nWave Pictures And InoTech Join Forces To Create nWave Attractions

4-Aug-00

nWave Pictures, a leading digital entertainment company that produces and distributes giant screen films and motion simulation ride films for the location-based entertainment (LBE) industry, has joined forces with leading technology designers and integrators, InoTech, to form nWave Attractions. The new company will distribute its own extensive library of ride and attraction films, as well as externally-produced films, to all hardware platforms and in all film formats around the world.""By combining our current and ever-growing library of ëA-listí ride and attraction films with the technological expertise from InoTech,"" states nWave Founder and CEO Ben Stassen, ""we are creating the first hardware-independent LBE company that will focus entirely on supplying and integrating content for ride simulation and attraction theatre operators."" There are over 2,000 motion simulation ride film venues operating worldwide, and approximately 150 3-D special venue attraction theatres. These venues require a constant, ever-changing supply of high-end visual content which then must be integrated into often specialized technology systems. nWave Attractions, with both film content and integration expertise, will be the largest independent supplier to these venues in the world. ""The motion simulation industry is in the midst of great uncertainty,"" states InoTech Founder and CEO Julian Angus. ""Exhibitors are in need of greater access to ride film software now more than ever. Being associated with Ben Stassen and nWave is exciting for us. InoTechís technical capabilities will respond to any theatre anywhere in the world so the exciting films and our motion programs will make the most memorable experiences for all audiences."" Annette Preston, Senior Vice President of InoTech, adds, ""Immediate response in providing technical support and spare parts to our customers have been a key factor in building InoTech. We will continue to provide part replacement independently and now with nWave Attractions we can provide full support to theatres worldwide.""nWave Pictures will continue to fulfill its commitment to produce four new ride films per year internally. In addition, nWave Attractions is in active negotiations with several prominent third-party simulation and attraction films producers of to secure completed and up-coming films for distribution. Announcements about the acquisition of new titles are imminent. ""Our strength is in the diversity, quality and constant supply of new visual experiences,"" states Stassen. ""With Julian and his team as partners, we can now dominate the film-based attraction marketplace by being able to put those visual experiences into every hardware system currently operating.""After producing ""Devil_s Mine Ride"" at Little Big One in 1992, Stassen founded nWave Pictures where he went on to create and produce such ride film classics as ""Dracula_s Haunted Castle,"" ""Glacier Run,"" ""Volcano Mine Ride,"" ""Secrets Of The Lost Temple,"" ""Superstition,"" ""Dolphins - The Ride,"" ""RGB Adventure,"" ""Magic Carpet Ride,"" ""Journey Through The Center Of The Earth"" and many others. Over the past ten years, Stassen and his team have produced more quality ride simulation titles than any other studio in the attraction industry.As a fully-integrated digital entertainment company, nWave Pictures also produces and distributes large format films for worldwide exhibition in Imax, Extreme Screens and other giant screen theatres. Recent popular successes include ""Thrill Ride: The Science Of Fun,"" ""3-D Mania - Encounter In The Third Dimension"" and ""Alien Adventure.""InoTech was founded in 1996 by Julian Angus and Annette Preston to provide technical support, digital sound upgrade, parts replacement, motion programming, 3-D upgrades and theatre conversions. With more than 20 years experience in the ride simulation field, Angus previously served as Vice President of Engineering at Omni Films and Iwerks Entertainment, both innovators in the ride simulation business. Angus designed and created such recognized ride platforms as Motion Master, Transporter, Gemini Six and Freedom Six for Omni and Iwerks. Angus recently completed the development of a new generation of motion programming software and show control systems that will be used with all new film licenses and in future theatre conversions and upgrades. nWave Attractions titles are available in 1570, 870, 570 and 35mm film formats, as well as all electronic formats including high definition and broadcast video.