General
Huffington Post — How SeaWorld keeps the body clocks of its Antarctic penguins on South Pole Time
You know that
out-of-sync feeling you have for those first few days after Daylight Savings
Time? Where your internal body clock is telling you that it's one time while
the light levels outside are telling you that it's an entirely different time?
Well, then imagine how tough it must be to be an Antarctic
penguin on display in Orlando.
Where — because you're now living in the Northern Hemisphere rather than the
Southern — you're a full six months out-of-sync. And because the light outside
is telling you that it's Fall while your internal body clock is telling you
that it's Spring, you now don't know whether to mate or molt.
Copyright SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. All rights reserved
Well, back in 1983, the animal care specialists at SeaWorld
Parks & Entertainment recognized that being over 8,000 miles away from home
might be an issue for these aquatic, flightless birds. Which is why — when
they were building SeaWorld San Diego's Penguin Encounter exhibit some 30 years
ago — SeaWorld not only installed a ridiculously large air conditioning unit
(to keep this habitat at a brisk 30 degrees) but also hung an elaborate
lighting rig which then allowed them to replicate Antarctica's
seasonal light cycle.
Now you have to understand that no one in zoological circles
had ever done something like this before. Combining quartz halogen lights,
LEDS, metal halide lights, and theatrical sunset lamps to replicate
what the sunlight was supposed to be like in another part of the world.
Mind you, the folks at SeaWorld San Diego didn't stop there.
They then went on make daily adjustments to the Penguin Encounter's lightning
pattern. So that — for the flightless birds living in this exhibit space —
the sun would first rise and then set at the exact time as it would down at the
South Pole. They even made an effort to simulate Antarctica's
springtime light and wintertime dark.
Copyright SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. All rights reserved
As you might imagine, a behind-the-scene effort like this —
especially back in the early 1980s — was very hands-on. With the animal care
specialists at SeaWorld San Diego (not to mention the electricians who worked
at this theme park) constantly flipping switches, adjusting dimmers and
replacing light bulbs as they tried to get this habitat's light levels just
right.
Of course, there were those who wondered if all this extra
effort & expense would ever pay off. I mean, what could possibly be gained
by keeping the birds who were on display in Penguin Encounter on the exact same
light cycle as their natural counterparts down at the South Pole?
A lot, actually. According to the veterinarians who worked
at SeaWorld San Diego, once the aquatic, flightless birds were placed in sync
with their natural lighting cycle, there was a noticeable uptick in these penguins'
overall health & level of social engagement. Which perhaps explains the more
than 500 chicks have been hatched & raised in this habitat, including the
zoological world's first-ever emperor and chinstrap penguins.
Copyright SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. All rights reserved
Now jump ahead to 2010, when the folks at SeaWorld Parks
& Entertainment had just decided to build Antarctica:
Empire of the Penguin. This 4 acre addition to SeaWorld Orlando would the
largest in that theme park's history and would feature a high-tech ride, a
restaurant and a gift shop. But its real highlight would be the
6,125-square-foot habitat found at the very end of this attraction. Where nearly 250 penguins from
four different Antarctic species would then frolic inside of a 144,300-gallon
salt water tank.
And — of course — to help keep the aquatic, flightless
birds on display here healthy & happy, SeaWorld Orlando was going to do
just what SeaWorld San Diego had done with its Penguin Encounter exhibit back
in the early 1980s. It was going to try and replicate the exact seasonal light
conditions that are found down at the South Pole.
Now you have to understand that we've come an awfully long way from those old hand-adjusted
dimmers / light switch days at SeaWorld San Diego. For this new SeaWorld Orlando attraction, Lightswitch did
the overall lighting design for the ride itself, the penguin exhibit, the restaurant and the overall area) while Candela Controls installed & integrated much of the lighting. But at the very heart of the operation, it's not human beings who are now deciding what the appropriate light levels should be for this habitat. But — rather — it's a computer that now powers the Antarctica:
Empire of the Penguin's interior lighting system. And it's this computer's
programming that now adjusts the light levels in this SeaWorld Orlando habitat
on a daily basis to recreate natural sunrise-to-sunset as well as seasonal
light patterns.
