Emotion Media Factory

Emotion Media Factory GmbH, commonly known as EMF, was a German creative-media and themed-entertainment company based near Munich, in the Bavarian Alps. The company designed, engineered, produced and programmed multimedia attractions for public spaces, theme parks, resorts, family-entertainment venues, cruise ships and large commercial developments. Its work combined choreographed water, projection, laser, lighting, fire, music, video and show-control systems rather than treating any one of those technologies as a standalone product. The business began in 1984 under the name Laserland. Its founding team consisted of Ralph Douw, Helmut Dörner, Robert Huber and Serge Douw. Early customers reportedly included major German and international companies such as BMW, Siemens, Pepsi-Cola and Audi, indicating an initial focus on technologically sophisticated corporate and commercial productions. Over time, the company developed from a laser-focused production business into a broader multimedia-attraction specialist able to deliver complete creative concepts, technical systems and recurring show content. EMF's best-known work included large-scale multimedia fountains and water-screen attractions. Its Multimedia Fountain Roshen in Vinnytsia, Ukraine, completed in 2011 for the Roshen confectionery group, was described as Europe's largest floating fountain system. The project became an important reference for the company and received a 2012 award in the building and construction category. The attraction also received TripAdvisor Certificates of Excellence from 2014 through 2017, according to the company's published reference material. The company's international portfolio also included the Night Safari Park in Chiang Mai, Thailand; multimedia facilities for High One resort in Gangwon, South Korea; and major installations at Romon U-Park in Ningbo, China. The Romon project used a combination of large-format projection, laser projectors, moving lights, flame effects and a digital water screen, coordinated through centralized show-control systems. EMF also created themed performances, including a historical show about the Chinese admiral Zheng He and a reinterpretation of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake produced with Ukrainian partner Watershow.Pro. Beyond fountains, EMF developed its HoloPort concept for glasses-free three-dimensional presentations. Installations included a family-entertainment attraction at Phoenix Market City in Chennai, India, and a theater installation at Europa-Park in Rust, Germany. These projects used projected characters, still imagery and virtual environments to create theatrical experiences in which some audience members could be incorporated into the visual narrative. EMF also supplied laser technology and recurring multimedia content for AIDA Cruises. Its systems were designed for open-air cruise-ship environments exposed to difficult weather and seawater. The company stated that it developed and implemented new shows remotely and produced more than 40 shows annually for the cruise line across its ships. The company belonged to the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions and the Themed Entertainment Association. Its work received industry recognition, including finalist status at the IAAPA Brass Ring Awards in 2015 for the Romon U-Park show “Zheng He is coming.” EMF entered insolvency proceedings on 22 June 2022 and was removed from the commercial register after closure on 22 September 2023. It is therefore a defunct brand and company, despite the continued public visibility of several attractions created during its operating period.

Emotion Media Factory was established in 1984 under the name Laserland by Ralph Douw, Helmut Dörner, Robert Huber and Serge Douw. Based near Munich in Bavaria, the company initially worked with laser and multimedia production for corporate and commercial clients. Its early customers included BMW, Siemens, Pepsi-Cola and Audi. This early client base placed the company within a technically demanding segment of event, presentation and entertainment production. As the business developed, it expanded beyond laser production into integrated attraction design. Its projects combined creative development with engineering, programming and operational show control. Water, projection, laser, lighting, fire, music and video were synchronized to create large-scale public spectacles. This broadened capability enabled EMF to work for theme parks, resorts, family-entertainment centers, public destinations, shopping developments and cruise operators. A major part of the company's portfolio consisted of multimedia fountains. The Night Safari Park in Chiang Mai, Thailand, received a floating fountain and water-screen show for its opening in 2006. The installation used numerous water jets, a large projection surface and laser graphics. In South Korea, EMF upgraded multimedia facilities for the High One resort in Gangwon in 2007, adding circular fountain features, a water screen, high-definition projection, multicolour fire effects and lasers. The company's most prominent fountain reference was Multimedia Fountain Roshen in Vinnytsia, Ukraine. Completed in 2011 for the Roshen Confectionery Group, the floating fountain was described as Europe's largest of its type. The attraction combined water effects with music, projection and other multimedia elements. It subsequently received industry and visitor recognition, including a 2012 building and construction award and TripAdvisor Certificates of Excellence reported for each year from 2014 to 2017. EMF also produced theatrical multimedia content. For Romon U-Park in Ningbo, China, it created two approximately 20-minute shows using projection onto a pyramid-shaped stage and rear wall, laser projectors, moving lights, flame bursts, a digital water screen and centralized synchronization. One of these productions, “Zheng He is coming,” used the voyages of the fifteenth-century Chinese admiral and diplomat Zheng He as its narrative subject. It became a finalist at the 2015 IAAPA Brass Ring Awards. Another notable production, “Swan Lake Fantasy Show,” reinterpreted Tchaikovsky's ballet through a combination of live Ukrainian ballet performance and multimedia effects. It was developed with Ukrainian company Watershow.Pro. The HoloPort was another strand of EMF's work. This attraction format presented three-dimensional imagery without requiring audience members to wear glasses. At Phoenix Market City in Chennai, the company supplied a ten-minute show called “A Journey to Paradise.” At Europa-Park in Rust, it created a theater installation in the Enchanted Forest area, using animated and still 3D imagery to depict the world of the Brothers Grimm. The attraction also allowed selected visitors to appear within the visual story in transformed roles. EMF had an ongoing relationship with AIDA Cruises, supplying laser technology suitable for open-air shipboard use and producing shows remotely. The company stated that new productions were created several times a year and that more than 40 shows were produced annually for the cruise line. This recurring-content model complemented EMF's project-based attraction work. The company was associated with both the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions and the Themed Entertainment Association. After nearly four decades of activity, it entered insolvency proceedings on 22 June 2022. The company was closed in the commercial register on 22 September 2023, making Emotion Media Factory a defunct German multimedia-attraction brand. Its installations and productions remain the principal legacy of the business.

