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Universal's Cinematic Celebration Night Show

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So, it sounds as though we will need to wait until the show is show-ready for final reviews.
Yea, with the amount of pyro seen in testing the last two weeks, this might’ve been like watching Happily Ever After without the fireworks. The projections and clips are fun, but that’s not the whole thing. (Not saying this will have that level of big scale fireworks, but it was looking like there will be pyro effects all the way throughout, and that’ll be a big part of the overall show.)
 
I thought all of the choices were executed quite well. It's nonlinear and based on giving the essence of the film rather than trying to force a story on a show where it could come of as boring or cheesy. This show does what its title says... Celebrates the brands by using their music and image as a driving foundation.

As for HP.. I think it's missing a few effects, for sure, but I actually like how it's based on elemental spells like water, fire, flying, and then darkness, and then gives the whole brand a nod at the end with a triumphant fanfare.

I don't agree that this show needed a story at all. I thought everything from the fountain design to the media implementation was done tastefully and done well. Is it the best show ever? No. But it is really really good. I am pleased that they made this.
 
There is an over-arching theme.

A "Goodnight Kiss" from Universal. A much more grand version of having a costumed CM/TM from the more popular attractions waving goodnight at the exit at park close.

It is a recap of your day at UOR. That is why there is no BTTF and Jaws. And you can read what you want into HTTYD, Panda, Trolls, and Pets.


Printing this out and sending it to Universal. It's called storytelling. Maybe its just a Disney thing. :shrug:

Not saying the show is bad but it is linear.


plot-arc.jpg
 
Printing this out and sending it to Universal. It's called storytelling. Maybe its just a Disney thing. :shrug:


plot-arc.jpg

Not every show needs to be a traditional three act story. Explain to me how Cirque du Soleil shows, Rivers of Light, Happily Ever After, or even World of Color for that matter fit your story arc? World of Color doesn't have a story. It's an expensive clip show montage. They made a choice to be nontraditional and I think that was a good and refreshing move on their part.
 
After watching the whole show, I think it looks pretty dang good. Once Pyro is in, I could see it being better than Fantasmic (I’d already put it above ROL). Really good effort from the team, and a major step forward they can build off of.

Printing this out and sending it to Universal. It's called storytelling. Maybe its just a Disney thing. :shrug:

Not saying the show is bad but it is linear.


plot-arc.jpg
Get out of here with this. Which Disney nighttime show outside of Fantasmic has anything close to this structure?
 
The story could have simply been entering a cinema screen and seeing all the franchises and characters coming to life. This would already be better than what we got.

Franchises are Jurassic, Fast and Furious, DreamWorks (trolls, Kung Fu Panda and how to train a dragon), transformers, Harry potter and Illumination (Secret Life of Pets and Despicable Me).
 
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Not every show needs to be a traditional three act story. Explain to me how Cirque du Soleil shows, Rivers of Light, Happily Ever After, or even World of Color for that matter fit your story arc? World of Color doesn't have a story. It's an expensive clip show montage. They made a choice to be nontraditional and I think that was a good and refreshing move on their part.
After watching the whole show, I think it looks pretty dang good. Once Pyro is in, I could see it being better than Fantasmic (I’d already put it above ROL). Really good effort from the team, and a major step forward they can build off of.


Get out of here with this. Which Disney nighttime show outside of Fantasmic has anything close to this structure?

They have the villians or most emotional parts be the climax (Simbas death, bambis moms death, the fire structure on rivers of light, etc).

Happily Ever After show sequence,

Opening

Dreams

Journey

Friendship

Love

Adversity

Triumph

Finale.

I knew ya'll would come at me but what I'm saying is not false.
 
The story could have simply been entering a cinema screen and seeing all the franchises and characters coming to life. That would already be better than what we got.

Really?? How would THAT be better?

For one, that's a really cheesy idea that is low hanging fruit.

Second, The whole "something comes to life" is overdone and expected.

Third, that's not a story. That's a conceit.

Fourth, how would you even do that with live action characters and films without completely reshooting new scenes?

A lot of the criticism here seems critical just to be critical and not realistic at all. It's a good show!
 
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They have the villians or most emotional parts be the climax (Simbas death, bambis moms death, the fire structure on rivers of light, etc).

