Biography: Michael Mack - MackNeXT

MackNeXT

In 2018, Michael Mack founded the subsidiary MackNeXT, which is dedicated to the development of innovative multimedia productions, and also promotes creative minds and innovative talents in the fields of master planning and design.

The AUREA Award was launched in 2018 by Michael Mack and takes place under the direction of MackNeXT. The event forms a platform for the exchange of international pioneers in the field of augmented and virtual reality and also honours the best developments in the industry. Within the first few years, the AUREA Award has already become a renowned prize in the VR and AR sectors.

As the largest single investment in Europa-Park‘s corporate history, the Rulantica water world opened in November 2019. At the same time, in cooperation with the Coppenrath publishing house, the first part of the novel series of the same name became available in bookshops. The successful hit, based on an idea by Michael Mack, has been translated into many languages and brings the mystical world of Rulantica to the rooms of children and teenagers from Italy to Germany to France. The sequel followed in November 2020 with ‘Rulantica – the Conspiracy of the Gods’.

In July 2020 the popular family attraction ‘Pirates in Batavia’ re-opened in the Dutch themed area of Europa-Park. As the highly-qualified team from MackNeXT had already been significantly involved in the planning and design of the Rulantica water world, the team once again had a chance to show their skills. Just a few weeks after the opening, the themed ride has already received an award from the American trade magazine ‘Amusement Today’.

In 2020, the Coppenrath publishing house published the children’s book ‘The Flying School of Adventurers’, which brings the legend of the ‘Adventure Club of Europe’ to life.

YULLBE opened in September 2020: an independent attraction situated between the Rulantica water world and the 4* superior hotel ‘Krønasår’ at Europa-Park. MackNeXT and VR Coaster have developed the unique ‘Full Body Tracking Free Roaming VR Experience’ in cooperation with leading international designers and technology manufacturers.

Michael Mack is currently working intensively on setting up a new creative location for the company in Plobsheim, Alsace, where French and German employees are to work on innovative solutions as a joint team.

In October 2020, the platform ‘Blooloop.com’, the world’s leading online network in the amusement park industry, selected Michael Mack as one of the 50 most important influencers in the industry.

In 2020, the team from MackNeXT Lab, alongside film label 2112 PICTURES, moved into the creative location ‘urbanharbor’ in Ludwigsburg. In November, the cooperation with the Baden-Württemberg Film Academy began, training young talent at a high level.

In November 2020, Michael Mack and MackNeXT were named ‘Innovator of the Year’ by ‘Die Deutsche Wirtschaft’ magazine. Just one year after it was founded, the young subsidiary received the largest audience award in German economy. Founder Michael Mack’s passion and his willingness to create when implementing his visionary projects werre particularly praised.

With ‘Snorri Snorkling VR’, visitors can look forward to a grandiose, innovative virtual reality experience that was developed by MackNeXT together with VR Coaster. The world first opened in summer 2021.

→ More information on MackNeXT.com

MackMedia

In 2002, Michael Mack founded the MackMedia company. True to the company motto ‘The wide world is my playground’, MackMedia continues to build on the same values that have helped the Mack family business achieve success since 1780. Managing director Michael Mack aims to create new entertainment experiences with the company, with MackMedia intending to lead the world of Europa-Park into a digital future.

In 2007, Michael Mack started the ‘Terenzi Horror Nights’ for the very first time, known today far beyond the borders of Germany as ‘Horror Nights – Traumatica’. Every year, the multi-award-winning horror event bewitches thousands of visitors and is one of the largest live horror spectacles in Europe.

In 2008, MackMedia produced its first own TV commercial for the catapult rollercoaster ‘blue fire Megacoaster’ in the Icelandic themed area of Germany’s largest theme park.

The extensive shoot of the Europa-Park image film ‘Aus ganz einfachen Gründen’ (‘For very simple reasons’) was produced by MackMedia in 2010.

With the 4D film ‘The Secret of Balthasar Castle’, MackMedia‘s first animated film came to the Magic Cinema 4D in the French themed area in 2011. Following great enthusiasm from the audience, it was translated into ten languages.

