Attraction design is an exquisite fusion of artistry, engineering and storytelling that transports visitors to immersive and unforgettable worlds. Behind the scenes of every thrilling roller coaster, enchanting dark ride or interactive museum exhibit lies a team of talented professionals dedicated to crafting captivating experiences. At the forefront of this magical realm is LCI Productions, a company renowned for its exceptional expertise in attraction design.
With a unique perspective and unwavering commitment to innovation, LCI Productions continues to shape the landscape of captivating entertainment.
Guiding the way with light trails
If you’ve ever experienced a light trail, you know that you’re in for a visual delight. These enchanting displays captivate the senses and transport guests to a world of wonder.
LCI Productions is well-versed in the art of light trail experiences. The firm carefully crafts immersive environments that evoke a sense of awe through the interplay of light, colour and motion. Visitors embark on a journey through illuminated pathways. In the process, they become enveloped in a symphony of vibrant hues and mesmerising patterns.
One of LCI Productions’ notable light trail experiences was created for Windsor Great Park. This took place between November 2022 and January earlier this year. Led by event producers IMG, the second edition of the Windsor Great Park Illuminated seasonal light trail unveiled a new and creative design. This extraordinary trail featured captivating installations. These brought the nearby forest and water to life in a dazzling array of colours.
LCI Productions enhances light trail
The collaboration with LCI Productions brought enhanced elements, intensified lighting, and an immersive atmosphere. It also prioritised the preservation of the park’s flora, fauna, and wildlife.
“Our objective was to build upon last year’s concept by enhancing the site’s flow, creating a more significant impact, and adding that ‘wow factor’,” says Rob Paul, design director of LCI Productions.
“What made this site particularly special is the breathtaking panoramic views it offers, unlike any other trail. We aimed to capitalise on this unique feature, ensuring that guests were visually and narratively enticed to the next experience, eagerly anticipating what lay ahead along the trail.”
By carefully crafting distinct zones with unique and immersive experiences, LCI Productions created a natural progression. This keeps guests engaged and excited. Each zone is designed to entice visitors and build anticipation for what lies ahead along the trail. This intentional approach ensures that guests are drawn to the next experience, encouraging them to explore the entire trail and maximising their overall enjoyment.
Storytelling is key
The trail encompassed 11 distinct zones. Each showcased traditional light trail elements such as LED beacons, architectural lighting, and pixel chains. Additionally, interactive experiences like hydro screens, aquatic and 3D projection mapping, immersive holograms of forest creatures, floating fairies, and motion-tracked fireflies added to the enchantment.
LCI Productions integrated storytelling throughout the trail, weaving a cohesive and unforgettable experience that sparked visitors’ imagination.
“We wanted to keep fan favourites, such as the sea of light, a 69-metre by 16-metre display created using LED pixel lights array, and transform other areas of the park to give visitors more intrigue”, Paul explains.
For the 2022 light trail, storytelling took centre stage, drawing from LCI’s expertise in the attractions industry.
By integrating storytelling into the visitor flow, it helped to add a layer of depth to the overall experience. Visitors are not simply moving from one attraction to another; they are actively participating in a narrative journey. Each scene and storyline unfolds in a way that guides guests organically from one point to the next. This keeps them engaged and eager to discover what awaits them around the corner.
“While there was no pre-existing IP or storyline, our aim was to weave narrative elements throughout the trail, featuring characters to create a cohesive and unforgettable experience that sparks visitors’ imagination,” Paul says.
LCI Productions delivers full audio, visual and lighting
LCI delivered the full audio, visual and lighting production for this project. This included technical design, concept creation, original media and audio scores. The team also worked on installation, show programming and onsite maintenance throughout the live dates.
Notable features throughout the trail included ‘Lake View,’ which featured illuminated water fountains. There was also a water screen that showcased a festive display of Santa and Christmas elves. Other highlights of the trail consisted of a fairy disco, an LED tunnel of light, and a projection-mapped ‘Dreaming Tree’. LCI incorporated interactivity in the Firefly Forest, with an infrared camera detecting the motion of approaching guests.
“These experiences and the benefits they bring don’t just have to take place within a themed entertainment setting,” Paul says.
“We’re seeing a growing trend for light trails and other technologies such as projection mapping being used within placemaking to help create destinations. These draw in the crowds for a longer period of time than just a few hours in the evening, benefitting the wider hospitality industry”.
A UK first
LCI Productions’ expertise extends beyond light trails. With over 20 years of experience in the entertainment industry, it has designed and installed various attractions worldwide. The firm’s portfolio includes several immersive experiences. For example, the UK’s first permanently installed 3D projection mapping on a high street in Boscombe.
LCI created this innovative attraction in collaboration with Bournemouth Towns Fund. It showcases regularly updated shows and has transformed the space into a multifunctional destination.
The show launched with a ‘Love Boscombe’ theme for Valentine’s Day. It featured 3D content that floated above the surface including hearts moving across the screen, pulsating, spinning and circling around the building. Images that represent the Boscombe seafront and artwork from local residents also came to life.
The experience has been future-proofed and designed so that the content and show can be regularly updated. Different shows will take place throughout the year. Live sports can also be streamed, creating the ultimate immersive viewing experience on the side of the building.
“This has created a multifunctional space and will encourage people to revisit throughout the year,” says Paul. “As attraction designers, we must consider the practical aspects of safety, accessibility, and crowd flow.
“These elements are seamlessly integrated into the overall attraction design to ensure that guests can enjoy the experience comfortably and securely. Attention to detail, careful planning, and rigorous testing are all essential to guarantee a smooth and enjoyable visit for everyone”.
Projection mapping at Hampton Court Palace
Earlier last year, LCI Productions joined forces with the experienced designers and consultants at Pastporte to create a truly mesmerising projection-mapped experience for Halloween at Hampton Court.
The historic Hampton Court Palace provided the perfect backdrop for this immersive and spine-tingling event. Through the masterful use of projection mapping technology, LCI Productions together with experiential designer Pastporte, transformed the palace into a haunting spectacle. The experience brought ghostly apparitions, eerie creatures, and mystical scenes to life.
The meticulously designed projections danced across the architectural features of the palace, seamlessly blending with its intricate details. The collaboration resulted in a one-of-a-kind experience. This immersed visitors in a world of Halloween enchantment, leaving them in awe of the stunning visuals and the hauntingly captivating atmosphere.
LCI Productions brings spooky experience to life
“Working in collaboration with immersive experience designers and consultants, Pastporte, we used a variation of audio and visual technologies to cast eerie projections of former palace residents and buried workmen.
“Along with frightening moving portraits and retellings of the darkest of ghost stories, a dedicated ‘Séance’ projection area projected images of an Ouija board and other supernatural elements across the interior palace walls, to depict the chilling feeling of ectoplasmic presence.”
“Building immersive experiences through attraction design is about creating a world where reality and imagination converge. It’s about weaving together artistry, technology, and storytelling to transport visitors to extraordinary realms. The belief that every guest deserves a truly unforgettable adventure is what drives us. And we strive to bring that magic to life through our meticulous attention to detail and innovative approach” says Paul.
Technology meets creativity
LCI Productions stands as a clear leader in the world of attraction design, crafting immersive experiences with the addition of new technologies that ignite the imagination and captivate audiences.
Through its expertise in light trails and other themed attractions, LCI Productions continues to create transformative environments that transport visitors to extraordinary realms of enchantment. With its commitment to artistry, and pioneering the use of new technologies and innovation, LCI Productions shapes the landscape of captivating entertainment, leaving a lasting impression on all who embark on their enchanting journeys.
