Before Dennis Muren wowed Steven Spielberg with computer generated dinosaurs at ILM, the dinosaurs of Jurassic Park were going to animated by hand by Phil Tippett and his team, using a technique known as stop motion.
The release of Jurassic Park led to an industry shift, with this well crafted art form rapidly replaced by computer generated images. This technology opened up a world of possibilities and filmmakers of the era began to experiment.
However, the animation technique did not die out. Stop motion lives on through the likes of Phil Tippett and his Mad God series, and many modern day movies like Isle of Dogs, Coraline and the works of Aardman Animations.
A number of independent filmmakers have dived into the stop motion world, including Mason Drumm who created the following short film entitled Indomation. Check it out below:
The entire piece contains 93 hours of animation and contains 7,830 frames! The set took two months to construct, utilizing 35 sticks of glue and many, many props. A detailed behind the scenes video gives us a better look at how Mason pieced all of this together. The rotating set is ingenious – so simple yet so effective.
Click the above picture to watch the 10 minute behind the scenes feature – I recommend you do! Stop motion is a slow process and one that takes immense concentration and attention to detail. To say he was the sole animator on Indomation, Mason’s animation is fluid, and it’s clear that he had a vision for this project from the very beginning – one that he executed with great finesse.
I’m looking forward to seeing more of his work. Be sure to check out Mason’s YouTube channel and let him know if you liked his short film by commenting below!
Open up your calendar as it’s time for another Jurassic Park community meetup!
Frequent collaborator Tom Jurassic is hosting a Jurassic World Evolution Unofficial Community Meetup on Friday 8th March at the Natural History Museum in London.
The meetup will take place from 1pm – and Tom has already promised a host of fun activities, Jurassic-themed goodies and more for anyone who takes the time to join him in London. Tom has also revealed another detail of this meetup for fans of Jurassic Outpost:
“Firstly – I really appreciate all the support from everyone in spreading word about the meetup! Both Jurassic Outpost and The Jurassic Park Podcast have been amazing in getting word out there – allowing me to focus on some behind-the-scenes work which has enabled something incredibly cool to occur! I am beyond excited to reveal that Paul from the Natural History Museum’s Dinosaur Lab will be giving an hour’s talk to people who come down for the meetup – with the talk taking place from 1:30pm – 2:30pm. The Natural History Museum do talks here and there, but they are something which the general visitor will not be able to access.
I’m super excited to be able to bring a little more to the Jurassic World Evolution Unofficial Community Meetup – building a special day which I hope Jurassic fans who can make it will remember for years to come!”
This sounds like a fantastic opportunity for those attending – allowing people to get more hands-on with the museum than they would usually be able to!
Tom’s put a lot of work into this meetup and like any Jurassic community meetup there will no doubt be a favourable turnout! If you’re in or around the London area be sure to try and make it.
The Natural History Museum in London features one of the most beautiful and comprehensive collections of palaeontological discoveries in the country, which you’ll have the chance to come face to face with! The museum hosts popular dinosaurs like the T-Rex and the Triceratops, alongside the star of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom; the Baryonyx.
As Tom states: “We’ll take part in some fun Jurassic-themed games, and they’ll be a host of awesome Evolution prizes and goodies to give out throughout the day.”
A schedule for the day is still being locked down – but there is plenty to do in South Kensington including the Science Museum, so after spending a good amount of time at the Natural History Museum there will still be plenty more fun in store. The best part about all of this? The museums are all free entry!
You can learn more about Tom’s community meetup here, and be sure to let us know in the comments section below if you’ll be making it down!
“My instinct is to break the classical language of these films a bit and plunge us into a world that feels real and naturalistic. I want to go outside into environments we’ve never seen these animals in. I’m watching a lot of Planet Earth.”
The excitement for a new Jurassic Park movie is a feeling that cannot be shaken by fans, and with Fallen Kingdom still fresh in everyone’s minds, we spoke with Jurassic World 3 director Colin Trevorrow who teased his plans for the upcoming sequel!
Along with those teases we speak about the fandom and the interactivity that Twitter can provide, Colin discusses his writing partner Emily Carmichael and what brought them together as co-writers, we talk the dinosaurs of the franchise, and Colin hints at a wealth of expanded universe content to follow in the future.
Grab your soda from the vending machine and enjoy the read, this is a good one!
When you were first approached for Jurassic Park 4, did you ever think you would be here today in the position you have with Jurassic? What lessons have you learned along the way?
