Colossus at Six Flags Magic Mountain once featured on Nickelodeon’s “Wild and Crazy Kids”
With Colossus’ days numbered at Six Flags Magic Mountain, I thought it be appropriate on this Throwback Thursday to share a bit of my childhood relating to the “King of Wooden Coasters” before it’s too late.
Like many other early Millennials, I grew up with Nickelodeon. And not the crap Nickelodeon they’re passing off today. I’m talking Salute Your Shorts, Rocko’s Modern Life and Double Dare holy crap this is amazing Nickelodeon.
One of the mainstays of the channel was a show called “Wild and Crazy Kids.” It featured groups of kids competing in wacky, sometimes messy games with the goal to just have fun (Imagine that!)
Colossus, gleaming under the spotlight of basic cable television!
I, like many other wide-eyed kids watching, were introduced to Colossus by this show – with their “Wacky Roller Coaster Spill.” That and the hope that someday, God willing – I’d get on the show and get to score one of those shirts…
Now, the editing isn’t very good in terms of continuity (I think they show the first drop three times and the double up twice). But it still shows a beautiful and thrilling Colossus – and an interesting game to boot. Enjoy this bit of 80’s / 90’s kid nostalgia – and #FarewellColossus!
If you’re looking for the latest on what comes after Colossus, be sure to check out our friends in Southern California, The Coaster Guy and Park Journey.
If the video isn’t loading properly, just skip to 9:16 for the good stuff…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOhf2hNSFSI?t=9m16s
Video is used only for educational or informational purposes. No claim of copyright intended.
Insane Coaster Wars debuts new season, but still needs some off-season rehab
After filming all last summer, Indigo Films‘ “Insane Coaster Wars” debuted it’s third season last night – and I can’t help but comment on their latest “effort.”
The premise of the show, is a decent one – have people vote on specific aspects of certain rides, then rank them against other coasters around the world. Seems straightforward, right?
Experiencing a film date in St. Louis last summer.
At issue with most coaster and park enthusiasts (who make up a large number of the viewing audience) however, is the continued downgrade in quality of the traditional summer “coaster show” over the past few years. “Insane Coaster Wars” is just the latest in a string of low budget, low quality productions from powerhouses like the Travel Channel and Discovery. Just look at some of the reactions from last night’s debut:
So what can this show do to make itself better in the eyes of it’s core audience? Read on:
1.) Stop hiring actors and talk to real “coaster enthusiasts”
Original screengrab by Dan Hower (who’s also in the second row with Alyssa Schipani). Used with permission.
SPOILER ALERT: Television isn’t what it always appears. Multiple sources have confirmed to this website that the “coaster enthusiasts” featured in each segment are actually…wait for it…local actors found on Craigslist, hired for around $300 each.
Yup, Craigslist. Home to “Casual NSA Encounters” and apparently beautiful & young roller coaster junkies. Didn’t you wonder why those featured riders always seemed to speak really good english…in the middle of Taiwan and Costa Rica?
Those “friends from college” who “visit the park all the time” – it’s usually their first trip ever to these parks. Yet, the graphic in the lower third clearly says they’re “Coaster Enthusiasts.”
Last night’s episode featured two “coaster enthusiasts” who had never been to Kennywood – and in fact, had not been to a park, “in years.” True enthusiasts don’t take years off – they rarely take months off.
What’s even more ironic – if the production company wanted to save up to $1200 per segment (and it’s obvious they do) simply stop hiring actors – just call on the local region of the American Coaster Enthusiasts – not to just fill the seats, but to TALK on camera. Not only are many of our members familiar with being interviewed – we’ll do it for FREE!
Some of the phrases that are used by these actors must also drive park managers nuts. Things like, “I felt like it was about to fly off the track,” or “I can’t believe I survived,” really make PR Managers have GREAT days. Simple rule to follow: Never mention death or dismemberment on TV when referring to amusement parks. You don’t say “bomb” at airports and on planes…
2.) Compare rides “Apples to Apples”
Outlaw Run and La Avalancha? How are those two rides even remotely similar? (They do both loop, but they’re built completely different). The best way I can describe it – it’s like comparing apples to oranges. It’s as if the people in charge took suggestions from people who actually knew what they were talking about – then threw those papers up in the air, and randomly pulled out rides.
