Engaging and explosive, Universal 360 - A Cinesphere Spectacular takes guests on an emotional journey like no other. A magical mix of high-def projections, eye-popping pyrotechnics, mesmeric lasers, an emotional musical score with a full orchestra and over 100 clips from some of the most popular films ever made, it is the most sophisticated end-of-day show ever produced for Universal Orlando.

Sneak a peek at how Thinkwell designed and produced a spectacular show for the Atlanta Falcons 2009/2010 season opener featuring a new Georgia Lottery game.  This fast-paced clip shows the team pulling together more than 400 volunteers, card stunts, pyrotechnics and more in record time.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE— JANUARY 5, 2010 (Burbank, CA) – The USC Thorton School of Music celebrated its 125th anniversary in a night filled with celebrity appearances, musical performances, and holiday cheer with the help of Thinkwell. For the annual Charles Dickens Dinner, Thinkwell’s dedicated team transformed the Crystal Ballroom at the downtown Millennium Biltmore Hotel into a wintry landscape befitting the Victorian era. The company’s management of the show and festivities ensured the success of the event, which took place December 11th, 2009. ]]> http://www.thinkwelldesign.com/&category%/thinkwell-wraps-up-2009-with-the-production-of-the-23rd-annual-charles-dickens-dinner/feed/ http://www.thinkwelldesign.com/&category%/thinkwell-joins-american-express-open-forum-community-in-small-business-rules-feature/ http://www.thinkwelldesign.com/&category%/thinkwell-joins-american-express-open-forum-community-in-small-business-rules-feature/#comments Thu, 17 Dec 2009 19:53:40 +0000 cyancey http://www.thinkwelldesign.com/?p=869 (Burbank, CALIF.) December 17, 2009 — Thinkwell has joined OPEN Forum®, an online
community hosted by American Express to support its customers who are business owners
around the world.  See the video here or read the full story.

Everything is moving faster. Technological advances are making devices that we used to amortize over five to ten years, virtually obsolete as soon as we take them off of the store shelf! Devices like projectors have gone from film, to video, to HD in what seems like the blink of an eye. There is a growing concern in all areas of technology that we will be unable to sustain many technology dependent show designs into the future due to equipment obsolescence.

More and more we are basing shows on highly technologically based devices. Projection, large screen, specialized display devices, media servers, high-end (multi-core) computers and specialized graphics cards which used to be prohibitively expensive, are now both commonplace and ubiquitous. As we continue to push the envelope with customized guest experiences, virtual characters and real-time rendered interactive graphics, it necessitates that we take advantage of the higher-end hardware and devices to realize these cutting-edge shows.    Continued

In traditional theatre venues there is a typical proscenium, thrust or arena configuration where the physical facility elements rarely, if ever, change. The shows come and go, and the same infrastructure supports many diverse and varied productions. Why has this paradigm not carried over into the Theme Park dark ride business model?

There will always be the “anchor” and “signature” attractions that define a Theme Park, but not all attractions should be considered with a twenty year life-span or as shows that virtually never change. With that in mind; wouldn’t it make sense to design at least one space within a given Park for that inevitable change? Granted, the initial facility costs would be more, but if intelligently designed, future modification costs could be significantly reduced.    Continued

Whether they’re conceptualizing five-star Persian Gulf Zanadus in between film jobs or designing immersive retail landscapes on the side, film designers have proved themselves to be adept moonlighters. Some of them take sabbaticals from moviemaking to envision the entertainment environments of the future.

Entertainment Leader’s Newest International Office in Media City, Dubai Extends Reach to Middle East as Latest Step in Smart Growth Strategy

(Burbank, CA) October 7, 2008 — Thinkwell, a worldwide leader in the creation of experience-based developments for theme parks, museums, casinos, retail and resort destinations, announced today the opening of Thinkwell Arabia, its newest international office, located in Media City, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is the second international office for the Burbank-based company which also operates Thinkwell Europa in Barcelona, Spain.

Thinkwell first ventured to the UAE in 2003 to collaborate on Ski Dubai, a one-of-a-kind indoor ski resort in one of the most sweltering locales on the planet. Its cutting-edge snow park, complete with toboggan runs and ice caves, won an industry award for design. That success gave rise to additional projects, including a new large-scale commission in Abu Dhabi where Thinkwell has been appointed as the lead design firm for the highly anticipated Warner Bros. theme park on Yas Island, a multi-billion dollar development.

“People in the UAE have a real appetite for the kind of world-class guest experience and entertainment we specialize in creating,” expressed Francois Bergeron, principal and chief financial officer at Thinkwell. “Locating an office in Media City allows us to serve this region more efficiently, attending to clients’ needs in their territory and their time zone.”

While Thinkwell Europa continues to attend to clients in Europe and Africa, Thinkwell Arabia serves as the company’s base of operations in the region of the Middle East. The existence of fully staffed Thinkwell offices around the globe enables the company to continue to deliver the in the field, hands-on attention to clients integral to its industry reputation.

