Case Study:
SeaWorld Abu Dhabi
How MacGillivray Freeman Films delivered the ultimate immersive entertainment park experience for the $1.2 Billion SeaWorld Abu Dhabi Park
The story.
Learn how MacGillivray Freeman partnered with SeaWorld Abu Dhabi to produce an immersive entertainment experience for the world’s largest 360-degree LED screen. The unique cinematic journey would become the emotional and experiential centerpiece of the marine park, helping drive record attendance and contributing to more than 20 international awards for innovation, design, and storytelling.
The need.
As the first SeaWorld-branded park in 30 years outside North America, SeaWorld Abu Dhabi needed a creative media partner to help bring its bold vision to life. MacGillivray Freeman was chosen to film and produce all of the park’s live-capture content for projection on the park’s 360-degree LED screen located in the center of the park. With a circumference of 716 feet and standing 55 feet tall – the equivalent of nearly 10 IMAX screens in a giant circle—it is the world’s largest 360-degree LED screen. No one had ever produced 360-degree 22k content for projection on a screen this size.
The solution.
MacGillivray Freeman Films developed two entirely new camera systems: one underwater, featuring nine 4K compact cinema cameras, and another topside aerial rig with five 6K cameras mounted on a drone. We circled the globe, filming across eight countries on five continents, from the Arctic Circle to the Antarctic Peninsula, and traveling 66,000 miles in nine months.
After filming and editing was complete, our post-production team tackled the most intensive project they had ever undertaken – digitally stitching together more than 1.3 million frames, with 24.5 terabytes of data playing in 22K resolution…live, in real time.
In total, MFF delivered nearly two hours of original 22K-resolution content—the largest production of its kind. This included the parks’ signature 14-minute film One Epic Ocean that plays two times daily, as well as an additional eight short educational films and a vertical-format film for the park’s “Endless Ocean” realm, plus CGI backplates for live sea lion presentations.
The result is an immersive experience unlike any other. Imagine standing in an enormous space filled with educational displays when suddenly the surrounding 55-foot walls begin to change color. Suddenly you’re swimming underwater as the ocean life begins to swirl around you. A Galapagos hammerhead shark encircles you in its 360-degree circumnavigation. The animals are so close, you can see the colors in a whale’s eye!
Visitors frequently describe the show as “breathtaking,” “transformative,” and “the highlight of the entire park.”
The results.
The impressive results of the campaign point to the huge impact that film had on consumers. The campaign generated:
Awards and Accolades.
More