3.) Be wary of those who make money off parks
Robb Alvey – who was once the “host” of the program – has now been relegated to a “Creative Consultant” production credit off-screen (which is a major improvement in my humble opinion). That being said, his wife was featured on the premiere show as a coaster enthusiast, along with one of their friends. I’d call them non-actors, but both he and his wife have agents.
Now, doesn’t this scream nepotism to anyone else besides me? Then again, at least us true coaster enthusiasts know she actually is quite knowledgeable about the subject. Too bad the producers edited her in a way that ensured she sounded just like any other clueless park guest.
Don’t even get me started on how his presence on the production team could directly influence his view count (and income) on his commercialized videos on YouTube…
4.) Allow park experts or bloggers to vote, not the general public
Let’s face it – most of these Craigslist actors (and indeed other park guests) don’t even know about the other rides they’re comparing, so how exactly can you compare them if you’ve never been on them…oh wait, isn’t that how the Mitch Hawker Poll runs? : )
Conclusion:
While the show did make some minor improvements and tweaks, it’s still the same copy / paste generic “coaster show” that’s polluted the airwaves for far too long. Yes, the POV is good, but it’s everything around it that just brings the show down.
If you’re looking to support a quality roller coaster / amusement park program, consider sharing our “Great American Thrills” concept with your favorite cable channel or production company. We promise the enthusiasts we feature – will actually know what they’re talking about:
New Lost Parks Episode on 1915 Pan Pacific Exposition in San Francisco!
It was our most challenging “Lost Parks” episode – ever. More locations that we’ve ever done before. More money spent than ever before – but it was all worth it.
Presenting the first episode of SEASON TWO of the “Lost Parks of Northern California” – the Pan Pacific Exposition (World’s Fair) of 1915:
Be sure to LIKE, COMMENT and SHARE the video with all your friends, family and favorite cable networks – who knows, we might someday take the show national – but we’ll need your help to do it!
“Lost Parks” filming in San Francisco Friday
“Giddy” doesn’t begin to describe the thrill we get when we’re chasing down our local history. It’s more like “ecstatic.”
We’ve been given the rare opportunity to see a piece of San Francisco history – buried and forgotten for decades – so why exactly are we hunting down a 40 ton pipe organ? (And how do you bury something that big in a city that’s only 49 sq. miles?) After all, this isn’t “Lost Churches of Northern California,” right?
Behind the row of visible facade pipes, lies 39 tons of additional musical instrument!
Well, you’ll just have to follow us on social media for live updates throughout the day today and stay tuned for the debut of our second season, with the 1915 Pan Pacific episode debuting around Memorial Day!
Huell Howser would be proud – and jealous.
New Lost Parks Trailer for 1915 Pan Pacific Exposition
Yes, it’s been awhile since our last episode of “Lost Parks of Northern California” but I can assure you – the wait is worth it.
Presenting the first teaser trailer for our next episode, the 1915 San Francisco Pan Pacific Exposition (World’s Fair). We expect to wrap on the episode and debut it before #CoasterCon this summer.
If you’re a fan of amusement parks, roller coasters, history, organs and trains – you cannot afford to miss this episode!
Follow the journey by searching #LostParks on your favorite social media network!
Protect Your B-Roll Videos
Before the advent of the internet (and subsequently, high speed internet speeds), amusement parks would send out “b-roll” or simply put, “generic footage” of either their park or a certain ride, so that news outlets could use it in stories, most notably, to promote a new attraction that is opening up.
Fast forward to today’s “connected world” and parks continue to send out these videos, only it’s now done mostly via social media, YouTube or their own webpages.
Subsequently, many people have taken these videos and spread them via their own accounts, which helps spread the word about the new attraction or offering. (It’s also known as a “Viral Effect.”) Exactly what the park wanted, right?
