Nickelodeon Studios
Nickelodeon Studios | |
---|---|
Status | Removed |
Opening date | June 7, 1990 |
Closing date | April 30, 2005 |
Replaced by | Blue Man Group |
Ride statistics | |
Attraction type | Studio tour and working production facility |
Model | Television studio soundstage |
Theme | Nickelodeon programming |
Duration | 45 minutes |
Universal Express available |
Nickelodeon Studios was a
Opening on June 7, 1990, as The First World Headquarters for Kids, the studio attracted young tourists as contestants and audience members for Nickelodeon's live-action programming. At its peak, the studio employed 400 people and was the largest production studio in Florida, bringing $110 million in business to the state by 1994.
The studio closed permanently on April 30, 2005, after much of Nickelodeon's production had moved to Nickelodeon on Sunset in Los Angeles. Nickelodeon Studios produced over 2,000 episodes of original programming.
History
Planning and construction
In November 1988,
Prior to the studio's completion, Double Dare executive producer Andy Bamberger, Double Dare creator Geoffrey Darby, Nickelodeon President Geraldine Laybourne, and Nickelodeon Studios general manager Scott Davis wrote their names in Building 17's second story cement floor. Bamberger, who also served as executive producer of Make the Grade and Total Panic, wrote "I Love TV Production" above his name.[12]
Opening and reception
On June 7, 1990,
Daily tours were given of the studio, starting with a
Nickelodeon unveiled its Slime Geyser (also known as the Gak Geyser) in front of the studio on October 27, 1990.
On April 30, 1992, the Nickelodeon
An episode of Weinerville shot on February 14, 1994, marked the 1,000th episode of live-action programming filmed at the studio since its opening. Nickelodeon Studios had at that point brought $110 million in business to Florida, and regularly employed between 280 and 330 people on a weekly basis.[24]
Decline and closure
I can't think of another reason to be there. The weather stinks. Every single day I was dealing with thunderstorms. It's an inhospitable place to shoot film and TV shows. And there's not a tremendous talent pool to work with there.[29]
Corporate changes also began affecting the future of Nickelodeon Studios.
Nickelodeon opened two new studios in California, the live-action studio Nickelodeon on Sunset in 1997, and the Nickelodeon Animation Studio in 1998. Nickelodeon Studios partnered with visual effects company Kinetix in August 1998 to upgrade Building 17 with a training center for Kinetix software, attempting to remain viable against Nickelodeon Animation Studio.[35][36] Nickelodeon Games and Sports for Kids launched in 1999, airing reruns of game shows produced by the network with new wraparound segments filmed at Nickelodeon Studios.[37]
The studio began laying off employees in March 2001 since a majority of Nickelodeon's closed-set productions had moved to California,
Legacy
Nickelodeon Studios was responsible for producing over 2,000 episodes of original, live-action programming for Nickelodeon.[41] The facility employed 400 people at its peak, at which point it was the largest production studio in Florida.[42]
Remnants
On November 9, 2006, Universal announced that Soundstage 18 would be redesigned to become a 1,000-seat permanent venue for the Blue Man Group's self-titled residency show.[51] The new theatre opened on June 1, 2007, and was sponsored by Sharp Aquos until 2012. Their residency ended on February 1, 2021, leaving Soundstage 18 vacant.[52]
The Nickelodeon time capsule buried by the network in 1992 was removed in August 2006 and reburied at the Nickelodeon Suites Resort. Upon the hotel's closure in 2016, it was reburied at the Nickelodeon Animation Studio and is set to be opened on April 30, 2042.[53] The time capsule's original cover was sold by Heritage Auctions in 2022 for $19,200.[54]
Nickelodeon returned to film My Family's Got Guts in 2008, using some of the former Nickelodeon Studios facilities including the green room.[55] Training was in Soundstage 19, and the actual production was filmed nearby on Soundstages 23 and 24.
The complex became popular for urban exploration, as Universal left much of the original Nickelodeon branding intact for years after the studio closed. In 2012, YouTube personality adamthewoo gained access to Soundstage 19 and the upper floors of Building 17, documenting vastly untouched murals and decor from the heyday of the studios.[56] A majority of these remnants were removed following a 2018 renovation.[57]
Production history
This is a list of programs that were filmed at the studio by Nickelodeon.[58]
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References
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- ^ a b "NICKELODEON MATURES INTO 'REAL NETWORK'". Orlando Sentinel. November 29, 1992. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
- ^ a b "Orlando, Fla.--Will It Become Hollywood East? : Universal and Disney have committed a combined $1 billion for production facilities and studio tours". Los Angeles Times. April 9, 1989. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
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- ^ "I Love TV Production". Archived from the original on 2015-12-02.
- ^ Herbert, Jeremy (May 22, 2021). "A Brief History of Slime: Nickelodeon at Universal Studios Florida - Page 1". Theme Park Tourist. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
- ^ Company, Tampa Publishing (October 9, 2005). "At Nickelodeon, you can do that on TV". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
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- ^ "News-Press from Fort Myers, Florida on September 11, 2001 · Page 39". Newspapers.com. September 11, 2001. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
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- ^ "'HOLLYWOOD EAST' REMAINS A FANTASY". Orlando Sentinel. May 12, 2002. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
- ^ "Nickelodeon animated over Kinetix contract - 1998-08-03 - Orlando Business Journal". Archived from the original on 2003-03-22.
- ^ "ORLANDO REELS IN FILM, TV PROJECTS". Orlando Sentinel. August 17, 1998. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
- ^ Kirchdoerffer, Ed (May 1, 1998). "CTW and Nick put heads together to create Noggin". Kidscreen. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
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- ^ "NICK EMPTIES TOY CHEST". Orlando Sentinel. May 1, 2001. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
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- ^ "Blow out the candles: Nick turns 10". Orlando Business Journal. June 2, 2000. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
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- ^ Roseboom, Matt (February 26, 2016). "Nickelodeon Time Capsule to be moved to new location of Nickelodeon Studios in California". Orlando Attractions Magazine. Archived from the original on May 1, 2018. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
- ^ "Nickelodeon Studios Time Capsule Cover Goes Up For Auction". NickALive!. December 20, 2023. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
- ^ "Nick offers a GUTS-y take on game shows". Orlando Sentinel. September 14, 2008. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
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