Shrek 4D - theStudioTour.com

Dates: May 23 2003 – August 13 2017

The attraction was constructed in 2003 in the former Panasonic Theater which used to house the Star Trek Adventure, Totally Nickelodeon and many other shows over the years.
It’s closure was revealed online in May 2017, and on June 5th 2017, it was confirmed that this new attraction will be Kung Fu Panda, in a newly themed Dreamworks Theater.
Beginning where the first Shrek movie left off (and providing a handy transition into Shrek 2) this exciting “4D” movie attraction is beautifully themed.

Photo Gallery – Exterior

Preshow

The preshow sequence sets up the show, introduces the characters for those who’ve not seen the film (is there anyone left who hasn’t?) and sets the location deep inside Farquaad’s castle.
The Three Little Pigs and Pinocchio are trapped in boxes. We can see the pigs’ eyes and as they wriggle and speak, we can see their boxes move! Then the Magic Mirror updates us on what’s been happening since the first movie.

Walk-In and Exit Announcements

Special Effects & Interactive Lighting

Seats

The seats are pneumatically powered and can be made to pulse up and down (during the chase sequence). They have built-in water and air effects, along with a tickler which catches the back of the audiences’ legs during the spider sequence.

Interactive Lighting & Projections

On either side of the screen there’s an area of wall where lighting effects are projected to complement the 3D movie. These include a waterfall, lava, spiders dropping and candies. The brightness (and effectiveness) of these is limited, however.

Figures

**Spoiler** At the very end of the movie, a fairy appears to fly out of the movie screen and straight into the auditorium wall, where she can be seen flailing as the lights come up and the audience leaves the theatre.

‘How does our 3D vision work?’

We see in three dimensions because we have two eyes. The brain is able to process the two slightly different images from our left and right eyes, and extracts “3D” information necessary to enable us to move around the world without bumping into things.

‘How does the 3D movie work?’

To reproduce the effect of seeing in 3D, the show designers had to be able to control what our left eye sees, and keep it separate from what our right eye sees. Two projectors are used to project the “left eye” image which is projected through a special filter called a polarising lens. The special “3D glasses” we wear when we see the film has a similar filter, so only our left eye sees the image that’s meant for it. Another pair of projectors project the “right eye image” so that it overlays the left eye image. Pairs of projectors are used In order to make the image bright enough. The projectors used are latest-technology digital “DLP” projectors which are extremely high quality.
Unlike Terminator 2:3D, there is no film involved in the Shrek movie. The movie is stored digitally, and replayed direct from hard disk. It’s the first fully digital theme park attraction – picture quality remains as good as the day the attraction opened. The projectors are much more expensive than the 70mm film projectors on Terminator 2:3D, but there is NO film replacement cost. When the Terminator movie print wears out or is scratched, it must be replaced at a massive reprinting cost.

‘Where can I see the movie again?’

The Shrek 3D movie (without any preshow or “4D” elements) can be seen on a special bonus DVD available with some copies of Shrek 2. It comes with coloured lens 3D glasses which reproduce the 3D effect on your home TV set. The effect is much better, of course, at the park.

Audio – Walk-In Loop

Press Release – January 15, 2003

Universal Studios Theme Parks and DreamWorks Team to Create ‘Shrek 4-D(TM)’ Multi-Sensory State-of-the-Art Attraction, Based on Academy Award(R)-Winning Blockbuster, Debuts Summer 2003
‘Shrek 4-D(TM)’ Opening Simultaneously at Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal Studios Florida and Universal Studios Japan Continues the Saga of the ‘Greatest Fairy Tale Never Told’ With Ground-Breaking ‘OgreVision’ Animation and Sensory Immersion

Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and John Lithgow Reprise Their Voice-Over Roles

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. and ORLANDO, Fla. and OSAKA, Japan, Jan. 15