Copyright SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. All rights reserved
More to the point: Though quartz halogen may have been used in previous penguin exhibits at SeaWorld parks, the new designs for these habitats are a lot more energy
efficient (at least from a lighting point-of-view) since these theme parks now only use metal halide, fluorescent and LED. In fact, one of the main reasons that SeaWorld uses metal halide & fluorescent light in these exhibits is to deliver the correct amount of UV for this flightless, aquatic birds.
And speaking of seasonal light patterns: When Antarctica:
Empire of the Penguin first opened back in May of this year, many visitors to
SeaWorld Orlando's newest addition were disappointed when they discovered how
low light levels were inside of this new habitat. Which — because of this
theme park's no-flash-photography-inside-of-animal-exhibits policy — made it
very difficult to get decent photographs of all the Gentoo, Adelie &
Rockhopper penguins on display there.
As you might expect, there was a reason that light levels
inside of Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin were kept so
low six months ago. You see, May is the South Pole's equivalent of November.
And given that it can be dark 20 hours a day during this time of year down in
the Antarctica … Well, that's why it was only SeaWorld Orlando visitors who
entered this habitat between 10:30 a.m. & 1:30 p.m. who got to see these
aquatic, flightless birds under full simulated sunlight conditions.
Copyright SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. All rights reserved
But the upside is — now that Spring has finally come to the
South Pole — the days are getting longer & longer inside of the Antarctica:
Empire of the Penguin exhibit. So anyone who visits SeaWorld Orlando in the
coming months will then be able to take advantage of the rapidly improving
light conditions and get far better pictures of the flightless birds on display
here.
Best of all, because it's now going to get darker sooner at
SeaWorld Orlando, visitors to this Central Florida theme
park will then get to see the elaborate architectural lighting that was created for this 4 acre area. Which then replicates many of the unique
& colorful lighting conditions that Antarctica explorers
encounter when they wander around the real version of this frozen wasteland.
But the downside is … Because it can then get downright
cool after the sun goes down in Orlando
these days, visitors to SeaWorld may not want to linger long enough to actually
see how these 50 foot-tall faux glaciers seemingly glow from within at night.
Especially if these people have just been inside Antarctica:
Empire of the Penguin's habitat. Where — thanks to the 5 tons of fake snow
that gets pumped into this exhibit daily — a person can get chilled to the
bone after just a few minutes of standing inside this frigid environment.
Photo by Nancy Stadler
Thankfully, all you have to do to escape this 30 degree display
is quickly step through a nearby revolving door. Where you'll then find
yourself in a much warmer environment standing in front of some
floor-to-ceiling windows. Which then allow you to view dozens of penguins
"flying" through the water inside of
this 16 foot-deep salt water tank.
Anyway … If you're one of those people who suffers from
SAD (i.e. Seasonal Affective Disorder. That mood disorder where people who have
normal mental health during the Spring & the Summer months suddenly find
themselves dealing with depression as Fall gives way to Winter), you can
perhaps take some comfort in knowing that there are penguins in Antarctica,
Orlando & San Diego who now have a bit more spring in their step because
Spring is finally arrived at the South Pole.
General
Seward Johnson bronzes add a surreal, artistic touch to NYC’s Garment District
Greetings from NYC. Nancy and I drove down from New
Hampshire yesterday because we'll be checking out
Disney Consumer Products' annual Holiday Showcase later today.
Anyway … After checking into our hotel (i.e., The Paul.
Which is located down in NYC's NoMad district), we decided to grab some dinner.
Which is how we wound up at the Melt Shop.
Photo by Jim Hill
Which is this restaurant that only sells grilled cheese sandwiches.
This comfort food was delicious, but kind of on the heavy side.
Photo by Jim Hill
Which is why — given that it was a beautiful summer night
— we'd then try and walk off our meals. We started our stroll down by the Empire
State Building
…
Photo by Jim Hill
… and eventually wound up just below Times
Square (right behind where the Waterford Crystal Times Square New
Year's Eve Ball is kept).
