Why it’s always showtime!
Castle with the promise that Merlin fans will be able to interact with the show’s Great Dragon. Like Medhy Menad, Collimore says technological
Over the years, Dollywood has increased its number of original productions. For Sha- Kon-O-Hey! Dolly Parton wrote eight original songs for the score. (Image courtesy of Dollywood)
According to Collimore, the Chatter Box system, as it is
known, became an instant hit with audiences because it enables them to interact with characters who are normally confined to a TV set. He says it’s a big hit with his clients as well because it makes technologies once exclusive to the realms of Disney Imagineering available at a price they can afford. Case in point: the latest attraction to use Animalive products, the Merlin Entertainments-produced, Merlin: The Dragon Tower, the first attraction to be based on the BBC hit TV series Merlin, which opens this month at Warwick
advances, especially in in-home entertainment, are exerting a strong pull on not just his business but indeed the entire industry. “In-home technology developments such as 3D TVs and interactive computer game consoles, have forced company’s operating in the out-of-home entertainment industries to raise the bar and develop new cutting edge technologies. Some of the magic you could only experience at a theme park you can now experience sitting in the comfort of your home. Our mission is to create products which bring that magic back.” No matter where their shows stand on the technological
spectrum, however, smart producers know that it takes more than hardware to win over an audience. “Always start with a concept or a draft script,” says Paul
Collimore. “No matter what technology you use in the show, the production is only as good as the narrative.” The Looney Tunes Live show, a Brass Ring winner in 2009
developed by OddPost Entertainment, using Animalive technology, for Britain’s Butlins Resorts, is a handy example of Collimore’s point. Although the show uses globally recognised characters -
Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Tweety - who are voiced by the official Warner Bros voice-over artists, he says “the show has a narrative thread which enhances the characters as opposed to relying solely on their brand profile.” Or, as Herschend’s Anthony Esparza observes wryly: “The
formula for great live entertainment is deceivingly easy, but incredibly difficult to execute; a strong storyline, incredible production value and unsurpassed talent.” In Esparza’s opinion, “It is better to invest in a one-of-a-kind buzzworthy show than to book multiple mediocre ones.” He’ll get no argument on that point from Amanda
Deacon. “Unlike a ride that runs all day without stopping, humans typically cannot,” she notes. “Since it’s vital that the last show is as high quality and energised as the first, we encourage our clients to embrace quality over quantity.” To that Oddpost’s Terry Morrison adds only this warning:
“Many companies in our industry create a product and then set about trying to sell it to as many potential buyers as possible. We find this approach limiting in that the success of any piece of entertainment is subject to the whim of its audience. You might get it right and create an instant hit, or, most likely ... you’ll get it wrong and your work is consigned to the large heap of productions that ... were unable to capture the imagination of the public.”
32 InterPark May-June 2011
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