My latest project, King Kong 360 3D Premieres!

Completed astonishingly, in under two years, King Kong 360 3-D officially opens today. A unique collaboration between Peter Jackson and Universal Creative, the attraction transports you to Skull Island for a showdown between Kong and a V-Rex who’d like to make you dinner.

Stories and Reviews about the attraction:

• LA Times
• USA Today
• Hero Complex
• Yahoo! News
• FearNet
• Theme Park Insider

I spent most of the last two years developing, tweaking, and perfecting the immersive 3-D projection system for the attraction, that includes 16 2K resolution projectors, unique lensing, and 2 custom compound curve screens that stand 40′ tall and 187′ long.

The first challenge was deploying a 3-D film to guests riding in a linear tram.  This meant that most guests will be watching the film from an off axis position, a big no-no for most stereoscopic systems.  Not only that, in order to have image 360 degrees around the guests meant having screens opposing each other, which opens up issues of light contamination from one screen to the other, or cross-talk as it’s commonly referred to.

To solve these issues, I first mocked the system up, in Howard Hughes Spruce Goose hangar in Playa Vista.  Working with 3-D consultant Peter Anderson, and Electrosonic Systems , we fine tuned screen shape, texture, and gain to come up with a system that played to the guests off-axis viewing position, while mitigating the cross-talk.   The system was also used by Peter Jackson, Weta, and the Universal Creative team to view dailies and 3-D tests which due to the size and complexity of the system,  couldn’t be viewed any other way.

King Kong Mock-up System

Once complete we rebuilt the screens from scratch and moved the system to the show for integration.  In the last few weeks as we approached the finish line, Peter Jackson, Matt Aitken and the team at Weta outdid themselves creating an amazingly beautiful stereoscopic  short film that makes the experience. The original sound designer, Brent Burge and mixers Mike Hedges, and Peter Lehman mixed the 22 channel final audio in the space, which really made it come alive.

Now with all the technical challenges behind us, the attraction is open to the public, and the response has been tremendous.  Standing in the back of the space as guests cheer, scream, and applaud really is the projects best reward.  Eliciting that visceral, emotional response from the audience is what it’s all about, whether I’m making a film or an attraction.

To learn more about the project, I have embedded some behind the scenes videos provided by Universal, or you can watch them at the official website.

I’ve been bad, and neglected to blog about the new Universal Project that stole me away from the Transformers.  At least temporarily.  I’ve been working for the last year and half on the replacement attraction for King Kong.  The original sadly burned down in a backlot fire in the summer of 2008.  We’ve been extraordinarily busy developing the new show to open this summer.

I first didn’t blog about it because, well you know, it’s all a big secret.  Then they announced it, and then the press began, but by then I was far too busy working on it to blog about it.  In fact I only have time today because I’ve worked myself sick, and was sent home to nurse my cold so they can overwork me some more.

The attraction is a collaboration between Universal Creative, the department I work in at Universal Studios, and Peter Jackson who is directing the film with his company Weta Digital creating the 3D animation.  The project break’s new ground with a never done before immersive 3D projection system that I helped design with  3D savant and cinematographer Peter Anderson, and the talented crew from Electrosonic systems.  It may in fact be the largest 3D projection system ever conceived.  We’ve spent the last year in the same Sound Stage that James Cameron pioneered Avatar on in Playa Vista getting the projection system configuration and screens just right.  It hasn’t been easy, but breaking new ground never is, which is why I’m happy when I see press like this, after someone views our mock-up system:

Now, what we saw was rough, but incredibly impressive. If you were to look directly ahead at the direction the tram was moving in, the environment around you feels completely genuine. That’s not to say the effect wasn’t terrific when you looked at it dead-on. I’m just talking about the peripheral effect of the attraction’s 360 layout.

