Le Carnavale Mystique
Project
In Fall 2023, I returned to school to study themed entertainment at Purdue University. Le Carnavale Mystique was developed as a semester-long project for CGT 20400 – Intro to Themed Attraction Design, where students were challenged to build a themed land around a completely original IP — starting with story and characters, then expanding into layout, look and feel, guest journey, attractions and shows, graphic design, and every touchpoint in between.
The result was Le Carnavale Mystique: an immersive, carnival-themed horror experience built on a deep mythology centered around the struggle between man and nature. Guests become active participants in the story, working to conquer evil and lift a century-old curse.
Creative Team:
R. Kyle Everett - Creative Director, Concept & Theme Development, Writer, Scenic & Environmental Design, 3D Modeling & Renders
Mimi Pham - Art Director, Concept & Theme Development, Scenic & Environmental Design, 3D Modeling, Graphic Design
Cassie Hefner - Concept & Theme Development, Concept Artist, Graphic Design
Process
We kicked off with blue-sky concepting using a zone-based brainstorming technique, gathering a wide range of ideas around time periods, locations, environments, story, genre, and pure "randomness." From there, we explored combining those ideas in unexpected ways to synthesize new creative directions. This approach kept our remote brainstorming focused within a tight timeline, while still leaving room for spontaneity and play.
Design Book
The final deliverable was a design book offering a comprehensive look at the Le Carnavale Mystique concept — covering theme, story and characters, guest journey, layout, attractions, shows, and business planning. To bring it all to life, we used a mix of original concept art, 3D renders, mood boards, photo-comps, and AI imagery.
