Michael Mack & Patrik Schumacher

„The internet will transform into spatial experiences. So, of course, we need virtual cities.“ Patrik Schumacher, CEO of legendary Zaha Hadid Architects and a true visionary, envisions a future where architecture exists in both the physical and digital realms. As the boundaries between the real and virtual worlds blur, urban planning must undergo a radical transformation. In this episode of THE WORLD BEYOND, podcast host Michael Mack sits down with Patrik Schumacher at the AUREA Award at Europa-Park to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing tomorrow’s cities: How can architecture enhance efficiency and sustainability? What role does gaming technology play in designing virtual cities? What political dimensions will the Metaverse assume? What is Metatopia? And why is Computational Design the driving force behind innovation? Dive in and discover what the future holds!

Michael Mack & Alvin Wang Graylin

True to the guiding principle of this year’s AUREA AWARDS, Michael Mack and his guest dive deep into some of the most fundamental questions facing the entertainment industry: What tools are we creating to empower the next generation of storytellers? How will AI redefine the creative process in immersive entertainment? And, as AI gains the ability to preserve and control our narratives long after we’ve passed on, how do we redefine our own memento mori? Press play and uncover the answers right here on THE WORLD BEYOND!

Michael Mack, Bernd Bohnert & Lars-Gerrit Hansen

„Wir haben 400 Rechner bei uns stehen, die über ein Jahr lang Tag und Nacht rendern“ - Bernd Bohnert ist Produktionsleiter bei MACK Animation und gibt einen exklusiven Einblick in die Produktionsprozesse des ersten 90-minütigen Kinoabenteuers mit den Europa Park Maskottchen-Stars Ed & Edda: GRAND PRIX OF EUROPE. Der Kinofilm ist eine Co-Produktion von MACK Magic und Warner Bros. Film Productions Germany und wird verantwortet von Michael Mack. Parallel zum Leinwandabenteuer (ab Sommer 2025 überall im Kino) entsteht in Europas größten Freizeitpark der neue interaktive 3D-Darkride GRAND PRIX EDventure: „Wir bringen Spielspaß und Abenteuer durch modernste Multimedia-Integration und liebevolle thematische Gestaltung auf eine neues Level“, erzählt Lars-Gerrit Hansen über das kommende Highlight im Europa Park. Der Projektleiter der neuen Attraktion gibt hier im Podcast die ersten Details zu Storyline, Technik, Interaktionen und Fahrdauer bekannt. Podcast-Host und Visionär Michael Mack wirft zusammen mit seinen Gästen einen Blick in die Zukunft: An welchen Innovationen arbeiten die Animations- und Ingenieurteams bei diesen Projekten? Vor welchen Herausforderungen stehen sowohl Filmemacher als auch Konstrukteure? In welchen Bereichen arbeiten die Teams von MACK Animation und MACK Magic zusammen? Und wie wird sich die Welt des Entertainments in den nächsten Jahren verändern? Antworten hier im Podcast: THE WORLD BEYOND!

Michael Mack, Patrick Marx & Lukas Metzger

„Dass Voltron ein absoluter Kracher wird, war relativ schnell klar – denn das war auch die Anforderung! Eine Anlage in dieser Größenordnung bauen wir nur alle 10 bis 15 Jahre, da muss es einfach sitzen.“ - Patrick Marx, Head of Masterplanning bei MACK One, und Lukas Metzger, Head of Park Operations im Europa Park, sind näher dran an der „besten neuen Achterbahn der Welt“ als jeder andere: Seit der ersten Fahrt vor etwa 6 Monaten hat Voltron Nevera powered by Rimac bereits knapp 3 Millionen Menschen durch die Luft gewirbelt. Podcast-Host Michael Mack, Gründer und CEO von MACK One, gibt in dieser Episode von THE WORLD BEYOND einen exklusiven Einblick in dieses Meisterwerk der Ingenieurskunst: Was macht Voltron Nevera so außergewöhnlich erfolgreich? Was sind die physikalischen Limits einer Achterbahn? Wie wird sich der kroatische Themenbereich, dessen Herzstück die Achterbahn ist, in Zukunft weiterentwickeln? Und an welchen innovativen Attraktionen arbeiten die MACK Emotioneers aktuell? Antworten hier im Podcast: THE WORLD BEYOND!

Michael Mack & Bill McCoy

“Horror is not about the monster. It’s about hope.” - Bill McCoy is a world-renowned make-up artist who has been creating incredible and often terrifying characters for film, TV, and live events for over 25 years. His exceptional work can be seen in major Hollywood productions such as “Stranger Things,” “The Walking Dead,” and many more. Join podcast host Michael Mack, founder and CEO of MACK One, in this thrilling conversation about the psychology of creating fear, the delicate balance between horror and storytelling, and the innovative trends shaping the future of special effects make-up. Plus, get an exclusive sneak peek into this year’s Traumatica Festival of Fear: “This year, it’s going to be intense; everything has either been upgraded or completely overhauled. The ‘Cinema’ is going to be the fan favorite — I think the scare-factor there is very high. What I want is for Traumatica to become a brand of horror, not just a place you can visit.” Press play and embark on this spine-chilling journey into THE WORLD BEYOND!

