SPECIAL EFFECTS INSIDE SEATTLE'S NEW SCIENCE FICTION MUSEUM
July/August 2004 issue of Exhibit Builder magazine

By Geoff Puckett
President / Principal
EffectDesign, Inc.
Novato, CA

In September 2003, EffectDesign, Inc. was contracted to design and produce visual and sound special effects for the new 'Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame' (SFM) in Seattle, WA. This brand new permanent museum exhibition opened June 18, 2004, occupying 13,000 sq. ft. within the existing 'Experience Music Project' in an area that previously housed a motion simulator attraction and administration offices. Major internal renovations within the spectacular Frank Gehry structure were undertaken to allow for the new museum.

SFM combines authentic artifacts and information in evocative environments that immerse visitors in science fiction's "alternative worlds." The museum presents science fiction as a genre that touches all forms of artistic expression, reframing the complexities of science, art, culture and the humanities. The environmental exhibits give visitors new insights into themselves and the world around them through the use of several state-of-the art imaging and sound special effects.

This project was both interesting and challenging because it allowed my team of artists and craftspeople to create theatrical experiences within a museum. The museum industry has been in a transition period for years, searching to find innovative ways to attract a broader range of visitors while avoiding a connection to 'themed entertainment.' SFM proves a new paradigm can creatively capture visitor's imagination while communicating serious facts.

With a special effect budget of nearly $1 million and a production timeframe of eight months, I assembled a talented group of computer graphic imaging (CGI) specialists, imaging engineers and neon experts. My own efforts were put toward managing the entire effect effort as well as designing and producing other specially crafted, non-CGI effect systems - which included animated flow and crackle neon displays, fiber optic starfields, 3-D spherical projections and short-throw, very wide angle projection systems; a much sought after innovation in the museum and exhibition industries.

Day-to-day CGI logistics were directed by visual effect supervisor Mark Valentine, who brought seven minutes of completely custom, photo-realistic, high definition, large screen animation to life. The projection displays in the 'Spacedock' and 'Cities of Tomorrow' exhibits are each 9 ft. high by 20 ft. across, with an incredibly short throw distance of only 11 feet.

In recent years, high resolution film-quality media such as what EffectDesign created for the 'Spacedock' and Cities cost $1 million per minute to design and produce. EffectDesign has developed a cost-effective custom imaging production environment which focuses intently on the story concept and intent, presentation method and most importantly: client goal. The media and presentation methods produced for this museum will likely spark interest among exhibit producers since they so effectively communicated the story of each exhibit.

For SFM, EffectDesign produced CGI effects for a fraction of the cost of recent industry standards. We developed and produced the custom projection systems as well. Our in-house media/hardware integration put a much higher percentage of the budget dollars in front of visitors.

Now in daily operation, computer generated digital light projection or "DLP" projected displays include the 'Cities of Tomorrow'; with fully animated, high definition depictions of the Jetsons, Blade Runner and The Matrix. "The power of this exhibit comes from the realistic interpretations of future visions. You really believe you are a part of it. Visitors experience the panoramic vista as if they are standing in one of the city buildings themselves" comments museum director Donna Shirley.

Within the 'Spacedock', visitors gaze out into space from a large tower portal to observe twenty classic spaceships approaching and departing from a massive docking station floating in orbit above Earth. "Everything is in motion" comments project manager/producer Larry Gertz. "We have brought together ships from diverse corners of science fiction and created a display unlike anything before it." Spacedock also features interactive touchscreen displays where visitors call up and manipulate 3-D computer models of each spaceship in real time. EffectDesign designed and produced the QuickTime 3D model files for this exhibit.

At another exhibit visitors can interactively select a planet from sci-fi lore and watch it materialize in three dimensions right before their eyes. 'Amazing Places' is a truly three-dimensional display where a 24-inch diameter sphere colorfully floats off a backing wall just 12 inches away from visitors. No special glasses are necessary either. To achieve the eye-catching effect, a standard 2,000 lumen Epson LCD projector was optically reconfigured from within and fitted with a custom, extremely wide angle lens nicknamed 'HAL' - after the see-all computer in '2001- A Space Odyssey'. The sphere was internally coated with a specially developed rear projection material which eliminated 'hot spotting' from the lens and allowed an impressively wide angle view (300 degree horizontal x 280 vertical), plus high contrast and brightness. The projector/lens configuration presents a spherically focused, fully animated image across 75% of the viewable surface.

