Me vs. we: co-creation in experiential attraction design

From blue sky to opening day, attraction design is a highly collaborative process, with co-creation between several teams. As a project progresses through the assessment, ideation, development, design, and construction phases, teams are brought in at different times. But when and how they contribute, and on what, is changing.

This is because the relationship between creators, tech partners, and installers is growing even more interdependent. Collaborative technology is not only making it easier to communicate, but it’s also allowing complex operations to be completed off-site. Bart Kresa calibrated the Shogyo Mujo skull at AREA15 remotely using PTZ cameras, for example.

“Collaboration with new and exciting companies also allows us to push the boundaries of what people can expect from modern entertainment.”

Sol Song is the creative director at Moongate Design Studio, a company he founded with managing director David Newman by gathering talent with experience of working with Disney, Universal, and 20th Century Fox agrees. He adds that while a creative blank check is always nice, collaboration usually takes place within a tighter framework.

“Most of the time, the client has a high-level vision in mind,” Song says. “Visualization is always necessary to communicate the vision to ensure alignment, direction, and approval. The freedom to go through an ideation process will deliver the best results. Naturally, as creatives, we are aware of the Timeline and financials help set the finish line.”

“It’s then in the second phase that we begin to consider the ‘how’. This is when we introduce existing or new technologies and attempt to see if our earlier ideas were possible. It is often at this stage that we have to rethink certain elements or make compromises. That is inevitable in any project. We have garnered such experience in live entertainment, however, that often we are thinking several steps ahead. So, we will have a very good idea of how to deliver a certain element.”

Newman has a similar take:

“The ‘what’ and the ‘how’ need to be considered equally. But individual ownership should be different. This is an example where the ‘we’ will deliver more than a ‘me’. A balanced team is essential. A creative director, art director, technical director, and producer will work together to create the best experience.

“The creative goal should be to push the extraordinary and develop new ideas. The production team will be there to support their vision, but remind the team what can genuinely be accomplished under the project constraints.”

“Our experience of working with Panasonic Connect on Chaos Karts so far is the perfect example,” continues Lionetti-Maguire. “An equipment supplier will often do the bare minimum, dropping off an installing kit and walking away without any further care for the project. This is shortsighted.

“A great technology partner, like Panasonic Connect, will invest time and care into their partner’s project. They know that in the long run, this will be a mutually beneficial endeavour. In the true spirit of partnership and collaboration, it is also in these instances that we can solve problems. The overall product will be made better by both sets of teams bringing their various expertise to aggrandize the end product.”