Bob Rogers

:"For other persons also named Bob Rogers see Bob Rogers (disambiguation)."Bob Rogers is Founder and Chairman of BRC Imagination Arts — "experience designers," planners, and producers for museums, visitor centers and commercial attractions around the world. Rogers oversees the creative elements of all BRC projects, and has served as Executive Producer on projects for NASA, Disney, Universal Studios, Ford, General Motors, the Empire State Building, the Texas Spirit Theater in the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum and the museum portion of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.

Rogers has also served as Executive Producer or consultant on pavilions at worlds fairs around the world, including Expo 86 in Vancouver, Expo 88 in Brisbane, Expo '90 in Osaka, Japan, Expo 92 in Seville, Spain, Expo '93, Korea, and most recently for Expo 2005 in Aichi, Japan., and soon Expo 2010 in Shanghai

Industry Achievements

Bob Rogers began his involvement in themed entertainment in 1968 with the Walt Disney Company, as a magician in the Magic Shop at the Disneyland theme park in Anaheim, California. Founded in 1981, Rogers' firm, BRC Imagination Arts has received over 250 international awards, including two Academy Award Nominations and 14 Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) "THEA" Awards for "Outstanding Achievement in themed entertainment."

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) invited Rogers to help develop its master plan for the exploration of Mars as part of their Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group. In September, 2002, Rogers was awarded one of NASA’s highest civilian honors, the NASA Public Service Medal.

In the entertainment and design communities, Rogers is an elected member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, serving as a voting member in the Oscar process; and also serves on the Board of Directors for Ryman Arts which provides recognition and scholarships to young artists of exceptional talent.

Rogers is a writer and popular speaker on the subject of content-based themed entertainment and is recognized among industry peers and the press as an expert in his field. Newsweek has called him the “industry’s resident futurist”¹ and has also been quoted and interviewed in a wide range of media such as the New York Times, Washington Post, Time Magazine, Fast Company, the Los Angeles Times, and has been a featured guest on National Public Radio’s program, A Prairie Home Companion.

Recently, Rogers received his industry's highest personal honor, the 2007 "THEA Award for Lifetime Achievement." Each year one such award is given to an individual who is recognized, industry-wide, for their key contributions to the evolution of themed design and entertainment. Past recipients have included film innovator Don Iwerks; and legendary Walt Disney Imagineers, Marty Sklar, Tony Baxter and the late John Hench.

Technical Achievements

Rogers holds two patents in theater entertainment technologies. He is the inventor of the “Holavision” Theater; a special effect technique, which pairs live performances with “floating” aerial image illusions. Rogers' Holavision shows include Spirit Lodge at Expo 86, Mystery Lodge at Knott's Berry Farm, Animation Celebration at Universal Studios Japan, and most recently Ghosts of the Library for the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum.

References

1 Gegax, Trent T (1 March, 1998). Booming Amusement Parks, Newsweek.

Thornburgh, Nathan (18 September, 2006). History Goes Hollywood, Time Magazine.

Engel, Jane (10 March, 2006). History with Special Effects: Is it Museum or Haunted Mansion?, Los Angeles Times

Decker, John D. (December, 2005). Exhibition Reviews: Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum., Journal of American History.

Rothstein, Edward (19 April, 2005). Strumming the Mystic Chords of Memory. New York Times.

Wills, Christopher (17 April, 2005). With Smoke and Cannons, Museum Brings Lincoln to Life. Boston Globe.

Clark, Jayne (15 April, 2005). Lincoln’s Spirit Lives in New Museum. USA Today.

Ewers, Justine / LaGesse, David. (21 February, 2005). The Real Lincoln – Special Report. US News & World Report.

Thompson, Bob (15 February, 2005). Histrionics and History. Washington Post

Holusha, John (19 January, 2005). Empire State Building to Update it’s Tourist Experience. New York Times.

Schmelzer, Randi (6 December, 2004). Branding By Factory Tour? California’s BRC Says You Betcha. Adweek.