The all-new multi-sensory “Shrek 4-D(TM)” attraction, a multi-media continuation of the “Shrek(R)” fairy tale, will be the first major attraction to be introduced simultaneously at Universal theme parks in Hollywood, Orlando and Japan.
The comic talents of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and John Lithgow will return to give voice to the swamp-dwelling ogre, Shrek, his faithful chatterbox companion, Donkey; his bride, Princess Fiona(TM); and the vengeful ghost of Lord Farquaad(TM) in an all-new animated saga that will pick up the story where the Oscar(R)-winning feature film “Shrek” left off.
In the new tale, there is trouble once again in the faraway Kingdom of Duloc(TM). The tale begins as Shrek, Princess Fiona and their companion, Donkey set off for a honeymoon at the enchanting Fairytale Falls. But the ghost of Lord Farquaad, intent on taking his fearsome revenge, interrupts the honeymooners’ bliss. Soon, our fairy-tale heroes are face to face with ghostly foes and the audience is transported into the center of a thrilling adventure packed with such fast-paced sequences as an aerial dogfight between fire-breathing dragons and a steep plunge down a 300-foot deadly waterfall.
With 15 minutes of all-new 3-D animation, “Shrek 4-D” will bridge the narrative between “Shrek,” “the greatest fairy-tale never told,” and the upcoming sequel from DreamWorks Pictures. The “Shrek” saga continues with spectacular visuals and multiple special effects yet to be seen, heard and felt in a “4-D” attraction.
In announcing the new attraction, Tom Williams, chairman and CEO, Universal Parks & Resorts said: “Universal theme parks are committed to presenting attractions that break new ground in live entertainment and to working with the most creative minds in our industry. The new “Shrek 4-D” attraction is an example of the tremendous rewards to be realized from working with a creative powerhouse such as DreamWorks.”
Guests will be ushered into a pre-show chamber where they’ll be greeted by the late, vertically challenged Lord Farquaad himself, who, in his first posthumous appearance, will inform guests of his ghostly scheme to haunt Shrek, Princess Fiona and Donkey. The five-minute video preamble will prepare guests for their entry into the main theater and the wild adventure to follow.
Once settled in specially designed seats in the main auditorium, guests will don OgreVision glasses and will be transported to the fairy tale realm of Duloc, as the screen and the theater itself come alive with the tale of the Shrek-Princess Fiona honeymoon adventure. Surprising sensory elements will help propel the narrative experience through seats capable of both vertical and horizontal motion equipped with tactile transducers, pneumatic air propulsion and water spray nodules.
“Shrek 4-D” will mark the first animation to be created for a theme park by the animation wizards at PDI, the creators of “Shrek,” as well as the earlier computer animated hit “Antz(TM)”. The addition of three-dimensional depth to the animation and the creation of in-theater effects by attraction designers at Universal Creative will be parts of the new OgreVision multi-sensory experience.
Members of the team responsible for “Shrek” and for the upcoming DreamWorks Pictures sequel will also create the new animation. David Lipman, who served as co-executive producer for “Shrek,” and is producing “Shrek II, will produce the theme park attraction.
In Universal Studios Florida, Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Japan, “Shrek 4-D” will be housed in its own castle-like building. When the attractions open in Summer 2003, as many as 1200 guests in each park
will be able to experience the “Shrek 4-D” attraction hourly.
Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando are units of Universal Parks & Resorts. Universal Parks & Resorts conceives designs, constructs and operates Universal’s widely diversified themed entertainment businesses,
location-based entertainment endeavors and leisure activity enterprises throughout the world.

Universal Parks & Resorts is a division of Vivendi UNIVERSAL Entertainment ( www.universalstudios.com ), the film, television and recreation entity of Vivendi Universal, a global media and communications company.

DreamWorks SKG was formed in October, 1994, by its three principal partners — Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen — to produce live-action motion pictures; animated feature films; network, and cable television programming; home video entertainment; records; books; toys; and consumer products.

Premiere – May 10, 2003

Shrek® stars Mike Myers and Eddie Murphy joined DreamWorks co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg, Vivendi Universal Entertainment President and COO Ron Meyer, Universal Pictures Chairman Stacey Snider and Universal Studios Hollywood President and COO Larry Kurzweil on the welcoming “green carpet” at Universal Studios Hollywood on Saturday, May 10 2003 to celebrate the world premiere of “Shrek 4-D,™” the all-new multi-sensory attraction introduced simultaneously at Universal theme parks in Hollywood, Orlando and Japan.

