VICTORIA, BC – June 3, 2019 – Thinkwell Group Inc. (Thinkwell) partnered with CAVU Designwerks Inc. (CAVU), DreamCraft Attractions Ltd. (DreamCraft) and Framestore to develop in collaboration with Lionsgate, two new next-generation rides showcasing Lionsgate film properties.
These unprecedented attractions, The Twilight Saga: Midnight Ride and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Flight Rebel Escape, will launch this year at Lionsgate Entertainment World in China, a first of its kind indoor immersive entertainment destination that features various state-of-the-art VR, AR, and multimedia attractions, performances, dining, and exclusive retail experiences based on some of Lionsgate’s most popular film franchises.
For more information visit www.lewhengqin.com.
“CAVU and DreamCraft are excited to have collaborated with Lionsgate, Thinkwell and Framestore to introduce these revolutionary attractions to the industry at Lionsgate Entertainment World” explains Peter Schnabel, CEO of CAVU.
The Twilight Saga: Midnight Ride is an action packed hyper-reality VR experience set in the world of The Twilight Saga. “Midnight Ride is a VR motorcycle simulator that features real motorcycles, avatar embodiment and proprietary Predictive Ride TrackingTM. Dreamcraft has created a world’s first virtual ride path with real-time virtual motorcycle physics matched with real world motorcycles and motion bases." says Terry Sanderson, VR Producer at DreamCraft Attractions.
Mark Stepanian, VP Innovation & Engineering at CAVU describes Midnight Ride as a “first-of-its kind” attraction. “Guests can move throughout the Twilight world and interact with friends, family and familiar characters from a highly responsive motion base. Coupled with force feedback haptics, wind and scent, it is designed to fully engage all the senses. This ride makes for a truly ground-breaking experience.”
[Concept image by Thinkwell Group of Midnight Ride]
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Flight Rebel Escape places guests into the world of The Hunger Games, and takes them on a thrilling escape through the Capitol. As the first enclosed motion simulator in mainland China, this state of the art simulator is entirely electric and runs silently without environmental concerns.
The 6DOF (degrees of freedom) motion base supports a 30-person cabin and features an eye-popping digital presentation, this attraction delivers a vivid and realistic experience guests will love.
[Media frame of Mockingjay Flight Rebel Escape, courtesy of Framestore]
Lionsgate recognizes the need for focused expertise to move the industry forward through seamless collaboration. CAVU’s ride systems engineering talent combined with DreamCraft’s technical prowess, Framestore’s media expertise and Thinkwell’s creative and production leadership made The Twilight Saga: Midnight Ride possible along with the state-of-the-art immersive cabin simulator The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Flight Rebel Escape
About CAVU Designwerks Inc.
CAVU Designwerks provides attractions for a variety of entertainment applications. The company's original designs, engineering experience and cutting edge fabrication, combined with uncompromising quality standards, allows CAVU to offer attractions that deliver an exceptional guest experience, ride performance and ROI. CAVU's global headquarters is in Victoria, BC, Canada, with offices in the US, China and Saudi Arabia.
For more information visit www.cavudw.com.
About DreamCraft Attractions Ltd.
DreamCraft is pioneering fully immersive experiences using advanced VR and AR technology. With a strong focus on innovation, DreamCraft combines the hardware systems, proprietary software and storyline adaptations to build the next generation of attractions. DreamCraft has secured two major patents since 2016 and continues to define the next wave of immersive experiences. DreamCraft Attractions is headquartered in Victoria BC,
www.dreamcraftattractions.com
Media Contact
Sarah Brack
Senior Marketing Coordinator
Office +1 250 598 2189
Cell +1 250 889 4852
Email sarah@cavudw.com
About Lionsgate
The first major new studio in decades, Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B) is a global content leader whose films, television series, digital products, and linear and over-the-top platforms reach next-generation audiences around the world. In addition to its filmed entertainment leadership, Lionsgate content drives a growing presence in interactive and location-based entertainment, video games, e-sports and other new entertainment technologies. Lionsgate’s content initiatives are backed by a nearly 17,000-title film and television library and delivered through a global sales and distribution infrastructure. The Lionsgate brand is synonymous with original, daring and groundbreaking content created with special emphasis on the evolving patterns and diverse composition of the company’s worldwide consumer base.
