BRC Imagination Arts, a full-service strategy, design, and production company, is celebrating the publication of Bob Rogers’ new book, Deep Story: A Complete Guide to Creating Transformational Visitor Attractions, which officially launched earlier this month.
The book reflects the instinct behind BRC Imagination Arts, which has matured over 45 years into the company's trademarked methodology.
Deep Story sets this process out in writing for the first time, and documents the tools and crafts behind the visitor experiences BRC Imagination Arts has created for brands, museums, and cultural institutions worldwide.
Christian Lachel, chief creative officer, BRC Imagination Arts, says: "Deep Story didn’t come from a whiteboard. It came out of Bob’s early days behind the magic counter at Disneyland, years making films, and decades of testing that instinct on real projects with real clients.
"It’s why we’ve never struggled to answer the question every client eventually asks: what’s your process? For us, the answer has always been the same. Marry the heart of a subject with the heart of an audience.
"We’ve watched that work, project after project, for decades. Bob spent thirty years teaching me this craft, and there’s nobody better placed to finally put it all in writing."
"Twenty years ago I walked into BRC’s office and thought to myself, ‘what kind of wizard brought together this island of misfit toys, and how do I become a part of it?’," says Brad Shelton, VP of creative and story, BRC Imagination Arts.
"More than two decades later, I’ve been lucky enough to be immersed in that culture Bob built and defined by the process he created and refined.
"Deep Story is the culmination of everything Bob has created in his 45 years with BRC, and it’s an open invitation for anyone to understand and redefine for themselves the process that revolutionized our industry and has been so important to my own life and career."
Story and transformation
Deep Story has already received praise from a wide readership, from academics and museum leaders to experience designers, theme park fans, and those curious about the craft of storytelling.
Among these voices are Bob Weis, retired president of Walt Disney Imagineering; Joe Pine, author of The Transformation Economy; and Melissa Oviedo, CEO of the Themed Entertainment Association.
For Rogers, Deep Story goes beyond the book itself to reflect his ethos of mentoring and sharing to support the next generation of experience makers.
Matt Solari, VP of creative and story, BRC Imagination Arts, says: "Bob taught a generation of us how to see a story hiding inside a place, an object, or deep inside the human heart.
"His mentorship shaped how I direct, how I write, and how I lead now that I’m lucky enough to help carry the company forward. This book is Bob doing what he does best: turning story and experience into something transformational."
"Deep Story feels at once new and deeply familiar to those of us Bob has mentored over the years," says Carmel Lewis, president, BRC Imagination Arts.
"It is chock full of thoughtfully honed ideas and practices that have shaped Bob as a creator and form the foundation upon which BRC is built. These principles truly animate Bob’s thinking and are at the core of his creative genius. I’m thrilled to see Deep Story come to fruition."
IAAPA Legends Europe
Today at IAAPA Expo Europe, Rogers is taking part in the inaugural IAAPA Legends Europe panel, which runs from 3.30 pm to 4.30 pm.
Titled IAAPA Legends Europe: Stories Behind the Experiences That Shaped an Industry, the session brings the iconic Legends Panel to IAAPA Expo Europe for the first time.
Hosted by Bart Dohmen, Rogers will be joined on the panel by Keith James, former CEO of JRA, IAAPA Hall of Fame member, recipient of the Buzz Price Thea Award for Lifetime Achievement; and Chip Cleary, creator of Splish Splash New York, former IAAPA Chairman of the Board and CEO, senior consultant to Europa-Park and Rulantica.
They will discuss the European projects that helped shape their careers, from the Heineken Experience to Autostadt and the ongoing evolution of Europa-Park. The conversation will explore the creative decisions, challenges, and lessons behind some of Europe's best-known visitor experiences.
Last month, BRC Imagination Arts shared details of its project to transform the exhibitions and guest experience at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum (HHPLM) in West Branch, Iowa.
Rebecca Hardy has over 10 years' experience in the culture and heritage sector. She studied Fine Art at university and has written for a broad range of creative organisations including artists, galleries, and retailers. When she's not writing, she spends her time getting lost in the woods and making mud pies with her young son.