Thinkwell has a long track record of success creating exhibits, entertainment, attractions and events for some of the world’s best known destination resorts, museums and theme parks.  It is recognized throughout the entertainment, corporate and hospitality industry for designing and producing state-of-the-art projects that extend brands by creating new and innovative experiences and entertainment.  The Thinkwell team has won prestigious Thea awards (the equivalent of an Academy Award for the location-based entertainment industry) for its work on the Jurassic Park Institute Tour in Japan, the Ice Age Adventure attraction at Movie Park Germany, and the Snow Park at Ski Dubai in the UAE. 

“It’s been a fantastic experience relocating from Spain to Dubai for the adventure of establishing Thinkwell’s newest office here.  This marks another major milestone for our company,” said Victor Arca, director of Thinkwell Arabia. “After twelve months of preparations to get the office up and running, we are very proud to have established a regional office in what is proving to be one of the world’s hotbeds of creative development.”

For more information on Thinkwell projects and services, visit www.thinkwelldesign.com.  For recent coverage on Thinkwell’s phenomenal growth, visit http://www.inc.com/inc5000/2008/company-profile.html?id=200811300.

About Thinkwell Group (www.thinkwelldesign.com)

Thinkwell Group is the umbrella company born of one of the fastest-growing private companies in the United States, Thinkwell Design & Production, to support the creation of new business entities that serve a growing clientele worldwide.  In addition to its headquarters in Burbank, California, the company operates two regional offices: Thinkwell Europa in Barcelona, Spain and Thinkwell Arabia, in Media City, Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. Thinkwell Project Management is the company’s newest business arm, formed to serve clients seeking project supervision expertise. Together, the Thinkwell companies specialize in the turnkey design and production of one-of-a-kind experience-based theme parks, resorts, destinations, attractions, museums, exhibits, live shows and environments that have won widespread popular and critical acclaim, in addition to industry recognition. Thinkwell’s clientele is comprised of top international entertainment corporations, museums, professional sports teams, Fortune 500 companies and destination resorts including Harrah’s, Nike, the Atlanta Falcons, Universal Studios, MasterCard, Warner Bros., and other premier retail and entertainment organizations worldwide. 

(Burbank, CA) September 29, 2008 — Leaders in the creation of experience-based developments for theme parks, museums, casinos and retail and resort destinations worldwide, Thinkwell has once again made Inc. magazine’s list of the fastest-growing private companies in the United States. Known as The Inc. 5000, the annually published list provides the most comprehensive look available at America’s independent-minded entrepreneurs and their private companies which represent the backbone of the U.S. economy.

This year, Inc. ranked Thinkwell in 14th place among the fastest-growing media companies in the country (http://www.inc.com/inc5000/2008/lists/media-companies.html?o=0&c=200811300), and also recognized Thinkwell as one of the 100 fastest-growing companies in the greater Los Angeles region (http://www.inc.com/inc5000/2008/lists/los-angeles-long-beach-santa-ana-ca.html?o=50&c=200811300). Thinkwell moved up in all its ranking categories compared to the list compiled by Inc. last year.

“Everyone at Thinkwell–in our offices in the U.S., Spain and the United Arab Emirates, and at project sites around the world–is thrilled at this news,” said Cliff Warner, one of Thinkwell’s founding principals and the company’s CEO. “Our focus is on exceeding our clients’ expectations, but it certainly is gratifying to know that not only did we make the list a second time, we outperformed ourselves by all measurements.”

Thinkwell is recognized throughout the entertainment, corporate and hospitality industries for creating state-of-the-art events, attractions, exhibits and experiences for major brands the world over. The Thinkwell team has won prestigious Thea awards (the equivalent of an Academy Award for the themed entertainment industry) for its work on the Jurassic Park Institute Tour in Japan, the Ice Age Adventure attraction at Movie Park Germany, and the Snow Park at Ski Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. The company is now heavily involved in high-profile projects at multiple destination resorts around the world, including the new Warner Bros. theme park in Abu Dhabi.

Thinkwell got its start seven years ago, in 2001, just months before the 9/11 tragedy, yet the ensuing pause taken by global businesses helped rather than harmed Thinkwell’s growth. Starting small, but with great vision, the company’s founders managed a steady expansion over the years, taking the company from one office and a handful of staff to locations in Burbank, Barcelona and Dubai and an employee roster topping 150 people today.

“Inc. magazine recognized us for demonstrating more than 331 percent growth in revenue between 2004 and 2007, yet one could argue that our last year alone tells a pretty impressive story,” added Thinkwell founding principal and CFO Francois Bergeron. “Since 2007, we have quadrupled our staff, opened a new office in Media City, Dubai, and launched a new business arm, Thinkwell Project Management, to the meet the demands for our design and project implementation services worldwide.”

