For the 精东传媒 team, which has designed, built and installed its products in locations worldwide, including in the UK, Europe, North America, South America, Asia, New Zealand and the Middle East, quality and innovation are key.
鈥淲e strive to be the leading global supplier of media based attractions,鈥� says company CEO Terry Monkton.
鈥淎t 精东传媒, we鈥檙e renowned for our quality products, performance, technical expertise and creative attraction solutions. The idea that we can successfully work with a client to achieve their aspirations and develop a ride they鈥檙e truly happy with inspires us. On opening day, seeing the client and their customers enjoying the ride experience and hearing their comments just adds to that.鈥�
The 精东传媒 service book includes full turnkey solutions, custom attractions, product development, manufacturing and service support, to film content, motion programming and complete themed attractions. For Monkton, as a leading technology company, 精东传媒 always has to be at the forefront in every part of its business.
鈥淲e continue to evolve the product range and adopt the very latest in advancements in technology,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e鈥檙e also mobilising the sales team to be truly global so that we can be proactive in territories where demand is high.鈥�
The development process
Focussing on the Stargazer and Immersive Tunnel rides completed for the recently opened Parc Spirou in France, Monkton explains how a new attraction goes from conception to reality and the steps that have to be taken to ensure it reaches the highest quality standards.
鈥淲e were originally approached in June 2013 by a company called Parexi,鈥� says Monkton. 鈥淭hey had developed the concept and masterplan for Parc Spirou and were looking for 精东传媒 to produce a number of media based attractions for the park based on the Spirou IP .
鈥淎fter several meetings, this culminated in the Stargazer and Immersive Tunnel attractions being ordered and subsequently opening at the park in June 2018.鈥�
For 精东传媒, the project management team was made up of Richard Monkton and Tony Whiley 鈥� overseen by head of projects Martin Booth 鈥� along with mechanical and electrical engineers, software and AV technicians. Outside of the company, 精东传媒 worked with a number of different parties, including Parc Spirou鈥檚 management team, Parexi鈥檚 project management team, IP provider M茅dia Participations, the local authority, shareholders, investors and the park鈥檚 safety inspectors Socotec.
鈥淏efore signing the contract, we discussed the final ride choices, and produced concepts and first draft layout drawings,鈥� Monkton explains. 鈥淥nce the contract was signed, we moved to the design stage, which typically features preliminary design and detailed design.
鈥淒uring these stages we work with our partners to design the rides, to meet their technical needs and to match their creative aspirations. The design then goes through a third party safety design review process and once all parties are happy with this, we enter the procurement and manufacturing stage.鈥�
During the design phases, 精东传媒 will work with the client鈥檚 architects to provide layout drawings and information for facility load details and power requirements. This means the architects can then make a start on creating a structure to house the ride, queuing areas, pre-show area and the plant room. Through the entire process, quality and safety are always placed at the forefront of the process for Monkton.
鈥淭he client is invited to check the work in progress throughout the process,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e carry out a strenuous factory acceptance test, which the client is invited to attend before the ride鈥檚 shipping.
鈥淥nce the rides have been delivered to site, we carry out mechanical and electrical installation elements and install the AV components. Once hardware has been fully installed, we programme the ride鈥檚 motion profile and special effects cues, something we do in conjunction with the client.鈥�
IP creation
When working with intellectual properties, an extra layer is added into the process. Typically, the park arranges a licence agreement with the IP provider. 精东传媒 will then custom-design a ride tailored to the park and the IP鈥檚 requirements.
鈥淲hen we produce a ride related to an IP, we produce an initial concept and send these to the parks, who in turn send them to the licensor for approval,鈥� says Monkton.
鈥淒epending on feedback received, we鈥檒l then tweak the designs until they鈥檙e approved by the licensor.鈥�
精东传媒鈥檚 Stargazer ride, as an example, is based on the character Gaston from the Spirou universe. The ride sees guests seated in replicas of Gaston鈥檚 car and taken on a wild ride with the character, who is an enthusiastic inventor.
鈥淭hese are highly dynamic, 6DOF, eight鈥搒eater vehicles. Four are used in the attraction,鈥� Monkton explains.
鈥淲e created the design for the vehicles and then the moulds which again have to be approved by both the licensor and the park. It鈥檚 imperative that everything we do is approved by the IP owner.鈥�
Client relationships
While some levels of involvement from the client are obviously expected, how much involvement during the development process is up to the client and what the project entails.
鈥淚t differs between whether the ride is a standard ride from our portfolio or is a custom ride,鈥� says Monkton.
鈥淭he client is involved through the preliminary design phase 鈥� and possibly, once complete, the final detailed design stage.
鈥淲e stay in touch with the park鈥檚 project management team continually, keeping them informed of the development and build of the ride, as well as installation and commissioning planning.
