All the park’s a stage Ten AV technologies transforming the attractions industry by Freddy Martin
T
he job of theme park designers and operators is to offer audiences innovative experiences that they cannot have outside the berm. Innovation requires technology breakthroughs and availability to expand artistic and technical capabilities.
So here, in no particular order, are the top 10 AV technologies being used to revolutionize the themed entertainment industry today.
When visitors first walked through early amusement parks like Vauxhall or Tivoli Gardens they were awed by the sight of hundreds of gas lamps flickering to life at dusk. Later, when Luna Park filled the air with thousands of twinkling electrical lights, guests could not believe their eyes.
There is no question that Virtual Reality (VR) is an exciting AV technology that the industry desires to utilize as a storytelling medium for guests. At the same time, it’s unanimous that VR has its challenges. Standard themed entertainment concerns such as throughput, repeatability, and accessibility remain barriers to broad, in-park installations. Even more concerning is the fact that VR can be location-agnostic, with home applications nearly as immersive as within the berm.
Likewise, the steam calliope made its way from the riverboats to permanent homes in boardwalk amusements such as Coney Island where its sounds delighted guests and set the mood for fun. This gave way to recorded music which could be changed at will with the lift of a needle. With each new advancement in audio and visual technology, themed entertainment venues have sought to surprise their guests with new sights and sounds every time they visit. Today’s experts are exploring and employing multiple AV platforms to entertain, educate, and wow their guests. They are combining the art forms of stagecraft and filmmaking, with advancements in robotic lights and powerful video projection, along with new-century visualization technologies. We spoke to numerous designers, service providers, and operators – all with substantial industry credits and international experience - to share their observations and insight and to identify 10 AV technologies that are helping to accelerate the current evolution of the themed entertainment industry.
Virtual Reality
Still, standalone attractions like The Void, based on popular IP, have set an example of how the medium can enhance an out-ofhome destination. And museums, FECs, and escape rooms have adapted VR to enhance the sensory response to their existing attractions. “These technologies enable a more intimate sensory experience,” said Alan Anderson of Smart Monkeys, a leading show control specialist headquartered in Miami. “The story is lived in a more ‘primal’ way and allows a deeper emotional connection. The opportunities for creating meaningful attractions are exponential.”
Augmented Reality The continuing evolution of tablet and app technology is creating new ways for guests to interact with the exhibits and one
Not surprisingly, their answers focused less on specific tools, brands, or solutions, than on how the technologies work together to offer increasing flexibility and control. Like visual artists who work in mixed media on canvas, these experts recognize that a blended use of today’s available AV technologies ultimately leads to greater opportunities for creativity and effective storytelling. “Innovation does not have to start from zero. We use what is available to mix and match, to customize and improve upon the technology,” said Bingo Tso, Senior Vice President of Advanced Communication Equipment (ACE), a major AV provider based in Hong Kong, among whose credits are “Legend of Camel Bells,” a theatrical spectacle recently honored with a TEA Thea Award. “All in all, the available products and technologies combined cannot replace the need to integrate with the artistic requirement.”
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Virtual reality has many potential applications, but also has limitations that are still being addressed.
