The World Beyond – Michael Mack and the Emotioneers of Tomorrow

„Dass Voltron ein absoluter Kracher wird, war relativ schnell klar – denn das war auch die Anforderung! Eine Anlage in dieser Größenordnung bauen wir nur alle 10 bis 15 Jahre, da muss es einfach sitzen.“ - Patrick Marx, Head of Masterplanning bei MACK One, und Lukas Metzger, Head of Park Operations im Europa Park, sind näher dran an der „besten neuen Achterbahn der Welt“ als jeder andere: Seit der ersten Fahrt vor etwa 6 Monaten hat Voltron Nevera powered by Rimac bereits knapp 3 Millionen Menschen durch die Luft gewirbelt. Podcast-Host Michael Mack, Gründer und CEO von MACK One, gibt in dieser Episode von THE WORLD BEYOND einen exklusiven Einblick in dieses Meisterwerk der Ingenieurskunst: Was macht Voltron Nevera so außergewöhnlich erfolgreich? Was sind die physikalischen Limits einer Achterbahn? Wie wird sich der kroatische Themenbereich, dessen Herzstück die Achterbahn ist, in Zukunft weiterentwickeln? Und an welchen innovativen Attraktionen arbeiten die MACK Emotioneers aktuell? Antworten hier im Podcast: THE WORLD BEYOND! -- Ein MACK One Original Podcast.

“Horror is not about the monster. It’s about hope.” - Bill McCoy is a world-renowned make-up artist who has been creating incredible and often terrifying characters for film, TV, and live events for over 25 years. His exceptional work can be seen in major Hollywood productions such as “Stranger Things,” “The Walking Dead,” and many more. Join podcast host Michael Mack, founder and CEO of MACK One, in this thrilling conversation about the psychology of creating fear, the delicate balance between horror and storytelling, and the innovative trends shaping the future of special effects make-up. Plus, get an exclusive sneak peek into this year’s Traumatica Festival of Fear: “This year, it’s going to be intense; everything has either been upgraded or completely overhauled. The ‘Cinema’ is going to be the fan favorite — I think the scare-factor there is very high. What I want is for Traumatica to become a brand of horror, not just a place you can visit.” Press play and embark on this spine-chilling journey into THE WORLD BEYOND! -- A MACK One Original Podcast.

“The next big change is how we achieve performances for these figures — how we create an experience that feels organic, as if it's happening in real time.” Bill Butler is a brilliant mind in the field of creating and programming hyper-realistic mechatronic puppets (animatronics) controlled by multiple machines to move fluidly. Join podcast host Christina Rees, one of the Emotioneers from MACK Magic, in this deep-dive conversation about a top-secret project for the U.S. Department of Defense, where they built an immersive training space for the Marines (a highly detailed Afghan village), and how innovations are changing the way animatronics are created to look more and more lifelike. “Now we have things that could fit in your pocket, capable of controlling an entire attraction, and that’s been one of the biggest changes.” Press play and dive into a thrilling journey to the world beyond! -- A MACK One Original Podcast.

"With immersive media, if it’s done well, we can recreate a kind of reality — and this is pretty cool because it brings that reality into your home," says Dr. Thomas Wagner, one of Germany’s leading figures in the field of virtual reality games, VR, and AR. As the Chief Operating Officer and Co-Managing Director at Munich-based K5 Factory, he and his team are currently developing the only officially licensed Oktoberfest game. Join podcast host Marcus Ernst, one of the Emotioneers from MACK One, for a behind-the-scenes conversation about the biggest misconceptions about VR, tackling the challenges of creating large-scale virtual experiences, and whether spatial computing will really be the next big thing. "I’m still convinced that whatever brings reality closer to the user is something worth focusing on." Press play and dive into a thrilling journey to the world beyond! -- A MACK One Original Podcast.

