What's Behind Door No. 4?
Immersive cinema experience comes to town
By Jessi Cape, Fri., Sept. 18, 2015
Maybe you grew up watching Saturday afternoon reruns of Bonanza with your dad. Maybe this immersive cinema event title captures your Bon Jovi-loving attention, or maybe you're just into hands-on entertainment. This weekend's cinema event, "Wanted: Dead or Alive," will throw the audience headfirst into an Old West town, to drink in the saloon, watch can-can dancers and gunfights, and then watch an outdoor screening of a classic Western, [title redacted].
Shane Henderson became enamored with the popular immersive events in London, where he lived for many years. According to Henderson, the closest thing we have in Austin is Alamo Drafthouse's Rolling Roadshow (like their recent Jaws event), but it's "not quite the same level of immersion," and the infrequency of scheduled events just wouldn't quench his thirst. As a result, Henderson's new company, Door No. 4, was born.
What exactly is immersive cinema? It's about the whole experience. Henderson explains, "You're not sitting down. You're walking around, exploring the set-decorated environment and interacting with the actors, talking to the actors, and the actors improv with you. You can watch them interact with each other and you can follow it in scenes as you would a normal play, but you're more a part of it." Instead of just observing a movie or a play, immersive events involve the audience as participants. "It's almost like some sort of arts festival on a really small, themed scale. You get a lot of different cultural happenings all at once, in one place," he adds.
The audience will show up a few hours before the screening to explore an interactive world based on the film. "If you're watching an Old West movie, you see the girls in the big dresses that puff out at the bottom, and they'll do can-can dances and walk around the saloon talking to guests," says Henderson. You'll also hear an Old West band, try your luck at two-stepping and gambling, and imbibe traditional whiskey, beer, and barbecue. There will be a shoot-out, and scene reenactments from the film. When the townsfolk (audience) has had their fill, the lights go down and an outdoor film screening begins. Star Hill Ranch is an old-timey scene in its own right, a re-creation of a small Texas town, complete with restored buildings from the early 1900s, relocated from around the state.
We tried to confirm exactly which "classic and beloved Western film" is screening, but the title is strictly under wraps until it screens. As part of Door No. 4's promotional technique, the clues and puzzles are left on social media, inspired by London's immersive event strategies. Says Henderson, "We think it's just a little bit more fun and a little more exciting and adds an element of mystery when you don't know exactly what it is you're going to see, and you're just committing to the experience."
It's more fun if everyone plays along, audience included. Henderson explains, "This is a Western event, so we strongly encourage the audience to get into that and dress up as cowboys, ranchers, sheriffs, whatever they want because that adds to the fun and adds to the immersive atmosphere where everyone feels like they're a part of the movie. Just come into it with an open mind, a sense of adventure, and ready to interact with the world."
"Wanted: Dead or Alive" takes place Saturday, Sept. 19, 6-11pm at Star Hill Ranch, 15000 Hamilton Pool Rd., Bee Cave. For tickets and more info, visit www.doorno4.com.