Christina Rees & Bill Butler

“The next big change is how we achieve performances for these figures — how we create an experience that feels organic, as if it's happening in real time.” Bill Butler is a brilliant mind in the field of creating and programming hyper-realistic mechatronic puppets (animatronics) controlled by multiple machines to move fluidly. Join podcast host Christina Rees, one of the Emotioneers from MACK Magic, in this deep-dive conversation about a top-secret project for the U.S. Department of Defense, where they built an immersive training space for the Marines (a highly detailed Afghan village), and how innovations are changing the way animatronics are created to look more and more lifelike. “Now we have things that could fit in your pocket, capable of controlling an entire attraction, and that’s been one of the biggest changes.” Press play and dive into a thrilling journey to the world beyond!

Marcus Ernst & Dr. Thomas Wagner

"With immersive media, if it’s done well, we can recreate a kind of reality — and this is pretty cool because it brings that reality into your home," says Dr. Thomas Wagner, one of Germany’s leading figures in the field of virtual reality games, VR, and AR. As the Chief Operating Officer and Co-Managing Director at Munich-based K5 Factory, he and his team are currently developing the only officially licensed Oktoberfest game. Join podcast host Marcus Ernst, one of the Emotioneers from MACK One, for a behind-the-scenes conversation about the biggest misconceptions about VR, tackling the challenges of creating large-scale virtual experiences, and whether spatial computing will really be the next big thing. "I’m still convinced that whatever brings reality closer to the user is something worth focusing on." Press play and dive into a thrilling journey to the world beyond!

Lukas Metzger & Jeff Pike

„I was eight or nine years old when I finally made the decision about what I was going to do with the rest of my life: I wanted to be a roller coaster designer." - Jeff Pike is a prominent figure in the amusement industry for his contributions to the development of modern theme park attractions, where he combines creative design with technical expertise. As a designer and co-founder of Skyline Attractions, an American amusement ride and roller coaster design and manufacturing company founded in 2014, he has played a key role in the creation of rides like the 'Skywarp' series, known for their compact yet thrilling designs. Jeff Pike also collaborated with Europa-Park on the design of the legendary wooden coaster 'Wodan' as a mechanical designer. Join podcast host Lukas Metzger, Head of Operations at Europa-Park, in this deep-dive conversation about key principles in the design process, the impact of technological innovations and what the roller coasters of tomorrow will look like: “The new Multi Launch Coaster Voltron Nevera, here at Europa-Park, could probably have existed in the minds of talented designers 20 years ago… but I doubt they could have made it a reality without the technology we have today.“ Press play and jump right into a thrilling journey to the world beyond!

Lukas Metzger & Thierry Coup

"With game engines, AI, and 5G, you can make the park much more programmable, allowing you to change and tailor the experience for your guests. Based on your guests' data, you can alter the story, and the adventure can take a different turn.“ - Thierry Coup has profoundly shaped the way theme parks are experienced and continues to set new standards in the entertainment industry: He has been behind some of the biggest developments and implementations of innovative attractions for Universal Creative and Walt Disney Imagineering. A few notable examples include "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter“, "Transformers: The Ride-3D" "The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man“ and "Jurassic World - The Ride." His work has been recognized with numerous industry awards, including honors from the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA). Join podcast host Lukas Metzger, Head of Operations at Europa Park, as he talks with Thierry Coup about the biggest challenges in creating immersive experiences and his vision for the future of entertainment: "It’s all about the mix of real settings, projection mapping, screens, lows and highs and the balance of all those things! It’s like a perfect symphony. But it’s becoming more and more difficult to get a good return on investment because the costs are so high and everything is became so expensive." Tune in to this podcast episode and embark on an exciting journey into the world beyond!

Christina Rees & Christopher Becker

„I am quite confident that the generation after us will also find solutions in regular play and regular toys“ - Christopher Becker is an internationally sought-after professional in the fields of licensing and franchising, as well as an expert in children’s toys, consumer goods and much more. He was the Senior Licensing Manager for Lucasfilm, Disney and Marvel for all three German-speaking countries, the Head of Licensing for The Walt Disney Company in Switzerland, the European Franchise Director for Sesame Workshop and he is currently the Director of Licensing and Partnerships at tonies. Join podcast host Christina Rees, one of the Emotioneers from MACK Magic, in this inspiring conversation about the future of physical toys, game related content and audio-based entertainment. Will physical games and toys soon be pushed aside in favor of more high-tech or digital ones? What will the toys of the future look like? And what components, features and hybrid forms will we be seeing? „Toys will never die!“ Tune in to this podcast episode and embark on an exciting journey into the world beyond!