Veteran entertainment technology and show control company MediaMation, Inc. of Torrance, CA, was tapped by World-wide entertainment company Merlin Entertainments based in Poole, Dorset, UK, to be the lead technical contractor for two major stateside installations of Merlin’s highly successful Legoland Discovery Centres.
Merlin operates an international network of high-profile location-based attractions, including Madame Tussauds, The Dungeons, Alton Towers Resort, Legoland, Sea life, Gardaland, The London Eye and others. The concept of the Legoland Discovery Centres attractions – already thriving in various parts of Europe – are based in popular shopping malls in large rented storefront areas. They feature 3D/4D theaters, rides, a Lego factory, opportunities to build Lego structures, as well as venues for kids’ birthday parties.
LegoLand Discovery Centres are debuting in the United States at two locations – The Streets of Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg, Illinois which opened in August 2008; and Xanadu, near Meadowlands, New Jersey, scheduled to open in August, 2009. For these two projects, MediaMation supplied a turnkey 3D/4D Theater system including custom red vinyl seats, screens, Special EFX, a 16-channel sound system, a 3-D digital projection system as well as a lighting, controls and programming/integration.
In addition, the Chicago and New Jersey venues represent the introduction of MediaMation’s innovative “rain system.” This new special effect builds from MediaMation’s 4D mist and water blast technology and is highly cost-effective — evenly distributing “rain water” for a more realistic overhead experience. Further, these projects highlight the flagship installations of “SoundMan Server” from Richmond Sound Design, as well as MediaMation’s computer-based multi-channel audio DSP processing. These new elements provide the attractions with pristine audio playback and digital sound quality in an integrated package.
To ensure the new American Legoland Discovery Centres remain true to the successful European formula in continuity and uniformity, MediaMation is working in close conjunction with Entertainment Resources of Germany, a company that was instrumental in the existing European installations. As a subcontractor to MediaMation, Entertainment Resources is assisting with design elements as well as certain aspects of show control programming and installation.
Notes Dan Jamele, MediaMation co-founder: “In these two Legoland Discovery Centre installations, and really, in every project we do, our motto is ‘Save Money and Get More.’ By integrating our ShowFlow™ controller with our new computer-based multi-channel DSP processing technology, it saved the client approximately $8, 000 USD when compared to traditional BBE or NION hardware-based systems. Plus, our DSP processing system includes 32-channel playback capability – a valuable feature that other systems don’t offer.”
In addition, as a result of the Discovery Centre projects, Legoland, California has purchased a similar seating system from MediaMation for use in its Sealife Aquarium attraction.
About MediaMation:
Throughout its nearly two decades in business, multi award-winning MediaMation has supplied products and/or services for projects associated with Universal Studios-Hollywood; The Houston Space Center Museum; the Marian Koshland Science Museum; the 2000 World’s Fair in Hanover, Germany; the Chicago Field Museum; the Xerox Olympic Spirit Attraction, Toronto; the Chicago Navy Pier; and major feature films such as “Jurassic Park III, ” “A.I. Artificial Intelligence, ” “The Perfect Storm, ” “Deep Blue Sea, ” “The Lost World: Jurassic Park” and “Terminator 3.” Other projects have included the Super Sea Creature Show in Korea; Underwater World in Australia; The Thomas Edison Museum in Kamakura, Japan; the Guggenheim Museum in Berlin and New York; the new Abraham Lincoln Library & Museum in Springfield, IL; the Time Machine 72-seat large screen motion simulator attraction in Suhzou, China; the Fair Oaks Dairy Adventure 68-seat motion simulator theater in Indiana; Atria Mall and Nirmal Mall in Mumbai, India and major upgrades to motion simulator theaters at Futuroscope in France and Bavaria Filmworks in Germany to name a few.
MediaMation is located at 2213 Border Avenue, Torrance, CA 90501. For more information, call 310-320-0696; fax 310-320-0699. The email address is Danj@mediamat.com. URL is mediamat.com.
