Six keynote talks by haunt industry experts are scheduled for Innovation in Interactivity at Knott’s Berry Farm, California.
The Leadership Symposium runs for one day, August 1st. Each of the six keynote speeches will be themed around one aspect of interactivity. The symposium is jointly sponsored by the Haunted Attraction Network and Gantom Lighting & Controls.
The Haunted Attraction Network is the largest global media body for the haunted attraction industry. Its aim is to help haunt professionals achieve more through education, inspiration, and information.
Ricky Brigante is founder and Editor-in-Chief of InsideTheMagic.net. He is also Producer and Technical Director of Pseudonym Productions. His presentation, “How to Empower Your Audience,” talks about how to fully immerse the audience by including them as lead characters in stories. “This industry is rapidly changing, and interactivity has become a must,” says Brigante. “I’m excited to deliver knowledge I’ve gained from experiencing and working on some of the most groundbreaking new forms of entertainment on the planet.”
Dr. Margee Kerr is a sociologist and author who conducts research on how and why people engage with “scary” material. She is a co-researcher in a study that measures how the brain and body respond to “fun-scary” experiences such as haunted attractions and thrill rides.
“You Want Me to Do What?” is the title of her talk on how to train actors in the science of immersive interactivity.
Brian Luallen is Director of Attractions at The Queen Mary/Evolution Hospitality. He will present “Historic Chills: Creating Interactive Experiences in Protected Spaces” that will explain how to work with the challenge of creating haunted attractions in protected historic spaces.
Scott Swenson is a producer, director, writer, and performer. His presentation “It All Starts with a Story” will discuss the importance of strong storytelling to guide both the artistic and operational elements of any attraction.
“I’m thrilled to be a part of this ground-breaking event,” says Swenson. “It will be a thunderstorm of experience and talent that will come crashing down in one location for one day. Don’t miss it!”
Quan Gan is CEO of Gantom Lighting & Controls. During his time at college he worked as an actor in a haunted house. It inspired him and his wife Charlie Xu, to start the first Halloween Haunted attraction in Mainland China. Gantom, formerly Darklight, specialises in the illumination of low-light and space-constrained environments. Its award-winning products have been installed around the world in theme parks, museums, bars and clubs, and haunted venues attractions.
Ken Parks and John Cooke from Knott’s Berry Farm are also scheduled to give a presentation, about the logistics behind their scares.
The day will end with a behind-the-scenes tour of the freshly redesigned interactive maze at Knott’s Scary Farm.
Image courtesy of Haunted Attraction Network.