CONTACT:
Jim Yeager
breakwhitelight (for Lionsgate)
jim@breakwhitelight.com
Office: 424-644-0225
Cell: 818-264-6812
About Thinkwell Group
Thinkwell Group is a global experience design and production agency with studios in Los Angeles, Montreal, Beijing, Abu Dhabi and Riyadh. Founded in 2001, Thinkwell specializes in the creation of theme parks, destination resorts, major branded and intellectual property attractions, events & spectaculars, museums & exhibits, expos and live shows around the world.
This award-winning company has become a leader in experiential design by bringing a unique holistic approach to every creative engagement, delivering extraordinary results to notable clients over the years, including Fortune 500 companies, movie studios, museums, theme parks and destination resorts. For more information visit: www.thinkwellgroup.com or www.thinkwellgroup.cn
Notable theme park projects include the newly opened and critically acclaimed Warner Bros. Theme Park in Abu Dhabi, The Marking of Harry Potter Experience at Leavsden Studios, London, multiple shows and attractions for Universal Studios Florida, Hollywood and Sentosa, Ski Dubai and Ski Egypt.
Media Contacts
Los Angeles: Katherine Mitchell kmitchell@thinkwellgroup.com
Beijing: Shaw Shang +86 188 1045 1080 sshang@thinkwellgroup.com
About Framestore
Known globally for their visual effects, With a pool of 2400 talented artists and producers in studios across the globe, Framestore has a proud history creating extraordinary images and scenes for some of Hollywood’s biggest pictures, collecting every possible industry award along the way.
In 2008, Framestore won their first Oscar for Best Visual Effects for the film The Golden Compass; they also won the BAFTA Award for that film the same year. Framestore was also nominated for Oscars in 2007 (Superman Returns), in 2009 (The Dark Knight) and again in 2010 (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1).
Tim Webber was the VFX supervisor on Gravity (2013), and the techniques involved in the film realised by Webber and the Framestore team took three years to complete. The team won the best visual effects awards BAFTA Award for Best Special Visual Effects at the 67th British Academy Film Awards, and the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects award at the 86th Academy Awards.
Most recently, Framestore was received the Oscar for Best Visual Effects at the 90th Academy Awards, for its work on Denis Villeneuve’s Blade Runner 2049.
Media Contact
Martin Izzard +44 (0)20 7344 8000
martin.izzard@framestore.com
About Village Roadshow Theme Parks
Part of Village Roadshow Limited, a leading international entertainment & media company, Village Roadshow Theme Parks (VRTP) is an international theme park operator with operations in Australia, the United States & China. The company is Australia’s largest theme park operator with Warner Bros. Movie World, Sea World Australia, Wet’n’Wild Gold Coast, Paradise Country, Australian Outback Spectacular, Village Roadshow Studios, Sea World Resort & Australia’s first Topgolf. In the United States, VRTP is the majority owner & operator of Wet’n’Wild Las Vegas in Nevada. In addition, VRTP opened China’s first International water park with Wet’n’Wild Haikou and will operate Lionsgate Entertainment World, Asia’s first movie themed indoor interactive experience centre in Novotown, Hengquin, China.
About Lionsgate Entertainment World
Lionsgate Entertainment World is one of China’s most technologically advanced Theme Parks. It is one of the key attractions in Novotown – an integrated tourism and entertainment project in Hengqin invested by Hong Kong Lai Sun Group. Spanning across 22,000 sqm of premium indoor space, Lionsgate Entertainment World is set to bring to life some of Lionsgate’s most successful film franchises, including
The Hunger Games; The Twilight Saga; The Divergent Series; Now You See Me; Escape Plan; and
Gods of Egypt, with over 20 interactive and immersive attractions and rich entertainment