For more information on the Thinkwell Group’s companies and services, as well as its phenomenal pattern of growth, visit http://www.thinkwelldesign.com.

About Thinkwell Group (www.thinkwelldesign.com)
Thinkwell Group is the umbrella company born of one of the fastest-growing private companies in the United States, Thinkwell Design & Production, to support the creation of new business entities that serve a growing clientele worldwide. In addition to its headquarters in Burbank, California, the company operates two regional offices: Thinkwell Europa in Barcelona, Spain and Thinkwell Arabia, in Media City, Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. Thinkwell Project Management is the company’s newest business arm, formed to serve clients seeking project supervision expertise. Together, the Thinkwell companies specialize in the turnkey design and production of one-of-a-kind experience-based theme parks, resorts, destinations, attractions, museums, exhibits, live shows and environments that have won widespread popular and critical acclaim in addition to industry recognition. Thinkwell’s clientele is comprised of top international entertainment corporations, museums, professional sports teams, Fortune 500 companies and destination resorts including Harrah’s, Nike, the Atlanta Falcons, Universal Studios, MasterCard, Warner Bros., and other premier retail and entertainment organizations worldwide.

(Burbank, Calif.)Thinkwell Project Management Press Release August 26, 2008 — Thinkwell, an award-winning leader in the creation of turn-key experience-based entertainment solutions for theme parks, museums, casinos, and retail and resort destinations worldwide, is pleased to officially announce that its successful growth has given rise to a new business venture, Thinkwell Project Management.

The new company is built upon Thinkwell Design & Production’s reputation for deftly managing the creative, financial and logistical concerns of large-scale projects, and is designed to provide a unique set of specialty services from owner representation, estimating and contract negotiation to master planning, scheduling, budget tracking, value engineering and project closeout.

“In the past seven years, Thinkwell has developed as much of a reputation for our ability to bring in projects on time and on budget as we have for our creativity,” explained Cliff Warner, a founding principal and the CEO of Thinkwell. “Over time, we identified the need for a company with our strengths to manage the types of complex projects in which we often play an artistic role, and we created Thinkwell Project Management to fill it.”

Ron Edney, president and managing principal of Thinkwell Project Management, brings to Thinkwell more than twenty-five years of experience providing construction management, supervision, development and planning.

“Thinkwell Project Management will not only meet the needs of the existing Thinkwell client base but also cater to a diverse new clientele including casinos, hotels, restaurant, retail, resort developments, water parks, sports arenas and major theme parks exclusively requiring project management services,” said Ron. “The company will provide a full range of pre-construction and construction management services for renovations and new developments alike.”

Thinkwell’s boutique company values—which the management credits with putting the team in high demand and making it one of the fastest-growing private companies in the US today—are the driving force behind the new venture.

“Whether we are tackling a scheduling conflict or an aesthetic question, our greatest strength is our ability to solve problems with creativity and efficiency,” said Craig Hanna, a Thinkwell principal and chief creative officer. “Our extensive experience, our problem-solving ability and our commitment to hands-on service give our clients confidence that we understand the uniqueness of each new project and are experienced at handling whatever logistical and creative challenges may arise on a project.”

Thinkwell is combining a diverse global client base, a focus on providing highly specialized services, and a relentless drive to exceed expectations in order to thrive despite the current downturn in many sectors of the economy. The company’s headquarters and its Thinkwell Project Management arm in Burbank, along with their regional offices in Barcelona and Dubai, are all intensely engaged in highly anticipated projects including the Warner Bros. theme park being built in Abu Dhabi, a new museum experience in Atlanta, Georgia, a “snow dome” project in Asia, and a first-of-its kind destination resort in Costa Rica.

To learn more visit: www.thinkwellprojectmanagement.com

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(Burbank, Calif.) August 6, 2008 — Thinkwell, a worldwide leader in the creation of experience-based entertainment for theme parks, museums, casinos and retail and resort destinations worldwide, conceived and designed a one-of-its-kind, dramatic mobile sculpture of the Olympic Rings for the twenty-ninth Olympiad in Beijing, China.

Thinkwell worked with the Beijing Olympics, the Office of the Mayor of Beijing and CDM Lighting and Design Group to develop the concept for an Olympic Rings Sculpture to be featured prominently during the Olympic Games. The goal of the structure was to enliven the lake at the center of the Olympic Green, the main public gathering area at the Games, by creating a high-impact statement providing entertainment both day and night.

Each of the five Olympic Rings in Thinkwell’s conceptual design measured more than 51 feet in diameter and was capable of attaining heights greater than 75 feet. The rings are individually controlled and soar, dive, rotate and spin, producing an awe-inspiring series of enormous kinetic sculptures. Additional features of the “living sculpture” included LED lights allowing for changes in color and luminosity, an array of computer-controlled nozzles for water shows, rigging for acrobatic performers, and flame effects for night-time spectaculars at the close of each day of competition.