„I was eight or nine years old when I finally made the decision about what I was going to do with the rest of my life: I wanted to be a roller coaster designer." - Jeff Pike is a prominent figure in the amusement industry for his contributions to the development of modern theme park attractions, where he combines creative design with technical expertise. As a designer and co-founder of Skyline Attractions, an American amusement ride and roller coaster design and manufacturing company founded in 2014, he has played a key role in the creation of rides like the 'Skywarp' series, known for their compact yet thrilling designs. Jeff Pike also collaborated with Europa-Park on the design of the legendary wooden coaster 'Wodan' as a mechanical designer. Join podcast host Lukas Metzger, Head of Operations at Europa-Park, in this deep-dive conversation about key principles in the design process, the impact of technological innovations and what the roller coasters of tomorrow will look like: “The new Multi Launch Coaster Voltron Nevera, here at Europa-Park, could probably have existed in the minds of talented designers 20 years ago... but I doubt they could have made it a reality without the technology we have today.“ Press play and jump right into a thrilling journey to the world beyond! -- A MACK One Original Podcast.

"With game engines, AI, and 5G, you can make the park much more programmable, allowing you to change and tailor the experience for your guests. Based on your guests' data, you can alter the story, and the adventure can take a different turn.“ - Thierry Coup has profoundly shaped the way theme parks are experienced and continues to set new standards in the entertainment industry: He has been behind some of the biggest developments and implementations of innovative attractions for Universal Creative and Walt Disney Imagineering. A few notable examples include "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter“, "Transformers: The Ride-3D" "The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man“ and "Jurassic World - The Ride." His work has been recognized with numerous industry awards, including honors from the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA). Join podcast host Lukas Metzger, Head of Operations at Europa Park, as he talks with Thierry Coup about the biggest challenges in creating immersive experiences and his vision for the future of entertainment: "It’s all about the mix of real settings, projection mapping, screens, lows and highs and the balance of all those things! It’s like a perfect symphony. But it’s becoming more and more difficult to get a good return on investment because the costs are so high and everything is became so expensive." Tune in to this podcast episode and embark on an exciting journey into the world beyond! -- A MACK One Original Podcast.

„I am quite confident that the generation after us will also find solutions in regular play and regular toys“ - Christopher Becker is an internationally sought-after professional in the fields of licensing and franchising, as well as an expert in children’s toys, consumer goods and much more. He was the Senior Licensing Manager for Lucasfilm, Disney and Marvel for all three German-speaking countries, the Head of Licensing for The Walt Disney Company in Switzerland, the European Franchise Director for Sesame Workshop and he is currently the Director of Licensing and Partnerships at tonies. Join podcast host Christina Rees, one of the Emotioneers from MACK Magic, in this inspiring conversation about the future of physical toys, game related content and audio-based entertainment. Will physical games and toys soon be pushed aside in favor of more high-tech or digital ones? What will the toys of the future look like? And what components, features and hybrid forms will we be seeing? „Toys will never die!“ Tune in to this podcast episode and embark on an exciting journey into the world beyond! -- A MACK One Original Podcast.

"In the next several years, we will have an augmented personal assistant in a wearable device, but not necessarily in our pocket“ - Emily Olman is one of the leading figures in creating relevant use cases for VR and AR. As CEO and Chief Media Officer at her very own company, Hopscotch Interactive, she has a deep understanding of emerging technologies. Join podcast host Marcus Ernst, one of the Emotioneers from MACK One, in this thrilling conversation about the influence existing and upcoming technologies will have on our everyday life. What are the biggest misapprehensions about VR, AR and AI? And which trends and technologies are currently waiting behind the horizon? "Go and attend, show up, be present, and be unafraid – you don’t get a second chance! If you have a big dream, then it really takes a lot of people to make that big dream happen. Everything takes teamwork!" Press play and jump right into The World Beyond! -- A MACK One Original Podcast.

