The Elemental Experience Mall Tour comes to a close this weekend with a stop at the Hillsdale Shopping Center in San Mateo, California. To kick off the (last) opening, Directing Animator, Gwen Enderoglu and Pixar’s EVP of Production Jonas Rivera participated in a ribbon cutting in the mall’s Center Court.
The experience includes different stations inspired by each element featured in the film. Earth is represented by a photo op with Clod and some apple seeds that you get to take home with you. The air section is a wind tunnel where guests have the opportunity to grab Fandango movie tickets. Wade’s water element is a hydration station while Ember’s fire is a cooking activity presented by “I’m a Chef Too.” There is also an area recreating Pixar Animation Studios where kids of all ages can draw characters while getting video instructions from Pixar artists.
Elemental Directing Animator Gwen Enderoglu was on hand and was impressed with the experience. “Honestly, there's nothing like it,” she said, "We're lucky that we get some standees and stuff at Pixar, but this space is so immersive. To feel yourself next to a life-size Wade and a life-size Ember, it just really brings you into the world in a way that's totally different than watching the film on a screen.”
Seeing families interact with the world of Elemental made Jonas Rivera explain that the connection the families have with the world is why they make the movies. We get so used to being holed up at Pixar where almost everything's a secret, Rivera shared,”so then you get to come out in the world and share and have kids, people that haven't seen it yet, people that just saw it.. It's why we do it, man. So people come and take their kids and hopefully love the films. I'm out here drawing them and it's so great.”
The experience will be open Friday and Saturday until 9 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Hillsdale Shopping Center in San Mateo. Elemental is now playing in theaters.