Well, not quite.
You see, there’s a new epidemic going around these days, called “MONETIZATION.” That’s where users take these readily available videos and cash in on them – and it’s costing your park some serious money.
How? Check it out:
1.) Your park hires a production company to come out and professionally film and edit a good promotional video for your park or, you pay an employee to do the same on your payroll.
2.) The video is uploaded to your social media accounts and YouTube channel.
3.) The video is liked, commented on and shared by users on social media via “SHARE” buttons, thereby promoting the product / service.
Now here’s where the ecosystem turns illegal:
4.) Some users will then download (also known as “rip”) your video off of YouTube, then re-uploaded onto their personal account. The video is then is “monetized,” which means ads are shown in order to make money for the user for every view it receives.
“But it’s not that bad – at least my message is getting out there, right?”
As harmless as it may seem, the investment you made to help promote the park is in fact, now directly making money for someone else, who didn’t contribute a dime to it’s production nor asked for permission to use it for their own account. Simply put…that’s copyright infringement, folks.
Would you feel the same if you set up a photo shoot, took a stunning photo, then had it sold repeatedly online thousands of time, without you ever being paid for it?
YouTube Terms of Service (TOS) requires that:
“Your video is not eligible for monetization if it contains content that you didn’t create or get permission from its creator to use. You need to be able to show written permission for the following video elements:
- Audio: copyrighted sound recordings, live performances, background music, etc.
- Visuals: images, logos, software, video game footage, etc.
- Any other content you don’t own worldwide commercial usage rights to.”
We’re pretty sure user “CoastersCoastersCoasters” didn’t create that beautiful Six Flags new ride announcement video on their own…let alone pay for it.
Here’s some more food for thought – YouTube has many “Super Users” who actually make a living off of monetized videos. Are you comfortable with providing direct income to them, without them working for you? I didn’t think so.
So, how can you prevent this?
Start by adding a watermark to your video. It’s actually relatively simple even with rudimentary editing software – and any professional and/or legitimate production company hired by you should be able to accommodate this request without any problems. This will ensure that people know YOU own this content, not others.
Secondly, you’ll need to do some legwork on YouTube, but it’s fairly easy. Just do a search for your video every now and then, and see what pops up. Considering any illegal copies of your video will be similarly named to yours for SEO – that’s easy enough to spot.
The reporting from for copyright infringement on YouTube is vastly streamlined compared to a DCMA takedown notice – and hits infringers in the wallet, where it hurts the most.
Thirdly, WHEN you find an offending video, report it. Ever since the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, or DMCA was passed, YouTube and other social content sources have been very good at taking down content owned by others, especially when a formal complaint is filed. You can begin that process here: https://www.youtube.com/yt/copyright/copyright-complaint.html
Then, go into your media list and purge it of any contacts you’ve found to be doing more harm than good. It makes no sense to keep inviting people to press events if all they’re doing is stealing from under your nose.
As a victim of copyright infringement in the past, I can tell you that prompt, succinct action is the best course of action. While trying to be nice and extending an olive branch is always a nice thought – it’s not always the best way to end the problem permanently. Repeat offenders do just that – repeat.
Together, we can stamp out copyright infringement and eradicate the epidemic of monetization…together!
Review my prior posts about “Social Media and the Amusement Park” here.
About the Author:
Kris Rowberry has been following the amusement industry for over 15 years. He is the creator and host of both “The Lost Parks of Northern California” and “Great American Thrills®“
Beverly Hills Cop 3 Filmed at Great America 20 Years Ago
The mid-nineties were awesome. Nickelodeon was just hitting its stride. The Soviet Union was no more. And a movie studio had just purchased the entire Kings Entertainment amusement park empire – with the intention of turning them into THEME parks.
With Paramount at the helm, the former Kings parks became valuable assets in terms of new shooting locations for films. Considering the advertising slogan at the time, “Where the magic of the movies meets the thrills of a lifetime” – it would only make sense that a feature film would eventually be made inside one of Paramount’s parks.
