Feature Story

Special Effects Add Fire And Magic to Electronic Arts Exhibit

by Jody Van Meter
Entertainment Ink
Palos, Verdes, CA

When your client's product is all about "fire and magic" only special effects can effectively communicate the message. Premier Displays designed and built the Electronic Arts exhibit for the Electronic Entertainment Exposition (E3) Conference, one of the most influential shows in the electronic gaming industry. The exhibit consisted of 32 displays, or vignettes, each focusing on a specific electronic game. The most challenging vignettes featured Electronic Arts' newest high profile products: 007 NightFire and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The challenge: how can we communicate the sizzle and magic of these new games? Stephen Amato, principal of Premier Displays, turned to Technifex, Valencia, CA, a special effects company that has created unique special effects for theme parks, museums and corporate displays since 1984. The company's experience meant they could respond with effective solutions to fit Premier Displays' design criteria, schedule and budget. In addition, Technifex knew how to build effects that would work in the restrictive environment of the trade show floor.

Bringing Harry Potter To Life

The effect for the Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets vignette went through several iterations. When Premier Displays first approached Technifex, they had a very specific concept in mind. They wanted Harry Potter to a) appear in mid-air on top of the exhibit, and b) be viewable from 180 . According to Amato, the effect was dictated by the nature of the product. "If our client had been a medical or steel company, for example, we could have used a static figure," he explained. "However, movement was very important to our client because it's an important aspect of the product. For the same reason, Harry Potter had to be a projection so we could use the incredible 3D CGI images from the game."

The effect created by Technifex uses a 3D-projection technique which mattes an image inside a clear tube instead of projecting it onto a flat surface. Because the projection screen is not apparent, Harry Potter appears to float in space. The computer image itself was supplied by Electronic Arts and incorporated into the illusion by Technifex.

The effect presented three design obstacles that had to be addressed: How do you achieve adequate light control on a show floor? Where will the equipment be stored? How can the projection screen be hidden? The solution was to incorporate the illusion into the exhibit itself. Premier Displays based its design on Hogwarts School, with its rough stone walls and medieval turrets.
Harry Potter magically appears in one of the castle turret windows, waves his wand, then disappears. This solution solved many problems. The digital projection equipment could be hidden within the set wall. By recessing the projection surface within the turret, Technifex protected the image from ambient light within the exhibit hall. The cylindrical design of the turret (and the projection surface) allowed the three dimensional image to be viewed from several different directions.

Technifex has created this illusion before, but never in such a restricted space. The set (which was already built) could not accommodate the CRT monitor normally used for the effect, so a 61" plasma screen was used instead. At 4" thick, it easily fits into the less than 4' allowable space. Although much more expensive than a traditional monitor, the quality was well worth it. "A plasma screen will always deliver a crisper image because of its superb resolution," said Rock Hall, Technifex principal. "When we use it with the 3D image system, it's even better. Because the image can be lit from all sides and you can force the perspective, this gives you the impression it's more three-dimensional than a live video. Harry Potter is so detailed you feel you can reach up and touch him."

Electronic Arts was so pleased with the results, the Harry Potter illusion is now in the lobby of their offices in the United Kingdom.

Adding Flames to 007 NightFire

Technifex's other assignment was to create a fire effect for Electronic Arts' new James Bond game, 007 NightFire. Fire is an integral part of the logo, so there was no question it needed to be incorporated into the exhibit. The challenge was to create flames that would meet the stringent requirements of the fire marshal. The effect systems also had to be able to be easily installed and disassembled.

When Amato visited Technifex to discuss the Harry Potter illusion, he saw the FauxFire™ display and thought it was ideal for the 007 exhibit. However, some design changes had to be made to accommodate the requirements of a trade show floor. Normally, FauxFire requires a steam boiler, special steam plumbing, special effects lighting and a computer control system to create a very convincing flame. In permanent installations like Trump 29 Casino and the British theme park, Blackpool Pleasure Beach, where FauxFire is installed, live steam is not a problem.

"We wanted to intrigue people to the point where they'd walk up to the flames and wonder, ‘how did they do that?'" said Amato. "It's amazing that Technifex was able to produce this lighting and smoke effect that looked like fire. People at the show did think the flames were real."

Special effects can be a powerful selling tool because of their ability to attract attention on a busy show floor. However, Amato has a word of advice for companies that haven't used effects before. "Premier Displays often uses special effects because many of our clients sell entertainment and consumer products. They're always looking for the most revolutionary effects they can get. But you have to use a reputable effects company that knows what they're doing if you want effects that not only look good but are dependable and will run reliably for the three to five days of a show." eb