David Willrich, DJ Willrich, UK
What’s the latest in 3D and 4D?
Typically, we think of theatres using 3D
imagery plus additional effects. One of
the reasons 3D theatres are becoming
more common is that 3D CGI has become
a lot cheaper to produce. This has also
opened up much greater scope for creating
2D shows using 3D CGI.
How does this differ to what’s
been available before?
Significantly. For a more modest budget,
it’s possible to deliver movie-quality CGI
to create better effects and explanations.
We now have the computing power to
create film-quality media. Electronic projection
and electronically-created media
are taking over what was traditionally the
marketplace for various large film formats.
High-quality experiences can be created
and maintained for less, in venues that
would have previously been impossible to
use with film projection systems.
What interactive elements
does it involve?
This depends on the space. You can
do all the standard 4D tricks such as
air effects, water, wind machines and
butt kickers, but the visual element has
to work for all-round entertainment. For
the technique to work outside the theme
park environment, you don’t have to use
all the tricks – the content itself can provide
all that it needs and the experiential
approach can prove to be an effective
twist on immersive story telling or interpretation
of real history.
Who is the target audience?
I’m not sure we always know the answer to
this, or that the target and real audience
are the same.
However, I believe that most museums
and attractions like to think they cover a
family group of three generations who all
get something out of the experience.
What are the current trends?
The current trend is to jump on the 4D
bandwagon, regardless of whether it’s
appropriate or not. In many cases, operators
hope the 4D effects make up for poor
storytelling but they should choose the
appropriate technology and approach for
each project. Therefore, we don’t provide
off-the-shelf solutions. All our projects are
unique and pull on different ideas to provide
a given solution.
How can the new technology
be developed in the future?
It’s not necessarily a case of developing
new technology – in a lot of cases, the
technology is there.
Years ago, technology was a real limitation,
with ideas and imagination well
ahead of it, but not so much any more.
More often than not, the technology isn’t
being stretched enough and the ideas
aren’t always up to it, or there’s a lack of
understanding on how best to apply it.
The other limiting factor, and possibly
one of the greatest limiting factors,
is budget. However, both the technology
for creating these experiences and
playing them back has got significantly cheaper over the last five years, hence the
increase in the number of 4D theatres. It’s
important though that proper budgets are
assigned to the media production.
Projection systems continue to get better
in terms of resolution and brightness,
which means we’ll be able to continue
using projectors in more varied ways that
aren’t necessarily just limited to theatres.
Walk-through experiences and large
architectural spaces are already beginning
to use large scale projection for a
more immersive environment.
Do operators need to obtain
new equipment?
This depends on the age of their current
equipment. Electronic projection is
rapidly taking over from fi lm, so theatres
that have used fi lm projections are rapidly
replacing them with electronic projection
which can often provide comparable or
better quality with much lower running
costs. In many cases sound, lighting and
effects can also be kept, but the projection
system has to be replaced, which is a
signifi cant cost if it’s going to be done to a
comparable quality to fi lm.
However, if the original system was
video, then a major improvement can
be achieved by using a better quality
projection and, if possible, revising the
show content to a higher resolution. For
example, in the case of video, a move up
to a high defi nition solution or even higher
resolution if budget permits.
Is there still room in the attractions
industry for traditional 2D shows?
Absolutely! I believe that it’s better to
deliver a relevant, high quality 2D experience
as opposed to a gimmicky, poor
quality 3D or 4D experience.
If the traditional 2D experience was outmoded,
then we’d no longer be going to
traditional cinemas. The fact that cinemas
still exist is testimony to the quality of the
fi lms that the public has access to and the
fundamental fact that not all movies need
3D to make them work.
A good story, told well at a consistently
high quality, will win over one that’s told
badly and relies on gags to pull it through.
However, get all aspects right and you
have a stunning experience!
Roger Houben, managing director, 3DBA, Belguim
What’s the latest in 3D and 4D?
There hasn’t been much new development
on the hardware side in recent years,
aside from more affordable and easy to
maintain digital projectors and more customisation
of theatre special effects.
The major change is the availability of a
much larger, high-quality library of films.
We’ve also noticed a worldwide
increase in the request for branded
fi lms based on well-known Intellectual
Properties (IP). Refl ecting this trend,
3DBA has obtained the IP rights for
Casper, George of the Jungle and
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
One of the largest changes was 3BDA’s
SFX Theater, which opened last year at
Bobbejaanland, Belguim. The theatre
offers high defi nition projectors guaranteeing
a superb 3D image supported
by 10 in-theatre special effects – rainfall,
wind, strobe lights, fog, vibrations in the
seats, sounds in the floor, falling curtains,
falling spiders, moving lights and scent.
Increasingly, customers want to customise
their theatres and are looking for
customised special effects in addition to,
or even in place of, standard seat effects.
What is the latest in 3D and 4D offers?
Together with its partners Falcon’s
Treehouse and Kraftwerk, 3DBA is currently
developing several state of the art
4D attractions including CircuMotion – a
360°, 4D theatre, which opens early 2009
in China (see interview with Falcon’s
Treehouse’s president Cecil Magpuri in
AM Q2 08). We’re also working on a
4D Dark Ride; 5th Dimension; Flying
Theatre; Interactive Theatre; and a 3D
Race Simulator.