Photo by Jim Hill
But you know what we discovered en route? Right in the heart
of Manhattan's Garment District
along Broadway between 36th and 41st? This incredibly cool series of life-like
and life-sized sculptures that Seward
Johnson has created.
Photo by Jim Hill
And — yes — that is Abraham Lincoln (who seems to have
slipped out of WDW's Hall of Presidents when no one was looking and is now
leading tourists around Times Square). These 18 painted
bronze pieces (which were just installed late this past Sunday night / early
Monday morning) range from the surreal to the all-too-real.
Photo by Jim Hill
Some of these pieces look like typical New Yorkers. Like the
business woman planning out her day …
Photo by Jim Hill
… the postman delivering the mail …
Photo by Jim Hill
… the hot dog vendor working at his cart …
Photo by Jim Hill
Photo by Jim Hill
… the street musician playing for tourists …
Photo by Jim Hill
Not to mention the tourists themselves.
Photo by Jim Hill
But right alongside the bronze businessmen …
Photo by Jim Hill
… and the tired grandmother hauling her groceries home …
Photo by Jim Hill
… there were also statues representing people who were
from out-of-town …
Photo by Jim Hill
… or — for that matter — out-of-time.
Photo by Jim Hill
These were the Seward Johnson pieces that genuinely beguiled. Famous impressionist paintings brought to life in three dimensions.
Note the out-of-period water bottle that some tourist left
behind. Photo by Jim Hill
Some of them so lifelike that you actually had to pause for
a moment (especially as day gave way to night in the city) and say to yourself
"Is that one of the bronzes? Or just someone pretending to be one of these
bronzes?"
Mind you, for those of you who aren't big fans of the
impressionists …
Photo by Jim Hill
… there's also an array of American icons. Among them
Marilyn Monroe …
Photo by Jim Hill
… and that farmer couple from Grant Wood's "American
Gothic."
Photo by Jim Hill
But for those of you who know your NYC history, it's hard to
beat that piece which recreates Alfred Eisenstaedt's famous photograph of V-J Day in Times Square.
Photo by Jim Hill
By the way, a 25-foot-tall version of this particular Seward
Johnson piece ( which — FYI — is entitled "Embracing Peace") will actually
be placed in Times Square for a few days on or around August 14th to commemorate the 70th
anniversary of Victory Over Japan Day (V-J Day).
Photo by Jim Hill
By the way, if you'd like to check these Seward Johnson bronzes in
person (which — it should be noted — are part of the part of the Garment
District Alliance's new public art offering) — you'd best schedule a trip to
the City sometime over the next three months. For these pieces will only be on
display now through September 15th.
General
Wondering what you should “Boldly Go” see at the movies next year? The 2015 Licensing Expo offers you some clues
Greeting from the 2015 Licensing Expo, which is being held
at the Mandalay Bay
Convention Center in Las
Vegas.
Photo by Jim Hill
I have to admit that I enjoy covering the Licensing Expo.
Mostly becomes it allows bloggers & entertainment writers like myself to
get a peek over the horizon. Scope out some of the major motion pictures &
TV shows that today's vertically integrated entertainment conglomerates
(Remember when these companies used to be called movie studios?) will be
sending our way over the next two years or so.
Photo by Jim Hill
Take — for example — all of "The Secret Life of
Pets" banners that greeted Expo attendees as they made their way to the
show floor today. I actually got to see some footage from this new Illumination
Entertainment production (which will hit theaters on July 8, 2016) the last time I was in Vegas. Which
was for CinemaCon back in April. And the five or so minutes of film that I viewed
suggested that "The Secret Life of Pets" will be a really funny
animated feature.
Photo by Jim Hill
Mind you, Universal Pictures wanted to make sure that Expo
attendees remembered that there was another Illumination Entertainment production
coming-to-a-theater-near-them before "The Secret Life of Pets" (And
that's "Minions," the "Despicable Me" prequel. Which
premieres at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival next week but
won't be screened stateside 'til July 10th of this year). Which is why they had
three minions who were made entirely out of LEGOS loitering out in the lobby.