“Being commissioned to imagine and design an interactive sculpture for the Olympic Green was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Craig Hanna, a Thinkwell partner and Chief Creative Officer. “Thinkwell is proud of its reputation for thinking big – in this case really big.”

During the daylight hours, the Olympic Rings appear to float with the breeze, yet in reality, each movement is activated by the real-time processing of raw data output from the Olympic Games. Scores, time measurements and other types of event data are converted into computer programming sent to the sculpture so that the rings would in fact be moved by the performance of the Olympic athletes.

At night, the rings become a dazzling showpiece by the lake, a hybrid of elegant movement and stunning water and fire effects. Almost endlessly flexible, the rings were designed to serve as the stage set for live performances and as building-sized projection screens for images of the Olympic athletes.

Form more information about Thinkwell’s Olympic Rings sculpture and the company’s other high-profile commissions visit www.thinkwelldesign.com.

About Thinkwell Group
Thinkwell Group is the umbrella company born of one of the fastest-growing private companies in the United States, Thinkwell Design & Production, to support the creation of new business entities that serve a growing clientele around the world. In addition to its headquarters in Burbank, California, the company operates two regional offices: Thinkwell Europa, a production and sales office in Barcelona, Spain and Thinkwell Arabia, in Media City, Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. Thinkwell Project Management is the company’s newest business arm, formed to serve clients seeking project supervision expertise. Together, the Thinkwell companies specialize in the turnkey design and production of one-of-a-kind experience-based attractions, exhibits, live shows and environments that have won widespread popular and critical acclaim in addition to industry recognition. Thinkwell’s clientele is comprised of theme parks, museums, professional sports teams, Fortune 500 companies and destination resorts including Harrah’s, Nike, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Universal Studios, MasterCard, Warner Bros., and other premier retail and entertainment organizations worldwide.

by Craig R. Hanna, Chief Creative Officer

July 30, 2008

Books, motion pictures and theatre can elicit strong emotions in their readers or viewers because the creators have the benefit of time to deliver compelling stories and characters with emotional resonance and plots that can tug at your heartstrings and provide the audience a rare opportunity to care. Dimensional experiences—things that happen off the screen or pages of a book—have a harder time eliciting emotion because the medium is much more short-form (certainly in the case of museum exhibitions, theme park attractions and brand environments).

Cirque most definitely falls into the theatre category, but they also offer productions that border on dimensional experiences, particularly with a show like LOVE that is in the round and delivers theme park-style effects and immersion. Further, Cirque shows are hardly narrative in nature and therefore can lack an emotional resonance that other forms of theatre can deliver.

Why is eliciting emotion important? Creating truly compelling experiences must include emotional resonance, otherwise the experience itself cannot be deemed compelling. By helping the audience to feel their experience becomes more valuable to them. The greater their perceived value the more loyal they become and the more ardent an evangelist they will be. And they will want to come back to experience that rare feeling again.

Our days are often emotionally hollow. Home, commute, work, meals and even our entertainment options are more than likely not delivering any kind of true emotional experience. Sure, there are thrills and surprise, but these simple emotions are low hanging fruit. It’s much harder to get us to feel awe, sadness, wonder and joy or be truly inspired by what we see and experience.

Dimensional experience creators are often happy enough to grasp at that low hanging fruit because it’s easy to reach. Scares, more than any other emotion, are what we typically deliver. Thrills and surprise are sure to follow. Disney is astonishingly adept at delivering wonder, but they have decades of emotional currency to bank on. As visitors to Disneyland we carry our childhood memories with us and often those alone elicit an intricate array of emotions in us when we visit.

So I was surprised recently when I rode The Simpsons Ride at Universal Studios Florida in Orlando (also at Universal Studios Hollywood) and subsequently experienced LOVE, Cirque du Soleil’s ode to the Beatles at The Mirage in Las Vegas that I was enjoying a palette of emotions I normally didn’t feel.

The Simpsons Ride is a simulator attraction that takes guests on a journey with Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and little Maggie through Krusty the Clown’s theme park and all of Springfield that was retrofit into the old Back to the Future attraction domes at the moviemaking theme parks. Riding this, I found myself doing something I rarely do in any theme park (and even less in a simulator ride). I was laughing out loud. The sarcastic humor, visual puns, happenstances and other ricocheting events within the ridefilm were a blast. I exited the ride nearly wiping tears from my eyes.

Wow, I thought. That felt good.

Less than two weeks later I was in Vegas eyes agog at LOVE, a visual and aural feast that takes the artistry of Cirque du Soleil and the music of the Beatles and combines them into a theatrical extravaganza I had never experienced with previous Cirque shows. I laughed. I was awed. At the end of the performance when John, Paul, George and Ringo wished us good night (via ephemeral projection and artfully edited actual audio of the Fab Four) I had tears in my eyes.

What’s up with that? I thought. What are you crying about? It’s just a Cirque show. Yes, just a Cirque show. But there was more to it than that.