Happily Ever After show sequence,

Opening

Dreams

Journey

Friendship

Love

Adversity

Triumph

Finale.

I knew ya'll would come at me but what I'm saying is not false.
The previous Cinematic Spectacular was actually similar to this structure, with montages based on different film genres, like comedy, action, drama, etc. I like that this one did it differently, giving each IP its own section instead. Reminds me of the updated Holiday parade. Instead of mixing them all up, it gives each one a chance to shine.
 
The show feels so random without any consistency. At least the old show felt complete rather than just showing random clips from various franchises.
 
They have the villians or most emotional parts be the climax (Simbas death, bambis moms death, the fire structure on rivers of light, etc).

Happily Ever After show sequence,

Opening

Dreams

Journey

Friendship

Love

Adversity

Triumph

Finale.

I knew ya'll would come at me but what I'm saying is not false.

All of those are themes and do not equal a story. I worked on both Happily Ever After and Fantasmic and I'll tell you we knew there was a difference. Fantasmic absolutely tells a narrative story. Happily Ever After is a collection of themes.
 
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All of those are themes and do not equal a story. I worked on both Happily Ever After and Fantasmic and I'll tell you we knew there was a difference. Fantasmic absolutely tells a narrative story. Happily Ever After is a collection of themes.

Notice how it starts off with a dream, then the journey. The friendships and love that are made along the journey. Facing adversity through the hard times and ultimately being triumphant. Hence why the show is called, Happily Ever After.

This is all done using loved Disney and Pixar characters. I just want Universal to pull on my heart strings.


 
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“This new show really is a culmination of a guest’s day at Universal Orlando. It will feature various brands and characters and music and moments – all the things our guests experience while they’re here..."- Mike Aiello
I was gonna say, and that's why JAWS and BttF are absent from the show... but Bruce is hanging up by the water and you can meet Doc and his time machine across the lagoon... so they could use that as excuses to include them. Not that I think the show really needs the classic properties, but I can see an argument being made based on the logic that these properties are part of the guest experience in the park.
 
A fair bit of park speculation fuel in the show: It's easy to jump to the conclusion that Kidzone replacement stuff is being completely telegraphed in this show. (Or at least trolls and panda floats in superstar if it weren't for HTTYD).

Or it could be the Shrek replacement stuff. (Or would you go ape over a T2:3D replacement?)

The show was very studios centric, with nothing unique to IOA in it.

Although if they did have a Mario section in there I would have lost it.

Things that were missing, Current KidZone stuff (outside of ET), Shrek, Rockit, Fallon, Fear Factor, Mummy, Men in Black, and the Simpsons.

Of course all of this could be completely wrong and they just picked random Dreamworks and Illumination stuff because it was fun.
 
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Montages with old movies and grouping them based on emotions or themes is what the old show did and it was not liked.

That being said Kong has a ride and isn’t featured. Seems like they had to make hard choices and stuck to them.

So, it sounds as though we will need to wait until the show is show-ready for final reviews.

Yes. Anything beyond “can’t wait to see the final product” is premature.
 
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It is a recap of your day at UOR. That is why there is no BTTF and Jaws. And you can read what you want into HTTYD, Panda, Trolls, and Pets.
Ok Dave- let me dissect this.

Trolls is present already.
Pets could take over Shrek.
But HTTYD, Panda and Sing??

Panda and feudal Japan take over Kidzone (id love this, personally- but unlikely)
HTTYD takes over Lost Continent.
And Sing is the actual T2 show?
But then Nintendo should be around in Park 3 by the time all those projects are likely completed, so why wasn’t that in there?

Or, much more likely, they were just using clips from their IPs and picked 3 dreamworks and 3 illumination films. And they didn’t want to use Hop or Lorax.

Not every show needs to be a traditional three act story. Explain to me how Cirque du Soleil shows, Rivers of Light, Happily Ever After, or even World of Color for that matter fit your story arc? World of Color doesn't have a story. It's an expensive clip show montage. They made a choice to be nontraditional and I think that was a good and refreshing move on their part.
Easy. Those are Disney titles and you quoted @Miketheboss
Disney is immune from criticism and everything they do is perfect. Haven’t you heard?
 
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