features
Work dimension
In the second part of our series, we ask the 4D film distributors how they work with operators and look at some of the new projects on the market
Cedric Igodt,
Managing Director ,
Niceberg Studios
What is your business model?
Niceberg Studios is an integrated animation film studio. We produce and distribute rides and attraction films for simulators and 4D theatres in theme parks, science centres and FECs. The majority of our films are developed, financed and produced in-house.
How does the initial process work?
Usually, operators come to us to pick a film from our library. As we’re mainly developing our own proprietary content, we make sure our films correspond to our clients’ needs. Our distribution department monitors this demand and our production department responds to this by prioritising certain themes, storylines or effects for upcoming productions. A short film production period, typically six- to nine-months, enables us to quickly meet our clients’ requests.
How can you adapt the product?
As we have our own production facilities, we can make changes to our films according to our clients’ wishes: inserting a client’s logo, incorporating product placement, adapting endings or beginnings. And, provided a client contacts us in an early stage of production, they get to make decisions about theme and storyline of our upcoming films.
How do you work with the operator?
Once a film is chosen, the next step is implementation. We make sure the film matches motion and effects by staying in close contact with the hardware providers who install and programme motion and effects.
What are the costs?
The customer pays a fixed license fee to show the film. This fee depends on the type of venue, number of seats and license period. In some cases, we also provide programming and motion tracks.
What are your latest products?
We launched three films recently. Great Wall of China puts the audience in a rickshaw on the famous World Heritage architectural monument. In Toy Ride, the audience is miniaturised and Catacombs of Paris is a Halloween film.
Legends of Chima 4D
Legends of Chima 4D Movie Experience premiered at Legoland Discovery Center Westchester, USA on 27th July.
The all-new 12-minute animated 4D film, complete with high impact special effects, immerses audiences in the Lego world of Chima, where tribes of animal warriors compete in epic battles for Chi, a mystical energy source of limitless power and destruction.
In a classic tale of good versus evil, the film follows four young animals as they tour Chima with Plovar the Parrot and help their hero, Laval the Lion Prince, against Cragger the Crocodile King.
The 3D animation sweeps the audience through dramatic landscapes, flies through the magical waters of Mount Cavora and soars over the majestic Speedorz™ Arena of Chima in a high speed chase. The adventure ends with Laval and Cragger in a super-charged race in their Speedorz vehicles to capture a precious supply of Chi.
The film is only showing at Legoland Resorts and Discovery Centers, operated by Merlin Entertainment.
Immersive tunnel
Simworx’ latest, turnkey, media-based simulation attraction, the Immersive Tunnel uses 360-degree 3D film projection for an experience that aims to excite, thrill, scare and enthrall in equal measures. After entering the Immersive Tunnel, visitors take their seats on a tram-style simulator for a journey that includes platform drops, dynamic motion, blasts of air, water spray, vibrations, light and surround sound.
A 3D film is projected at the front and on both sides of the tram to give as realistic an experience as possible.
Available in 30, 60 or 90 seat versions, each tram unit seats 30 passengers on a 3DOF motion base surrounded by 360-degree 3D film projection. As well as the 4D effects, there’s an optional track system for moving the trams from a loading bay into the main show area.
3D Animal Experience
Visitors to Zoo Emmen’s new 3D Animal Experience can walk among the animals as a result of Jora Entertainments’ special effects.
3D effects, colours, scents and sound tracks enhance the settings of a garden filled with flowers and butterflies and a temple populated by Bengal Tigers and other exotic inhabitants. Visitors can also step into a dazzling vortex, wander through caves and mangrove forests and discover the wonders of an underwater world.
Conceived as a new way for guests to discover more about animals, the 3D walk-through experience is the first of its kind in The Netherlands.
Ernest Yale,
President and CEO,
Triotech
What’s your business model?
Triotech is an integrated designer and manufacturer of multi-sensory attractions. We develop hardware and software and have our own studio for content.
Our business model is flexible for operators – sale or partnership. We can simply supply an attraction or we can enter into a partnership model with operators. There are several scenarios for partnerships, which are tailored to operators’ business models, as well as the specificity of the opportunity in question.
How do you choose the product?
The key is to always provide a best-in-class user experience, whether through an interactive, underwater, archeology, edutainment experience or defending against zombie hordes in an amusement park setting.
How much space is needed?
One of our strengths is the “scalability” of our products. They go from as little as four seats to several dozen, depending on the product. Consequently, our installations can cover either a few square metres or several hundred for large-scale, interactive dark rides or interactive cinemas.
What are the costs?
From low six figures to seven figures. This depends on the product – from XD Theatre, which can have as few as four seats and no interactivity, to custom interactive dark rides.
How do you work with the client?
One of the benefits of media-based attractions is that they can be monitored and updated at a distance. The days of having a ride down while waiting for a technician are essentially over, which is of real value to operators.
What are your latest products?
We recently installed our first interactive dark ride. We believe this product will greatly change the attractions landscape, as they’re a fraction of the cost of large high profile dark rides.
We upgraded an existing, traditional dark ride at Tivoli Friheden in Denmark and are installing a completely new ride featuring media content that we developed specifically at Hello Kitty park in China. This will open late 2013 or early 2014. Several others are in the works.
Also new is our interactive cinema, aimed at the edutainment segment where we feel interactivity will exponentially improve the user experience.
Our latest film is Rhino Rescue 6D, which is showing at Franklin Park Zoo in Boston, USA. Visitors experience a virtual high-speed chase alongside park rangers in their pursuit to stop rhino poachers. Along the way, participants encounter elephants, wildebeest and other wildlife on an adventure to rescue a baby rhino and his mother from the poachers. The content was developed with the International Rhino Foundation.
The Good The Bad and A Horse
Exciting comic adventure is the aim of nWave Pictures Distribution’s new 3D/4D attraction film The Good, The Bad and A Horse.
The film tells the story of a brave young sheriff and his reluctant horse as they track down the meanest, baddest and stinkiest bandit in the wide, wild west. When the bank robber evades capture by means of an unusual weapon and then escapes by train with the loot, the hero goes after him, unfazed by the dangers posed by a deserted mine and a broken-down railway.
The 11-minute 4D experience includes 3D-stereoscopy, sound, special effects, smell, explosions and wind blasts.
Launched at IAAPA’s Asian Attractions Expo in June, the film is directed by production partner Red Star’s Ben Smith and is available for distribution exclusively from nWave.
Rio 4D Experience
SimEx-Iwerks’ Rio 4D Experience launches on 31st August at San Diego Zoo, USA with in-theatre and in-seat 4D effects. These include lighting, bubbles and scents.
The film follows the last blue macaws on Earth – Blu and Jewel – on a 4D journey through Rio de Janeiro. When they’re captured by a gang of greedy animal smugglers, they must work together, despite Blu’s inability to fly.
Visitors join them as they embark on an adventure of courage and friendship while dodging balls, umbrellas, carnival floats and beach-goers, as they try to escape the claws of evil cockatoo Nigel.
SimEx-Iwerks has transformed an existing structure in San Diego Zoo’s Children’s Zoo into a fully immersive 4D experience. The attraction is an organic experience that features live animals, a water element and an interactive and themed queue space.
In partnership with Fox and Blu Sky Productions, the 13-minute experience is available worldwide and is distributed exclusively by SimEx-Iwerks Entertainment Licensing.