After a group of us from Thinkwell exited The Simpsons Ride days before, Dave Cobb, Creative Director on one of our projects, summed up the issue of emotional resonance with regard to the attraction the best. He said, “We have twenty years of connection with these characters, situations and settings. It’s easy for us to ‘get it’ because as fans of the show we know it so well.” In other words, we brought our own baggage to the ride. A glance from a two-dimensional Krusty can send us howling. A simple exchange between two characters have years and multiple plotlines of meaning. Superficially, The Simpsons Ride is a hoot. As a fan, the ride has emotional resonance no generic experience can muster.

Similarly, LOVE delivered first and foremost through the theatrical artistry that Cirque brings to everything they do, but the production had elicited true emotion (something that I haven’t really experienced before at a Cirque show—other than wonder and possibly a wee bit of awe) because of the Beatles’ music. I had tears in my eyes because of the music and the emotional baggage I carried with me into the show. Almost 40 years of baggage.

Those emotional touchstones mean something. First of all, they allow the creators such a wide range of possibilities in terms of creating compelling dimensional guest experiences. For the audience, the experience is so much richer as a result of having all that prior history with the music or TV show. We brought to these experiences our love of the intellectual properties and a whole lot more. We’ve been on dates with the Beatles music playing. We’ve been to Simpsons viewing parties (at least some of the nerdier of us have). We’ve all had moments either around a TV set or at a party that involved both of these pop culture icons. Songs we’ve loved. Characters we’ve cherished.

What LOVE and The Simpsons Ride have in common is they both have a history with the audience that spans years if not decades. That history brings with it it’s own emotional baggage. Baggage that’s easy for experience creators to scratch at and draw from. In the end, both of these experiences are more valuable to us than other superficial entertainments because, in the end, they make us feel something. And that’s important.

As experience creators we must do more than just pluck the low hanging fruit. We may not have an obligation to elicit emotion in what we do, but we should have a professional imperative to do so. Loyalty, quality, strong word-of-mouth and surprised fans will be there to appreciate that emotional resonance when we do.

(Burbank, Calif.) July 16, 2008 — Thinkwell Design & Production, a worldwide leader in the creation of turn-key experience-based entertainment solutions for theme parks, museums, casinos, and retail and resort destinations worldwide, is pleased to announce that it is celebrating its seventh year in business with a growing list of projects and a tireless passion for creativity and client service. Thinkwell’s founders attribute the company’s successful growth to honesty, careful planning, and the consistent ability to exceed expectations. They also credit trusting clients.

“Finding original solutions to the development dilemmas that face our clients is at the heart of this business,” stated Cliff Warner, a founding partner and CEO of Thinkwell. “We were fortunate enough to be trusted by some major corporations and studios when we first started the company and we continue to work with many of them seven years later.”

Added Francois Bergeron, Thinkwell CFO and also a founding partner, “The slowdown of the industry shortly after we opened our doors may have even been a blessing in disguise in that it allowed us to grow at an even pace; planning carefully for the substantial growth that we are now experiencing to make certain our clients retain the personal service that brought them to us in the first place.”

Thinkwell’s boutique company values, which put this unique entrepreneurial team in high demand, are the driving force behind the formation of a new sister company, Thinkwell Project Management, to provide client representation, project and cost management services on capital construction projects. The new entity will serve as a global project management resource for the construction industry, specializing in casinos, hotels, restaurant, retail, resort developments, water parks, sports arenas and major theme parks.

Looking ahead, Thinkwell’s Design & Production team continues to stretch the boundaries of imagination for museums, theme parks, destination resorts, shows and attractions. Despite the recent downtown in many sectors of the economy, Thinkwell’s headquarters in Burbank, the Thinkwell Europa office in Barcelona, and the company’s newest office, Thinkwell Arabia in Dubai, are all intensely engaged in entertainment-anchored projects around the globe, with projects in Seoul, Dubai, Tokyo, Abu Dhabi, Macau, London and the U.S.

The company’s current, highly anticipated projects include the Warner Bros. theme park being built in Abu Dhabi, a new museum experience in Atlanta, Georgia, a “snow dome” project in Asia, and a first-of-its kind destination resort in Costa Rica.

Global demand for Thinkwell’s design and project management services, combined with the company’s reputation for being one of the best places to work in the industry, is attracting top talent to the growing company.

“As we grow Thinkwell around the world, we are taking our commitment to hands-on client service with us,” said Craig Hanna, a Thinkwell partner and chief creative officer. “Whether in our new overseas regional office, Thinkwell Arabia, or in our new client service group, Thinkwell Project Management, our primary goal is to exceed expectations.”

For more information, visit www.thinkwelldesign.com.

