Comic-Con

Pirates of the Caribbean – Booth

This undisputed jewel at Comic-Con was a half scale replica of the original Black Pearl, weighing in at a staggering 16,000 pounds! The replica was shipwrecked on a rock system that enabled fans to walk through a Pirates museum. The experience consisted of unit photography by Jerry Bruckheimer, costumes and props worn by the cast and merchandise available for purchase. The cave was complete with live palms, shrubs, and a sand floor where Pirates fans could see all the amazing work put into this remarkable franchise. After Comic-Con, the ship was on the road for over a year’s time, as it went on a four-market tour to Los Angeles, Toronto, New York and Las Vegas. Ultra handled all logistics and every aspect of the Black Pearl tour.

Heroes – Booth

Isaac’s loft was a pivotal setting in Season One of the NBC smash Heroes, and was faithfully recreated at Comic-Con in 2007. The environment was complete with all of Isaac’s paintings, including the grand visual of the massive explosion in New York City on the loft floor. Fans mobbed this booth for a look at the unique space, to cruise NBC.com on the computers for the latest Heroes news, and to receive the highly coveted, Comic-Con exclusive Heroes collectibles. In addition, artist Tim Sale dropped by to sign his original Heroes artwork that was featured in the show.

The Golden Compass – Booth

A full-scale replica of polar bear Iorek Byrnison was the majestic focal point of the visually spectacular booth for The Golden Compass. Complete with costumes and props from the film, the booth also provided a photo op for fans with the great Iorek. The Golden Compass itself rotated atop the structure; a unique detail that made this booth stand apart from the dozens of others on the convention floor.

Amusement – Booth

Utilizing the interior of The King of Kong booth, a truly one of a kind photo op for Amusement gave Comic Con attendees a creepy keepsake to bring home. Fans could crawl into one of the prop beds used in the film, and get a photo taken alongside a pair of (fake) corpses sewn into the beds!

The King of Kong – Booth

Celebrating the record setting high score battle from the film, Comic Con got its own high score competition allowing all attendees a chance to participate. The top of a double decker booth housed two classic Donkey Kong arcade games on which gamers would do battle, and even a few giant Lovesacs to lounge on while waiting to compete! Ultra was one of the first companies to produce a double decker booth at Comic-Con, so press crews were waiting in line just to get an aerial shot of the entire convention floor!

The Nightmare Before Christmas

Comic-Con 2018 celebrated all things Nightmare Before Christmas! With it being the 25th year anniversary of the film, Ultra focused on what was coined, a “pocket pop-up”, that centered on a thoughtful “in world” artistic representation of the iconic Holiday Tree. Standing 10’ tall, the replica included all of the sights and sounds from this memorable moment when Jack first discovered Christmas Town. Guests peered down into the Christmas Holiday Tree to hear songs from the soundtrack, smell the scents of Christmas, feel cool breezes on their face and see actual falling snow inside the installation! At the bottom of the installation was the colorful and joyful Christmas Town itself! To complete the installation, we featured different “Jack Heads” that were individual works of art by different celebrated artists. Guests received limited edition Nightmare toys and posed for fantastic photos at the installation.

Insidious Chapter 2 – Fan Party Hybrid Event

To celebrate the success of the first film and promote the second chapter, Ultra produced an exclusive party as a “Thank You,” specifically for the fans that made the first Insidious a success. The party, which was a unique and spooky hybrid of a haunted house and art gallery, was thrown at a certifiably haunted loft space in the Gaslamp District. The evening had a perfect blend of prop/set dressing installations, a production still gallery, great food and music, and a few tricks up our sleeves that kept people buzzing. In strategic areas around the event space, we boosted the creep factor by rigging a bathroom mirror with a pressure switch that queued footage of a character from the movie to scream at people through the mirror! Shock photo installations, dice that rolled themselves, rocking horses that moved on their own, dead bodies that eerily swayed back and forth, sound bites from the film and bartenders in gasmasks were a few of the thrilling components that made this party the talk of the entire convention.

