EXPERIENCES

The team at Unusual were asked to work with producers Motivation and AV company AudioNation to design and create a new immersive attraction at Leeds Castle in Kent. The Gatehouse now delivers the story of the medieval Queens of Leeds Castle and their continued influence on this magnificent site. Green screen, drone and a live shoot at the castle bring the queens to life with a surprising reveal to lead visitors towards the rest of the castle.

Unusual were asked to enhance St. George’s Chapel at Biggin Hill Memorial Museum. Women at War is a detailed and respectful exhibition highlighting the invaluable role of women during WWII. It features the vital work of the WAAFs and the pioneering women pilots who served in the ATA moving all types of planes around the UK. The exhibition features a full sized Spitfire within the chapel with a fully immersive VR experience. All of this within a working place of worship ensuring that services can be continued and the building protected.

The Black Tower Tales

Cardiff Castle asked Unusual to create an exciting new experience The Black Tower Tales to celebrate Welsh hero Llywelyn Bren who stood up for the people against the evil Sherif of Glamorgan. The experience takes you through the Castle’s conservation rooms where the room comes alive, the portcullis with a mind of its own and finally the Black Tower where you are immersed in the tale of Bren’s fight and tragic end.

Biggin Hill Memorial Museum

Biggin Hill Memorial Museum is updating some of its content and Unusual had the task of filming interviews within the Heritage Hanger and St. George’s Chapel.

Alice Lanterns

Visiting the factory in China where the Alice lantern characters were created. Our designs were scaled up, some to 5m tall. Their artists create a steel frame over which they stretch coloured silks. Oh, and they also make the odd dinosaur!

Longleat Events

Longleat Events asked us to create some Unusual Alice Magic in their historic Orangery with a children’s activity area on a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party theme. A bespoke table gave parents and children an area to create origami roses for the bushes outside while a giant tea set and card arch gave the characters plenty to play with for some great Photo Ops.

Dragon Quest

Unusual have just created a complete upgrade to Dragon Quest at Alnwick Castle. Our team brought in a new story lead by recorded actors interacting with visitors in fantatsic new scenes featuring knights, witches, lava, mazes, haunted woods and a mighty dragon that rears up to stunning effect.

ITV ‘I’m A Celebrity’ experience

Unusual were asked by the development team at ITV to scope out initial options for the I’m A Celebrity experience at the Lowry mall in Manchester. Working with Whitewater and Simworx we immersed our proposed audience in bugs, flew them in and out of the building on zip wires and let them get the full jungle feel with VR and simulators. We hope we added some great concepts to the final offer.

BBC Doctor Who

The team at Unusual were behind the design, creation and roll-out of the popular touring Doctor Who Exhibitions under license from BBC Worldwide. These ran for five years and worked as JV’s with major museums and science centres at 14 venues throughout the UK, attracting over 2.1M visitors. Displays featured costumes, props, interactive creatures and some spectacular battling Daleks!

One Small Step

One Small Step was developed, designed and created by us for two science centre exhibitions. Spaceport in Liverpool and Dundee science centre. It featured a mix or real space artifacts and models of spacecraft and landers. Mat Irvine, the BBC’s former space expert wrote and advised on the project for us.

Jurassic Karts

Unusual transformed a dated ride into an amazing Jurassic Experience at the Needles in the Isle of Wight. Using a unique technique our creative team were able to create this rocky landscape mixing 2D imagery, 3D rocks, creatures and real planting in less than two weeks. It even has it’s own 4m high Volcano complete with flame lights, booming sounds and smoke FX.

BBC Coast

The Unsual team were responsible for creating the popular BBC Coast Exhibitions. One featured a re-working of a famous fin whale skeleton – see the before and after examples. We also added a hydralulic powered shaking floor to depict erosion. It was hosted by TV’s Dick Strawbridge.

Land’s End

Heritage GB, the owners of Land’s End and John O’Groats (amongst other attractions) asked us to devise a new attraction for Land’s End. Featuring Brian Blessed we designed and created Arthur’s Quest a great walk through, interactive family experience. Visitors cross rope bridges above raging fire, get lost in forest mirror mazes and encounter a dreadful dragon.