoy Aquatica all day after the event.
Plungers can create their own Plunge Web Page for friends, family and co-workers to visit and donate online. It’s quick and easy through FirstGiving.com.
WHAT: Special Olympics Florida Polar Plunge
WHEN: Saturday, February 2
9:30 a.m. Registration
11 a.m. Ceremony followed by the Plunge
WHERE: Aquatica 5800 Water Play Way, Orlando, Florida 32821
All proceeds support SeaWorld’s long-time partner, Special Olympics Florida, which provides year-round sports training and competition to children and adults with intellectual disabilities at no cost to the athlete or their caregiver as a means to achieve physical fitness, self-esteem and life skills necessary to be a productive, respected and contributing members of their communities.
Burbank, CA, USA (January 25, 2013) — IPM has confirmed that JJ Abrams has signed to direct Star Wars Episode VII for the Walt Disney Company and its newly acquired subsidiary Lucasfilm. An official announcement from the studio is expected later today. Two earlier productions, the Abrams-produced Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol and 2013’s Abrams-directed Star Trek Into Darkness feature scenes shot with IMAX 15 perf/70mm cameras, raising speculation that the new Star Wars film might as well. On shooting the newest Star Trek in IMAX (which is being converted in post to 3D), Abrams told IGN:
“It was amazing. Part of it was challenging because of the technical aspects of it, the machinery of it. The cameras themselves are a little unwieldy and a little loud and unpredictable. But then you go to dailies and you watch on this massive screen these images that you’ve shot having been filmed on a negative that’s eight times bigger than what you normally use, and you cannot believe how good it looks. So that’s exciting! But unlike Ghost Protocol, a lot of what we shot is integrated into special effects and visual effects in a way that I cannot wait for people to see. I think it really is mind-blowing, how it looks. The IMAX frame, I think, is really the best way to see a movie.”
UPDATED 1/25/13 9:00 PM PST. THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT HAS JUST BEEN POSTED TO THE OFFICIAL STAR WARS WEBSITE:
After a bevy of emails and phone calls, the formalities have been wrapped up, and at long last everyone can exhale and properly share the word with an excited Internet. Yes, J.J. Abrams will direct Star Wars: Episode VII, the first of a new series of Star Wars films to come from Lucasfilm under the leadership of Kathleen Kennedy. Abrams will be directing and Academy Award-winning writer Michael Arndt will write the screenplay.
“It’s very exciting to have J.J. aboard leading the charge as we set off to make a new Star Wars movie,” said Kennedy. “J.J. is the perfect director to helm this. Beyond having such great instincts as a filmmaker, he has an intuitive understanding of this franchise. He understands the essence of the Star Wars experience, and will bring that talent to create an unforgettable motion picture.”
George Lucas went on to say “I’ve consistently been impressed with J.J. as a filmmaker and storyteller.” He’s an ideal choice to direct the new Star Wars film and the legacy couldn’t be in better hands.”
“To be a part of the next chapter of the Star Wars saga, to collaborate with Kathy Kennedy and this remarkable group of people, is an absolute honor,” J.J. Abrams said. “I may be even more grateful to George Lucas now than I was as a kid.”
J.J., his longtime producing partner Bryan Burk, and Bad Robot are on board to produce along with Kathleen Kennedy under the Disney | Lucasfilm banner.”
Also consulting on the project are Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg. Kasdan has a long history with Lucasfilm, as screenwriter on The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Return of the Jedi. Kinberg was writer on Sherlock Holmes and Mr. and Mrs. Smith.
Abrams and his production company Bad Robot have a proven track record of blockbuster movies that feature complex action, heartfelt drama, iconic heroes and fantastic production values with such credits as Star Trek, Super 8, Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol, and this year’s Star Trek Into Darkness. Abrams has worked with Lucasfilm’s preeminent postproduction facilities, Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sound, on all of the feature films he has directed, beginning with Mission: Impossible III. He also created or co-created such acclaimed television series as Felicity, Alias, Lost and Fringe.
