The permanent theatre experiences, which will be open to the public daily at the indoor theme park, incoporate 4D projection mapping and live theatre alongside soundscapes, dance, aerial performance, lighting design, a bespoke automated set and complex production and technical elements.
Drive was asked by The Business Creative, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi’s entertainment consultants, to develop the initial concept of integrating live performance and 4D projection. The brief was to create something that would immerse people in the spirit and the heritage of Ferrari.
The Mission Ferrari experience plunges the audience into the world of secret agent Cavallino, who after returning from his last mission to Ferrari HQ in Italy, finds his next assignment is to test the brand’s latest spy car. The character and his sidekick MC are then on high alert after intruders break in and try to steal the vehicle.
The experience features an 18-metre-tall by eight-metre-wide vertical wall weighing more than 18 tonnes, acting as the canvas for projected 4D content. Positioned on the face of the wall is a rotating plate, which carries an exact replica of a Ferrari 430 model and allows the vehicle to turn 180 degrees in 20 seconds.
Artists involved in Mission Ferrari will be suspended on three, high-speed performer-winches, which move at a speed of two metres per second. They will have to wear bespoke hip harnesses built into their costumes that allow them to somersault forwards and backwards, creating the illusion that they are performing within and reacting to the CGI environment.
Effects such as lasers, CO2 smoke explosions and fans will also add to the drama of the show.
Viva Ferrari is based on a love story and conveys the spirit and lifestyle of the brand. To encapsulate Ferrari’s heritage a vintage car has been used, while the setting of the experience is a villa in Lake Como.
A custom-built, 18-metre-wide stage has been installed in front of a cinema screen for the concept, on which two dancers will perform choreographed theatre incorporating martial arts, ballet, mime, street dance and capoeira. CGI and a bespoke soundtrack are also being incorporated into the experience.
Ben Fender, chief executive of Drive Worldwide, said: "Mission Ferrari and Viva Ferrari have both been amongst the most complex, exciting and pioneering experiences Drive has ever created. I am extremely proud of our work and the team that have worked so tirelessly on it.
"These projects are both perfect examples of this creative vision and our production prowess; they are both genuinely groundbreaking experiences that have gone above and beyond our expectations. We’ve fused the worlds of dance, theatre, projection mapping, special effects and cinema, just in time for our tenth anniversary."
Victoria Lynn, park manager at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, added: "At Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, we aim to give every family member an ‘out of this world’ experience. Our world-class shows are part of the Park’s key entertainment offering and we are always looking to introduce fresh, innovative talents and performances to provide an even greater Ferrari experience."
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