tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45952359950386991402024-03-05T03:00:48.196-06:00Judith Rubin Etc.Chronicling the international attractions industry (parks, museums, casinos, expos, live spectaculars, 4D theaters, performing arts centers, retail, etc.) in terms of design, technology, media, development, safety and more. By Judith Rubin, top editor, publicist and consultant in themed entertainment. I also write occasionally about topics of St Louis.Judith Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17752790202343349847noreply@blogger.comBlogger100125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595235995038699140.post-4451605907884110362022-10-17T11:54:00.000-05:002022-10-17T11:54:43.742-05:00Political background on US participation in world exposby Alfred Heller with commentary from Judith Rubin and Gordon LindenUpdated Oct 17, 2022 by Judith Rubin
The USA Pavilion at Shanghai Expo 2010 marked a significant turnaround (hopefully for the long term) in the US administration's attitude toward participation in world's fairs. Since around 1990, US presence at world expos has been very uneven and Federal support had fallen off dramatically.&Judith Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17752790202343349847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595235995038699140.post-64962556907229720352022-03-16T11:38:00.005-05:002022-03-16T11:50:26.351-05:00Michael's new sweaterThe big appeal of working in the attractions industry is being part of a community of creative people. To a great extent, the industry is made up of folks who studied art, film or theater, then found they could make a career in themed entertainment. I earned a BFA at Pratt Institute and found my way to a publishing career by combining various interests, skills and experiences including knitting Judith Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17752790202343349847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595235995038699140.post-52820793772451557642022-02-28T12:22:00.001-06:002022-02-28T12:30:34.352-06:00MO History Museum finds success in a locally-driven model"The more we include, the more interdisciplinary the educational
opportunities and interactives are, the more diverse stories we tell,
the greater the feedback and reaction from our community," says Nicole D'Orazio, Director of Exhibitions, Missouri History Museum.Nicole D'OrazioIn 30+ years of covering the attractions industry, I've done many stories on museums using external specialists and Judith Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17752790202343349847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595235995038699140.post-38153093035602619442021-12-16T11:08:00.002-06:002021-12-29T11:10:22.112-06:00Reasons to attend both Licensing Expo and IAAPA Expo in 2022Licensing Expo is to the global licensing
industry what the annual IAAPA Expo is to the worldwide attractions
industry - it's the big one, the one everyone has on their calendar. And now, if you're a regular attendee of one or the other, you might want to start planning for both. Here are the dates and places - read on to find out why:2022 Licensing Expo, Las Vegas, May 24-262022 IAAPA Expo, Judith Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17752790202343349847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595235995038699140.post-28717793444439654952021-12-15T09:20:00.002-06:002021-12-15T18:38:55.097-06:00Bob Weis of Disney Imagineering: exclusive interview & podcastI first met Bob Weis in 2005 or 2006 when he was running his own company in Orlando, Bob Weis Design Island. They were finishing Top of the Rock, a permanent exhibition at Rockefeller Center in New York City about the building's history, tied to the reopening of the observation decks. I wrote a detailed feature about the project for Exhibit Builder magazine. The story also ran in the 2007 Themed Judith Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17752790202343349847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595235995038699140.post-38710935226204675352021-12-14T16:26:00.000-06:002021-12-14T16:26:37.376-06:00Making Omega MartThe Meow Wolf artists' collective has introduced a new and very welcome level of disruption to the attractions and themed entertainment industry while setting new examples for what immersive experience can be. Meow Wolf works to establish a sustainable model that supports artists and brings the public closer to art in novel settings where unexpected things happen and nothing is quite what Judith Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17752790202343349847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595235995038699140.post-57489789190133890182021-12-13T14:36:00.002-06:002021-12-16T10:20:55.836-06:00Robert Clark talks to Jim Ogul about the USA Pavilion at Dubai Expo 2020Robert G. Clark is the United States Commissioner General heading up
the USA Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, on behalf of the U.S. State
Department. (Although it kept "2020" in its title, the expo dates were moved to 2021 due to the pandemic.) Jim Ogul is our world's fair specialist at InPark magazine. Jim literally wrote the book on US pavilions at world expos, because he oversaw the Judith Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17752790202343349847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595235995038699140.post-90336135002223261072021-12-13T14:20:00.004-06:002021-12-13T15:29:09.738-06:00"There is a special magic in City Museum"St. Louis has been my adopted hometown since 2008. People who live
and visit here quickly learn to treasure the city's unique cultural
assets, including the St. Louis Zoo, the Muny outdoor theater, the
National Blues Museum, the Gateway Arch and of course the one and only
City Museum, and the legacy of its creator, the late Bob Cassilly. As
