Location-Based Entertainment
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Comic book
master, Stan Lee faces off with one of his famous characters.
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New Portal Opens For Iwerks & Stan
Lee. Iwerks Entertainment, Inc., an international leader in
location-based entertainment attractions, and Stan Lee Media, Inc.,
comic book icon Stan
Lee's Internet entertainment company, are making Web history
by molding the first theme park and specialty attraction experiences
for the out-of-home market, based on Stan Lee's Internet entertainment
material. Lee's Web-based super heroes will be brought to ride simulations,
3D/4D FX attractions and large screen venues by Iwerks. Lee, in
the first quarter of 2000, will launch his first new super hero
franchise in over twenty years with the creation of Internet-based
comic 7th Portal. "Everyone is trying to figure out
the promise the Internet holds for their industry," said Chuck
Goldwater, Iwerks' president and chief executive officer. "Stan
is a global pop culture icon, and the 7th Portal will reinforce
that status as Stan helps to transform the Internet -- and theme
park rides -- in much the same way he transformed comic books and
animation." This hefty partnership of a world leader in theme
park ride creation and the genius behind Spider-man and the X-men,
coupled with the promise of the Internet could spell one gigantic
hero's welcome by Iwerks and Stan Lee Media, Inc. shareholders.
Blur Whooshes In With New Ride Division. Venice, CA-based,
Blur Studio, a leader in 3D animation, effects and design, has spawned
a new theme park and special venue division. The new venture will
be helmed by veteran ride film director Yas Takata. The new studio
comes off the heels of Blur's success with the creation of last
year's Meteor Attack, a custom film attraction for the Tobu
Zoo Park in Tokyo, Japan co-directed by Takata and Blur co-founder
Tim Miller. The film has since been licensed by Iwerks Entertainment
to play at venues around the globe. Takata has directed and/or produced
films for Iwerks Entertainment, Imax Corp., Busch Gardens, Busch
Entertainment's Sea World of Florida and San Diego, and The MGM
Grand over the past 10 years. Currently, the Blur team is working
on Ride The Records, another large format film directed by
Takata for Guinness World Records attractions. Blur has done ride
films for the Novellus Corp. and for Viacom's Star Trek World
Tour scheduled to open at Suntec City in Singapore on December
5, 1999.
Harvey Toons Coast With Landmark. The Harvey Entertainment
Company has partnered with Landmark Entertainment Group to create
themed attractions from Harvey's cast of classic toons. Toons like
Casper, The Friendly Ghost, Richie Rich, Little Audrey, and
Wendy The Good Witch will be the spark of ingenuity behind
several location-based entertainment centers. Landmark's past film-inspired
rides include Star Trek: The Experience, Jurassic Park: The Ride,
and Terminator 2: 3D Tony Christopher, CEO of Landmark
Entertainment Group believes, "Families are looking for entertaining
things to do with their kids. We believe that the formation of a
mini-theme park based on the beloved Harvey characters fills a niche
in the marketplace." After recently reporting a third quarter
net loss, this new venture could be a great boost for Harvey Entertainment.
Read more about T2:
3D in the December 1999 issue of Animation World Magazine.
Liquid Light Help Give Birth To Goliath. Liquid Light
Studios of Los Angeles helped give birth to Valencia, California's
theme park Six Flags Magic Mountain's new roller coaster -- "The
Goliath." Liquid Light created a 3D simulation of the ride,
so execs could take in the thrills before tracks were even laid.
Last year, the animation studio completed a similar 3D simulation
for the park's "Riddler's Revenge." Built around an "Indiana
Jones," jungle theme, the main highlights of this new coaster
is that it travels up to speeds of 85 mph and climbs to heights
of 255 feet. The 2:30 minute animation shows the entire ride along
with the atmospheric effects of smoke oozing from a 120-foot underground
black tunnel, depth-defying drops and a mixture of twists and turns.
Liquid
Light Studios used 3D Studio Max (Discreet) running on Intergraph
workstations for this animation. Digimation's Glider was the main
plug-in used to achieve the smooth effect of the train gliding across
the track.