Photo by Jim Hill
And Warner Bros. — because they wanted "Batman v
Superman: Dawn of Justice" to start trending on Twitter today — brought
the Batmobile to Las Vegas.
Photo by Jim Hill
Not to mention full-sized macquettes of Batman, Superman and
Wonder Woman. Just so conventioneers could then see what these DC superheroes
would actually look like in this eagerly anticipated, March 25, 2016 release.
Photo by Jim Hill
That's the thing that can sometimes be a wee bit frustrating
about the Licensing Expo. It's all about delayed gratification. You'll come
around a corner and see this 100 foot-long ad for "The Peanuts Movie"
and think "Hey, that looks great. I want to see that Blue Sky Studios production
right now." It's only then that you notice the fine print and realize that
"The Peanuts Movie" doesn't actually open in theaters 'til November
6th of this year.
Photo by Jim Hill
And fan of Blue Sky's "Ice Age" film franchise are in for an even
longer wait. Given that the latest installment in that top grossing series
doesn't arrive in theaters 'til July
15, 2016.
Photo by Jim Hill
Of course, if you're one of those people who needs immediate
gratification when it comes to your entertainment, there was stuff like that to
be found at this year's Licensing Expo. Take — for example — how the WWE
booth was actually shaped like a wrestling ring. Which — I'm guessing — meant
that if the executives of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. didn't like
the offer that you were making, they were then allowed to toss you out over the
top rope, Royal Rumble-style.
Photo by Jim Hill
I also have to admit that — as a longtime Star Trek fan —
it was cool to see the enormous Starship Enterprise that hung in place over the
CBS booth. Not to mention getting a glimpse of the official Star Trek 50th
Anniversary logo.
Photo by Jim Hill
I was also pleased to see lots of activity in The Jim Henson
Company booth. Which suggests that JHC has actually finally carved out a
post-Muppets identity for itself.
Photo by Jim Hill
Likewise for all of us who were getting a little concerned
about DreamWorks Animation (what with all the layoffs & write-downs &
projects that were put into turnaround or outright cancelled last year), it was
nice to see that booth bustling.
Photo by Jim Hill
Every so often, you'd come across some people who were
promoting a movie that you weren't entirely sure that you actually wanted to
see (EX: "Angry Birds," which Sony Pictures Entertainment / Columbia
Pictures will be releasing to theaters on May 20, 2016). But then you remembered that Clay Kaytis —
who's this hugely talented former Walt Disney Animation Studios animator — is
riding herd on "Angry Birds" with Fergal Reilly. And you'd think
"Well, if Clay's working on 'Angry Birds,' I'm sure this animated feature
will turn out fine."
Photo by Jim Hill
Mind you, there were reminders at this year's Licensing Expo
of great animated features that we're never going to get to see now. I still
can't believe — especially after that brilliant proof-of-concept footage
popped up online last year — that Sony execs decided not to go forward
with production of Genndy Tartakovsky's
"Popeye" movie. But that's the
cruel thing about the entertainment business, folks. It will sometime break
your heart.
Photo by Jim Hill
And make no mistake about this. The Licensing Expo is all
about business. That point was clearly driven home at this year's show when —
as you walked through the doors of the Mandalay
Bay Convention Center
— the first thing that you saw was the Hasbros Booth. Which was this gleaming,
sleek two story-tall affair full of people who were negotiating deals &
signing contracts for all of the would-be summer blockbusters that have already
announced release dates for 2019 & beyond.
Photo by Jim Hill
"But what about The Walt Disney Company?," you
ask. "Weren't they represented on the show floor at this year's Licensing
Expo?" Not really, not. I mean, sure. There were a few companies there hyping
Disney-related products. Take — for example — the Disney Wikkeez people.
Photo by Jim Hill
I'm assuming that some Disney Consumer Products exec is
hoping that Wikkeez will eventually become the new Tsum Tsum. But to be blunt,
these little hard plastic figures don't seem to have the same huggable charm
that those stackable plush do. But I've been wrong before. So let's see what
happens with Disney Wikkeez once they start showing up on the shelves of the
Company's North American retail partners.