Do operators need to obtain
new equipment?
In most cases, it’s advisable to upgrade
the projection system to digital. This
would require a new server and, in most
cases, a new control system.
Is there still room for
traditional 2D shows?
Most of the 2D venues are still film based
and need to upgrade to digital. When they
do, I expect the operators will also consider
going to 3D.
What 3D / 4D projects are you
working on for the future?
We’ve just opened theatres in Malaysia
and Indonesia and are on the verge
of opening our fi rst 4D theatres in
Iran, Syria and Saudi Arabia during the
next few months.
Also, we’ve just sold our first project to
a cruiseline.
Stiig-Mathias Gabriel, marketing and communications,
explore 5D, Austria
What is the latest in 3D and 4D offers?
Our newest development is a 5D theatre
in Vienna, Austria. Called the Miraculum, it
combines 3D movies, 4D special effects
and a mixture of guest involvement and
local, authentic content.
How does this differ to what’s
been available before?
We use special effects, 3D movies, CGI,
sound and light design to create an effect
whereby guests can’t distinguish between
generated images or effects and reality.
What interactive elements
does it involve?
The interactive elements we use are
mainly based on the psychological
research by the CEO of explore
5D, Dr Gerhard Frank, concerning the
Erlebnisdramaturgie, or dramaturgy of
experience. They evoke emotions already
embedded within the guests from fairy
tales, myths and legends.
How does your 3D / 4D
offer differ to others?
We’ve created the theatre so that it resembles
a lecture hall. The involvement is
more intense as guests are expected to
participate, so the outcome is different.
Is there still room in the industry
for traditional 2D shows?
If the whole experience is overwhelming,
a 2D show can work as well as ever.
It’s a question of knowing what people
are used to and fi nding an approach they
don’t know how to deal with.
Philippe Chiwy, general manager and co-founder, de pinxi, Belguim
What’s the latest in 3D and 4D?
de pinxi is now entering the entertainment
market with four games combining all the
effects used in theatrical experience, such
as surround sound with group interaction.
This approach is radically different from
arcade systems; it’s targeted at the whole
family, the 3D element makes it totally
immersive and it’s a social experience.
What interactive elements
does it involve?
Any kind of sensors and actuators that are
relevant to the storytelling, and are vandalproof!
Visitors are given tools ranging
from a basic joystick to the more adventurous
cannon, ropes, paddles and bicycles.
How does your offer differ to others?
Group interaction with 3D, special effects
and a simulator. Nobody else does all
three together.
When the simulator is part of the experience,
the customers control the motion of
the whole theatre.
What are the current trends?
Upgrading to 4D. We have enough content
to feed this and have scenarios ensuring
an attraction’s long-term life cycle.
Who are your attractions customers?
What products do they use?
Theme parks, science museums and large
companies looking for innovative communication.
They use our 4D interactive
theatres, mobile 3D/4D theatres and tours.
Do operators need to obtain
new equipment?
There is room for retrofit – more than half
of our customers choose this. But, for new
content delivery, especially in 3D, operators
will need new content players.
Is there still room in the industry
for traditional 2D shows or are
they now a thing of the past?
I believe 2D shows can still be successful
in special formats: domes, panoramic and
cubic and in very, very high definition.
What 3D / 4D projects are
you working on?
We’re currently working on a 3D mobile
interactive theatre and also on the fourth
generation of 3D camera, which is especially
aimed at fi lming 3D content in
demanding conditions such as on a plane
or a train.
Mike Frueh, vice president,
SimEx - Iwerks
Entertainment, US
What is the latest in 3D and 4D?
Our latest 4D attractions feature highresolution
2K HD projection with larger,
brighter and more immersive screens.
We’ve spent a lot of time on theatre
design – sightlines, seating patterns, better
seating for disabled patrons, improved
special effects and better performing projection
systems and screens.
We’ve perfected our scent delivery systems
and introduced new lighting effects.
We’ve also fi nalised the design of a new
fourth generation 4D seat that will be introduced
in a new major theme park in 2009.
Also, a new proprietary show control
system will be introduced in early 2009
that will accommodate the far more complex
programming demands of tomorrows
4D attractions.
Our film library is refreshed each year
with new releases and continues to be
one of the best in the business. Recent
fi lms such as The Polar Express 4D
Experience, Planet Earth 4D and Monster
Trucks 4D are delivering record box office
numbers for our clients and partners.
What interactive elements
do you offer?
Stay tuned. In 2009, guests at our attractions
will be immersively interacting with
the visual experience.
What’s the appeal?
Visit any of the 150 facilities we support
and you’ll see that our 4D Attractions
deliver a compelling family experience
that stimulates a strong, positive, excited
response. The appeal to our partners is
the relatively low capital cost per guest
and the compact footprint; they also like
the fact our film library allows for frequent
refreshment of their attraction.
What are the current trends?
