Outbreak: Dread the Undead

Outbreak: Dread the Undead, inside the Hollywood Wax Museum Entertainment Center, needed its lobby to serve as a dramatic entry point into the attraction. The story had to begin the moment guests stepped inside. We approached the digital displays at the point-of-sale counter as in-world elements of the Chemacorp Laboratory. The visuals were designed to blend with the surrounding set pieces, showing signs of the experiment unraveling. Every screen worked in sync with the environment, helping the space feel alive, unstable, and ready to tip into chaos.

The Concept

We created two displays that worked together to support a single unfolding moment:

  • Curved POS Counter Screen
    Integrated directly into the face of the POS desk, this display ran looping animations of red gas and swirling liquids. The visual design made it feel like the counter was an active part of Chemacorp’s malfunctioning lab system.
  • Toxic Gauge Screen
    Mounted vertically above, this screen displayed a rising diagnostic meter. As the reaction at the counter intensified, the gauge climbed from safe to critical. When it finally pushed into the danger zone, pulsing visuals and flashing colors gave the signal that containment had failed.

Although the two screens ran separately, they were designed to feel like one system. Custom LED tubing mounted between the screens lit up in sync with the content, bridging the gap between digital and physical. Guests watching the sequence unfold could feel the tension build across both layers of the experience.

The Execution

To ensure the content blended seamlessly with the fabricated environment, we partnered closely with the client’s build team, The Weber Group, throughout the process:

  • They shipped us the actual tubes used in the set, which allowed us to replicate the illumination digitally with exacting detail.
  • Color calibration was dialed in with precision. Sterile blues represented control, aggressive reds signaled contamination, and the shifting mix between the two hinted at chaos.
  • Every loop was engineered to stay active and alive. At any given moment, guests would catch liquid in motion or gauges spiking, reinforcing a constant sense of escalation.

The overall effect gave the space a sense of scientific realism, while the volatile reactions on screen created the tension that defines the Outbreak experience.

Why It Worked

The result was an environment that felt alive. Every detail pulled guests deeper into the story. The screens worked alongside the physical set, behaving like lab equipment on the brink. The counter display and vertical gauge created a sense of pressure building in real time. By the time visitors stepped into the main attraction, the tension had already taken hold.

Client Feedback

The client praised the content for its clarity and impact. Aileen Stein noted that the gauge was “so obvious and effective that guests couldn’t miss the sense of danger.” Tej Sundher added that the overall look gave the lobby a “Hollywood blockbuster quality” that elevated the experience from the very first moment.

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