It’s been a ride. Something happens around 40—you’ve lived long enough to look back and identify things about yourself that you realize are embedded pretty deep. I’ve seen patterns in my own work that have helped me understand myself a bit more. All of my films tend to be about a character who gets better, someone who is approaching life in a way that doesn’t represent their best self and then changes dramatically. Darius in Safety Not Guaranteed, Claire in Jurassic World, Susan in The Book of Henry. They’re all characters who have fallen into a pattern that needs to change, and through extraordinary circumstances they find a path to the better versions of themselves. If I’ve learned one lesson, it’s that I share something with the characters and stories I’m attracted to. I want to be the best version of myself, both as a filmmaker and as a person.
How did you meet your new writing partner on the next movie, Emily Carmichael, and what do you believe she will bring to the Jurassic franchise?
I saw a short of Emily’s called “The Hunter and the Swan Discuss Their Meeting”. I just knew immediately that I loved her brain. It’s different. Like a child who went to Harvard but still plays with toys. I brought a script of hers to Steven and we offered her a job writing a script she’s going to direct. She started going to meetings and her career took off. She worked on Pacific Rim 2 with a few other writers, then wrote The Black Hole for Disney on her own. It wasn’t hard to make the case that she should join the family. Her enthusiasm has been pretty infectious. She’s also an excellent Dungeon Master, as my kids will attest.
How involved are you with designing and choosing the dinosaurs, old and new, for each film? What is that process like, and what informs your choices? By design and definition, are there certain key elements you feel set Jurassic dinosaurs apart from others?
I’ve been lucky enough to be able to choose the dinosaurs, but Derek Connolly and JA Bayona and now Emily Carmichael will have each made contributions when it’s all said and done. It’s just a bunch of kids sitting on the floor with their toys. It’s the best part of my job, but also the hardest. You have to keep some great ones in the tank. I love the Carnotaurus and the Baryonyx, but I didn’t want to just see them in the background in Jurassic World. They deserve an entrance. So we put them on the park map, but held the reveal for the second film. The next film is even more fun because the opportunities have really opened up.
You’ve said Jurassic World 3 will have the most accurate dinosaurs yet. What exactly does that mean for a Jurassic film, feathers or otherwise, and what – if any – lessons have you learned from designing dinosaurs on the past two films?
We’re not looking to alter the dinosaurs from the previous movies. Those are established characters to me—they were made with reptilian DNA bridging the gaps in the genome and they have their own identity. But now we’re headed into a world in which the ability to clone a dinosaur is no longer exclusive to Dr. Henry Wu. That leads to innovation, and new opportunities for us to introduce species that represent the full spectrum of our knowledge.
Artwork by Simon Stålenhag – not related to Jurassic World 3
Many assume Jurassic World 3 will feature dinosaurs terrorizing cities and suburbs, and fans are often referring to properties like Godzilla and Planet of the Apes. Are these connections a fair assumption, or do you plan to keep the dinosaurs in the wilder, more untamed landscapes?
I just have no idea what would motivate dinosaurs to terrorize a city. They can’t organize. Right now we’ve got lethal predators in wild areas surrounding cities all over the world. They don’t go pack hunting for humans in urban areas. The world I get excited about is the one where it’s possible that a dinosaur might run out in front of your car on a foggy backroad, or invade your campground looking for food. A world where dinosaur interaction is unlikely but possible—the same way we watch out for bears or sharks. We hunt animals, we traffic them, we herd them, we breed them, we invade their territory and pay the price, but we don’t go to war with them. If that was the case, we’d have lost that war a long time ago.
“Jurassic World 3” or “Jurassic Park 6”? Ultimately a subtitle will replace the numbers, but is there a chance the ‘Park’ branding will return?
Emily and I call it Jurassic Park 6 because it’s fun, and that’s what it is to us. This is the conclusion of a story that began 25 years ago, and I think fans will be fired up when they see how much we’re connecting it to the source material. I know Jurassic World didn’t feel like a sequel in a traditional sense—the title change probably contributed to that—but it was. And so is this.
Will the visual style of Jurassic World 3 be influenced at all by what JA Bayona and Oscar Faura brought to the table?
JA and Oscar shot a beautiful film. If I’m being honest, I’d say they shot such a beautiful film, I’m not even looking to try and match it. They achieved something so gorgeous to look at, my instinct is to break the classical language of these films a bit and plunge us into a world that feels real and naturalistic. I want to go outside into environments we’ve never seen these animals in. I’m watching a lot of Planet Earth.
Jurassic as a brand handles itself quite differently than other mega- franchises out there – from your direct interactions with the community, to the inclusion of fans to create content like Masrani Global and the Dinosaur Protection Group. How important is that to you, and how would you say it helps Jurassic excel?
