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attractions industry? Kath Huds n reports
With 3D coming to cinemas and the home, what does this mean for the
Red Star’s Dracula 4D is designed to work in 3D, 4D and 5D theatres
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ainstream 3D fi lms, such as Alice in Wonderland and Avatar, have drawn record audiences
this year. Now 3D is being promoted by TV broadcasters as the next big thing, with major manufacturers predicting 3D televi- sion sales to account for more than 50 per cent of their turnover by 2012. So, does 3D coming into the mainstream represent a threat for the attractions industry? Most of those working in the industry
agree this could benefi t the industry, by providing more awareness of the con- cept. Terry Monkton, managing director of Simworx, says: “I fi rmly believe 3D becom- ing more commonplace is a good thing for our industry and increases awareness of 3D. But what we’re providing attraction operators with is far more advanced than a 3D experience obtained at the cinema. We supply a fi ve- to 15-minute experience, with enhanced 3D, combined with dramatic
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effects, giving visitors a quick blast in keep- ing with the theme park experience.” The advance in mainstream also means
the industry can’t be complacent – con- tent has to be excellent and recognisable brands and intellectual property are being used more. The latest installations would suggest the industry is leaving 3D behind in favour of 4D. It’s also likely there will now be a greater push towards 5D, where the audience can interact with the show.
NEW ATTRACTIONS At both ends of the UK, attractions have decided to use 4D for this season’s update. Heritage Attractions’ Land’s End in Cornwall has replaced its 22-year-old Last Labyrinth experience with a 100-seat 4D effects theatre from Simworx. Red Star’s Curse of Skull Rock, shown in HD 3D projection, was chosen for its family appeal and because the pirate
Read Attractions Management online
attractionsmanagement.com/digital
theme is perfect for this coastal location, which is steeped in pirate heritage. Land’s End’s new general manager
David Bryans, who has been enlisted to leverage the 115-acre site, says the com- pany decided to invest in a 4D experience because of the longevity and the fl exibil- ity of the many fi lms on offer. “Our main market is families, so we needed a family- orientated attraction, and the reaction has been magical,” he says. “In the fi rst two months we’ve already seen visitor numbers rise 10 per cent and we know that visits to The Curse of Skull Rock are 10 per cent more than to the Last Labyrinth.” This has represented a hefty investment:
the 100 seats cost £200,000 (US$290,000, 230,000), the fi lm was £40,000 ($60,000, 50,000), the building work and theming
cost around £25,000 ($36,000, 30,000) and investment in other hardware and technology brought the total investment up
AM 3 2010 ©cybertrek 2010
3D/4D
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