And in 1994, that’s exactly what happened at Great America. Coincidentally, a film was being pitched to the major L.A. studios at the same time. Essentially, it was “Die Hard,” but at an amusement park. Paramount looked to their stable of franchises to see if the concept would work, and they found their answer with, “Beverly Hills Cop 3.”
The film is all but forgettable when it comes to plot – and its effect on the cinema landscape is minimal at best. In fact, it only has a 10% “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It was also a flop at the box office, losing $8 million domestically. It eventually made money after being released worldwide – but was still the least successful of the three “Beverly Hills Cop” films.
However, if you’re a fan of California’s Great America…it’s a literal time capsule into the Santa Clara park at the beginning of the Paramount-era. The scenic railway is still there, Vortex is still green! But arguably, the most memorable scene in the film features one of the most beloved attractions to ever grace the Great American skyline.
In it, Axel attempts to escape pursuing Wonder World security guards by jumping onto “the Spider” a large, three-armed Ferris Wheel that us locals know better as the “Triple Wheel.” (Gurnee fans know it as the “Sky Whirl”) However, one of the ride cabins begins to come loose, with two young children trapped inside.
Axel somehow exits his locked cabin, (through the magic of Hollywood) and slides down to the hub of the ride. From there, he ascends up the other arm, rescues the children and rappels down to the ground, just moments before the cabin smashes down.
Sharp eyed viewers will spot famous film director, George Lucas in this scene as well.
As for the Triple Wheel, the constant starts and stops required to get these exciting scenes may have contributed to the ride’s early demise. The attraction was designed to run continuously throughout the day – and the necessary re-takes and repositions were hard on both the hydraulics and motors. The Triple Wheel was dismantled after the 1997 season, to make way for Invertigo, which itself was removed after the 2011 season.
Currently, the site of the ride remains empty, however it is used for “Friday Night Flicks” during the summer.
Photo by: California’s Great America
While the rumor mill is always churning out stories about new attractions coming to this area – long-time fans of both Great Americas always hold out hope that someday, they’ll round Hometown Square and hear that unmistakable whine in the park once again:
Lost Parks of Northern California on Treasure Island for World’s Fair Celebration This Weekend
Looking for a park-related activity this weekend? Why not join the “Lost Parks” crew on Treasure Island, for the 75th anniversary of the opening of the 1939 World’s Fair!
The event is being held in Building One on Treasure Island, the same building that doubled as the terminal to the Berlin Airport in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Learn more about the event, here.
It’s also FREE to attend, unless you live on the east side of the bay – you’ll have to pay the Bay Bridge toll – but only use half of the bridge! Sorry about that…
Lost Parks Update for February
Many apologies for the lack of updates on the site as of late – we’ve been working several different major projects that have required a bit more of my time and attention. That being said – they’re going to be EARTH SHAKERS when we can release more information on them, so stay tuned!
As for the “Lost Parks of Northern California” – if you follow us on social media, you know we’re already hard at work on principal videography on the next episode – this time, focusing on parks designed to be lost from the beginning – the 1915 and 1939 World’s Fairs of San Francisco.
As you can imagine – there’s a TON of work and locations involved; coupled with our skeleton “staff” of volunteers, it’s going to take a bit longer than other episodes to produce – but if you’re fans of our work on previous episodes, you already know that the wait will be well worth it.
Be sure to follow the journey by searching / using the #lostparks hashtag on your favorite social media account!
Great American Thrills® Official Pitch
After months of planning and years of dreaming – I am proud to present the official “pitch” video for our Great American Thrills® concept:
But, we need YOUR help! We need you to share this video with all of your friends, family and websites that you visit, especially television social media pages, such as Discovery, Travel and Destination America. The more eyeballs that see it, the better the odds of it being discovered – so SHARE AWAY!
