Join us at 9 am GMT on Thursday 16 January for our Innovation in Storytelling session at the Festival of Innovation.
Our guest speakers are Julie Swanston, executive creative director of Merlin Magic Making, and Nick Moran,co-founder / creative director of Phantom Peak.
They will discuss the importance of storytelling in attractions and how to maximise guest engagement. In addition, they will explore trends such as actor-led experiences, IP, and the use of technology.
The session will be available on demand for 30 days.
blooloop’sFestival of Innovationis taking place from 15 to 16 January 2025. The free online event invites the global visitor attractions community to explore the most innovative projects, products, and organisations that are shaping the future of the sector.
Register to attend
hereMeet the speakers
Julie Swanston is the executive creative director of concepts and new product development for Merlin Entertainments. As amember of Merlin Magic Making, Merlin's in-house creative team,she has led the development ofengaging attractions for the resort theme park and gateway divisions.
Her portfolio includes Thorpe Park's Hyperia rollercoaster,the tallest and fastest coasterin the UK. This ride isinspired by the story of Hyperia, the daughter of an ancient river God. She also worked onAlton Towers' Wicker Man ride, whichis regarded as the world's most immersive rollercoaster.
Swanston formerly served as VP of commissioning atBBC Studios, where she led original programming across the BBC'sglobal channels.
Julie Swanston and Nick Moran
Nick Moran is the creator and co-founder of Phantom Peak, a one-of-a-kind open-world immersive experience which debuted in 2023.
The experience is billed as a hybrid of immersive theatre, escape room, and real-life television series. Visitors can spend up to four hours exploring the enigmatic location, playing approximately 100 games and challenges, and interacting with the residents. Highlights include a boat trip, saloons, and dining options. Following its success in a 30,000-square-foot Wild West-themed town, Phantom Peak is expanding into the United States, with five new locations planned in the first phase.
Moran seeks to develop, script, and structureimmersive experiences, andconstruct richly complex universes that reward and encourage audience participation and agency.
He hasspent 10 yearsworking in experiential and escape rooms, entertaining hundreds of thousands of guestswith games and activations. In 2020, Moran foundedSpectre & Vox, a new genre of at-home entertainment experience that raised more than £250,000 on Kickstarter. He served as the creative director of Time Run, a London-based live gaming experience company, from 2015 to 2019.
The Innovation Awards
Theblooloop Innovation Awardspresented withAREA15celebrate the extraordinary dynamism, imagination and creativity that drive the attractions sector.
The winnersofthe 2024 Storytelling category will be revealed at this session. Attendees can browse all the entries during the event, and vote for their favourite to win our Public Choice Award.
Register to attendhere.