a journalist for the attractions industry, Judith Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17752790202343349847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595235995038699140.post-85299561270227626072021-12-13T13:53:00.001-06:002021-12-13T13:53:37.701-06:00Cosm Studios releases new fulldome film "Atlas of a Changing Earth"Atlas of a Changing Earth, an award-winning immersive
documentary exploring images of the planet’s evolution amid rising
temperatures, is being distributed by Cosm Studios and is available for booking as a 24-minute fulldome show for
planetariums, museums and science centers, and as a 50-minute, 4K flat
screen show for television and streaming distribution worldwide.The show has already been Judith Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17752790202343349847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595235995038699140.post-3536807131847360032021-12-13T13:07:00.001-06:002021-12-13T13:45:59.467-06:00WhiteWater means business Good succession planning, strong leadership and innovation are
important elements for a company to prevail over the long term, but
there are other attributes that are key to WhiteWater’s solid,
successful business culture, that emerged in the course of researching
this article:
Vision and a sense of purpose: focusing on what they do better than anyone (water-based entertainment)BuildingJudith Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17752790202343349847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595235995038699140.post-50144346337311877562021-12-13T12:59:00.001-06:002021-12-13T12:59:44.785-06:00Universal, Disney, SeaWorld and other park chains make leadership changesDISNEY - As Barbara Bouza takes on the role of President, Bob Weis is
transitioning from President, Walt Disney Imagineering – Creative and
New Experience Development to Global Imagineering Ambassador, a role
previously held by one of his mentors, the late Marty Sklar. Bouza will be working under new corporate leadership. Robert Iger is scheduled to step down as Disney’s Executive Chairman on Judith Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17752790202343349847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595235995038699140.post-14261071667412356802020-12-23T11:06:00.003-06:002020-12-23T11:16:57.373-06:00AOA selected by ENR as one of 100 top construction management/project management firmsMike Ostendorf, AOA Co-Founder and CEO said, “We owe this mark of prestige and success to our clients: to their vision and their confidence in us."ENR’s (Engineerring News Record) definitive lists of top firms serving the construction sector are published annually and a trusted resource for project owners.AOA has a portfolio of high-profile, public facing projects each valuing between $2 million Judith Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17752790202343349847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595235995038699140.post-15053890511738063982020-12-23T10:51:00.001-06:002020-12-23T11:17:55.956-06:00Houba! Benoit Cornet and his new company, BoldMove, hear the call of the MarsupilamiWith the “Houba World” announcement, Cornet indicates that he has done the legwork for BoldMove to facilitate the Marsupilami IP to roll out onto multiple attractions platforms including theme parks, LBE and zoos. “Houba” is the call (and the entire vocabulary) of the Marsupilami, a fictional, marsupial type animal originated by the late, Belgian artist André Franquin. The Marsupilami familyJudith Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17752790202343349847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595235995038699140.post-90972295844307614542020-12-16T12:45:00.000-06:002021-12-28T14:19:08.847-06:00Marketing and Customer Service: What Are You Really Selling, and to Whom?I spent nine years running a small retail music store. An ongoing concern was the physical layout of the space. I watched closely how customers moved through the store, what caught their attention, how they handled merchandise and how their behavior indicated comfort or discomfort. We arranged and re-arranged accordingly to maximize sales opportunities, extend the length of the customer's Judith Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17752790202343349847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595235995038699140.post-45939079637795094132020-12-03T17:58:00.004-06:002020-12-03T17:58:49.463-06:00Freetouch BYOD technology helps museums and attractions keep interactives in playA few issues currently facing the attractions industry: How to keep experiences engaging and immersive while moving toward touch-free; how to engage visitors who are already deeply engaged with their mobile phones; how to reopen and refresh a facility and its exhibits on a pandemic budget – and what to do with touchscreen interactives in a time when touching common surfaces is problematic.With Judith Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17752790202343349847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595235995038699140.post-37702288476493463812020-12-03T17:49:00.004-06:002021-12-28T19:03:44.586-06:00Angry Birds are teed off in new branded experience at Topgolf venuesAlthough it is generally not recommended that one play golf angry, it is enthusiastically suggested by both Topgolf Entertainment Group, the global sports and entertainment company, and Rovio Entertainment, creator of the popular Angry Birds franchise, that you combine your next round of Topgolf with a game of Angry Birds for a unique, extended reality playing experience.In August 2020, Topgolf Judith Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17752790202343349847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595235995038699140.post-27776557957770386812018-03-06T21:36:00.001-06:002018-03-06T21:36:27.402-06:00Expanding horizons: Anthony Esparza talks about his tenure as CCO of SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment
Anthony Esparza spoke at the 2016 TEA Summit in his former role as CCO, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. Photo by Chris Chien for TEA; provided courtesy TEA.