The guests at the gala premiere were the filmmakers, Hollywood notables and dozens of film and TV stars including Christine Lahti, Maria Bello, Michael York, Bradley Whitford and Jane Kaczmarek, Richard Schiff, Joely Fisher, Keenan Ivory Wayans, Richard Dean Anderson, Donal Logue and many others.

“Shrek 4-D,” a multi-media continuation of the Shrek fairy tale, reunites the comic talents of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and John Lithgow who return to give voice to the swamp-dwelling ogre, Shrek, his faithful chatterbox companion, Donkey; his bride, Princess Fiona™ and the vengeful ghost of Lord Farquaad™ in an all-new animated saga that will pick up the story where DreamWorks’ Oscar®-winning feature film Shrek left off.

Construction

Photos by David Crown, 2003

Credits

Mike Myers – Shrek
Eddie Murphy – Donkey
Cameron Diaz – Princess Fiona
John Lithgow – Ghost of Farquaad
Christopher Knights – Thelonius / Blind Mouse
Conrad Vernon – Gingerbread Man
Cody Cameron – Pinocchio / Three Pigs

Director – Simon J Smith
Producers – Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Lipman
Based upon the book by William Steig and characters from the Original Motion Picture ‘Shrek’
Written by David Lipman
Score composed by Harry Gregson-Williams
Editor – Michelle Belforte
Production Designer – Luc Desmarchelier
Visual Effects Supervisor – Paul Wang
Supervising Animator – Raman Hui
Head of Layout – Bob Whitehill
Production Manager – Triva Von Klark

STORY

Head of Story – Steve Hickner
Story / Editorial Supervisor – Jenna Grigg Thomas
Story Artists – David Lowery and Jurgen Gross
Production Assistant – Brandon Troutman

ART DEPARTMENT

Digital Art Director – Paul Wang
Production Supervisor – Stacey Vandermeer
Set Designer – Craig Edelblut
Production Illustrators – Yuri Bartoli, Ruben Hickman, Yoriko Ito, James Wood Wilson, Julia Woolf
Production Assistant – Travis Koller

CHARACTER TECHNICAL DIRECTION

Character TD Supervisors – Lucia Modesto and Rob Vogt
Production Supervisor – Patricia Kaku
Character TD’s – Terran Boylan, Daniel Dawson, Quintin King, Lucia Modesto, Stephen Osterburg, Nicolas Scapel

MODELLING

Modelling Supervisor – Jeff Hayes
Production Supervisor – Andrea Stoops
Modelers – John Dodelson, Yun Kang, Gerard Ommen-Kloeke, Josh West, Ben Williams
Production Co-Ordinator – Angela Ensele

LAYOUT

Rough Layout – Nick Walker
Production Supervisor – Carol Norton
Technical Director – Marty Sixkiller
Layout – James Buckhouse, John Braunreuther, Brian Danker, Todd Heapy, Amy Jones, Rich Shiba
Production Co-Ordinator – Fadi Kandah

ANIMATION

Directing Animator – Tim Cheung
Production Supervisor – Jennifer Dahlman
Technical Director – Matt Authement
Animators – Chung Chan, Kenny Chung, Paul Chung, Denis Couchon, Donnachada Daly, Raffaella Filipponi, Ethan Hurd, Mariko Hoshi, Luci Napier, Bill Miller, David Spivack, Sean Springer
Production Co-Ordinator – Tonia Pizzato

LIGHTING AND EFFECTS

Sequence Supervisors – Jin Liou and Pablo Valle
Production Manager – Kristen Chidel
Production Supervisors – Jennifer Freeman, Michael Garner, Stacy Rentel
Technical Directors – Mark Decker, Tony Mitzelfelt, Amy Sandijeh, Heather Wang
Lead Lighters – Ken Ball, Ronman Yiu Yan Ng, Joe Palrang, Milton Rodriguez-Rios
Lighters – Chanda Cummings, Philipe Denis, Young Joo Paik-Cheung, Andrew McPhillips, Barbara A. Meyers, Gaku Nakatani, Geri Smith, Jung Jin Song
Effects – Francois Antoine, Matt Baer, Juan J. Buhler, Adam Chin, Alain DeHoe, Jonathan Gibbs, Rick Glumac, Scott Peterson, Mahesh Ramasubramanian, Krzysztof Rost, Martin Usiak
Production Co-Ordinators – Jana Spotts and Jenny Wolfe-Binder