In 2013, MackMedia produced a video blog on the construction of the themed ride ‘ARTHUR – In the Minimoys’ Kingdom’, where visitors can experience the backdrops devised by star director Luc Besson and watch the construction of the attraction.

The video game ‘The Mystery Maze of Balthasar Castle’ not only inspired visitors to Rust in 2015, but also children and adults beyond Europa-Park.

In 2015, only four years after ‘The Secret of Balthasar Castle’, ‘The Time Carousel 4D’ was the second independent MackMedia film to be shown in Europa-Park. The short film was translated into three languages.

With the arrival of ‘Alpenexpress Coastiality’ in 2015, a virtual reality rollercoaster experience was offered for the first time worldwide as a daily public attraction in a theme park. This was the start of a rapid digital development that Europa-Park is embarking on with MackMedia and the newly-founded subsidiary VR Coaster.

Since 2015, the popular moderator Benedikt Weber has been taking visitors behind the scenes at Europa-Park in exciting videos of the ‘Europa-Park JUNIOR CLUB’. In the same year, MackMedia made the first 360° live-action film as a horror trailer. For Europa-Park’s 40th birthday, the company also produced its first live stream.

Since 2017, the dream of flying is coming true for guests of Europa-Park, in Europe’s largest flying theater, the ‘Voletarium’. In the connected mobile game ‘Voletarium: Sky Explorers’, players embark on the search of the ‘Volatus II’ aircraft.

The history of the ‘Adventure Club of Europe’ – a group of fantastic explorers and adventurers – was born in 2017 based on the initiative of Michael Mack. With Bartholomeus van Robbemond, the founder of ACE, Michael Mack created an impressive character at the centre of the story of the ‘Pirates in Batavia’ attraction.

In 2017, MackMedia rose to the league of cinema film producers. In cooperation with Ambient Entertainment, now Mack Animation, Michael Mack and director Holger Tappe produce the 90-minute film ‘Happy Family’. The animated film was shown in cinemas in 60 countries around the world.

The young company VR Coaster and the Coastiality App from MackMedia jointly won the German Computer Game Award (DCP) in 2017. In the ‘Best Innovation’ category, the company managed to win against renowned competitors. The award promotes the nationwide development of innovative computer and video games ‘Made in Germany’.

In 2018, MackMedia streamed the finals of the ‘Miss Germany’ competition for the first time, which has been held in Europa-Park for many years. The company is responsible for both the live broadcast and all of the clips. In the same year, MackMedia is a co-producer of the Kids’ Choice Awards, which take place in Germany’s largest theme park.

The AUREA Award was created in 2018 by Michael Mack. The event forms a platform for the exchange of international pioneers in the field of augmented and virtual reality and also honours the best developments in the industry. Within the first few years, the AUREA Award has already become a renowned prize in the VR and AR sectors.

In 2019 the company shot the music video ‘Mosaik’ for the well-known pop singer Andrea Berg. MackMedia is also responsible for the DVD production of the ‘KaleidoLuna’ tour by DJ Bobo in the Zurich Hallenstadion. In the same year, Michael Mack’s company worked as a cinema co-producer for the first time and supported Warner and Pantaleon Films in the filming of the live-action film ‘Takeover’, which released in German cinemas in June 2020.

For the reopening of the popular family attraction ‘Pirates in Batavia’ in the Dutch themed area, MackMedia produced the 12-minute short film ‘Departure to Batavia’ as well as the popular making-of series, in which fans of the old attraction can experience how everything was given a brand new shine.

The successful company proceeded to develop further formats in spring 2020. With ‘Europa-Park Weekly’, ‘Rulantica Weekly’ and ‘Nextparknerds’, MackMedia guides visitors through the park and behind the scenes of the most popular attractions by video.

In July 2020, just in time for the French national holiday, the Studio78 opened in Europa-Park. The studio is not only home to the new EUROPA Radio which broadcast from the French themed area, but is also used to produce other audio formats such as the English-language podcast ‘Going Bananas’.

In the summer of 2020, the Coronavirus pandemic inspired Michael Mack and MackMedia to produce a video entitled ‘Vive la Freundschaft!’ as a sign of their deep connection with the neighbouring country.

→ More information on MackMedia.de