From our press release today:
NEW COASTER SHOW CONCEPT AIMS TO SHOWCASE AMERICA’S GREAT AMUSEMENT PARKS
REDWOOD CITY, CA: Today, Kris Rowberry and Nicholas Laschkewitsch, producers of the popular “Lost Parks of Northern California” series, are proud to debut the official television “pitch” for their Great American Thrills® travelogue show concept. It can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeIJ6Kd__M0
The show follows host, Kris Rowberry, as he and his crew – headed by Laschkewitsch – travel the country to find their next thrill, based on suggestions and recommendations sent to them via social media, using the #GreatAmericanThrills hashtag.
“We all know social media is a huge part of our lives now,” said Rowberry. “So why not use it to its full potential – beyond just getting something trending?”
“Other shows may use hashtags or handles, but we’re the first one to utilize the medium to this level,” said Laschkewitsch. “In the process, we’re getting the authentic park experience from the people that know parks the best – their fans.”
Contributors to the show have the opportunity to join in on the fun: if their post is chosen, they get an automatic invite onto the show – which offers the chance to be on TV.
“We noticed that most ‘coaster shows’ have featured the same three parks,” said Rowberry. “We want to tell the stories and meet the people of the other 99% of amusement parks here in America.”
“When coaster enthusiasts aren’t watching the current slate of ‘coaster shows,’ that should tell you something,” said Laschkewitsch. “Our concept is simple: Bring back the passion of enjoying the great American amusement park, with the latest in modern technology.”
“But we can’t do this show alone,” said Rowberry. “We need fans of coasters and travel shows to tell their favorite cable networks they want to see Great American Thrills® on the air this summer!”
Both Rowberry and Laschkewitsch are proud members of the American Coaster Enthusiasts, an organization dedicated to the preservation and enjoyment of roller coasters worldwide.
Week of Big Announcements!
This week, Great American Thrills® is proud to announce not one, but TWO major initiatives regarding the brand and television concept that are sure to rock your socks off!
Major Announcement #1 – “Codename: Showbiz”
Some of you have heard rumblings that “Lost Parks” wasn’t the only project we were working on – and I’m happy today to confirm that this is absolutely true.
We will be premiering an entirely new travelogue / roller coaster / amusement park show concept in the next few weeks. And while we’ll need YOUR help to get it to as many eyeballs as you can – we’ll get into that once it arrives. Oh, did we mention this project is ALREADY trademarked, copyrighted AND registered with the Writer’s Guild of America – so don’t even think about stealing it.
Major Announcement #2 – “Project Neptune”
Over the past two years, I’ve seen this website go from a simple WordPress blog, to a significantly more complex “destination” on the web – and the web traffic proves. it. As a result – the site isn’t working as well as it should – and changes will have to be done far more than just cosmetic.
While the timeframe for “Neptune” is not set in stone, expect major changes to the website (in terms of design and interface) to begin showing up over the next few months.
So, why the name “Neptune?” Honestly – it sounded cool – so don’t read into it too much!
This February will be the 4th official year of work (on and off) on this project. It’s amazing to watch it all coming together – slowly, but surely – we’re inching closer to our goal of bringing Great American Thrills® to the masses. We’re so glad to have you along for the ride!
Great American Thrills Filming at Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Today
If you’re in need of a serious park fix in Northern California today, come on out and cheer us on at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk this afternoon.
We’ll be filming a “pitch” video for networks and production companies, hopefully to get the “GAT” concept on the air!
If you’re not able to make it out to the beach, you can still participate! Just tell us the next great ride you want us to ride by tagging your post on social media with #greatamericanthrills, just like this:
We’ll be using the posts in our post-production work – so POST AWAY!
– KR
Lost Parks Featured in the Santa Cruz Sentinel
Santa’s Village continues to bring in the press coverage! Today, we’re featured in the Sunday Santa Cruz Sentinel!
Not exactly sure WHEN I changed my last name to Rowland, however…
For those of you who don’t get the paper, you can read the article online, here:
KION Central Coast News Features “Lost Parks of Northern California”
Not even a day after our story aired on KSBW – leading off the newscast, no less – KION Central Coast News got in on the “Lost Parks” action, with their own report!