Our collaboration with the fans was something I first asked for back in 2015, and Universal was really open to it. The team delivered such a great experience with Masrani Global, we gave them a new assignment on Fallen Kingdom, and they crushed that, so we’re really going to be able to expand on that relationship with the third film. It always seemed obvious to me—who knows more about this lore than the fans? Why not just give them the keys and let them drive?
Did any fan and/or critical feedback to Jurassic World help shape your approach to writing Fallen Kingdom?
It did. We definitely took a turn into the darker side of Jurassic Park with that script. The first film was such a bright, colorful pop adventure. With Fallen Kingdom, we were looking to explore the uglier side of humanity and our cruel treatment of living creatures. But I think Bayona kept us from going too far—he embraced the darker elements, but also brought his own sense of playfulness and humor to the proceedings. When we initially wrote the dinosaur auction, we were imagining a dirty, unsavory bunch of animal traffickers huddled in a basement, trading lives for money. He turned it into the sequence you see in the film, which was more like a Sotheby’s auction for the super-wealthy. I think it played much better for kids, and was the right choice when balanced against the poor treatment of the animals we were seeing, which could have become irreparably sad. That’s the benefit of working with another director—you can see different sides of the story through their eyes.
Fan service has become a huge point of debate with larger franchise films. Striking a happy balance seems to be no easy task.
The fans keep my compass pointed in the right direction. Deep fans watch movies differently than the casual viewer, the same way critics watch films differently than the general audience. None of them are wrong. So I do a lot of listening. And every year, more dinosaur fans are born. These movies need to work simultaneously for those kids, for adults who love the old films, and for a diverse global audience—including some who didn’t even have American movies available to them when the first film came out. It’s a delicate balance. I feel like I’ve made a mix of bold choices and safe ones—hopefully once my tenure is done, the fans will look back and feel like I was a careful custodian.
Can you talk about your experience with social media? You directly engage with fans on various subjects. But amongst all that can come a lot of toxic trolling. How do you filter that?
You really can’t filter it. But when you dig deep enough into any fan’s anger, you’re going to find a deep love for the franchise they’re defending. To understand that level of passion—and sometimes furor—requires the same respect and tolerance you give to those with different belief systems than your own. But belief is no excuse for aggression toward those who don’t share your beliefs. It makes me sad to see the current state of the discourse, because the ugly rhetoric we’re throwing at each other is polarizing fandom the same way our politics is dividing us. I hope we find our balance again. I think we can.
It seems you are overseeing the greater Jurassic expanded universe, both in content and canon – is that correct? Can you talk a little about what your involvement is like with that?
Yeah, I’ve been involved since 2015, in collaboration with Steven and Frank. We’ve been working closely with Universal to build out the world and make sure that kids (and adults) who want to dig deeper have someplace to go. We’re really proud of the Mattel and LEGO toys, the console and mobile games from Frontier and Ludia, the VR experience from Felix and Paul, who are just brilliant. We just finished a two-part animated LEGO special that will air on NBC this week. All our creative partners have done awesome work. There’s a lot of things I can’t really talk about, I promise there will be no shortage of new developments in the next few years. But we’re being careful not to oversaturate. Some people just want to go see a dinosaur movie every three years, and that’s fine. Others want dinosaurs all the way down. We’re here for them, too.
Why do you think Jurassic has succeeded in making dinosaur movies work – something that would normally just become another creature feature, into something that is able to thrill and captivate audiences like the Jurassic franchise has done? Do you believe bringing that magic to life gets more difficult with each movie?
I think there’s something humbling about dinosaurs. They’re evidence that we’ve only occupied the earth for a tiny sliver of time. The line that encapsulates the whole series for me is Irrfan Khan’s moment at the beginning of Jurassic World. “Dinosaurs remind us how very small we are, how new.” Humans have only existed for 200,000 years. Dinosaurs were here in one form or another for 170 MILLION years. We act like this planet belongs to us, but we just got here. That’s the story I’m here to tell, and every choice we make is connected to it.
Now that certainly is a lot to digest! While ‘dinosaurs in war’ is an idea that’s been floated around for years, was featured in John Sayles’ Jurassic Park 4 script, and was even hinted at by a main character in Jurassic World, it’s great than Colin continues to shut this idea down in exchange for a much more realistic portrayal of wild animals in the ‘human’ world.
“The world I get excited about is the one where it’s possible that a dinosaur might run out in front of your car on a foggy backroad, or invade your campground looking for food. A world where dinosaur interaction is unlikely but possible—the same way we watch out for bears or sharks.”
Me too Colin, me too. This world would allow for the suspense and thriller aspects of Jurassic Park to return, and is going to allow us to see these dinosaurs interacting with new environments. Environments that aren’t restrained by the jungles of Isla Nublar and Isla Sorna, and instead feel much closer to home.
