FULL-SPECTRUM FUN\Firm turns fantasy into park rides.

Byline: R.A. Hutchinson Daily News Staff Writer

A tiny, 3-inch car dangles from a coat-hanger-width wire that winds and dips through myriad lights, animation and sets created with cardboard and paints.

The scale model, complete with landscaping, was shipped early this year to an overseas client whose feedback will determine whether the artists, designers and engineers at Spectra F/X will go back to the drawing board or move forward with a proposed theme park ride.

"We have a lot of fun with our clients. They come in and ask for something, and it often defies the laws of physics. It's our job to create something that matches their ideas that will work," said Scot Anderson, general manager of the Moorpark-based special-effects company.

While many similar companies invent one-time effects for the film industry, the creators at Spectra F/X have kept their attention on developing long-term projects for theme parks, casinos and stage shows.

Their accomplishments include the fiery explosions and flames of the "Backdraft" exhibit at Universal Studios and the stunt-filled "Waterworld" show that opened at the theme park in the summer.

One of the company's current projects is based on "Jurassic Park," scheduled to open this spring at Universal. Strict confidentiality rules prevent employees from elaborating on their work, but large chunks of odd-looking machinery abound on the campus of Spectra's new headquarters.

Anderson said the company's November move to the 115,000-square-foot facility in Moorpark has streamlined the development and design process, because all the people contributing to a project are now under one roof. Before, he said, employees were scattered among four locations in Camarillo and Tarzana in about one-third of the space.

"We spent all our time faxing and driving," he said.

The move also gives Spectra room to create trial runs of their projects - the headquarters sits on about 10 acres of land in the industrial park.

"We're different from our competitors in that we're heavily engineering oriented. We have to build systems that repeat six times a day, 365 days a year for 10 years," Anderson said.

For example, a toppling statue Spectra created for an East Coast theme park begins falling toward a boatload of visitors, then quickly resets for the next group within just a few seconds. The constant wear and tear on the equipment makes the design job for Spectra more difficult.

"That's one of the biggest challenges we face - the number of cycles the thing has to go through over time," he said.

To begin a project, Spectra team members meet with their clients and brainstorm ideas and concepts. Eventually, the ideas become more solid, sketches are drawn, and computer images are designed.

From there, scale models are created with miniature cars, people, trees and sets showing where each part of the ride will go. For overseas clients, two models are built so the Spectra designers can talk with the client by telephone and know both parties are seeing the same design, according to Vice President Chris Brown.

Brown said that when a basic concept has been approved, a computer-generated version is presented to the client for review. If all is approved, the project moves from the sprawling second-floor design offices to the huge machine-shop area on the ground floor at Spectra's headquarters on Science Drive.

For each project, custom machinery must be designed and then built from raw materials. Anderson said Spectra tries to use materials that a client can easily obtain as well, but for the actual attraction, nearly everything is customized.

Machinists then begin the laborious process of welding and cutting large chunks of steel to meet the specifications the engineers have designed.

"I find them to be creative, careful and comprehensive in their approach to any given effect," said Jules Lauve, director of entertainment operations for the Treasure Island hotel-resort in Las Vegas.

Treasure Island opened in October 1993 with the debut of its "Buccaneer Bay Sea Battle," a fast-paced pirate fight in the lagoon in front of the hotel. Lauve said Spectra was a subcontractor on the project.

"They handled all our special effects - the pneumatic-powered flying barrels and debris, the pyrotechnics and the flame effects," he said. "We developed a good working relationship with them."

Lauve said he is impressed with the company's dedication to safety. He sits on the board of the National Fire Protection Association, alongside executives from Spectra.

The purpose of the NFPA is to establish safety guidelines for the operation of special effects projects throughout the country.

"It would be available for cities to use or adopt as an ordinance measure. Spectra is obviously committed to excellence and to safety in the industry," he said.

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PHOTO

Photo (1--color) Keith Mynott of Spectra F/X in Moorpark welds together a structure that will be used as part of a Las Vegas magic show. (2--color) Yannina Manjarres-Weeks, left, and Frank Weeks check plans for a park attraction to make sure they match the designers' drawings. (3--color) Machinist Paul Bellefontaine makes a hub for an amusement park ride. Evan Yee/Daily News