|
Archive Available at David Gibbons (Register/Log In to Listen)
Geoff Puckett "Dream & Imagination for a New World Dimension in the Public Arena"
(Two Part Series)
Radio
Streaming Broadcast: January 18 & 19, 2012
Geoff
Puckett - Experience Producer & Dimensional Storyteller
Originally from San Diego, CA, Geoff Puckett grew up
as the Space Age launched and colorful 1960's music, hippies and counter-culture rocked. The son of a pragmatic attorney father
and English teacher mother, Geoff showed signs of dimensional creativity at the age of 3, later developing entrepreneurial
entertainment aspirations against his father's wishes. Largely self-taught, Geoff admits his passion emanated from "somewhere
beyond", equating it to where a composer finds music. "My life path has generally been an adventure of discovery". In
1968 he discovered Disneyland, unquestionably deciding he would someday become an 'Imagineer' - a uniquely skilled creative/technical
designer able to conjure and construct physical story experiences.
Twenty years to the month his childhood dream
became reality - he believes because he saw himself there while playing, experimenting, and building miniature Disney attractions
through adolescence and early adulthood as if they were real. With a professional start in 1977 designing and hand making a laser special effect system for a touring
Ice Capades show, Geoff became mesmerized with lighting, projection, music and the resulting psychology of influencing theatrical
audiences. His career blossomed as theatrical laser light shows became the rage in the early 1980's while twisting knobs
to elated, sometimes cheering crowds. He traveled to Asia, Canada and Europe producing story-enhancing visual effects
for Coca-Cola, IBM, Ford, and Motorola. From
1988 to 1997 Geoff created special effects, show sequences, and interactive displays at Walt Disney Imagineering - integrating
cutting edge technologies within dozens of Disney theme park attractions in Orlando, Tokyo, and most memorably Paris, France
- where he lived for nearly four years contributing to the EuroDisneyland park. To complete his Imagineering chapter
Geoff collaborated with renowned stage director Julie Taymor, designing projections for Broadway's Tony-award winning 'Lion
King'. Forging out on his
own Geoff founded EffectDesign, Inc. in 1998, a Bay Area design firm specializing in experiential storytelling. Geoff
believes not only in dreams but in the process of bringing them into reality, so he surrounds himself with hand-selected theatrical
and motion picture industry experts. During the first years of his new organization he wrote and creatively produced
New York City's 24-hour long 'Times Square 2000' millennium celebration. Today, as EffectDesign's CEO Geoff leads a diverse
group of computer artists, illustrators, technical engineers, and show designers - while developing digital 3D stereoscopic
techniques applied to live theatrical performance. Think 'Avatar' meets traditional opera. Across the past decade Geoff has conceived and produced experiences
for Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen's Seattle Science Fiction Museum, Washington DC's Smithsonian Institution, Philadelphia’s
Franklin Institute, along with Walt Disney's daughter Diane Disney-Miller and the recently opened Walt Disney Family Museum
in San Francisco. An avid
hiker, drummer, organic chef, writer, poet, and global music collector, Geoff spends much of his time in San Rafael, CA. He
attended San Diego State University (Dramatic Arts) and the Art Center College of Design (Environmental Design) in Pasadena,
CA
Projects,
Concepts & Design
The notion of
sitting around a flickering primeval fire telling stories has long captivated Geoff Puckett's imagination... A star speckled night sky envelopes the storyteller
and surrounding listeners as infinite possibilities dramatically appear from the shadows. Promise, defeat, romance and
awe play with dancing airborne embers. It's all there - the instant connection to myriad worlds beyond. Every moment
of this earthly life is woven into a tapestry of words, intonations and dramatically silent pauses. The story. The
place. The Experience. Geoff
has traveled to 35 countries, heard hundreds of local stories, and with each adventurous experience becomes increasingly enamored
with global cultures, beliefs, music and mythical tales. He is currently developing a part 3D cinematic, part live theatrical
performance based loosely on the concepts of shamanism, ancient rhythms, and alternate realms as accessible portals for each
of us to rediscover our individual passions. "It will be edgy, trippy, yet warm to the heart - an ancestral yellow
brick road back to places we've only heard about."
Birthing ideas
into the physical world is highly gratifying both for Geoff and those who encounter his creations. "The process of 'Blue
Sky' (initial idea sessions), concept development, organizing, production, programming, and opening day is nourishing for
the soul." With printed graphics, animated media, mechanical systems, digital projection, special lighting, multi-channel
sound, and custom architecture Geoff serves as a conductor - orchestrating imagined places into the real world. “People become fascinated with immersive
theatrical spaces… effortlessly absorbing information because the experience is so natural” Geoff explains. “What
people experience they often retain at the deepest level. Our perceptions, beliefs, even actions become hardwired largely
due to physical encounters throughout our lives." He equates his process of experience making to a miniature life journey in that a diverse gamut of
emotions and reactions are figuratively, then dimensionally felt along the way. "My team explores then carries ideas
across the imaginary threshold. It's impossible not to get wrapped up with all that. You become it and it becomes you
- then it freezes in time as the audience arrives. You bow to what has been created, honor its lessons, sometimes cry and
say goodbye. But one cannot dwell - because change is always at hand - and besides... there is so much more to explore and
create."
Spaceship Earth show building
If Geoff had to
choose, the most intriguing, most gratifying project across his 33 year career would be the 1994 re-imagining of the 'Spaceship
Earth' attraction at Orlando's EPCOT. The show building, architecturally inspired by Buckminster Fuller and weighing 16 million
pounds, is a complete sphere elevated atop three legs beneath which guests can literally walk. It may be the only building
of its kind in the world. Since we mainly live in a square, cubed, right-angle world the challenge of designing within a giant
sphere was exciting. The
continuously moving ride system slowly serpentining throughout positioned observers into curious scenarios unlike any theater:
sometimes tilted at 45-degrees looking up and sometimes completely reversed moving backwards. The engineering artistry was
truly spectacular and it remains operational today.
Virtual Classroom
from ‘Spaceship Earth’ circa 1994
Inside the sphere the story was
the history of communication; from stone age cave dwellers to 50 years beyond present day - compressed into 14 minutes. “Throwing
away my 90-degree angle T-square I collaborated with an expert team of Disney Imagineers to construct environmental experiences
whose micro-stories pulled the audience into the drama of where we've been as past civilizations and where we may be heading
as new technology draws the world closer together. I enjoyed every moment as my special effects reflected key story points,
while carefully aligned optical illusions suspended show scenes out beyond the physical wall boundaries of the spherical building.
It amazed all of us when our three-dimensional magic was first illuminated and we saw years of planning come to life!”
Smithsonian ‘Ocean Hall’ within the Museum of
Natural History
It's in this spirit Geoff continues
forward; conveying stories whose educational value parallels emotionally engaging entertainment. "This how we learn today"
he remarks. "The experience empowers people to retain so much more." Geoff weaves thinking, theater and thoughtfulness
throughout his creations to elevate audiences into a higher place. "If a guest emerges from an experience with a fresh
new view of the world - - then I've succeeded."
Early concept
sketch of what would become ‘Creativitea’
Indeed, Geoff and his EffectDesign
group continuously seek artful new ways to engagingly communicate the stories of our time. Their clients include museums,
restaurants, institutions, property developers, foundations, corporations, events, music concerts... even entire cities.
‘Creativitea’
final design rendering
It’s an exciting time where
incredible technologies and materials are at hand in every way. All that's needed are bold, unique concepts born from…
emotionally engaging stories!
Photographs & Copy Courtesy EffectDesign © 2010
|