“My instinct is to break the classical language of these films a bit and plunge us into a world that feels real and naturalistic. I want to go outside into environments we’ve never seen these animals in.”
J.A. Bayona’s Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom ended with a number of shots showing the dinosaurs reaching cities and locations in and around California, and with the technology used to create these dinosaurs now out in the open world and potentially in the hands of large corporations that don’t have the animals best interests in mind, Jurassic World 3 could show us a much darker side to this story.
We want to say a huge thank you to Colin Trevorrow for this interview and for speaking with us! We hope you enjoyed the read and in case you missed our previous interview with the director back in 2016 you can find that here or listen to the podcast. There’s a surprise guest at the end. And that surprise guest is J.A. Bayona. Sorry to ruin the surprise. But it has been over two years since that interview, so that’s on you.
And be sure to take a listen to our brand new episode where we discuss this interview and go into detail on some of Colin’s answers:
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and while Jurassic may be a Summer film series, the merchandise goes hand and hand with the snowmen and long shopping lines. Whether you’re shopping for yourself, Christmas, or otherwise, there is no short supply of dino-themed gifts out there.
We’ve accumulated a list of some of our top picks of Jurassic World merchandise, perfect for fans of all ages to make your shopping easier:
Fallen Kingdom Blu-ray & DVD
This one is a given, and odds are you already own one of its many releases. However if you’ve yet to pick a copy up, or are buying for another lucky fan, here are some of our top version choices.
Celebrate the legacy of Jurassic Park by bringing home a piece of history with this exclusive limited edition 1:1 prop replica of John Hammond’s Amber Cane, cast from an original studio prop with an expertly crafted finish. Special Jurassic Park logo plaque, hanger clip, and wall mount hardware included.
This official prop from Chronicle Collectibles is exclusively sold at Paradise Collectibles, and is limited to 1000 units. Check out this review from our friends at Jurassic Collectibles!
Who doesn’t love when LEGO combines its forces with dinosaurs, especially Jurassic Park dinosaurs? These LEGO sets are sure to provide long brick building fun for fans of all ages, and are primarily based upon moments from the latest Jurassic World. The following sets are our top picks from the line, varying in price:
Get ready for thrilling action and adventure with Jurassic World! Thrash ‘n Throw Tyrannosaurus Rex is in the style of the fan-favorite character from the original Jurassic Park. Now she’s back and better than ever with awesome action features! In addition to authentic sculpt and decoration, Thrash ‘n Throw Tyrannosaurus Rex has sound effect features like chomping and stomping, an impressive roar and a HUGE bite. Use the tail activation to open mouth and pick up other human and dinosaur action figures, and then thrash and throw them across the room! Recreate all your favorite epic dinosaur action scenes from the movie, but watch out—this Tyrannosaurus Rex is ready for a fight!
Get ready for thrilling action and adventure with Jurassic World! Mosasaurus, the colossal swimming creature, is back again and makes a bigger splash than ever in the film! This action figure is inspired by the movie and comes in a massive size that will thrill fans! Mosasaurus features authentic textured skin, realistic sculpting and articulation that makes this colossal creature come to life! Colors and decorations may vary. Are you the ultimate dinosaur expert? Download the Jurassic World Facts app to bring your Mattel Jurassic World dinosaur figures to life and learn fun facts!
Get ready for thrilling action and adventure with Jurassic World! When an Indoraptor escapes at Lockwood Estate, no man, woman, child, or animal will be safe during his hunt—especially with his night-vision capabilities! An abomination hybrid of the villainous Indominus Rex and the vicious Velociraptor, Indoraptor is the most terrifying and deadliest dinosaur ever masterminded—the latest brainchild of Dr. Wu. Inspired by the film, Grab ‘n Growl Indoraptor wreaks havoc and fear with his mere presence. His ominous features include red eyes that light up and glow, slick black scales, long arms with dagger-like claws and extra articulation that he will use to catch anyone that crosses him. And watch out for his huge terrifying SCREECH and realistic dinosaur sound effects! To activate, slide the switch located on the tail for grabbing action and lights and sounds; push the button for chomping action and lights and sounds; and move the tail around for thrashing action! Act out ferocious battle scenes with Grab ‘n Growl Indoraptor and relive all the exciting adventure and terror of the movie!
Get ready for thrilling action and adventure with Jurassic World! Roarivores dinosaur action figures are inspired by the movie and feature push button sound activation and signature attack moves iconic to their respective species. Play out movie action scenes with signature attack moves like chomping, biting and head butting. Figures also include articulated arms and legs, realistic sculpting and authentic decoration. Choose from Triceratops, Baryonyx, Metriacanthosaurus, Allosaurus, and more!