Photo by Jim Hill
And speaking of Disney's retail partners … They were
meeting with Mouse House executives behind closed doors one floor down from the
official show floor for this year's Licensing Expo.
Photo by Jim Hill
And the theme for this year's invitation-only Disney shindig? "Timeless
Stories" involving the Disney, Pixar, Marvel & Lucasfilm brands that
would then appeal to "tomorrow's consumer."
Photo by Jim Hill
And just to sort of hammer home the idea that Disney is no
longer the Company which cornered the market when it comes to little girls
(i.e., its Disney Princess and Disney Fairies franchises), check out this
wall-sized Star Wars-related image that DCP put up just outside of one of its
many private meeting rooms. "See?," this carefully crafted photo
screams. "It isn't just little boys who want to wield the Force. Little
girls also want to grow up and be Lords of the Sith."
Photo by Jim Hill
One final, kind-of-ironic note: According to this banner,
Paramount Pictures will be releasing a movie called "Amusement Park"
to theaters sometime in 2017.
Photo by Jim Hill
Well, given all the "Blackfish" -related issues
that have been dogged SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment over the past two years, I'm
just hoping that they'll still be in the amusement park business come 2017.
Your thoughts?
General
It takes more than three circles to craft a Classic version of Mickey Mouse
You know what Mickey Mouse looks like, right? Little guy,
big ears?
Truth be told, Disney's corporate symbol has a lot of
different looks. If Mickey's interacting with Guests at Disneyland
Park (especially this summer, when
the Happiest Place on Earth
is celebrating its 60th anniversary), he looks & dresses like this.
Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc.
All rights reserved
Or when he's appearing in one of those Emmy Award-winning shorts that Disney
Television Animation has produced (EX: "Bronco Busted," which debuts
on the Disney Channel tonight at 8 p.m. ET / PT), Mickey is drawn in a such a
way that he looks hip, cool, edgy & retro all at the same time.
Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights
reserved
Looking ahead to 2017 now, when Disney Junior rolls out "Mickey and the
Roadster Racers," this brand-new animated series will feature a sportier version
of Disney's corporate symbol. One that Mouse House managers hope will persuade
preschool boys to more fully embrace this now 86 year-old character.
Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc. All rights reserved
That's what most people don't realize about the Mouse. The
Walt Disney Company deliberately tailors Mickey's look, even his style of
movement, depending on what sort of project / production he's appearing in.
Take — for example — Disney
California Adventure
Park's "World of Color:
Celebrate!" Because Disney's main mouse would be co-hosting this new
nighttime lagoon show with ace emcee Neil Patrick Harris, Eric Goldberg really had
to step up Mickey's game. Which is why this master Disney animator created
several minutes of all-new Mouse animation which then showed that Mickey was
just as skilled a showman as Neil was.
Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc.
All rights reserved
Better yet, let's take a look at what the folks at Avalanche Studios just went
through as they attempted to create a Classic version of Mickey & Minnie.
One that would then allow this popular pair to become part of Disney Infinity
3.0.
"I won't lie to you. We were under a lot of pressure to
get the look of this particular version of Mickey — he's called Red Pants
Mickey around here — just right," said Jeff Bunker, the VP of Art
Development at Avalanche Studios, during a recent phone interview. "When
we brought Sorcerer Mickey into Disney Infinity 1.0 back in January of 2014,
that one was relatively easy because … Well, everyone knows what Mickey Mouse
looked like when he appeared in 'Fantasia.' "
Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc. All rights reserved
"But this time around, we were being asked to design
THE Mickey & Minnie," Bunker continued. "And given that these Classic
Disney characters have been around in various different forms for the better
part of the last century … Well, which look was the right look?"
Which is why Jeff and his team at Avalanche Studios began watching hours &
hours of Mickey Mouse shorts. As they tried to get a handle on which look would
work best for these characters in Disney Infinity 3.0.