There is a trend towards environmental
and ‘green’ topics.
Who are your attractions customers?
What products do they use?
We’re working with the leaders in the
worldwide entertainment industry who
appreciate our ability to deliver costeffective
turnkey attractions and effective
long-term support on a worldwide basis.
What 3D / 4D projects are you
working on for the future?
We have high profi le 4D attractions opening
in New York City, US, and Orlando,
Florida, US, this summer. We’ve also
developed a mobile 40-seat attraction and
have several projects in China and the
Middle East that will keep us busy too.
Renate Zoller,
managing director,
Kinoton GmbH, Germany
What’s the latest in 3D and 4D?
The change from film to digital projection
recently taking place throughout the
theatrical industry offers tremendous new
chances for 3D projection. Our D-Cinema
projectors featuring the DLP Cinema®
technology from Texas Instruments, such
as Kinoton’s DCP D-Cinema projector
series, can easily be upgraded for stereoscopic
projection to allow audiences to
watch 3D with only one single projector.
How does this differ to what’s
been available before?
This new technology enables ‘normal’ cinemas
to add 3D shows to their common
2D program with only minimum effort.
Reacting to these prospects, the
industry is bound to launch a wider variety
of digital 3D movies, especially in the
range of animation movies, in order to
meet the rising demand for 2K stereoscopic
screen adventures.
What’s the future for 3D and 4D?
Besides digital projection technology, film
will stay an important medium for 3D and
4D projection in terms of special venue
and large format shows.
Kinoton also offers complete projection
systems for 3D fi lm projection with optionally
one or two electronically controlled
projectors for 4/35, 8/35, 5/70, 8/70 and
10/70 fi lm formats for screens up to 500sq
m (5,380sq ft) and more.
Featuring the enhanced Premiere electronic
drive system, these film projectors
guarantee unrivalled picture steadiness,
contrast and brightness. Silver screens,
frame systems, sound systems and complete
show control are available as well.
Terry Monkton,
managing director,
Simworx Limited, UK
What’s the latest in 3D and 4D?
Simworx offers a number of 3D/4D products.
Dimensions 4D Effects Theatre is a
Cinema style seat with in-built 4D effects,
combined with in-theatre effects such as
low smoke, snow, bubbles, aroma and
special effects lighting. For some clients
we use animatronic effects.
We also have a Dimensions 4D Seat
specially designed for waterparks.
Our Stargazer 4D Motion Theatre is a
highly dynamic theatre, incorporating the
same effects as the Dimensions theatre.
Another offer is customised large scale 20
and 25 seat 3D/4D Motion Platforms.
We also have some fabulous fi lms,
including The Curse of Skull Rock, a 4D
fi lm produced by Red Star Studio, which
won the Best Animated Children’s film at
the Stuttgart Film Festival in May.
How does this differ to what’s
been available before?
Admittedly, 3D has been around for a
while, but 4D is still relatively new to
the industry. Utilising the most dynamic
motion theatres with 3D and 4D effects
and having a diverse product offering
ensures we can offer the latest technology
and deliver the ultimate wow factor.
What interactive elements
does it involve?
The sensory 4D effects are effectively
what make the audience interact with the
film. People genuinely reach out for the
3D and try and pop bubbles and grab
snow during 4D shows.
In conjunction with de pinxi, the first
4D interactive simulator was produced
last year for Champalimaud Foundation.
Utilising a Mobile Morphis 20 Movieride
Theatre with 3D and 4D effects, de pinxi
designed and fi tted a truly interactive
experience where each rider in the theatre
has their own joystick and buttons to influence
the happenings on screen.
What’s the appeal?
3D and 4D is not mainstream, in that you
can’t experience it at home. Instead it’s
available at visitor attractions to give that
wow factor that people can’t experience in
their every day lives.
How can the new technology
be developed in the future?
We have a few developments in the
pipeline which will take the 3D and 4D elements
from a motion theatre and combine
them with a dark ride. We’ll also continue
to develop the interactive elements.
Tim Dear,
creative director,
Amazing Interactives, UK
What is the latest in 3D and 4D offers?
The combination of real time special
effects software and rear-projected 3D
allows new levels of interaction between
the special effects, audience and actors.
How does this differ to what’s
been available before?
Traditionally, stage shows use pre-made or
‘canned’ footage when projecting onto a
rear or front screen.
This technique allows actors to blend
their stage performances with 3D elements
of the show. When using ‘real-time’
technology for the projected screen display,
actors can invite the audience to
trigger sequences, consequences and
events randomly.
What interactive elements
does it involve ?
There are several, including flying, vanishing,
dissolving, moving and controllable
special effects within the show.
How does your 3D / 4D
offer differ to others?
Our special effects are entirely softwarebased
and operate in real time during the
shows. This means the 3D-Stereoscopic
effects are triggered at the exact moment
they are required by the cast and the audience,
allowing time for variation in the
delivery of lines and ad-libbing by the cast.
Is there still room in the
industry for traditional 2D?
2D effects will remain an enormously
important part of the tool set available for
creating and adding to ambience, story
line and visual illusion. ●