As soon as the museum was announced last year, pre-opening excitement spread throughout the U.S. via the internet and sci-fi conventions. The public's expectation of immersive environments and interactivity was always in the forefront of the creative team's mind as they began development in the winter of 2002. Gertz recalls, "Our mission was to create a museum that was not only educational, but entertaining, interactive, and fiscally responsible - and do it within a very tight schedule."

The creative process began with a core team that included, producer Gertz, concept lead designers Steve Kirk , Tim Kirk, and Kathy Kirk, designers Scott Sinclair and Scott Chase and writer Dan Molitor. Also on the team; co-project manager Annette Crump, graphic designer Pia Gilman, and production managers Dave Clare and Jeff Thom. This team's extensive knowledge of science fiction literature, art and media, combined with their experience in creating themed environments and museums, served to successfully align the creative team's visions with those of the museum's underwriters and sponsors.

Once drawn up, artifact cases and specialty exhibits were built in Los Angeles by Sparks Exhibits and Scenario Design. Construction methods were based on square tubular steel framing with wood surfacing, some laminates and a large amount of theatrical, hand-finished texturing and faux painting. Focusable fiber optic lighting permeated artifact cases to provide cool, non-UV producing illumination.

I collaborated extensively with Scenario's production manager Jarlath McArdle to fit projection systems into the cramped exhibition spaces; two with a mere nine foot ceiling clearance. Screen surfaces were simple and straight-forward; flat white painted walls treated to eliminate seams. Scenario, with its team of 'can-do' designers and craftspeople, was a major ally in achieving magical special effects.

In order to achieve such grand vistas for Space Dock and Cities of Tomorrow, I devised image blending systems using the on-board circuitry of Mediasonic 9200P HD players and wide angle Christie DS30W projectors. Using our own proprietary sizing and MPEG2 compression algorithms we were able to project 2.35:1 (Cinemascope aspect ratio) images from off-the-shelf equipment. Even the Christie engineers were surprised with our results. Our projection throws were very short but the SXGA (1024 x 768) resolution of the image-blended Christie projectors produced crisp, saturated, 20-foot wide panoramas of flying spaceships and futuristic cities.

Production management was provided by Glendale, CA-based Claro Creative Studios. Jeff Thom, Dave Clare, and Annette Crump supervised every production element from early concepts to opening day. Since every piece of exhibitry was custom fabricated, the incorporation of special effect elements was critical. Jeff and Annette were my second set of eyes in Los Angeles as exhibit elements came together, then in Seattle as exhibitry was installed. In the end, installation went very smoothly - with technical systems pre-programmed and tested in our San Francisco studio.

Sound effects were produced by MarcoCo and EffectDesign to add the final realistic touches to the 'Spacedock' and Cities of Tomorrow. Composer/sound designer Marco d'Ambrosio of MarcoCo created sonic environments for all three cities. "Composing for these exhibits was really a challenge since so much story had to communicated in such a short span of time" noted Marco. Each city is viewable for 90 seconds. "The essence of the story needed to be present at all times since we lacked control of when the viewer would enter the exhibit."

All museum sound effects were pre-mixed in San Francisco, with final mixes taking place in the exhibit areas themselves. Curiously, since Spaceship Drydock and Cities are seen through real glass, the final audio mixes were acoustically modified on-site to replicate the experience of being inside a docking tower or city building - looking out. "This detail made all the difference in the believability of the experience" Marco recalled. Both exhibits use JBL Control 5 speakers.

One other area of the museum used JBL Control 1 speakers and a single Crown CTS-8200 8-channel amplifier to create audio-only environments where dimensional set pieces just couldn't fit. In a gallery transition area visitors experienced phase-shifting 'sounds of science fiction' across eight discrete channels as they approached a new area of the museum. This technique allowed visitor's imagination to envision places that some of the design team thought would be more exciting if left to visitor's imaginations. And it worked!

Seattle's new Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame has set the stage for affordable new methods of storytelling through visual and aural special effects. What used to be the stuff of high-budget Broadway theater and billion dollar theme parks is now creatively affordable for museums, corporate events and exhibitions.