THEME PARKS
P
&P Projects is overseeing the realisation of Smurfs Village, one of the major zones of Motiongate theme park at Dubai Parks & Resorts. The themed zone based on the famous Belgian cartoon creation – an enchanting mushroom-house town full of the lovable little blue creatures – is set to be one of the highlights of the development.
Tell us about Smurfs Village. Stefan: We’re working on Smurfs Village at Motiongate Dubai, the first Smurfs-inspired theme park zone in the region and the largest of its kind in the world. P&P Projects is responsible for the design and build of scenery in the outdoor area as well as working specifically on certain attractions. Ifat: P&P has created numerous Smurf figures, both animated and static, that will be positioned throughout the themed zone. What attractions will there be? Stefan: There are five immersive attractions within the zone. There’s a family coaster, Smurf Village Express, which takes guests soaring above the enchanted Smurf-themed land. We’re doing the theming for the rollercoaster. Then there’s a family-focused dark ride, Smurfs Studio Tours, and we’re working on all show sets for that, including the queue area. It’s all in keeping with the style of the movie, Smurfs: The Lost Village, which comes out in 2017. In the attraction, visitors see how the Smurfs make movies and they become the stars of the show. Ifat: There’s also a live animated interactive show at the Playhouse, the outdoor Woodland Play Park play zone and the Smurfberry Factory soft play area. You’ll be able to see Smurfs walking around and interact with them, or even eat with them in the café.
The Smurfs were created as a series of comic characters by Belgian artist Peyo in 1958
TRUE BLUE
We catch up with P&P Projects to get the lowdown on the Smurfs zone they’re creating in Dubai
Marketing manager Ifat Caspi and project manager Stefan van der Putten
Do you enjoy working with big IPs? Ifat: Yes, of course! The Smurfs IP is really popular again and it’s good timing with the new film coming out. We’ve enjoyed working on many other IPs, including various Disney properties, Star Wars for Madame Tussauds, Ice Age for Movie Park Germany and Arthur in the Minimoys Kingdom for Europa Park. Stefan: Well-known IPs are the symbolic
children of the companies or people who create them, so it is a challenge to translate the IP and surrounding world into something tangible with an authentic visual language. Ifat: Yes, you mustn’t underestimate how much is involved in translating an IP world into 3D and telling the story in the best way. Stefan: The key is not only understanding what the IP holder and the operator want to accomplish, but also understanding the IP itself – the characters and world they live in. You have to empathise with all aspects. With this project, we’re at the point where we can tell what each Smurf is thinking. Ifat: We have turned blue here! Stefan: We know how they feel, how they act, how they react to each other and that’s what we aim to convey through the décor and the figures. You have to capture their personality. We work to capture all aspects of the IP, not just the visual language. ●
An overview of Motiongate, where Smurfs Village is located; A rendering depicts the mushroom-like houses that characterise the zone 64 attractionsmanagement.com
AM 3 2016 ©CYBERTREK 2016