Universal Great Britain

[rob@rar]

Anyone with lots of experience of theme park design? This might be of interest:

Director, Creative Direction – Expat To Bedford, UK​

This is what the Senior Recruiter for Universal Creative said about the role:

Absolutely exceptional opportunity alert!

Many of you have been asking for a very long time when we will be posting roles for the Universal UK Project. I am delighted to announce that the wait is over! Below is the very first listing. And it happens to be for one of our most important roles on the project. And even beyond that, it's likely one of the ultimate roles in the world right now for someone in themed entertainment creative direction.

So, we are seeking a Director, Creative Direction - Expat to Bedford, UK. The role will start in Orlando and will be here for several years, before moving to Bedford for the installation phase of the project. This person will oversee all creative direction on the project as outlined in this summary:

"The Director, Creative Direction provides leadership and oversees the planning, execution, and delivery of creative projects, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and vision. This role supports the artistic narrative and immersive experiences for all assigned projects, manages project-based team members, and fosters a diverse and inclusive culture. The Director mentors and coaches Creative Directors and Narrative Designers (Show Writers), encouraging a proactive approach to problem-solving and decision-making, and implements effective management practices to optimize team performance and resource allocation. The Director leads cross-disciplinary efforts across design, engineering, architecture, art direction, and PMO to achieve cohesive and impactful creative outcomes. They champion innovative ideas and forward-thinking strategies, guiding teams through the creative process from ideation to final construction, ensuring that storytelling aligns with the creative vision and brand identity. Additionally, the Director establishes strong relationships with senior leadership, including Presidents and IP partners, facilitating seamless cross-divisional communication and collaboration to drive project success and enhance brand value."

In terms of experience, we are seeking someone with:
15+ years designing experience-based entertainment for world-class theme parks or related industries; must have 9+ years art direction or production design and field experience based on Universal Creative standards; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

 

[sugey]

I read a rumour on a rail forum the other day that apparently universal have struck a deal with the government to offer discounted train tickets which would make sense. Instead of offering discounted park tickets that hit their bottom line.

We’ll be waiting a while to find out if that’s true.

I’d love the Eurostar thing to the true, but domestically I think incorporating it into HS2 should be our main concern as that would open it up to far more people throughout the country.

They did explore plans to build a tunnel to connect HS1 and HS2 but ultimately decided against it for cost reasons. And the fact that HS2 to Euston almost nearly got cancelled (and only got saved because it has been heavily scaled back to a state that almost undoes any benefit of HS2 because they can't afford to build enough platforms, and also now that Euston is privately funded) implies that we will never ever see a HS1 HS2 link. It was ruled out back when people thought HS2 could be done and now the fact is we are only going to get a shell of a HS2.

Unless you meant connect Universal to HS2? (They could and should build an interchange station with East West rail as the two lines intersect - build a new town too while you're at it)

 

[Altonsky]

They did explore plans to build a tunnel to connect HS1 and HS2 but ultimately decided against it for cost reasons. And the fact that HS2 to Euston almost nearly got cancelled (and only got saved because it has been heavily scaled back to a state that almost undoes any benefit of HS2 because they can't afford to build enough platforms, and also now that Euston is privately funded) implies that we will never ever see a HS1 HS2 link. It was ruled out back when people thought HS2 could be done and now the fact is we are only going to get a shell of a HS2.

Unless you meant connect Universal to HS2? (They could and should build an interchange station with East West rail as the two lines intersect - build a new town too while you're at it)

Yeah I was thinking a spur line going to Universal directly.

I’ve always wanted HS2 to go all the way up to Edinburgh/Glasgow then into Cardiff and down to the South West (Devon/Cornwall) but I’m living in a fantasy world.

But if that were to happen it’d make getting to the park ridiculously easy.

 

[EllieB]

Anyone with lots of experience of theme park design? This might be of interest:

Director, Creative Direction – Expat To Bedford, UK​

This is what the Senior Recruiter for Universal Creative said about the role:

I'll get my application in!