„I think that we are going to really look at how we can all find solutions for problems within the world. Everything is changing and sustainability is terribly important to everyone“ - Amanda Thompson is an inspiring figure in the amusement park industry with an impressive family tradition and a remarkable commitment to creativity and shows. Join podcast host Lukas Metzger, Head of Operations at Europa Park, as he talks with Amanda Thompson about the challenges and opportunities running a family owned theme park in England, the learnings from the Covid pandemic and future tasks for the amusement industry: „Our industry is quit sustainable. We try to build locally, we try to use things again and we reimagine what is great from our past and constantly making it better. That means: We will have an industry for the future.“ Tune in! -- A MACK One Original Podcast.

„Technology is going to make it easier for guests to be guests and easier for us as operator to treat them as guests“ - in this special episode, podcast host Lukas Metzger, Head of Operations at Europa Park, meets exciting personalities from the entertainment industry at the Hot Ice Show 2024 premiere in Blackpool. This legendary ice skating show is running since 1936 and is a real benchmark for storytelling and shows. As part of the Pleasure Beach Resort, a family owned theme park in England, the season start of this extraordinary event attracts leading figures from all over the world. Lukas Metzger takes the opportunity to ask these master minds the recurring final question from THE WORLD BEYOND: 7 years from now - how do they envision the world evolving over the next seven years? What major changes or developments will shape the leisure industry? Get the answers from Miro Gronau, Concept Manager at Wiegand Water Rides, Håkon Lund, Owner Lund Group Norway and Massimiliano Freddi, Founder & CEO of Wonder Woods Theme Park Italy. -- A MACK One Original Podcast.

Every week, Michael Mack and his team from MACK One welcomes the leading experts, courageous entrepreneurs, professors and future-shaping inventors from various areas of expertise as guest in this podcast. Take an exclusive peek into the future and tune in to some true highlights of 50 Episodes: 1 - Mate Rimac, Founder and CEO of "Rimac Automobili", named "The European Elon Musk" 2 - Sir Richard Taylor, 5-time Academy Award Winner and Founder "Weta Workshop" 3 - Daniel Lamarre, Executive Vice-Chairman of the Board, former CEO of "Cirque du Soleil" 4 - Dr. Auma Obama, Sociologist, Keynote Speaker, Founder and Director of the Auma Obama Foundation „Sauti Kuu“ 5 - David Rynearson, Senior Software Programmer and Consultant at "NASA" 6 - Prof. Patrick Glauner, Professor at the Institute of Technology in Deggendorf, leading Artificial Intelligence Expert 7 - Cathy Hackl, Tech Futurist, bestselling Author, "Godmother of the Metaverse" 8 - Thor Pedersen, Awarded Adventurer, holding the World Record of having traveled to every single Country in the World without flying 9 - Jelle de Jong, CEO Madrid Artes Digitales, visionary Leader and Innovator in the Realm of Immersive Exhibitions 10 - Athena Demos, CEO of multi-award-winning XR-Company "Big Rock" 11 - Rolf Schumann, Co-CEO Schwarz Digits, leading entrepreneurial Figure in the Fields of Technology and Innovation 12 - Marc Zachary, former Head of Disney Location-Based Experiences, Consultant and President of his own Company “Experiential Advisors” Dive deeper and listen to the full episodes! -- A MACK One Original Podcast.

“Be friendly to AI! Say always `thank you´ when you get an answer from a bot. When it takes over the world - you’re on the right side“ - Joel Allenspach is a prominent figure in the field of immersive 3D experiences and extended reality (XR) technologies. His swiss based company Jamaze AG is known for its innovative solutions in enhancing customer experiences through advanced technology. Join podcast host Marcus Ernst, one of the Emotioneers from MACK One, in this deep-dive conversation about the impact AI integration can have on immersive experiences and the biggest challenges in this field. „With the help of AI, we as a small company can create much cooler experiences than we ever dared to dream of.“ Press play and jump right into this exciting journey of the world beyond! -- A MACK One Original Podcast.