Special thanks to reporter Cassandra Arsenault for coming out and recording us! (And for nerding out briefly on Boston area amusement parks, too!)
On a side note – what is it about Boston area-born reporters and the Bay Area? That’s two now!
Second side note – we’re filmmakers – someone reported it – so it’s official!!!
Jump to the story by clicking the link, below:
Lost Parks Featured on KSBW Action News!
Chalk another news outlet onto the list that’s discovered the charm and passion of the “Lost Parks of Northern California” series…KSBW Central Coast News led their newscast with a story on our project!
Check out the the video, by clicking the link, here:
Santa’s Village Lost Parks Episode Now Available!
We decided to let you open one of your gifts a bit early – and we really hope you don’t return it to the store after the holidays…
Be sure to like, comment and SHARE this video with all your friends and family; it’s time to go back and re-discover SANTA’S VILLAGE of Scotts Valley! (Just click the link below to take you to the video page):
Santa’s Village – The Lost Parks of Northern California
Lost Parks featured in the Huffington Post!
Add another media outlet to the list of organizations that have discovered the charm of the “Lost Parks” project – today, we’re featured in The Huffington Post!
Read the article, here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/16/lost-parks-of-northern-california_n_4456181.html
2013 has been an amazing year for coverage – I cannot wait to see what 2014 has in store for us!
Great American Thrills Trademark Approved
If you’re looking for the next great travel show about amusement or theme parks, coasters or thrill rides – your search just got easier and your costs just went down, because Great American Thrills® is now an officially recognized and registered trademark!
There are some moments in life that are just photo-op worthy. Yesterday, I was fortunate to experience just such an occasion:
As of November 26th, 2013 – Great American Thrills gets a little modification – a circular “®” attached, to be specific. It now can be considered a brand with the U.S. Government! (Sans paying taxes as a corporation).
Hot damn!
Sadly, I had to wait until yesterday to pick up the paperwork – and let me tell you – it feels a whole lot more real when you’ve got that sheet of paper (in a protective cover) in your hands!
According to my preparing attorney, Michael Bosworth of IPx Law – I was the first person ever to want to come and pick up the paperwork in person. Certainly I was the first to take a photo of it, too ; ) Never being one to turn down the opportunity to be in front of a camera – I couldn’t resist…
Three years of planning and saving brought me to this moment – and now we’re almost ready to take the next step in the five year plan.
Mark my words – 2014 will be the year of Great American Thrills®, and we couldn’t be happier to have you along for the ride!
Busy Week for Lost Parks of Northern California
Despite the fact that we weren’t nominated for Creative Awards from CreaTV late last week, we haven’t let it get us down. In fact, we’ve had more media than ever contact us about the “Lost Parks” series!
Just this week, we’ve been in contact / interviewed with :
Oh, did we mention we’re still trying to finish the Santa’s Village episode, too? : )
Stay tuned everyone, we’re not the fastest growing amusement / theme park website on the web for nothing!
Lost Parks of Northern California – Santa’s Village Preview
Have you been naughty, or nice so far this holiday season? Either way – we’re happy to release a preview to our Santa’s Village episode of the Lost Parks of Northern California!
Find out how eating at McDonald’s may connect you to the park – in addition to the many pieces of Santa’s Village strewn throughout Northern California!
Stay tuned here to Great American Thrills for the latest updates, including a release date!
Taking our Lumps
I suppose it was inevitable – the “Lost Parks” and Great American Thrills train (so to speak) was doing so well for such a long time – eventually we’d have to stumble or run into some adversity.
Unfortunately, that adversity came in the form of a Facebook message at 12:53am on early Friday morning.
As some of you know, we air sporadically on CreaTV in San Jose and Campbell. We had entered our Manteca Watersides episode into three categories for consideration in their CreaTiVe Awards – a massive gala held at the California Theatre every January.
Sadly, the episode (the best in the series thus far) did not qualify as a finalist in any of the three categories it was entered into. (Creative Excellence – Editor, Creative Excellence – Producer, Non-Profit – 2-30 mins.)