About Thinkwell Group
Thinkwell Group is the umbrella company borne of one of the fastest-growing private companies in the United States, Thinkwell Design & Production, to support the creation of new business entities that serve a growing clientele around the world. In addition to its headquarters in Burbank, California, the company also operates two regional offices: Thinkwell Europa, a production and sales office in Barcelona, Spain and Thinkwell Arabia, in Media City, Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. Thinkwell Project Management is the company’s newest business arm, formed to serve clients seeking project supervision expertise. Together, the Thinkwell companies specialize in the turnkey design and production of one-of-a-kind experience-based attractions, exhibits, live shows and environments that have won widespread popular and critical acclaim in addition to industry recognition. Thinkwell’s clientele is comprised of theme parks, museums, professional sports teams, Fortune 500 companies and destination resorts including Harrah’s, Nike, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Universal Studios, MasterCard, Warner Bros., and other premier retail and entertainment organizations worldwide.

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For the Beijing Olympics and the Beijing Mayor’s Office Thinkwell conceived and designed a giant set of mechanical Olympic Rings. By day, this kinetic sculpture would be powered by the actual data generated real-time by the games and extrapolated into motor controls, by night, the rings would come alive with light, water, fire and live performers on the lake near the Olympic Green.

Thinkwell brings the world of Jurassic Park to life for a new audience - people interested in learning more about dinosaurs and paleontology in a 50,000 square foot (4,645 meter) traveling “education attraction” based on the hit motion pictures.

Radically blending state-of-the-art interactive educational exhibits with theme park technology and showmanship, Thinkwell has created something that is part theme park attraction, part museum exhibit. Opened in July of 2003, we brought interactive education to another level - one that evokes all of the senses and brings emotion to learning.

Manny, Sid, Diego and Scrat from Twentieth Century Fox’s blockbuster film Ice Age come alive in Movie Park Germany’s new Ice Age Adventure! The attraction was conceived, designed and produced by Thinkwell Design & Production. Thinkwell collaborated with Twentieth Century Fox and animators from Blue Sky Studios, the Academy Award-winning creators of the hit film, to produce the multi-million dollar 43,000 square foot 6.5 minute indoor water dark ride, which features 50 different animatronic and static figures and a multitude of special effects. The ride opened in March 2005 and is the park’s major attraction for the year.

Gordon Group Holdings, LLC, developers of the Forum Shops in Las Vegas, commissioned Thinkwell to create a first-of-its-kind immersive indoor water and media spectacular for their newest retail destination, The Pier at Caesars in Atlantic City.

Thinkwell was tasked with creating a spectacle that would guarantee steady patron traffic flow to the end of the pier — a literal cul-de-sac. This was no easy feat, but Thinkwell rose to the challenge, exceeding client expectations and breaking new ground in fountain technology along the way.

The end result, dubbed The Show, is an immersive, 360-degree multi-sensory experience. A hybrid of stunning water effects, state-of-the-art lighting & sound, and ground-breaking interactive technology includes a computerized matrix of 149 independently controlled fountain nozzles.

To see some of our capabilities in action, check out our reel.

Sesame Street Presents: The Body offers an engaging, free-flowing learning experience set in the familiar world of Sesame Street. The lovable Muppets of Sesame Street anchor an exciting collection of hands-on, interactive and multimedia experiences that allow children to explore the human body. Each exhibit area has multiple activities to provide age appropriate and exciting learning opportunities for children at a variety of developmental levels. The exhibition emphasizes scientific investigation and developmental and curriculum-based learning goals for children ranging from 2 - 8 years old. The 7,000 square feet exhibit has four focuses: “Your Insides,” “Your Outsides,” “How You Work” and “Staying Healthy.”

This is the first of five unique exhibits opening over the next 10 years created by the partnership of Thinkwell Design & Production and Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street. To learn more about the exhibit visit www.sesamestreetpresents.org.

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Master planning for a theme park involves many elements of the theme park master plan effort. Land use planning, infrastructure development, site development (grading, etc.), traffic and circulation are all traditional components of theme park master planning. Specific to theme parks, theme park master planning includes program development to determine a projection of how many people will visit the park per year, during the peak month and peak day, and how many people will be instantaneously in the park on that peak day. Those projections are done in conjunction with operational consultants, economic feasibility consultants, architects, park planners and the creative team. On top of all that, the theme park master plan includes a matrix of attractions that comprise the total ride, show and attraction mix for the park. There are expansion zones for future development. There is facility programming that informs how many restrooms, ticket windows, retail venues and food and beverage outlets will need to be built in order to provide adequate services for all those visitors. These elements make up the traditional theme park master plan.

Thinkwell provides theme park master planning, integrated resort master planning, master planning for mixed-use projects and other types of projects that include location-based entertainment and/or education components. To be specific, Thinkwell goes beyond traditional theme park master planning and includes a new set of disciplines Thinkwell finds lacking elsewhere in the development of theme park master plans. Thinkwell includes in our theme park master planning efforts what we call Content Master Planning and Guest Experience Master Planning.