(Note, subject to availablity – MSRP is $14.99 but third party retailers may charge more)
Get ready for thrilling action and adventure with Jurassic World! These Battle Damage dinosaur action figures have a spring-loaded damage panel feature that snaps back on impact to reveal the battle wound! Kids will love battling it out again and again to see the results. Just reset the Battle Damage action figure to play out favorite action battles from the movie again and again! Choose from Battle Damage Stiggy, Battle Damage Velociraptor Blue, Battle Damage Pachycephalosaurus, Battle Damage Herrerasaurus, Battle Damage Gallimimus and more!
(Note, subject to availability – Basic dino MSRP is $9.99 but third party retailers may charge more)
The Jurassic World Legacy Collection roars into action celebrating classic moments, themes and characters from the blockbuster film franchise! These dinosaur action figures feature articulated arms and legs, realistic sculpting and authentic decoration. Each dinosaur also has an action feature unique to its character and species like chomping, jumping, flapping or spitting! Choose from ramming Pachycephalosaurus, spitting Dilophosaurus, flapping Pteranodon, leaping Velociraptor and biting young Tyrannosaurus Rex action figures.
(Note, subject to availability – Basic dino MSRP is $9.99 but third party retailers may charge more)
Get ready for thrilling action and adventure with Jurassic World! These Attack Pack dinosaurs are inspired by the movie and are known to herd, hunt and attack in packs. Each Attack Pack dinosaur figure includes five points of articulation, realistic sculpting and authentic decoration. Choose from Velociraptor Blue, Green Velociraptor, Dilophosaurus, Gallimimus and Dimorphodon. Each sold separately, subject to availability. Colors and decorations may vary. Are you the ultimate dinosaur expert? Download the Jurassic World Facts app to bring your Mattel Jurassic World dinosaur figures to life and learn fun facts!
(Note, subject to availability – Basic dino MSRP is $7.99 but third party retailers may charge more)
Get ready for thrilling action and adventure with Jurassic World! These Action Attack dinosaur figures capture the ultimate movie action with their unique action-attack features! Add realistic sculpting and authentic decoration, and these Action Attack dinosaurs come to life ready for dinosaur action! Choose from Action Attack Carnotaurus (press button to make the head strike forward and jaws chomp) and Action Attack Stegosaurus (press a spine plate to trigger the tail swipe).
(Note, subject to availability – Basic dino MSRP is $19.99 but third party retailers may charge more)
Get ready for thrilling action and adventure with Jurassic World! These action figures are inspired by characters in the film and feature realistic sculpts at 3 ¾” action scale. Each comes with an accessory or dinosaur action figure so kids play out their favorite Jurassic World moments. Choose from Owen and Baby Blue or the Mercenary and Dimorphodon. Relive all the action and adventure of the movie with these action figures!
(Note, subject to availability – Basic figure MSRP is $7.99 but third party retailers may charge more)
From jewelry, bottle openers, and collectible artwork this Jurassic Park and Jurassic World collection is perfect for fans who aren’t into toys. Take a peek, and spare no expense!
Get ready for thrilling action and adventure with Jurassic World! fan favorite character, Velociraptor Blue is ferociously cute and comes in a kid-sized Ginormous scale that is approximately 3 feet tall and over 4 feet long from nose to tail! this Ginormous Velociraptor Blue figure is made of soft plush material and features realistic eye detail, sculpted claws on her arms and feet and a big Blue streak on her body, of course! kids will love hugging and cuddling with this kid-sized Ginormous fan favorite plush figure!
Take control of operations on the legendary islands of the Muertes archipelago and experience the majesty and danger of awe-inspiring dinosaurs. Every choice you make between Entertainment, Science and Security Divisions influences your journey through an unfolding narrative and decades of Jurassic lore.
Welcome to the Dinosaur Protection Group. This olive green coffee mug from Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom features a retro inspired “Save the Dinos” design.
The Knitted Christmas Sweater Preorder is officially licensed Jurassic Park merchandise. You can be confident that it will be of the highest quality and give you that warm, fuzzy feeling that only comes from supporting the creators.
Hold on to your bricks LEGO Jurassic World fans in and around London, England – you’re invited to a special fan screening of ‘The Secret Exhibit’ before it debuts in the UK!
We’ve partnered with Universal Pictures to screen the latest LEGO adventure in a unique theater venue for fans. Seating is LIMITED, so be sure to RSVP ASAP.
