Theme Park University: Moving forward, entertainment of all forms will push to be more and more interactive. Gone are the days where you’ll be able to sit and passively watch a theme park show, audiences now want to be an active participant. Take for example a patent filed by Universal Studios on March 7, 2017. Their creative division has filed a patent for what they are calling a puzzle theater.
4 comments:
I'm still a little hesitant about this idea. Or curious rather. It's hard to analyze this entertainment because of its interactivity, and there are pros and cons if you consider this in a theatrical context, and there are pros and cons if you consider this in an amusement park context. Theatrically, I worry the audience member would feel taken out of the show as their section starts to move around. How many shows can work well with this puzzle theatre- I can think of action shows, stories based on magical movies which would easily fit. I wonder if musicals can be performed here, where the audience is choreographed. Also, you could sort of switch between thrust and arena mid show, which is an interesting design challenge. Thinking in terms of a theme park, guests have certain expectations when they enter Universal, for example. Expectations to be entertained or scared of the rides, etc. If they are presented with a play, even a shallow one, will they be bored listening to text and only moving up and down and side to side? I hope it works out none the less.
When looking at the images for this patent I think of old movies and how they portray the future. On a daily basis I see myself looking around and realizing that I am living in that time in which cars can drive themselves and virtual reality rules all. That being said, this audience interaction setting looks like a futuristic wild ride. However, I am hesitant about this addition to Universal Studios. I know the article states that the time of sitting and watching a theme park show are over, I do not necessarily know if that is an amazing idea. Some of the most amazing memories I have or Universal and Disney as a child is going inside to a cold theatre and getting to sit and enjoy a show after being in the hot and hectic and fast paced park all day. It can be a great calming escape from the crazy park atmosphere. By changing to more audience interactive shows like that patented by Universal, I am nervous we will lose that aspect of the amusement park experience.
I don't know if I fully understood what was represented in the article,but then again, I don't know if they do either. Regardless, WOW. This idea of interactive theatre in the actual space itself is incredible. I can't imagine the algorithms and science behind this patent idea. It not only would be an amazing wow factor experience for guests, but would allow Universal to explore new territory. I do think Universal is mostly known for 'sitting and experiencing' like Transformers, Simpsons etc. Adding a new element of interactivity would be a huge feature for visitors. I do agree with Delaney though that some of the best parts about theme parks are the cold theatres were you can relax, watch a show and be still from all the craziness outside. Of course a patent does not guarantee any precipitant but definitely opened a new level of experience at amusement parks.
What a neat concept. It’s amazing how with the inclusion of technology, can change how audience members interact with the show.. Though there still seems to be many unanswered safety questions, I think audiences will be interested in the experience. At the least, it's a novel experience and will create a memory for the participant. However I worry that people will come to expect this when going to other types of live entertainment. Will people only be interested in seeing a live performance if there are fancy moving interactive seats? I also think that this could be used as an alternative to manually changing the setup of the theater for different show. In one space, a designer could design a show in the round and then design another show in a thrust or proscenium set up. Overall, I think this is a novel concept that I think could have many applications not only for Universal but also for other aspects of the entertainment industry.
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