Content Master Planning is a new way to look at traditional theme park planning. Content Master Planning look at not only the physical layout and programmatic aspects of a project, but also takes into consideration and pays particular attention to how that experience unfolds for a guest from the moment they pass through the project threshold until they complete their experience. Content Master Planning considers how the physical environment helps convey the story being told to the guests and how each element of the Experience Design – attractions, live shows, rides as well as food & beverage and retail – integrate into that storytelling and how the experience and story unfolds for a guest as they move from place to place within a project.

Much more than the mere placement of buildings, uses and guest flow, Content Master Planning and Guest Experience Master Planning takes all elements of the guest’s experience into consideration and looks at how each of these elements symbiotically relate to one another for the purposes of storytelling. It’s part of Thinkwell’s Environmental Storytelling® approach. It becomes a richer, more textured and meaningful experience for the guest when projects are approached and developed in this manner.

Thinkwell works with traditional architectural firms on the details: land-use planning, infrastructure development, traffic and circulation, etc. And Thinkwell works with economic feasibility and operations firms & consultants as a team to formulate a program and operational and business philosophies.

Thinkwell’s approach leads us to unique creative solutions and business solutions as well. By considering how the guest’s experience unfolds as well as the strategic and business goals of our clients, we problem solve new ways to deal with traditional businesses, new ways of exploring guest experience that offers new possibilities, new ways to connect with audiences and new competitively advantageous project approaches.

The holistic nature of the theme park master plan – every aspect of the project can affect the next – is complex. These complexities are only exacerbated by the additional rigors of Environmental Storytelling, Guest Experience Master Planning and Content Master Planning. Layering each of those planning elements onto the theme park master planning process ensures additional effort, creative visioning, planning and thought go into each design. This is why Thinkwell’s theme park master plans are a dramatic improvement over many other’s theme park master plans. Very few projects in the world can boast they deliver Environmental Storytelling with Content Master Planning and the added richness and fullness of experience Guest Experience Master Planning brings to the project.

Here’s a simple example: A guest walks into a land of Park A. Ahead is a dark ride, themed as a haunted house. The exterior of the ride projects the theme outward with precariously hanging shutters, broken windows and chipped paint. It may be Victorian in setting. Adjacent to the haunted house the guest visiting Park A finds a hamburger stand, also Victorian in theming. Further away, a retail outlet sells t-shirts emblazoned with Park A’s logo and the park’s mascot.

Park B, developed by Thinkwell utilizing their proprietary planning disciplines of Content Master Planning, Environmental Storytelling and Guest Experience Master Planning offers similar components but in an entirely unique context: As the guest walks into the land of Park B, each element presented before the guest reinforces the next. The architecture, interior design and propping actually work to subliminally tell the fictional backstory of the zone, supporting the theme and storytelling found within the haunted dark ride. The lands themselves speak volumes to the guest: each area offers visual clues about the background context for the environment, while character graphics, signage, audio and performers enhance the storytelling. From one linear meter into the land to the next, each element of what the guest sees, hears and feels tells them more about the story unfolding in front of them. Yes, this takes more work. More planning. More design. More forethought in the development of the park. But these theme park master planning disciplines and techniques are what set apart the run-of-the-mill from the world class.

Theme park master planning is part science, part art. When all the elements of the development, from the planning principals to the artistic are considered – while keeping of paramount importance every aspect of the development from the perspective of the guest – the project comes together in a harmonious, symbiotic way that is artful, meaningful and impactful.

Introduction

As the number of available entertainment opportunities continues to increase, many museums and educational institutions are finding themselves fighting for an audience.

One of the options that have become available is touring exhibits with a significant “entertainment” component. Different from “edutainment” attractions, these exhibits attempt to respect the integrity of both the entertainment and educational aspects of the project – rather than creating an artificial hybrid.

At Thinkwell Design and Production, we believe that this trend towards touring exhibits for the museum and educational market will continue to grow in the near future – presuming that all of the involved parties can recognize the unique collaborative aspects of these projects and work together in the development of these types of attraction.

Worlds Collide

At their best, these touring exhibits are a unique melding of touring shows, fixed entertainment attractions, educational exhibits, and museum experiences. To a large extent, the development of this class of attraction has grown out of a variety of parties “reaching out” to each other in search of new opportunities. It has been a case of museums reaching out to the “show people” to help create more accessible and entertaining exhibits, of intellectual property owners reaching out to educational content providers in order to increase their presence in the market (and to give themselves a greater sense of legitimacy in many cases), and of entertainment design firms reaching out to all parties in an ongoing search for new markets.

As you may imagine, with all of this “reaching out” these projects bring together a number of different parties; many of them from very different worlds – and this creates unique challenges in blending the needs and talents of all of the involved parties to create on cohesive end-product. Typically we see this blending of cultures providing significant challenges to all of the parties involved as they (out of necessity) learn at least elements of each other’s cultures. While it often seems completely clear in retrospect, may of the parties involved enter into the process with only a limited understanding of the differences in expectations, goals, developmental methods, and even unique language between themselves and their partners in the development of these touring exhibits.

