Randomised Movie-based Attractions

[CafeFantasia]

I have an Imagineering idea. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think this has been done yet in a theme park...

What's the biggest problem with movie-based attractions, such as HISTA, CineMagique, Timekeeper, etc? The answer is, they're always the same. Once you've seen the movie once, there isn't a great need to see it again, 'cos your experience will be exactly the same. Right?

A lot of regular multiplex cinemas are NOW starting to use digital projectors, while the majority of movie-based theme park attractions are still using traditional film projectors. The benefit of using digltal projectors, other than the improved picture quality, is that they can project ANYTHING. By that I mean, they aren't limited to showing what's on a fixed, pre-recorded film strip. They can show live video footage, they can show real-time computer animation, and they can show something different every time.

The part where this gets interesting is, rather than a movie-based attraction being identical every time you see it, imagine if certain sections were different? Imagine if they had several alternative versions of certain scenes, with one version being chosen at random for your screening.

Just imagine how cool this technology would be in an attraction like CineMagique. You know the part where Martin Short steps on his coat, over the puddle? Once you've seen the movie once, you know exactly what's going to happen. Every time he steps on his coat, he's going to fall straight through that puddle. Well, not if that was just one of three possible options. For example:

- Option 1: He falls straight through the puddle
- Option 2: He steps on his coat, and trips on it, falling over in the puddle
- Option 3: He steps on his coat, everythings fine, but then a lorry drives through another puddle and soaks him

So, every time you see the movie, something different happens, which makes the experience more exciting. You don't know and can't predict what's going to happen. Each showing is diffferent, randomised and will surprise you.

Keywords: Randomised Film Concept, Randomized Film Concept

[CafeFantasia]

Almost 4 years ago I posted this idea. I thought it would be interesting to re-visit it, now that Star Tours: The Adventures Continue is almost open. The new Star Tours uses this exact same principle; a digitally projected video with randomised options, that is seamlessly edited together in real-time.

It would really take a movie like CineMagique to the next level, if, each time you watched it, it was slightly different. Randomised video fixes the main problem with movie-based attractions, which is, they have a low repeatability factor because they're always exactly the same experience.

[Josh]

I agree. It would be really cool if they visited more film genres.

[Pete's Dragon]

Is this not Star Tours 2 with it boastful 200+ versions? If they cant afford to install that I wouldn't hold my breath for any similar technology. Actually, I wouldnt hold my breath for anything. Well maybe if I was underwater, or someone farted in a lift ......

[DGRavenswood]

It's 54 versions, actually.... And did anyone really say that they don't install Star Tours 2 because they can't afford it...?

To get back on topic, I agree that CinéMagique lends itself to a concept of this kind, having a choice of different movies at each transition. Only in this case it would really drive costs up a great deal, since they have to pay royalties for each movie used...

[CafeFantasia]

Yes, Star Tours 2 has 54 possible combinations of ride film: 2 x 3 x 3 x 3 = 54

[Columbiad]

I think this could work fantastically with Cinemagie. Whilst I don't think the footage of the films he is travellng through should be altered, his mootments/speech should be, to emphasise him not being part of the film.

Although a choice of differant movies would be fantastic aswel.

[CafeFantasia]

Yes, great idea. To save money on royalties (as David said) Martin Short could travel through the same films, but his dialogue and reactions could be randomised in certain scenes. It really would give the feeling of the movie being alive/real, supporting Disney's tagline "This reel is real".

I'm trying to think what other attractions at Disneyland Paris could benefit from this randomised video technology. There aren't many. The only attractions that are mostly movie/projection based are:

• Star Tours
• Captain EO
• CinéMagique
• Stitch Live!
• Art of Disney Animation

Star Tours and CinéMagique are really the most obvious choices. Maybe if Soarin' comes to the Walt Disney Studios Park one day, that too could have a randomised movie, so that you don't always fly over exactly the same locations.