Past Star Wars veterans, dating back to the classic trilogy, offered words of praise from their direct experience with Abrams:
Visual Effects Supervisor Dennis Muren, ASC, whose credits include the original Star Wars trilogy as well as landmark films such as E.T. and Jurassic Park, also worked with Abrams on Super 8. “He puts everything he has into his work,” said Muren. “He totally immerses himself. He’s got such a visual eye, which is so important to the Star Wars films. It seems that a lot of the same things that were in George when he made the first Star Wars films are also in J.J. I think he’s going to fit into the other movies perfectly, with the energy that J.J. has. We’re kick-starting Star Wars again with dynamite. It will knock people out, including the people who get to work on it. I think it’s a great choice.”
Ben Burtt, responsible for such iconic Star Wars sounds as Darth Vader’s breathing, R2-D2’s beeps and the classic lightsaber, has worked with Abrams as sound designer and sound editor on Star Trek and Super 8. “J.J represents the next generation of filmmakers from those that were making Star Wars when I started,” said Ben Burtt. “When he was a teen, he was a fan of Star Wars, and a great deal of his love for movies came out of his reaction of that firstStar Wars film. You feel that he’s already invested so many years in it, and he’s going to propel it forward in a new way. In other words, you’re having a fan who has grown up and developed tremendous directorial skills finding himself at the steering wheel to take the franchise into the next stage. I feel like I’m there watching history turn over from one era to another.”
Matthew Wood, who served as supervising sound editor on Super 8, similarly grew up as a Star Wars fan before working on the films through the prequels. “Working with him, it was so obvious to me that J.J. and I have the same nostalgic love of that era. Now we have someone from that generation who is going to be at the helm of the Star Warsfranchise that I’ve known and worked on, so it’s a great circle. Just seeing what he did with Super 8 and capturing those moments, and knowing what was so special about that era, it’s going to speak to a new generation of audience as well.”
Louisville, Ky. (January 24, 2013) — Kentucky Kingdom, LLP (KK) has learned of the Kentucky State Fair Board’s approval of the lease agreement negotiated with KK to operate the Kentucky Kingdom theme park. KK is a limited partnership formed by Ed Hart, Ed Glasscock, Bruce Lunsford, and the Al J. Schneider Company, represented by its President, Mary Moseley. KK is managed by its general partner, Kentucky Kingdom Redevelopment Company.
Mary Moseley responded to the affirmative vote by the Fair Board with the following statement, “The Fair Board’s approval of a 50-year lease with our company means that a crucial step toward the reopening of Kentucky Kingdom has been taken.”
Ed Glasscock remarked, ”We are pleased that the various parties involved in this process have joined together to make the reopening of Kentucky Kingdom the public/private partnership we always thought it could be. Through the efforts of the Kentucky State Fair Board (KSFB) and the Kentucky Finance and Administration Cabinet, the financial incentives and support pledged by the Mayor’s office, the Metro Council, and the Louisville Convention & Visitors Bureau, we can now pursue completion of the financing package we have been working on to bring Kentucky Kingdom back to life. The next step in this process will be to receive approval from the state of our request for tourism tax credits, which we understand the Tourism Development Finance Authority will soon be considering.”
KK’s initial investment totals $45 million and consists of $20 million in equity provided by the partners in KK and a bank loan for $25 million. Of that total, $42 million will be devoted to improvements at the park and at least $3 million will be used as a debt reserve fund, which is required for the bank loan. The lease terms stipulate that, of the $42 million to be invested in improving Kentucky Kingdom, $35 million will be funded immediately and no less than another $7 million will be funded between 2014 and 2016. Thereafter, KK is committed to investing as much as $2.5 million (and never less than $1 million) each year for the duration of the 50-year lease. Ed Hart commented, “Of course, nothing prevents us from investing even more if business conditions warrant. Our track record in this regard speaks for itself.”
In addition, Metro Louisville and the Louisville Convention & Visitors Bureau have pledged approximately $250,000 per year toward support for the project’s financing.
Terms of the lease agreement also include the resolution of a $1.4 million lawsuit filed against the KSFB on behalf of Ed Hart more than a year ago.
Hart remarked, “It is gratifying to see this project finally coming together. We’ve been at it for a long time. We are beginning immediately to mobilize our staff so they can get started on the tremendous amount of work that must be done to prepare Kentucky Kingdom for a May, 2014 opening. We believe we are up to the task – and speaking on behalf of my partners and our management team, we look forward to the challenge.”
Kingston upon Thames, UK — Award winning creative AV design and installation specialist Sarner ended 2012 on a high note with yet another industry award to add to its trophy cabinet, for a project that was designed 12 years ago.