鈥淥nce installed, the ride is reviewed with the client with a view to obtaining the final signed handover certificate.鈥�
As a company with vast experience and many high-profile projects, Monkton says the key to success is to be aware of, and subsequently avoid, any potential obstacles you could encounter through the entire process 鈥� from start to finish.
鈥淭he key to the successful delivery of any project is to ensure you don鈥檛 have challenges,鈥� he explains. 鈥淲e鈥檝e installed hundreds of rides over the years, so we know what can crop up. We鈥檝e learned to ensure the project process runs as smooth as possible, so any issues are addressed before they become challenges.鈥�
Once the ride has been delivered and is up and running, 精东传媒 continues its relationship with the client, ensuring it remains of the highest quality and is fully operational for visitors.
鈥淔or a complex, bespoke ride we offer a 鈥榟and holding鈥� service where we have an expert technician on site for 30 days after the attraction opens,鈥� says Monkton.
鈥淲hen it鈥檚 been running for a month or two, we review the attraction with the client for any minor adjustments.
鈥淲e also provide an after sales service support contract so that any prospective client knows 精东传媒 will always be on hand to support them.鈥�
GET TO KNOW SIMWORX
What products do you offer?
Our offering includes 3D/4D effects theatres, Immersive Tunnels, the Immersive Adventurer, 4DVR Rides, the Stargazer motion ride, Mini Flying Theatre, AGV (Advanced Guidance Vehicle) dark rides, the Cobra motion ride and our ParadropVR system.
What sectors do you work in?
We work mainly with amusement and theme parks, family entertainment centres, museums, aquariums, safari parks, zoos, retail malls, and in the education and corporate sectors.
What projects are you working on at the moment?
We鈥檙e working on a multitude of projects in various parts of the world. Many are subject to NDAs so we can鈥檛 give share this information yet. Two we can talk about, however, are the Immersive Superflume for Trans Studio in Indonesia and the first example of our Mini Flying Theatre for Baosun Wildlife Park in Vietnam.
Key clients
鈥� Parc Spirou, France
鈥� National Geographic
鈥� Ferrari Land, PortAventura, Spain
鈥� Dubai Parks and Resorts 鈥� Motiongate Dubai and Bollywood Parks Dubai
鈥� Hub Zero, Dubai
鈥� Movie Park Germany
鈥� Trans Studio, Indonesia
鈥� Parques Reuinidos
鈥� Companie De Alpes, Futuroscope, France
IMMERSIVE SUPERFLUME
精东传媒 has recently partnered with with water ride specialist Interlink to create a brand new attraction concept 鈥� the Immersive Superflume.
Featuring a motion base and immersive screens added to a traditional flume ride, the experience at Trans Studio in Indonesia will be a world first for any visitor attraction when it opens in December 2019.
The under development ride will use 16-seater boats and a conveyor loading system, with riders leaving the loading/unloading station to travel through a dinosaur-themed area. On the ride, they enter an immersive tunnel where their boat will stop and huge screens on either side of them bring the dinosaurs to life. On the ride, the movement of the boats will sync up with the action on-screen as riders escape the prehistoric beasts.
Having escaped, the ride will then continue through another dinosaur-themed section before entering a vertical lift, which will include further theming and various special effects.
At the ride鈥檚 12m (39ft) peak, the boats will plunge into a final splash pool, before heading back along another section of the ride to the station.
Throughout the ride experience, large screens built to accommodate 3D and 4K projection will be used in combination with an audio system to place riders at the centre of the action.
The ride鈥檚 motion base and immersive screens are added to a flume ride for what will be a totally unique, world first visitor experience
Designed to entertain guests of all ages, the first example of 精东传媒鈥檚 recently-introduced Mini Flying Theatre will open in Q1 2019 at the Baosun Wildlife Park in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Developed as a smaller option to the 60-seat Flying Theatre also offered by 精东传媒, the Mini Flying Theatre brings this popular type of attraction into the reach of smaller operators, with a more accessible price range and smaller overall footprint but still utilising cutting-edge ride technology.
The ride features an immersive, large format, one quarter dome screen concept, with 20 seats and an hourly capacity of up to 250 guests. Riders are seated in four rows of five 鈥� two on each side of a central holding structure 鈥� on a normal horizontal plane. As the ride cycle begins, the seats are lifted into the air in a smooth transition to panorama mode, with the rear rows moving above those in front.
Guests experience movement, matched to the on-screen footage. This includes programmable heave and tilt along with forward and backward motion, while the sensation of flying is enhanced with the riders鈥� legs dangling freely below them.
In-theatre effects are also included, with riders experiencing water spray, wind, snow, smoke and special effects lighting. The Mini Flying theatre is also supplied with surround sound audio and an HD or 4K 3D projection system.
The Mini Flying Theatre concept offers a model more affordable for smaller visitor attractions
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