Pixels – Experiential Arcade

A throw back pop up installation of an 80’s arcade was created as a teaser stunt at Comic-Con 2014.  Fans were transported back to the 80’s with classic arcade games, music and visuals. An intense, high score competition took place for a daily prize of a Play Station 4 and the grand prize of a coveted walk-on role in the movie! All high scores set and photos taken at the photo booth could be shared socially, which only increased the intensity of the competition. An unexpected and fun twist to the environment, were players being taunted and jeered throughout the day by video messages from a champion gamer in the film, played by Peter Dinklage. With the hottest vibe, competition, and giveaways, the Electric Dreams Factory Arcade was a smash hit and a must-see stop on the 2014 Comic-Con circuit, and an exciting announce stunt for Pixels!

See No Evil 2 and Leprechaun: Origins – Themed Press Junket

This themed press junket for WWE’s See No Evil 2 and Leprechaun: Origins greeted each films’ talent and creative teams in a spectacular Presidential Suite at the Marriott Marquis overlooking San Diego Bay. The suite was decked out in creative theming that perfectly suited each title. From a full-size morgue wall for See No Evil 2, to pots of gold and Lucky Charms scattered all over the room for Leprechaun: Origins, Ultra created a fun and attention grabbing press junket for both press and filmmakers at Comic-Con 2014.

Heroes – Booth, Cars, and Carnival

For NBC’s Heroes, 2009 packed a walloping 1-2-3 punch. First, a completely original concept for a booth that resembled a giant, toy car package literally contained a Nissan Cube, and was a huge draw on the convention floor. Second, another four Nissan Cubes that were branded with Heroes comic book artwork drove around the Gaslamp Quarter all week, and those very cars were given away via a raffle that took place at the booth! And thirdly, one of the first and largest Comic-Con experiences outside of the Convention Center took place as a massive Heroes themed carnival with exciting games, a cast signing, entertainment, tasty treats, and a peek at some production stills from the show!

The Hunger Games – Themed Press Junket

It’s the little things, the attention to detail, that make for a unique and memorable experience. Such was the case for this press day for The Hunger Games, at a Hard Rock suite with a balcony that overlooked the Convention Center. Cleverly utilized archery equipment, foliage to recreate the look and feel of the arena, and the “poisonous” berries used by Katniss at the film’s climax made this day of interviews one to remember.

The Avengers – Scavenger Hunt and Exclusive Screening

A scavenger hunt around the Gaslamp District that led fans to a Comic-Con exclusive screening of a Marvel One-Shot and a Q&A with its director and cast, was one of the most talked about fan experiences of the 2012 show. As led by The Avengers Second Screen app, fans went from location to location, investigating mysterious blast holes that were scattered about the Gaslamp and being guarded by S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. These blast holes were meticulously hand crafted to blend in perfectly with their surroundings, and had the whole place buzzing as fans noticed them while walking to and from the convention center.

Warner Bros. – Booth

This juggernaut of a booth will be remembered as one of the largest, most creative, and intricate booths in the Con’s history. Promoting multiple titles (Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, Lost Boys: The Tribe and others), housing a mobile Best Buy store, playing host to several signings for Comic-Con attendees, and being a hot spot for talent interviews, made for a space constantly buzzing with energy. Two of the often recalled focal points of the booth were the faithful recreation Edgar’s surf trailer from Lost Boys; and of course, the now infamous Unicorn photo op for Harold and Kumar.

Knight Rider – Reveal

Attack KITT for NBC’s Knight Rider was called the “Best Vehicle” by Time Magazine in their review of Comic-Con 2008, and Ultra was able to provide the reveal that introduced KITT to the Con. The reveal made waves as the first ever event to take place outside of the convention center; thereby beginning a new chapter for this convention, and acting as the spark that brought about what we now recognize as Comic-Con International. With a countdown, a live voice over for KITT, a thrilling kabuki curtain drop, cryo effects, and talent appearances, it’s no wonder this event made the impact that it did.