To say it’s a blow to the ego would be an understatement – but, if I’m looking on the flip side, it says a ton about the state of local producers and their content that something as detailed and time consuming as our project was – was simply not enough.
We move onward – to the Santa’s Village episode, and then into a bright 2014 full of optimism, hope and, “who knows.”
“Lost Parks” – Preserving History One Park at a Time
Part of the fun of doing the “Lost Parks” series, is knowing that we’re preserving history on film. That being said, we certainly didn’t think we were *THIS* close to losing one of our recent shoot locations:
http://www.scottsvalley.org/downloads/council/2013/11-20-13.Agenda.pdf
According to the latest Scotts Valley City Council meeting, the permit for building houses on the former Santa’s Village site has been changed – to add a demolition permit for the Polo barn (the last piece of the park still standing).
The Polo Barn also holds an incredible secret – we won’t give it away – but you should definitely check out our Santa’s Village episode when it debuts next month!
The Polo Barn, which dates back to the 1930’s – and is the last piece of Santa’s Village still standing – is now scheduled for demolition as soon as possible, according to the latest Scotts Valley City Council minutes. Photo by ACE NorCal – used with permission.
Apparently, they’re okay with demolishing a historic (albeit in rough shape) landmark in the process. Alternative plans include razing the building and building a replica, or having Lennar Homes (the developer) pay a one lump sum to the city in the amount of $1 million to allow to, “demolish and forget it.”
Thankfully, the Santa’s Village episode was able to capture this soon-to-be-gone structure – so it will be preserved foreever, despite the roar of the bulldozers.
Featured tonight on “Bay Area Proud” and NBC Bay Area
Bay Area residents – be sure to tune in this evening to NBC Bay Area (KNTV) at 5:00p.m., as you’ll get a behind the scenes look at our latest “Lost Parks” project, “Santa’s Village of Scotts Valley.”
Promotional photo by NBC Bay Area
If you’re not in the Bay Area, you can catch the segment here, once it’s posted online.
Garvin Thomas (Emmy award winning journalist) followed the whole Lost Parks crew for most of the day, to highlight the work we’re doing. For those who have not seen the show, “Each week NBC Bay Area’s Garvin Thomas profiles the people, the groups, and the companies making the Bay Area, and the world, a better place to live. Bay Area Proud stories are success stories; inspiring profiles of those making a positive change in our communities.”
Special thanks to Garvin Thomas and Claire the Intern for hanging out with us and seeing what “Lost Parks” is all about. Photo by ACE NorCal, used with permission.
Be sure to give him a like or follow to see many of his other uplighting stories and subjects. Even he had to admit, he has the best job in all of journalism – covering only positive stories.
Check out our video series here.
So, who’s inspired to go preserve a piece of history?
“Lost Parks” Goes Vertical!
With every video we’ve produced so far in the “Lost Parks” series, we’ve aimed to add one piece of equipment to make them better than the previous episode. For instance, in the first three episodes, did you notice:
Pacific City – DLSR camera slider:
The “nostalgic” intro shots, all done via the slider.
Luna Park – GoPro Hero 2:
Even though we measured, this trolley came way too close to crushing this camera!
Manteca Waterslides – Camera crane / jib:
We won this in a Facebook contest – seriously!
And now, for our Santa’s Village episode, may we debut our latest addition…FLYING CAMERA DRONES!
Andy’s “Little Bird” flying camera drone. Photo by ACE NorCal, used with permission.
Aptly named “Big Bird” who did most of the heavy lifting for the shoot. Photo by ACE NorCal, used with permission.
Well, two to be precise, “Little Bird” and “Big Bird.” They’re proudly owned by Andrew Hansis, an ACE NorCal member, who couldn’t resist seeing what they could do for the Lost Parks series.
Turns out, it was a TON! Look for their shots in our latest episode – debuting December 9th, 2013!
For more info on the “Lost Parks” series – click here!
Great American Thrills® 