-Ryan Rotten, Managing Editor – Shock Till You Drop

If they found that impressive, I can only imagine the satisfying reactions we’ll get for the real thing.  You can read more about the attraction via some fresh articles from a group who visited our mockup yesterday, including Mr. Rotten quoted above:

• Shock Gets an Early Look at King Kong 360 3D!
• Dread Central Tours the Upcoming King Kong 360 3D Ride
• LA Times

For more info you can signe up for email updates here, and you can enjoy the teaser trailer below:

Today was the Grand Opening of the new Simpsons™ Ride at Universal Studios Hollywood!  After two years of development, design challenges, production, and construction, all our hard work paid off.  People really seem to be enjoying the entire attraction experience, from the details on the queue to the in-jokes during the ride.

The reviews have also come in:

• LA Times
• Jo Blo
• Coasterdom
• The Coaster Critic
• About.com
• Ultimaterollercoaster.com
• Theme Park Insider
• Mice Age

Congratulations to the entire team.

[View with PicLens]

Synopsis:

The Simpsons™ are visiting Krustyland, the low-budget theme park created by famed TV personality and shameless product huckster Krusty the Clown!

You are there right alongside Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie as you enter through the carnival-like midway. Once you board your vehicle you’re in for one surprise after another as you embark on a wild, over-the-top ride through the park… flying, floating, and more or less crashing your way through Krustyland’s kiddie attractions, stunt shows, and thrill rides.

How we were involved:

Not Afraid! founder Paul Cuoco spent two years working with digital projection specialists to create and build the world’s first 4K resolution 60 frame per second, 85 foot dome projection system as the main attraction to this fun and funny motion simulator attraction.

To learn more about the ride visit: http://www.simpsonsride.com/

The Simpsons™, The Simpsons™ Ride and all Simpsons characters and elements are ™ & © 2008 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved.

Synopsis
Fear Factor “Live” is a highly interactive Themed Entertainment Association Award winning show that, like it’s television counterpart, puts ordinary people in extreme situations. Park guests are given the unique opportunity to participate in a thrilling competition against their own worst fears.

How we were involved:
When Universal Studios Hollywood wanted to deliver the “televised feel” of Fear Factor, Not Afraid! founder Paul Cuoco was brought in to supervise the design and installation of the live digital video production, switching, and playback system. Now I know what you’re thinking, “What happened to all that story, character, and theme stuff?” Well let us tell you a story. In our years of experience utilizing the latest in audio and video technologies to bring our stories to life, we learned a lot about how to design and build audiovisual systems that deliver an impact. Much like George Lucas built an entire empire out of innovating special effects, Not Afraid! has developed a marketplace for working with technology partners to deliver cutting edge audiovisual systems, theaters, and destination based entertainments. While it may not be high art, it pays the bills and allows us the opportunity to continue developing our own properties. At least that’s how we rationalize it.

If you’re interested you can learn more about the attraction at the official website.

Synopsis:

Shortly after setting out on their honeymoon, Shrek®, his bride Princess Fiona™, and their faithful companion, Donkey, are ambushed by the ghost of evil Lord Farquaad™.

How we were involved:

To create the state of the art uncompressed high definition 3D video projection system worthy of DreamWorks and Universal Studios Hollywood, Not Afraid! founder Paul Cuoco and renowned 3D film cinematographer, designer, and consultant Peter Anderson were commissioned to team up and deliver a pixel perfect, rich 3D experience that lives up to the exquisite PDI/DreamWorks animation. If you’ve already read our Fear Factor and Mummy descriptions, then you’ve already read about our dabbling in the technical audiovisual markets, and we won’t bore you with it again here.

See behind the scenes videos to learn more about the attraction at the official website.

Synopsis:

Immerse yourself in the chilling, futuristic world of the Terminator. Inside Cyberdyne Systems Corporation, you’ll witness the unveiling of the new Terminator robots – until a live, human rebel strike erupts around you in an all-out cyber war that’ll have you ducking for cover!

How we were involved:

In our first foray in themed entertainment, Universal Studios Hollywood tapped Not Afraid! founder Paul Cuoco to production manage and supervise the design, installation, and programming of the fully articulated T-70 animated figures, LN2 smoke effects, and 3D projection systems for the themed attraction. Paul worked diligently with theatrical show director Adam Bezark and the animation and effects teams to create a fully immersive experience that seamlessly blends a live stunt show and fantastic 70mm 3D into a cohesive and thrilling experience, you have to see to believe.

For more information please visit the official website.