NBC – Booth

An interactive booth promoting primarily promoting Heroes, but also showcasing other hits like The Office and 30 Rock, was conceived and constructed for NBC at the 2008 show. The infamous maximum-security prison, Level 5, took shape as an environment that fans could actually encounter and explore. A “Create Your Hero” experience was provided through a partnership with Sprint, and gave fans the chance to create a hero of their own design!

Snakes on a Plane – Booth

In anticipation of the theatrical release of the cult favorite Snakes on a Plane, Ultra created a museum out of a 16-foot snake head and its massive, accompanying body. Fangs and smoke oozed from its nose and were visible from the exterior. The interior was modeled after the fuselage of a plane, and was outfitted with real snake skins, replica snakes from the film, production stills, props, costumes, and a large flat screen TV playing the film’s trailer.

Due to the overwhelming anticipation for this film, a sneak peek of the exhibit was granted to a group of prominent bloggers to get a jump on this exclusive showcase. A team of Pacific Air fight attendants welcomed fans to flight 121 and handed everyone a custom Snakes on a Plane flight safety card as they entered. After their experience of the exhibit, fans were given Snakes on a Plane pilot wings and were directed to exit the fuselage from a rear cabin door, where they then entered an area with a DJ doing mash-ups of songs from the film’s soundtrack! Finally, professional graffiti artists created a giant graffiti wall that fans were encouraged to tag with markers that were provided to express their excitement for the upcoming film!

Pan’s Labyrinth – Booth

The first major promotional push for Picturehouse’s Academy Award winning, Pan’s Labyrinth, came at Comic Con in 2006, where Ultra Productions recreated the Fig Tree from the movie as an interactive exhibit. Guests were invited to walk into the tree to see an exhibit of images from the film, while cryo effects and sound bytes were added for an ominous and eerie feel. Six knot holes on the tree’s exterior were filled with slime, into which convention goers were invited to plunge their hands, in order to receive a golden key…if they dared. The key was hung on a chain and worn around the neck; wearing the key during the Con gave attendees a chance to win an exclusive Pan’s Labyrinth t-shirt or other prize. Also on the tree’s exterior were screens than ran the film’s trailer and highlighted production stills from the set. Both Guillermo Del Toro and Doug Jones signed posters and chatted with fans during a signing that took place under the now iconic tree from Pan’s Labyrinth. The Fig Tree was such a success that it also ended up being on display at the Arclight Theatre in Hollywood during a Q&A with Guillermo Del Toro, and for the film’s opening weekend!

Drive and Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark – Hall H Panel and Studio Party

Ultra had the unique pleasure of working closely with FilmDistrict to produce and direct a panel in Comic Con’s famous Hall H for the first time in 2011. A brainchild of Guillermo Del Toro, this was the Con’s first ever hybrid panel with the cast and filmmakers of two separate films on stage simultaneously. It resulted in an exciting and organic roundtable discussion between the creative teams of each film. The day was capped off at the Hard Rock’s 207 in spectacular style with a signing for fans, and a red carpet event with both film’s stars and filmmakers.

Freddy vs. Jason – Booth

Camp Crystal Lake, the “home” of Jason Voorhees, was faithfully recreated at Comic-Con in 2003 for New Line Cinema’s Freddy vs. Jason. Fans were thrilled to enter a live forest, revealing a gruesome campsite full of blood and severed body parts. All items on display were props used in the making of the film: Freddy’s knife glove, Freddy’s classic fedora and striped sweater, and Jason’s mask. Once inside the forest, fans participated in a nightmarish photo op with our team of Freddy and Jason characters. A surprise visit from Robert Englund and Ken Kirzinger, was a special treat for fans, and was an incredible punctuation to the event that introduced Ultra Productions to Comic-Con.