Wednesday December 5th at 4 – 5:45 PM
Seating is limited, and RSVPs will be accepted on a first come, first serve basis. An RSVP does not guarantee a ticket; confirmation emails will go out prior to Wednesday. A total of 2 tickets can be reserved per person – please use your real name, and be prepared to present a valid ID to claim tickets. Venue location will be made available to those who secure tickets via email, so please be sure to check. If you RSVP tickets but cannot make the event, let us know so we can release the seats and other fans can attend.
While unlikely, venue date and time is subject to change. Stay tuned to JurassicOutpost.com for any and all updates.
RSVP at RSVP@JurassicOutpost.com
Stay tuned for any updates, and look for an email confirming your ticket. We look forward to seeing you there!
Here at Jurassic Outpost, we love all things Dinosaur, and our friend Tom from The Jurassic Park Podcast made us aware of a very important fundraiser which is going on in London, UK, RIGHT NOW to help preserve and share to the public a piece of Dinosaur History.
Tom recently learned that the Friends of the Crystal Palace Park Dinosaurs are fundraising for an amazing project. The Crystal Palace Dinosaurs are important, forming a part of dinosaur history. The dinosaurs were first revealed in 1854 as part of the Crystal Palace Exhibition, and are believed to be some of the most historically accurate models in the world. Rated at Grade 1, the sculptures have the same heritage value in the United Kingdom as somewhere like Buckingham palace. However, there is more than just dinosaurs within the park. There is a collection of distinct prehistoric, extinct creatures which visitors to the park can enjoy.
Previously, visitors to the park have only been able to see the dinosaurs from afar, with the creatures being situated on an island in the middle of a lake. However, this could be about to change. If the Friend’s fundraiser is successful, then a bridge across to the dinosaurs may be constructed, allowing members of the public an opportunity to get up and close with real pieces of history. This fundraiser not only provides an opportunity to renovate and provide accessibility to these incredible monuments, it also provides an opportunity for us to make paleo-history more accessible for generations to come. If you are a UK fan, we really recommend you check this out.
The Dinosaurs are a unique set of sculptures in Crystal Palace Park. They are located on islands which the public can’t usually get on to. The sculptures are Grade I listed heritage assets and are internationally important, as they were a pivotal event in the history of science.
The Friends of the Crystal Palace Dinosaurs are frequently asked ‘Can we get onto the islands, get up close & find out more about the Dinosaurs?’ This is currently possible only a few times per year, when we pay to have an expensive and ugly temporary bridge erected.
We need a new, permanent bridge. A physical bridge to the island will enable us to build imaginative bridges to the past.
With a bridge we can deliver an exciting, interactive programme of events on ‘Dinosaur Island’ on a regular basis. We will run tours by experts in history, science, art and conservation. Volunteers will be able to get stuck in to projects around the sculptures. Gardeners and conservators can keep the site in shape.
Our good friends at Jurassic Collectables has something very special to share today with the Jurassic fandom. They have recreated the iconic vibrating water glass from 1993’s Jurassic Park with some assistance from Oscar Award winning Michael Lantieri, who worked on the special effects for the film.
After 25 years, Jurassic Collectables has recreated the famous Jurassic Park vibrating glass of water seen in the Main Road Attack. After sourcing the exact same cup used on screen, Jurassic Collectables contacted Michael Lantieri to find out the exact make & pitch of guitar string and the accompanying hardware.
The project involved Jurassic Collectables building a contraption to keep tension in the wire, allowing vibration to travel from the string to the water. See the video for yourself today on Jurassic Collectables.
“Do you remember the first time you saw a dinosaur?”
There is a photograph of me, at the young age of three years old, with my older sister in the back garden of the home I grew up in. We are surrounded by pulled up weeds standing in for tiny trees, dishes full of water in place of vast lakes, and between them, herds upon herds of plastic dinosaurs. I may not remember the moment, but this is a snapshot of the first time I saw a dinosaur.
We all have our own stories on how it first happened: some earlier in life, some not till later. But all equally important. There’s a reason you’re on this site, reading this piece right now. I saw the first Jurassic Park a couple years later on VHS, a birthday present from my father. I’m sure most of you reading understand what happened next. Life-changing moment leading to a lifelong obsession, so on, so on.
Michael Crichton mused on what it is that makes dinosaurs so fascinating to children. They are the legends of the modern age. They have the fantasy appeal of classical mythology, but they were real. Dinosaurs were scary: scarier than adults, scarier than school. But they can be controlled – by learning their names, what they ate, when and where they lived, children have power over them, and also power over their parents. Generally speaking, dinosaurs are one of the few subjects children are experts on, and can trump their parents’ knowledge hands down.
