Under the direction of production company Flyhelo, Chicago Scenic Studios fabricated a Winter Wonderland set for YouTube star Casey Neistat’s annual holiday video.
The Winter Wonderland, set in Milwaukee’s abandoned Northridge Mall, was created to host children from the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee for an afternoon of frolicking in the snow, munching on tasty treats, and watching snowboarders and skating professionals perform impressive tricks.
According to Chicago Scenic Project Manager Doug Peer, the extensive snow-set needed to be built and installed in just a week and a half. In order to meet that deadline, Chicago Scenic’s team had to do some fast thinking—and building—to create the 10,000 sq. ft. Winter Wonderland, complete with a realistic two-story, pink frosted gingerbread house and three smaller gingerbread houses.
When it was complete, the Winter Wonderland included several different areas in which the children could play—and snack. The three small gingerbread houses were decorated with edible candy and cookies. There was a chocolate fountain nearby and cotton candy and popcorn stands. There were also interactive areas where children could meet Santa and receive gifts, play in the foam “snowball” pit, dance in the infinity light room, take snow covered escalator toboggan rides, and ride the festive holiday train.
The Wonderland also included winter sport entertainers, ice sculptors, and Neistat, dressed as Santa and powered by a drone as he flew and filmed over the winter scene. The afternoon’s festivities were captured on video by the children, Neistat and YouTube Collaborators, all using Samsung Galaxy Note8 phones.