How Different Can It Be?

Probably the most central difference (and the one with the most direct impact on creating a successful touring exhibit) is that of developmental methods. Museum clients are typically more familiar with a deliberate, considered, risk-minimal development process, while many entertainment design firms and many intellectual property owners have created a culture that prizes rapid development schedules and a high-risk/high-reward development environment. When one party regards a “quick turnaround” as being six months (after at least one committee has had an opportunity to review everything) and the other interprets “take your time to review it” to mean a 30 day review process, there is an ongoing possibility of conflict. Clearly describing each party’s respective development process, sharing these methods with all of the involved development partners, and continuing to review the process, the schedule (and the progress) becomes crucial to the success of the project. Knowledge of each others processes and a willingness to learn and to compromise is essential to the development of any touring exhibit.

Differences in goals and expectations are almost as central to the respective party’s cultures. Typically these differences require both the greatest attention to detail and willingness to compromise by all parties involved. At its core, it becomes a question of balancing educational content and “show” content. The natural tendency of museums and educational institutions is to provide as dense an informational environment as possible, while the natural tendency of most entertainment design firms is to maximize the “wow” factor. This is a prime example of a situation where developmental elements from both parties can be applied to the overall development of the project. From the museum and educational world, a clearly defined “mission statement” (almost unknown in entertainment design) can serve to clearly describe the ultimate goals of the project; from the entertainment design world, the provision of a design narrative or show script (generally unnecessary in museum design) can provide a clear guideline of how to achieve the project’s goals. Design of a successful project requires an ongoing process of reviewing both individual elements of the project and the overall project design against both the “mission statement” and the design narrative. The ongoing process review and of arriving at reasonable solutions to areas of conflict is crucial.

Touring exhibits destined for museums and educational institutions place a premium on flexibility in their design. Clear and complete communication of the ultimate physical constraints from the end-users (the museum or educational institution) is crucial to the design of the touring exhibit. Available spaces vary greatly in both size and configuration. Available support infrastructure (power, telecommunication access, overhead structural support, etc.) in museums is typically much less than that available in dedicated entertainment spaces. Access to the display spaces in museums are often sized and planned for small elements packed in crates – not for equipment cases designed to support rock and roll tours. None of these are insurmountable issues – most entertainment design firms have access to professionals experienced in creating touring elements with the flexibility to fit a variety of environments. Presuming, of course, that all of the information provided to the design team is complete, clear, and unambiguous. “Plenty of power” and “lots of room” will likely mean something very different to an entertainment design firm than it will to a museum. Likewise, an entertainment design firm is likely to overestimate the museum staff’s familiarity with common show equipment and systems unless the time is taken to carefully explore this matter. A blank expression on the face of a maintenance worker when facing a new piece of equipment is never a positive sigh. While compromise and communication are sometimes challenging (and frustrating) as related to the physical design of touring exhibits, the process can be a valuable opportunity for all parties to discover new methods, techniques, and equipment with applications far beyond the single touring exhibit.

To Succeed You Need…

Successful touring exhibits are the result of successful collaboration between all of the involved parties. As touring exhibits explore a greater integration of entertainment with education, this partnership between museums, educational content providers, intellectual property owners, and entertainment design firms will become more and more crucial. This requires openness to new techniques and methods, a willingness by each party to clearly articulate their needs and goals, and a willingness to compromise in the interest of creating a compelling exhibit or attraction.

Many museums and educational institutions must make a concerted effort to accept entertainment as a conduit for the conveyance of their message. This can be a significant challenge to institutions that have only limited experience with popular entertainment – and that may have come to regard popular entertainment as competition for a limited audience pool. Working with entertainment design firms to create touring exhibits that use entertainment as a tool for communicating educational content may allow museums and educational institutions to reach out into their community, ultimately increasing their audience pool rather then depleting it. Museums and educational institutions that can make the effort to foster this collaboration, and that are willing to help teach entertainment design firms how to educate have the unique opportunity to both increase their own attendance and improve the penetration of education into the general culture.

Entertainment design firms have, perhaps, the greater challenge. The corporate cultures of many entertainment firms and intellectual property owners have segregated “museum design” from “entertainment design”. Historically, many firms have been responsive to design requests from individual museums rather than being proactive in collaborating with a number of museums and educational institutions in the development of touring exhibits. To allow this field to grow, there will be a premium placed on entertainment design firms that can learn to speak the language of museums, and that can learn to deliver educational content within the framework of an entertaining, engaging environment.

Ultimately, this form of touring exhibit has the potential to bring education to a greatly expanded audience, and to deliver this content in a uniquely engaging and effective manner. The field will be developed and expanded by visionary museums and educational institutions working in collaboration with entertainment firms with a talent for telling stories. To paraphrase an old proverb: Tell me and I’ll forget; show me and I may remember; tell me a story and I’ll carry it with me forever.