We’re all introduced to these myths at different ages, through different mediums. I’m sure many of us have fond memories similar to that I described above. These could be reading books, playing with toys, or more pertinent to this community, watching films. In our modern world, the Jurassic series has served as either an entry point to or a celebration of our favourite prehistoric reptiles for over two decades now.
As we grow older, some of us leave these legends behind, some of us treasure them for years to come, and some of us will defend the originals, what we hold dear. We all want whatever comes next to be as special and fantastical as it was, and still is in our minds. Unfortunately, this can’t always be true for everyone. We all have our own desires and wishes for the future for the Jurassic franchise, and with each new installment, there is more chance of opinion between us to become fractured and divided. It all comes from a place of passion and love, wishing the best for our own personal favourite legend.
In the 1990s, public interest in dinosaurs and palaeontology was at an all-time high. This was in no little thanks due to Jurassic Park. It bled into other widespread media globally, reaching across generations. This ranged from a slew of animated dinosaur features coming off the tails of the 1993 blockbuster to the largest sitcom ever at the time featuring a palaeontologist as one of its lead characters. But the following decades saw a slump. Many museums even moved away from the display of prehistoric creatures to represent other aspects of the natural world. Dinosaurs just weren’t as fashionable anymore.
I am very honoured to work in a profession that allows me to directly engage with the public, discussing scientific topics such as natural history and dinosaurs. I grew up for the most part in the post-Jurassic Park III slump. When I was a kid, at least in my school and area, it wasn’t trendy to like dinosaurs. And due to having grown up in that period, I am consistently astounded by the renewed interest and knowledge that kids have these days. They come from all over and in droves, ready to share their knowledge and find out even more. Liking dinosaurs isn’t a fringe interest anymore. Dinosaurs are cool.
We have entered the Neo-Jurassic age. And that is thanks to Jurassic World and Fallen Kingdom.
No matter our opinions on these latest entries in the series as veteran Jurassic fans, the gates have opened to the next generation. These children are just discovering their legends, myths and stories for the first time, just as we did years ago. And most importantly, it’s getting them engaged in science at a rate unprecedented in recent years. I am consistently astounded by what children are coming out with now. They tell me where obscure creatures like Sinoceratops were discovered. What a strange little pterosaur called Dimophodon was speculated to eat. It’s not just the T. Rex anymore, they’re discovering all these weird and wonderful prehistoric species that were unknown to me as a kid. They’re even bringing in toys of real paleontological deep-dive species such as Metriacanthosaurus and Minmi, thanks to the fabulous prehistoric range of the Mattel toyline.
As it was for many of us, the Jurassic series serves as a gateway to further knowledge. It can lead to palaeontology, genetics, biology, ecology, chaos theory, or even tourism and theme parks. The list goes on and on. Even if they come in with misconceptions, such as believing a Mosasaurus was larger than a blue whale, or that many dinosaurs that we no know to be covered in feathers were completely scaly, they are engaging. This is the jumping-off point into real science, and they are looking for answers. It is this insatiable desire for knowledge that is what I believe makes dinosaurs so appealing to children. There’s always more to learn, always new discoveries to be made, mysteries to be solved. A new generation has been inspired by their own stories and legends.
In a heartwarming video, two Jurassic Park fans spend their day riding Jurassic Park: The Ride at Universal Studios Hollywood before it closes for good.
But that’s not all. After breaking the record and completing 61 journeys through Jurassic Park, battling spitting Dilophosaurs and facing an angry T. rex, Devin got on his knees and proposed.
In a sneaky Dennis Nedry fashion, Devin hid the ring within a Barbasol cannister alongside DNA from species across the original park. How cool is that?
The couple who reside in LA have annual passes to the Hollywood park and have made it a tradition to ride the Jurassic Park ride every year on Chelsea’s birthday. The previous record was 60 rides in a day, and the pair rode it a total of 62 times. Along with the proposal, I don’t think this is a day they’ll soon forget!
Did you catch a look at the engagement ring? It was custom made and features mosquito amber. Spared no expense. The Barbasol cannister was a prototype by Chronicle Collectibles who will be releasing it in the near future.
Today marks the final day for Jurassic Park: The Ride. Opened on June 21, 1996, the ride has been a fan favourite since then and remains as one of the only rides left at the park without projections or 3D screens.
Tonight we close the gates on Jurassic Park – The Ride to make way for the new Jurassic World ride opening in 2019! pic.twitter.com/CPppEHNGqu
While it is a sad day, a new Jurassic World themed ride will take it’s place at the park in 2019 – and hopefully will feature a small glimpse at the original park. The river boat ride is to remain open at the Universal Studios Orlando park, and there are rumours that park will see an expansion within the Jurassic Park area.
