IMAGINEERING: THE CREATION OF THEME PARKS AND EXPANDING THE TRANSMEDIA NARRATIVE
Imagineering refers to the creative input and implementation behind building a fantasy world.
Imagineering allows for a built simulation fantasy reality, that expands our knowledge and engagement with a transmedia narrative.
Theme Parks allow for content to be distributed amongst an interactive audience – this attracts a range of participants from different continents.
The simulacra experience produces a re-imagined hyper-reality that expresses the new post-modern society.
Some franchises have even reached out to using 'virtual reality', to create a virtual world. One example of this can be seen in Darren Brown's "Ghost Train", which uses a computer system that attaches to your head to produce a fantasy world. See below:
SKILLS AND CREATIVE INPUT
Imagineering requires creative skills to build a re-Imagined world. These include specialists looking to;
the planning, creative development, concept development, project management, research team, ride operation system, multi-media design, narrative, and show/misé-en-scene design.
ADVERTISING
Imagineering typically relies on advertising to engage participators.
Examples of Imagineering advertising is seen using
1. Viral Videos and Text Posts
2. Media Campaigns
3. Hidden and unlockable content, only available to those who “subscribe” to the transmedia.
4. Merchandise
The use of producing a virtual world engages active audiences, therefore further promoting their transmedia narrative, whilst still producing a flow of revenue income.
Likewise, franchises also advertise their products through the use of 'guerilla marketing'. Here, is evident of synergy between the James Bond franchise, and Coca-Cola. See below:
THEME PARKS AND FILM SETS
The use of theme parks allows audiences to be immersed with a virtual world, that simulates a particular transmedia narrative.
Examples of this includes:
Warner Brothers’ The Making of Harry Potter Studios,
Disney Land and Disney World,
Dismaland,
The Touring,
Game of Thrones: The Touring Exhibition,
Friends Fest,
Hobbiton.
Using sounds, taste, music, and mise-en-scene, audiences are projected into an alternative space using their haptic senses.
LISTER ET AL. (2003)
Lister et al. (2003) articulate how simulacra heightens the experience of the audience, creating a hyper-reality.
He believes that theme parks occupy a physical space, completing an imagined transmedia narrative
This therefore creates teleimmersion, telepresence’s and virtual presence.
BEETON (2005)
Beeton (2005) emphasises how “notions of film and tourism lend themselves to post-modern consideration”.
He believes that the simulated world represents something else (transmedia narrative), this then feeds knowledge of the transmediated story.
ANTON CLAVÉ (2007)
Clavé expresses how the relationship between theme parks and the entertainment industry is a fundamental part of expanding transmedia.
Clavé cites Davis (1997) who believes parks provide the entertainment service and context for recreating and disseminating products, that originated as films or other media.
CASE STUDY: HANNIGAN’S (1998) SIX FEATURES OF A FANTASY CITY
Hannigan (1998) believes there are six central features of an imagined world, these include:
1. Based on a singular or multi-theme transmedia narrative (typically already popular).
2. Heavily branded with sponsors, and reliant on merchandise sales.
3. The fantasy city operates both day and night.
4. Modular – typically abstract in attracting all audiences to different media and commerce stores, such as restaurants and rides.
5. Solipsistic – Self-contained and located within one central locale.
6. Post-modernity – simulated and active for spectacle audience.
To create my own imagineered simulated world, I would choose one aspect of a transmedia narrative to expand. I would then ensure my theme park is large and diverse It would use modern technologies to engage an active audience.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Beeton, S. (2005). Film-Induced Tourism. Clevedon, United Kingdom: Channel View Publication.
Anton Clavé, S. (2007). Global Theme Park Industry. Wallingford, United Kingdom: CABI Publishing.
Hannigan, J. (1998). Fantasy City: Pleasure and Profit in the Postmodern Metropolis. London, United Kingdom: Routledge.
Lister, M. et al (2003). New Media: A Critical Introduction. London, United Kingdom: Routledge.