Electrosonic Provides Audio-Visual Systems Expertise for Trio of Thea Award-Winning Projects

The Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) has announced the winners of the prestigious 21st annual Thea Awards, honoring creative excellence in theme parks, museums, and other attractions. Electrosonic has once again taken part in several of the winning projects playing key roles in the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City (cited for Extraordinary Cultural Achievement), Harry Potter & The Escape from Gringotts at Universal Studios Florida (Outstanding Attraction), and The StoryGarden at the Amorepacific Beauty Campus in South Korea (Outstanding Corporate Brand-land).

The Thea Awards were created by TEA to help realize a key mission of the association: bringing recognition to achievement, talent, and personal excellence within the themed entertainment industry. From a modest beginning in 1994, the Thea Awards have become internationally recognized as a symbol of excellence. Winners will be honored at a black-tie gala on March 21, 2015, at the Disneyland Hotel, Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, California.

"Electrosonic is honored to have participated in three projects named as 2015 Thea Award winners," says Bryan Hinckley, entertainment solutions director at Electrosonic. "For a number of years we have contributed to multiple projects honored by TEA as outstanding examples of their craft. That honor continues with the trio of Thea Award winners just cited for outstanding achievement in their categories. Our congratulations to the winners!"

Electrosonic provided the audio-visual systems for the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, which opened in the footprints of The World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan. The museum is primarily located about 70' (21m) below ground offering a unique and moving visitor experience.

Honored by TEA for its Extraordinary Cultural Achievement, the National September 11 Memorial & Museum "thoroughly integrates the site of the event itself into the experience, displays artifacts of every scale in compelling ways, and provides detailed context and historical record in juxtaposition with emotional witness and testimony," TEA stated. "The audio visual media and interactives are powerfully dynamic but sensitively engaging, giving visitors many alternate ways to connect to the story."

TEA also said, "this Museum fulfills its mission, conveying its important story with eloquence and emotional power while allowing for thoughtful reflection, learning, and tribute by every visitor."

Electrosonic provided the projection system design and integration for Universal for Harry Potter & The Escape from Gringotts, a new ride attraction at Universal Studios Florida. TEA cited the ride for its overall excellence and emotionally engaging quality saying, "in the themed entertainment industry, this attraction seems clearly to be the new yardstick by which all will be measured." TEA noted that, "using what must be the largest screen images ever employed in a ride-through attraction, combined with extremely sharp-filmed imagery, [the ride] delivers the convincing illusion of absolute reality."

In addition, Electrosonic handled the design and systems integration for BRC Imaginations Arts, and maintains a service contract for Amore Pacific at The StoryGarden on the Amorepacific Beauty Campus in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. Situated at the corporate headquarters of the cosmetics and beauty products company, The StoryGarden was singled out by TEA for transforming the concept of a factory tour, "elevating the experience of a brand visitor center to the highest artistic and emotional standard...The arrival, interior design, media installations, interactives and galleries all deliver on the essence of Amorepacific's brand while also delivering a distinctive experience."