"I am most proud of the establishment of SeaWorld’s creative arm, Deep Blue Creative. That brought together attractions, entertainment, media and new business development together under one umbrella and in one place. As Deep Blue Judith Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17752790202343349847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595235995038699140.post-69278286513034237322017-11-07T17:21:00.000-06:002017-11-07T17:24:48.879-06:00From amusement park cleanup to brand experience expert: Geoff Thatcher, Creative Principals
Geoff Thatcher working with producers from The Brand Experience at StudioEIS, a sculpture studio in Brooklyn in May 2017. Geoff launched his own company, Creative Principals, in July 2017. Photo Credit: Elliot Schwartz.
Geoff Thatcher, grownup, brings the same enthusiasm to his work that Geoff Thatcher, teenager, brought initially, years ago, to Lagoon Amusement Park – whether it was cleanup,Judith Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17752790202343349847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595235995038699140.post-90903034125966293052017-11-07T16:31:00.004-06:002017-11-07T16:37:17.677-06:0015 Candles: The Hettema Group
The driver of this company’s work is “aiming for awe” – creating projects that give guests goosebumps; borne out by some of their best-known work, such as One World Observatory, High Roller and “Beyond All Boundaries,” each of which has become an icon in its own way.
The Hettema Group got its start when Jeffrey Katzenberg, a longtime collaborator and client, recommended Phil Hettema for a Judith Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17752790202343349847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595235995038699140.post-54000804345606030162017-10-30T15:10:00.000-05:002017-10-30T15:15:21.340-05:00Peanuts/Cedar Fair deal shows Snoopy is good for the brand, good for the park
Peanuts characters in their Halloween costumes at Kings Island’s Great Pumpkin Fest event. Photo courtesy Cedar Fair Entertainment Company.
Cedar Fair and Peanuts recently renewed an agreement of 30 years standing, extending the licensing agreement for their popular Camp Snoopy and Planet Snoopy themed areas as well as for the characters to serve as overall park mascots to 2025 at all 11 Judith Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17752790202343349847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595235995038699140.post-60914908135326058322017-09-13T12:07:00.002-05:002017-09-13T12:07:44.330-05:00Flying Dreams attraction at Ferrari Land represents a media production breakthrough in the use of drones for large format dome cinema
“Flying Dreams” represents a breakthrough in the use of drones for specialty cinema. From the first test of equipment in the field, to the international shoot in six countries, to the last pixel in post production, the media production team led by Mousetrappe faced and overcame a series of unique challenges.
The “Flying Dreams” media production team is a who’s who of specialty Judith Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17752790202343349847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595235995038699140.post-66290383441023289412017-09-13T11:58:00.003-05:002017-09-13T11:58:36.949-05:00Spitz releases new fulldome title "Faster Than Light" for planetariums and museums
“Faster Than Light: The Dream of Interstellar Flight” offers a compelling and credible story for our time with broad audience appeal, speaking to a wide range of ages, interests and educational topics,” said Mike Bruno of Spitz Creative Media. “We think our planetarium clients will find it an enduring and versatile title for public and educational programming. We’re very proud of what the teamJudith Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17752790202343349847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595235995038699140.post-59180386720778392212017-05-14T14:50:00.001-05:002017-05-14T14:50:35.432-05:00Media producers: Ben Stassen, Ken Saba, Luke Ployhar, Don MacBain, David Love
Media producer David Love, Hollow Studios, educated at "Disney University" - October 2016, InPark magazine
..."enamored with ride films since experiencing Star Tours in 1987, David formed a long term ambition to create them. In 2008, as Hollow Studios (first iteration, Hollow 4D Studios) he had become well versed in 3D animation as well as live action 3D, and the company rolled out an original Judith Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17752790202343349847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595235995038699140.post-32982417103981905532017-05-14T14:08:00.002-05:002017-10-30T15:31:14.231-05:00Social media, blogging and content marketing: keeping a balance and perspective
Judith Rubin
This is based on questions I often field from clients, to help everyone stay out of the weeds when it comes to the effective use of social media and content marketing.
Clarify your business marketing goals
First of all, we are discussing social media as an online publishing and editorial tool applied to marketing and public relations goals in business. Social media has Judith Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17752790202343349847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595235995038699140.post-85735508101324100272016-06-17T14:43:00.001-05:002016-07-07T23:18:55.256-05:00Grove East Provisions carries on the brick-oven artisan bread tradition established by Red Fox Baking (Saint Louis)
Chris Sheets of Red Fox Baking during brick oven construction at Grove East Provisions
On the corner of Arsenal and Minnesota in the Tower Grove East neighborhood of the city of Saint Louis, Barry Kinder operates Grove East Provisions, a bistro-style neighborhood eatery and bakery known for sandwiches, wood-fired pizza, beer and wine by the glass, bottle or six-pack, liquor, Sunday brunch and Judith Rubinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17752790202343349847noreply@blogger.com