Copyright Disney
Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved
"And we went all the way back to the very start of Mickey's career. We began
with 'Steamboat Willie' and then watched all of those black & white Mickey shorts
that Walt made back in the late 1920s & early 1930s. From there, we
transitioned to his Technicolor shorts. Which is when Mickey went from being
this pie-eyed, really feisty character to more of a well-behaved leading
man," Bunker recalled. "We then finished out our Mouse marathon by
watching all of those new Mickey shorts that Paul Rudish & his team have
been creating for Disney Television Animation. Those cartoons really recapture
a lot of the spirit and wild slapstick fun that Mickey's early, black &
white shorts had."
But given that the specific assignment that Avalanche Studios had been handed
was to create the most appealing looking, likeable version of Mickey Mouse
possible … In the end, Jeff and his team wound up borrowing bits & pieces
from a lot of different versions of the world's most famous mouse. So that
Classic Mickey would then look & move in a way that best fit the sort of
gameplay which people would soon be able to experience with Disney Infinity
3.0.
Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc. All rights reserved
"That — in a lot of ways — was actually the toughest
part of the Classic Mickey design project. You have to remember that one of the
key creative conceits of Disney Infinity
is that all the characters which appear in this game are toys," Bunker
stated. "Okay. So they're beautifully detailed, highly stylized toy
versions of beloved Disney, Pixar, Marvel & Lucasfilm characters. But
they're still supposed to be toys. So our Classic versions of Mickey &
Minnie have the same sort of thickness & sturdiness to them that toys have.
So that they'll then be able to fit right in with all of the rest of the
characters that Avalanche Studios had previously designed for Disney Infinity."
And then there was the matter of coming up with just the
right pose for Classic Mickey & Minnie. Which — to hear Jeff tell the
story — involved input from a lot of Disney upper management.
Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc. All rights reserved
"Everyone within the Company seemed to have an opinion
about how Mickey & Minnie should be posed. More to the point, if you Google
Mickey, you then discover that there are literally thousands of poses out there
for these two. Though — truth be told — a lot of those kind of play off the
way Mickey poses when he's being Disney's corporate symbol," Bunker said.
"But what I was most concerned about was that Mickey's pose had to work
with Minnie's pose. Because we were bringing the Classic versions of these
characters up into Disney Infinity 3.0 at the exact same time. And we wanted to
make sure — especially for those fans who like to put their Disney Infinity
figures on display — that Mickey's pose would then complement Minnie.
Which is why Jeff & the crew at Avalanche Studios
decided — when it came to Classic Mickey & Minnie's pose — that they
should go all the way back to the beginning. Which is why these two Disney icons
are sculpted in such a way that it almost seems as though you're witnessing the
very first time Mickey set eyes on Minnie.
Copyright Disney Enterprises,
Inc. All rights reserved
"And what was really great about that was — as soon as
we began showing people within the Company this pose — everyone at Disney
quickly got on board with the idea. I mean, the Classic Mickey that we sculpted
for Disney Infinity 3.0 is clearly a very playful, spunky character. But at the
same time, he's obviously got eyes for Minnie," Bunker concluded. "So
in the end, we were able to come up with Classic versions of these characters
that will work well within the creative confines of Disney Infinity 3.0 but at
the same time please those Disney fans who just collect these figures because
they like the way the Disney Infinity characters look."
So now that this particular design project is over, does
Jeff regret that Mouse House upper management was so hands-on when it came to
making sure that the Classic versions of Mickey & Minnie were specifically
tailored to fit the look & style of gameplay found in Disney Infinity 3.0?
Copyright Lucasfilm / Disney
Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved
"To be blunt, we go through this every time we add a new character to the
game. The folks at Lucasfilm were just as hands-on when we were designing the
versions of Darth Vader and Yoda that will also soon be appearing in Disney
Infinity 3.0," Bunker laughed. "So in the end, if the character's
creators AND the fans are happy, then I'm happy."
This article was originally posted on the Huffington Post's Entertainment page on Tuesday, June 9, 2015
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