Diamond, Randy (20 November, 2004). Immersed in the Fun. Tampa Tribune

DeMarco, Donna (17 June, 2004). Fair Minded. Washington Times.

Kerwin, Kathleen (3 May, 2004). When the Factory is a Theme Park, Business Week.

Provenzano, Frank (11 April, 2004). Heart of Motor City: Public Tours of the Rouge Plant Show What Made Detroit Great. Detroit Free Press.

Scheer, Mark (31 March, 2004). Bringing in a Little Imagination. Niagara Gazette

Chong, Madeline (5 November, 2003). Skyline Thrill for Sentosa Visitors. Today (Singapore).

Rashiwala, Kalpana (5 November, 2003). $6M View from Sentosa Island Coming Soon. Singapore News.

Zoroya, Gregg (1 February, 2001). Springfield Finally Getting Lincoln Library/Museum. USA Today.

Kirsner, Scott (October, 2000). Experience Required., Fast Company.

Reckard, E. Scott (22 August, 2000). Veteran Theme Park Designer Curious Over Disney’s Adventure. Los Angeles Times.

Kirsner, Scott (July, 2000). Are You Experienced? Wired.

O’Steen, Kathleen (1 March, 2000). Offering Amusement Wherever He Works. Los Angeles Times.

McNay, Dave (1 November, 1999). Disney Spawns an Industry; Burbank Now Theme Park Production Hub. Daily News.

Harvey, Steve (1 November, 1999). More Thoughts on Flex Time., Los Angeles Times.

Hold, Douglas (1 November, 1999). Library to Unlock Lincoln Collections, Chicago Tribune.

Fisher, Sara (1 May, 1999). Size Does Matter: Building of Large-Screen Theaters for Large-Format Films, "Los Angeles Business Journal".

John-Hall, Annette (1 March, 1998). Aquarium Hopes a Sea Change in it’s Fish Brightens Future. Philadelphia Inquirer, The.

Colimore, Edward (1 June, 1997). Aquarium Changes it’s Stripes to Technicolor: The Flashy Fish and Interactive Upgrades Debut This Weekend. Philadelphia Inquirer, The.

Colimore, Edward (1 June, 1996). Spots to Have a Maritime of Your Life. Philadelphia Inquirer, The.

Apodaca, Patrice (1 December, 1995). Burbank Firm Has Dream for King Center. Los Angeles Times.

Gilling, Juliana (August, 1995). TiLE Tales. Los Angeles Business Journal

Klein, Julia M. (1 July, 1995). Fresh Fish: The Aquarium in Camden has been Enlivened by the New “Ocean Base Atlantic.” Philadelphia Inquirer, The.

Sloan, Eugene (14 October, 1992). Launching A Space Museum with Theme Park Fun. USA Today.

Carroll, Ginny (1 October, 1992). One Giant Leap for NASA. Newsweek.

Epstein, Robert (1 April, 1992). Today, Burbank; Next, the World. Los Angeles Times

Peltz, James F. (1 June, 1991). Ace of Space, The. Los Angeles Times

Lewis, Randy (24 March, 1986). Newport Native Nominated for Oscar., Los Angeles Times.

Anderson, Bob (February, 1983). Impressions de France: Theatrical Style Circle-Vision, American Cinematographer.

External links

* [http://www.alplm.org/home.html Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum]
* [http://www.oscar.com/ Academy Award(s) - Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements]
* [http://www.oscars.org/ AMPAS – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]
* [http://www.brcweb.com BRC Imagination Arts]
* [http://disneyland.disney.go.com Disneyland]
* [http://www.iaapa.org/ IAAPA]
* [http://www.oscar.com/ The Oscar(s) - Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements]
* [http://www.rymanarts.org/ Ryman Arts ]
* [http://www.themeit.com/ TEA - Themed Entertainment Association ]
* [http://www.themeit.com/theamain.htm THEA – Themed Entertainment Association Award for Outstanding Merit]
* [http://www.andrich.com/tile/ TiLE - Trends in Leisure Entertainment]
* [http://corporate.disney.go.com/careers/who_imagineering.html Walt Disney Imagineering]