Join us in congratulating Chelsea and Devin – what a wonderful way to propose and celebrate your engagement!
Will you miss the ride? Let us know in the comments section below what you hope to see in Jurassic World: The Ride!
Star Wars has long been the gold standard for licensed media in the toy aisle, with a multitude of products, quality items, and strong sales. While the craftsmanship on the toys from Hasbro has seen a recent downward trend, causing their 2015 Jurassic World line to be met with much ire, Star Wars continues to perform successfully. It’s an evergreen property, with numerous movies, comics, books and cartoons to support interest and awareness with fans of all ages, driving toy sales forward.
In 2016, it was announced Mattel had won the bid for the Jurassic World / Park toy master license, taking it from Hasbro who had held since 1993 (if you count that they owned Kenner). Mattel spared no expense, and hit the ground running with their Jurassic toy line which made its debut in Spring of 2018 to coincide with the latest sequel, Fallen Kingdom. With Mattel in charge of the license, they reaffirmed Jurassic as a quality industry leading brand, ripe with innovative and diverse play patterns, quality film accurate toys, topped off with incredible competitive pricing models not seen in current competition. These choices, along with the Jurassic presence in theaters now has led to kids, parents, and collectors all being enticed to purchase and play.
With the latest waves of Mattel Jurassic World toys hitting shelves now, the dinosaurs are on a rampage of fun – according to the NPD Group, Jurassic is currently outselling Star Wars action figures in the US. Jurassic and Marvel led action figures sales to grow by 16%, which is no small feat given the closing of Toys R Us. While internationally, Star Wars is the number 3 overall brand (this encompasses more than action figures), and Jurassic has not broken top 10, this performance shows great opportunity for momentum moving forward – especially as dinosaur toys have grown in popularity by 77% year to date.
Personally, I see incredible potential for Jurassic World moving forward – but it will take some work. As such, I’ve lightly outlined some of my proposed transmedia expansion concepts below.
Room for Growth
Universal Pictures in conjunction with Mattel and other brand partners are in the unique position to build upon this momentum to further strengthen brand awareness, diversity, and demand. Jurassic, regardless of a film in theaters, can and should become synonymous with dinosaur toys and products for fans of all ages. Dinosaurs have an everlasting appeal, and populate toy and product shelves even without expanded marketing. With Jurassic’s unique hold on pop culture, it can take hold of the forefront of dinosaur media and hardline sales, expanding it into new territory, just as Star Wars has become a prime staple of merchandise aisles.
To fully leverage this opportunity, the brand itself need to expand its transmedia thumbprint and target as many different age groups and demographics as possible. While the films target a slightly older audience (around 7 and up) with a PG-13 rating, there is plenty of room for growth in the pre-school sector. To drive that brand awareness and acceptance amongst parents, something like a educational and friendly ‘Jurassic World Rangers’ animated series could do wonders – let it take place when the park was open, and follow the paths of vets and trainers working with the animals as they become sick or distressed. Let it be about aiding the animals, and let it teach young audiences all about the dinosaurs and characters jobs in exciting and positive scenarios. With the kids and parents on board, they’ll surely be fans for life as they grow into the core media and product offerings.
To better sustain the core Jurassic brand, the possibilities and perhaps need for expanded media sustain programs are endless. This could range from toys backed by animated content targeting the appropriate age range and tone, animated series, books, comics, video games, and live action “spin-off” stories (be it film, TV, or shorts). Most importantly, this content must be high quality, representing the brands film legacy and reputation, delivering top of the line content no matter the outlet. In the age of social media, pop culture awareness and discussion is a self-running machine, but the more parts added into the mix, the more diverse, and prolific it becomes.
Perhaps most unique to Jurassic, is the outlet for creative growth in the education sector. While the dinosaurs of Jurassic World are different from their real world namesakes, these differences can be fully embraced while collaborating with STEM partners to expand dinosaur knowledge. If Jurassic began partnering with the science community to expand real world dinosaur information in ways they cannot typically achieve alone, paleontologists, schools, museums, and other similar outlets will embrace the brand with open arms. Be it reinstating a website like Jurassic Park Institute, sharing news from Paleontological discoveries, or even sponsoring or curating dino-education TV or web programs such as documentaries, Jurassic would only further strengthen brand awareness while achieving a genuinely positive impact.
The future for our very own Jurassic World is a vast expanse of endless opportunity of innovation and entertainment, fueling engagement across multiple platforms. My hope is new programs are continuously implemented to keep this momentum moving forward – spare no expense, and let dinosaurs rule the earth.
