September 17, 2019—The Museum of Science, Boston and Cosmic Picture have announced that they have entered into an agreement to produce a film that celebrates New England and its people, exclusively for the large format dome screen at the Museum’s Mugar Omni Theater. The film, an original production expected to be released in 2021, will inspire audiences with stunning visuals and stories featuring the innovations, natural wonders, residents, landmarks, seasons, and characteristics that define New England. The feature length OMNI® film (30-40 min) will take inspiration from the short film New England Time Capsule, which delighted millions of Museum visitors for over a decade. The Museum secured funding for the film from MathWorks, a long-time champion of the Mugar Omni Theater and the Museum.
“Since 1830, the Museum of Science has been inspiring New England to look up, discover, learn, and explore. We are thrilled to partner with Cosmic Picture to develop a signature OMNI® film that showcases this region like no other attraction, honoring the people, places, ideas and experiences that make it such a fascinating, one-of-a-kind place,” said Wayne Bouchard, Interim President and COO of the Museum of Science, Boston.
“MathWorks is pleased to continue its support of the Museum of Science as it showcases and celebrates the rich culture of discovery, innovation and creativity that New England offers,” said Jeanne O’Keefe, senior vice president at MathWorks. “We have been headquartered in Natick for more than 30 years and the region continuously offers unique qualities that benefit residents, visitors and organizations alike.”
“We are honored to be selected by the Museum of Science, Boston, to produce its new signature OMNI® film," said Cosmic Picture CEO and Producer, Taran Davies. “New England is an incredibly rich subject to explore on such an immersive and visceral canvas as the new IMAX laser dome.” The film will be written and directed by Daniel Ferguson, whose credits include the award-winning giant screen films, Jerusalem and Superpower Dogs and the feature documentary, Last of the Elephant Men.
Open since 1987 as New England’s first IMAX® screen, the Museum’s Mugar Omni Theater welcomes 300,000 visitors a year, who travel across the country and around the world to experience New England’s only 180-degree, immersive, giant dome theater. With David Mugar’s generous support, the Museum will completely renovate the Mugar Omni Theater in 2020 and convert the original 70mm projection system to a state-of-the-art IMAX® 4K digital projection system.
“The new technology is ready and we want to make sure that the New England area has the most updated OMNI® experience,” said David Mugar. “By upgrading to digital, the Museum will be able to capture the minds of a new generation.”
“The Museum of Science is a top destination for locals and visitors to New England alike, and we are excited for this film to be the ultimate introduction to the region. The OMNI® format is the ideal medium to get fully immersed in what makes New England such a special place,” said Jonathan Burke, Senior Vice President, Visitor Experience & Operations. “The Museum of Science inspires all its visitors to explore and discover, and we hope this film will inspire audiences to explore our region and discover its beauty.”
The film goes into production later this Fall.
About the Museum of Science, Boston
One of the world’s largest science centers and New England’s most attended cultural institution, the Museum of Science introduces approximately 1.5M visitors a year to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), through the world-class hands-on exhibits, programs and curricula of its William and Charlotte Bloomberg Science Education Center. Established in 1830, the Museum is home to such iconic exhibits as the Thompson Theater of Electricity, the Charles Hayden Planetarium, and the Mugar Omni Theater. Beyond its walls, the Museum reaches tens of millions more through award-winning STEM content such as its blockbuster traveling exhibits, The Science Behind Pixar and Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination, the world’s leading prek-8 engineering curricula, EiE®, and originally created, globally distributed planetarium shows. The Museum influences formal and informal STEM education through research and national advocacy, as a strong community partner and loyal educator resource, and as a leader in universal design, developing exhibits and programming accessible to all. Learn more at https://www.mos.org
About Cosmic Picture
Cosmic Picture was founded to make the most compelling cinematic experiences possible and to change people’s perception of the universe. The Company is a leading producer and distributor in the giant screen industry, and has one of the widest catalogues of museum cinema in the world. Cosmic Picture’s last film was the IMAX feature documentary Superpower Dogs, written and directed by Daniel Ferguson, scheduled for a 2020 release at the Museum of Science, Boston. Learn more at https://www.cosmicpicture.com
Source: Museum of Science, Boston