• 2023

  Company closed in commercial register

  [1]Emotion Media Factoryen.wikipedia.org

  The company was closed in the commercial register on 22 September.

• 2022

  Insolvency proceedings begin

  [1]Emotion Media Factoryen.wikipedia.org

  Emotion Media Factory began insolvency proceedings on 22 June.

• 2015

  Romon U-Park show becomes IAAPA finalist

  [1]Emotion Media Factoryen.wikipedia.org

  “Zheng He is coming,” produced for Romon U-Park in Ningbo, was a finalist for an IAAPA Brass Ring Award.

• 2013

  HoloPort attraction opens in Chennai

  [1]Emotion Media Factoryen.wikipedia.org

  A HoloPort installation at Phoenix Market City in Chennai presented the 3D show “A Journey to Paradise.”

• 2012

  Roshen project receives building and construction award

  [1]Emotion Media Factoryen.wikipedia.org

  The Multimedia Fountain Roshen received a “Best Building and Construction” award for the year.

• 2011

  Multimedia Fountain Roshen completed

  [1]Emotion Media Factoryen.wikipedia.org

  EMF completed the Multimedia Fountain Roshen in Vinnytsia, Ukraine, for the Roshen Confectionery Group.

• 2007

  High One resort multimedia upgrade

  [1]Emotion Media Factoryen.wikipedia.org

  The company upgraded multimedia facilities at the High One resort in Gangwon, South Korea, adding fountains, projection, fire and laser effects.

• 2006

  Night Safari Park multimedia fountain opens

  [1]Emotion Media Factoryen.wikipedia.org

  EMF completed a floating multimedia fountain and water-screen installation for the opening show at Night Safari Park in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

• 1984

  Company founded as Laserland

  [1]Emotion Media Factoryen.wikipedia.org

  Ralph Douw, Helmut Dörner, Robert Huber and Serge Douw established the business under the name Laserland.

An international specialist in engineered multimedia attractions and themed shows, combining water, projection, laser, lighting, fire, music and digital show control for destination entertainment venues.

• Water-based multimedia attractions

  Multimedia fountains

  EMF designed and produced large fountain systems in which water jets, floating platforms, music, projection, lasers, lighting and sometimes fire effects were synchronized as a single show. These installations were intended for destination venues such as resorts, theme parks and public attractions. Representative projects included Multimedia Fountain Roshen in Ukraine, the Night Safari Park fountain in Thailand and the High One resort installation in South Korea.

• Glasses-free 3D attraction

  HoloPort

  HoloPort was EMF's format for presenting realistic three-dimensional imagery without requiring visitors to wear 3D glasses. The system supported theatrical environments, animated characters, still imagery and limited audience interaction. Known applications included a family-entertainment show in Chennai and a theater installation at Europa-Park in Germany.

• Cruise entertainment technology

  Cruise-ship laser and multimedia systems

  For AIDA Cruises, EMF supplied laser technology engineered for exposed open-air decks and developed, programmed and implemented recurring multimedia shows remotely. The work combined durable shipboard hardware with a continuing content-production service, with new shows reportedly created several times each year.

• Themed entertainment production

  Themed multimedia shows

  EMF created narrative productions that used projection, water screens, lasers, lighting, music, live performers and show-control systems. Examples included the historical production “Zheng He is coming” for Romon U-Park and “Swan Lake Fantasy Show,” a multimedia reinterpretation of Tchaikovsky's ballet produced with Ukrainian partner Watershow.Pro.

• 2022

  Commencement of insolvency proceedingsOther

  Background

  After operating as an international multimedia-attraction and show-production company for decades, Emotion Media Factory entered formal insolvency proceedings.

  Action taken

  Insolvency proceedings began on 22 June 2022.

  Aftermath

  The business was subsequently closed in the commercial register on 22 September 2023.

  Source

1. 1Emotion Media Factoryen.wikipedia.org