“Every amazing creation ever made started out lousy.”

Your palms are sweaty, but your body is filled with exhilaration. You’re still coming down off the high of pitching your ludicrous idea on stage to a room filled with your peers. Thunderous applause, whistles, and exuberant cheers fill your ears. You walk off, clutching your squashed penny prize.

An hour ago, you walked in, nervous as hell, with no idea what to expect. Now you’re leaving with new friends and the satisfaction of exercising your creative muscles. That’s the magic of Imagi-Ne’er-Do-Wells, the brainchild of themed experience designer Brett Jackson. 

Brett created this event as a creative social club, where guests formulate ridiculous attractions following some hilarious prompts. Not only does it get the creative juices flowing, it also fosters networking opportunities. I especially enjoyed hearing about all the design elements he’s deliberately built into the event. Brett designs with fun, humor, and the safety of his guests as a priority. I hope this episode inspires you to become an Imagi-Ne’er-Do-Well.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

We are immensely grateful to our sponsors this season: Morty App, Buzzshot, COGS, and RECON Los Angeles. We truly appreciate your support of our mission to promote and improve the immersive gaming community.

Topics Discussed in this Episode

• 00:00 Welcome to the Reality Escape Pod!
• 00:11 Sponsor Break: COGS by Clockwork Dog, Interactive Show Controls
• 02:15 Introducing Brett Jackson: The Creative Mind Behind Imagi-Ne’er-Do-Wells
• 03:37 The Magic of Imagi-Ne’er-Do-Wells: A Deep Dive
• 04:54 The Social Side of Creativity: Networking and Fun at Imagi-Ne’er-Do-Wells
• 06:45 Name Tag Design that Encourages Emergent Gameplay
• 10:41 Imagi-Ne’er-Do-Wells Walkthrough Continued
• 16:49 Sponsor Break: Morty App, Discover and Track Escape Rooms
• 18:20 Examples of Imagi-Ne’er-Do-Wells Prompts
• 22:20 Opportunities for Networking and Creative Fellowship
• 27:28 Sponsor Break: Buzzshot, Escape Room Marketing Software
• 30:10 The Thrill of the Pitch
• 34:47 The Need for Whimsy and Play
• 36:00 A Creative Conundrum & Killing Your Darlings
• 39:53 Inspiration and the Creative Process
• 43:30 Exploring Blackbird Pie: An Immersive D&D-Themed Dining Experience
• 48:58 Fail Fast, Iterate, and Mock It Up Before You Muck It Up
• 50:48 How To Design Games That Foster Creativity and Engagement
• 52:53: The Problems With Most Escape Room Onboarding
• 53:55 Collaborating with the United Nations: A Climate Change Campaign
• 55:30 Connecting with Brett and Wrapping Up
• 1:00:17 Bonus Story: A Nightmare Design

Leave us a voicemail

Got a question or thought for the podcast? You can submit a voice recording by calling the Room Escape Artist not-so-hotline that always goes straight to voicemail (551-227-7273).

Resources Mentioned in this Episode

• Live Action Attractions Website
• Imagi-Ne’er-Do-Wells Website
• REA Review of Imagi-Ne’er-Do-Wells
• No Proscenium Review of Blackbird Pie

About Brett Jackson

Instagram: @LiveActionAttractions, @ImagiNeerDoWells

Brett Jackson is an immersive artist and award-winning creator of live games and experiences. He makes interactive attractions for folks like Meow Wolf, Disney, Universal, Two Bit Circus, and the World’s Fair. 

Brett is thrilled to be the founder of Live Action Attractions – the creative agency *for* creative agency – offering strategy, design, and production for live games and experiences. For a good time call. 

Here in LA, Brett is also President-For-Life of a creative social game called Imagi-Ne’er-Do-Wells – the kooky concepts club for immersive creators. The members meet once a month to invent a new attraction based on a surprise creative prompt and laugh at other weirdos as they attempt to do the same. Sharpies provided. Cocktails encouraged.

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