mondo technology in entertainment July/August 2007

LOBO is staging "AMACEON", one of the most spectacular multimedia shows in Europe, inside a former Delphinarium at Holiday Park in Germany. The scientist Dr James Lovelock suggested in the 70s the earth was one great living organism, and this inspired LOBO's Creative Director, to create the show."Even if Lovelock's theory sounds a little abstract and is hotly disputed by the experts, we all like to talk from time to time about 'Mother Earth'," he said. "This was the perfect basis for us to create a really exciting show concept: who is this Mother Earth? What does she look like?"

Holiday Park in the Palatine region of Germany asked LOBO to create its new top attraction with an investment of millions. LOBO is already responsible for staging the Open Air Summer Nights Laser Spectacle at the Holiday Park, for eight weeks of the year Within six months LOBO created a multimedia theatre, which could easily be used in the future to stage other programmes.

LOBO wanted to whisk the park's visitors into a dream world, a goal which required enormous technical effort. Four high-power video projectors with a total of 29,500 lumens along with four laser systems producing 13 watts and partly moveable projectors create laser and_video projections like holograms in front of a high-resolution, 24m wide video panorama projection on a fast switching water screen. The attraction also has water fountain effects, cloud effects, underwater fire effects, eight-channel surround sound and a complete Armada of moveable and conventional lights. Water sprinklers over the spectators and cloud equipment with wind generators provide the final cogs far the dream machinery. LOBO's real-time multimedia workstation LACON-5 controls the multimedia orchestra.

Spectators witness the Big Bang, the creation of life and the origins of humans. One minute Mother Earth sends down lightning and fire; the next she playfully attends to the origins of life and humans. The technical installation took place during Holiday Park's winter break, and LOBO's design team took on one of the most demanding productions in their history. "What my team has accomplished in five months working under enormous time pressure is amazing," said Hennig. "It needed the work of over 60 assistants to be synchronised to have aversion of the show ready to run for the start ofthe season at the end of March and the final version completed in the middle of May. During this time the storyboard and production plan had to be created, followed by the complete video production. Not forgetting the production the laser content including spatial ray effects and 3D laser animations."