„The biggest problem is usually trying to get the technology to balance with the storytelling” - Lou Doye is constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible: The british based creative director helps launch the latest immersive storytelling technology and has realized ground-breaking productions for the META Quest, the Apple Vision Pro and many more. Join podcast host Christina Rees, one of the Emotioneers from MACK Magic, in this inspiring conversation about the latest AR-trends in storytelling, the new VR animation tool „Quill“ and about the biggest challenges in creating and producing immersive experiences. „When you are a smaller company, you can be more experimental.“ Explore the true magic of storytelling in this podcast episode! -- A MACK One Original Podcast.

“KI fehlt einfach das Herz. Und das hört man“ - Sebastian Kübler prägt mit seinen einzigartigen Kompositionen seit über 15 Jahren die Freizeitpark-Branche. Der Lead Composer der 2112 Studios (MACK One) kreiert mit seinem Team einen Sound ala Hollywood - made im Europa Park in Rust. Podcast-Host Michael Mack spricht mit dem gefragten Komponisten über die Zukunft der Musikproduktion: Wie beeinflußt KI schon heute die Arbeit der Musikproduzenten? Welche Urheber-rechtlichen Fragen sind ungeklärt? Kann KI echte Emotionen erzeugen und einen Welthit produzieren? „Musikalisch ist die KI noch zu schlecht und nicht individuell genug. Beim Gesang sieht es anders aus - da wird es bald Zeiten geben, wo sich der Produzent überlegt: gehe ich jetzt ins Studio und hole mir einen teuer bezahlten Sänger oder mache ich das mit Hilfe einer Künstlichen Intelligenz.“ Und: Exklusiv in dieser Episode gibt es eine Sneak-Peak auf den neuen Song von Europa United - „Electrified“ - produziert von einer KI und Sebastian Kübler. Jetzt direkt reinhören und einen Blick in die Zukunft werfen! -- Ein MACK One Original Podcast.

“I think nothing is off the limits if the director wants to go for it“ - Sarah Ellis pushes the envelope and enriches Shakespeare’s iconic works with innovative and creative storytelling techniques, innovative technologies and exciting partnerships. Join podcast host Christina Rees, one of the Emotioneers from MACK Magic, in this inspiring conversation about the legacy of Shakespeare, his timeless appeal to audiences around the globe and the opportunities by combining these masterpieces of storytelling with innovative technologies. "Technology has to work with the story, that's really important to us.“ To be or not to be - that is the question, also in this podcast episode! Press play and jump right into this exciting journey of the world beyond! -- A MACK One Original Podcast.

“We have reached this point that the question is not what is possible - we have come to the point what is useful” - Rolf Schumann is an outstanding leading entrepreneurial figure in the fields of technology and innovation. Working as Co-CEO for Schwarz Digits (Schwarz Group is the world's fourth largest goods retailer with approx. 154 billion EURO in sales in 2022), he’s responsible for transforming a traditional retail group with brands such as Lidl and Kaufland into a digital giant that has become the most important AI player and innovator in the German market. Join podcast host Michael Mack as he talks with his guest about the huge efforts and investments of Schwarz Group to create European alternatives to the dominant big players and to access innovation and know-how in Germany: the german cloud solution „Stackit“, the cyber security company „XM Cyber“, the AI Company „Aleph Alpha“, the messenger Service „Wire“ and the educational programm and platform „Campus Founders“. “Now you understand why this company is so fancy because it’s a completely end-to-end connected Eco-System!“ - Press „Play“ and dive right into this exciting journey into the world beyond! -- A MACK One Original Podcast.

„I don’t believe in a world where we only will do digital experiences” - Peter van der Schans is a true leader in the leisure industry: As head of IAAPA’s EMEA team, he’s truly shaping the future of entertainment. Join podcast host Lukas Metzger, Head of Operations at Europa Park, in this thrilling conversation about how emerging technologies are revolutionizing the amusement park experience, the significance of interactive storytelling in enhancing visitor engagement and why transformative strategies are crucial for impactful change in the industry. „We have large Player in the market, they are buying multiple parks, family owned businesses like Europa Park becoming more rare actually“. 3, 2, 1 - ignition for this exciting journey into the world beyond! -- A MACK One Original Podcast.