MATTE PAINTING

Technical Supervisor – Michael Collery
Matte Painters – Tony Halawa and David Tamura

SURFACING

Surfacing Lead – Sabrina M. Riegel
Production Supervisor – Andre Araujo
Surfacers – Claudia Candia and Edward Deren
Paint Fix – Amber Stewart and Hank Grebe

CLOTHING

Production Supervisor – Holly Edwards
Cloth Effects – David Murphy and Robert Kosai

PRODUCTION ENGINEERING

Lead Technical Director – Steve Bell
Assistant Technical Director – Justin Onstine

EDITORIAL

Additional Editing – Sim Evans-Jones, Christopher Knights
Assistant Editor – Kaya Kim
Production Assistants – Alex McDonnell and Chris Milano

DIGITAL PROJECTION

Post Technologies Manager – Barbara Ford
Lead Editorial Technician – Gene Takahashi
Research and Development – Rahul C. Thakkar

PRODUCTION

Production Controller – Gary Wohlleben
Production Accountant – Mary Lou Finn
Central Production Co-Ordinator – Chryassa Cooke
Assistants to Jeffrey Katzenberg – Cynthia Park, Nancy Clay, Tracy Ann Pearson
Assistant to David Lipman and Simon Smith – Alethea Harampolis
Production Assistants – PK Livingston Jr. and Eli Rod

POST PRODUCTION

Sound Design – Randy Thom
Supervising Sound Editor – Dennis Leonard
Rerecording Mixers – Andy Nelson and Anna Behlmer
Post Production Executive – James Beshears
Post Production Supervisor – Andrew Birch
Post Production Assistant – Chris Hoetger
Rerecording Mixer / Universal – Tony Miceli
Mix Technician – Travis Meck
Sound Effects Editor – Scott Guitteau
Foley Editor – Sue Fox
ADR Editor – Marilyn McCoppen
Assistant Sound Designer – William Files
Foley Mixer – Frank ‘Pepe’ Merel
Foley Artists – Dennie Thorpe and Jana Vance
Re-Recordists – Ron Roumas and Mark Purcell
Mix Technicians – Tony Sereno and Juan Peralta
Digital Transfer – Jonathan Greber, Christopher Barron, Tim Burby
Video Services – Ed Dunkley and John ‘J.T.’ Torrijos
Engineering Services – Doug Ford, Howie Hammerman, Steve Morris
Digital Editorial Services – David Hunter and Shannon Mills
Client Services – Mike Lane, Eva Napolean, Megan Tompkins, Gordon Ng
Post Production Sound Services by Skywalker Sound
a Lucasfilm Ltd. Company
Marin County, California

MUSIC

Score Recorded and Mixed by Alan Meyerson
Score Recorded at Abbey Road Studios
Score Pre-Mixed at Media Ventures
Music Editor – Sherry Whitfield
Assistant Engineers – Toby Chu, Gregg Silk, Kevin Globerman, Richard Lancaster
Score Conducted by Rupert Gregson-Williams
Orchestrations – Bruce L. Fowler, Walter Fowler, Ladd McIntosh, Suzette Moriarty, Elizabeth Finch
Orchestral Contractor – Isobel Griffiths
Orchestra Leader – Gavyn Wright
Music Clearance – Julie Butchko
Music Coordinator – Julie Keel
Music Assistant – Meri Gavin
Additional Music by – James McKee Smith and Stephen Barton

Original Music from the motion picture ‘Shrek’ by
Harry Gregson-Williams and John Powell

TECHNOLOGY

Workstations and rendering provided by HP invent

SPECIAL THANKS

Andrew Adamson
Peter Anderson, Guillaume Aretos, Patti Burke, Teresa Cheng, Amy Krider, Scott Trowbridge, Aron Warner

SONGS

‘Have I Told You Lately That I Love You’
Written by Van Morrison
Performed by Eddie Murphy