“When people say ‚AI is against humans‘: it’s not true! Sitting in front of a computer all day, that’s a human killer. If you can give that to a machine that will do it better than you - it’s value!“ - David Granite is a true mastermind for blockchain, AI, robotics, AR, VR and MR. Working for Dorier Group as creative technologist, he creates immersive experiences for big brands like Audemars Piguet or UEFA. Join podcast host Marcus Ernst, one of the Emotioneers from MACK One, in this thrilling conversation about how to utilize new technologies, the role of gamification in telling captivating stories and how AI is evolving at the speed of light. „I think that AI enabled devices are going to be the next big thing, the next iPod-vibe.” Press ‚Play’ and dive right into this exciting journey of the world beyond! -- A MACK One Original Podcast.

„For someone who truly loves Theme Parks, I like originality - what you have done with Voltron Nevera, to me it is very original“ - Tim Baldwin is editorial writer at Amusement Today - the attractions industry news leader since 1997 and the presenter of the prestigious Annual Golden Ticket Awards. Join podcast host Michael Mack, founder and CEO on MACK One, in this thrilling conversation about major trends in the amusement industry, new game-changing technologies and what the future of entertainment may look like: Is there a social change in terms of time out and recovery after the Covid pandemic? Where does Europe stand in comparison to the USA, Asia or Latin America? Does the label “Made in Germany” still have global relevance? “When I go to parks in America and I see something that could be operated more efficiently, I always want to say: just go and watch ‚Blue Fire‘ here at Europa-Park for an hour, watch it run and see how it should be done!“ Discover an exciting journey into the world beyond! -- A MACK One Original Podcast.

“The roller coaster itself is no longer the central experience, it becomes part of a larger experience” - get started for the new multi-launch coaster VOLTRON NEVERA - powered by Rimac! In this episode, the minds behind this innovative project from EUROPA PARK Rust provide a detailed insight: from the idea to development to the first ride. Podcast host Patrick Marx, Head of Masterplanning MACK Emotioneers, speaks with Development Manager Dennis Gordt and Roller Coaster Planner Stephan Alt from Mack Rides: “We are something like the kitchen planners for roller coasters!” What were the biggest challenges in this gigantic project? And how does it feel to ride the coaster in the new “Croatia” themed area? “There were a lot of variants of VOLTRON during development, probably 40 or 50,” say the experts. Together they take a look ahead: What will the roller coaster of the future look like? Can there ever be another development step as big as VOLTRON? Get the answers - here in the podcast. -- „Die Achterbahn an sich ist nicht mehr das zentrale Erlebnis, sie wird Teil eines größeren Erlebnisses“ - Start frei für den neuen Multi-Launch-Coaster VOLTRON NEVERA - powered by Rimac! Die Köpfe hinter diesem innovativen Projekt des EUROPA PARK Rust geben in dieser Episode einen detaillierten Einblick: von der Idee über die Entwicklung bis zur ersten Fahrt. Podcast Host Patrick Marx, Head of Masterplanning MACK Emotioneers, spricht mit Entwicklungsleiter Dennis Gordt und Achterbahnplaner Stephan Alt von Mack Rides: „Wir sind so etwas wie die Küchenplaner der Achterbahnen!“ Was waren die größten Herausforderungen bei diesem gigantischen Projekt? Und wie fühlt es sich an, den Coaster im neuen Themenbereich „Kroatien“ zu fahren? „Von VOLTRON gab es während der Entwicklung sehr viele Varianten, bestimmt 40 oder 50“, erzählen die Experten. Gemeinsam werfen sie einen Blick nach vorne: Wie wird die Achterbahn der Zukunft aussehen? Kann es überhaupt noch einmal einen derart großen Entwicklungsschritt wie bei VOLTRON geben? Antworten - hier im Podcast. -- A MACK One Original Podcast.