Full Sail graduate Danielle Korotko was instrumental in the lighting design for Dark Universe.
DISCOVER A WORLD OF LEGENDARY MONSTERS INSIDE DARK UNIVERSE. From the experiments of Victoria Frankenstein to a twisted landscape where monsters roam, Dark Universe is a grim world of myth and mystery at Universal Epic Universe.
When guests step into Dark Universe, one of the most immersive lands within the park, they’re instantly enveloped by a surreal mix of moonlight, candle glow and eerie cosmic energy. But behind the immersive ambiance is a team of technical visionaries—one of whom is Danielle Korotko, a 2011 graduate of Full Sail University’s Show Production program and now Senior Ride and Show Manager—Lighting for Universal’s newest park.
Korotko’s role blends the artistic with the technical. “The role that I am in works really closely with our creative and producing team, as well as our contracted lighting design vendors,” she explains. “The creative team includes amazing artists, modelers and sculptors which build the foundation that the creative intent needs to follow.” It’s her job to ensure that the lighting design not only fits within this creative framework but also enhances it—often by using both “old-school and new, modern, lighting practices.”
Light is a key factor in setting the mood and tone for Epic Universe’s Dark Universe, inspired by Universal’s classic monster movies. ©Kilby_photo_LLC
Crafting Mood with Light
For Dark Universe, a land inspired by Universal’s classic monster movies, Korotko helped shape an experience that feels both nostalgic and cutting-edge. “Dark Universe had a unique challenge of bringing the old- school monster movies to reality but in a three-dimensional guest immersive environment,” she says. That meant lighting couldn’t just be functional—it had to be storytelling. “The contrasting implementations between moonlighting, the warm glow of candlelight and the intensity of the cosmic energy create an immersive environment that takes you right into the feeling of the old-school monster movies.”
One of the most dramatic and intricate effects is the representation of cosmic energy throughout the Monsters Unchained attraction. “The visualization of the cosmic energy was a unique challenge,” Korotko says. “From the top of the manor tower, to seeing it up close throughout the queue and then being unleashed in the ride, a lot of coordination went into working with our AV and special effects teams to create this cohesive effect.”
Editor’s Note: Monsters Unchained is one of our favorite rides inside Epic Universe. This thrilling dark ride uses a Kuka robotic arm ride vehicle similar to Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey™ (inside Universal’s Islands of Adventure) and combines visual media with practical sets, effects and animatronics. There are some twists and turns, but the ride itself is very smooth.
Old-School Techniques for a New-Age Land
Some of the most impressive effects aren’t always the flashiest. Korotko points to one example that most guests won’t even think about—the flickering lights. “One of the biggest challenges was finding repeatable flickers to create a consistent experience for all guests without adding a major amount of infrastructure to accommodate modern DMX fixtures,” she explains.
Instead of relying solely on modern tech, the team took a creative detour. “With the use of old school lighting techniques, such as line dimmable sources, we had to create a mesh of distributed circuits that allowed the flickers to appear random without adding additional electrical equipment or pathways for low voltage elements.”
Monsters Unchained. ©Kilby_photo_LLC
A Symphony of Collaboration
Korotko emphasizes that lighting doesn’t exist in a vacuum—it has to work in lockstep with other departments. “Lighting has to constantly work with media, show set and audio teams to create cohesive stories,” she says. A lightning flash needs an audio cue. A flickering lamp needs to be seen and heard. “This is all lined up through multiple meetings between all disciplines and the creative department to make sure everyone is aligned with the desired effect.”
Material choices also play a big part. “Light and other mediums such as paint, fabric and material can change how the light is perceived,” she notes. “Lighting and show set work very closely together to create more dynamic depth.”
The Moment It All Pays Off
After years of planning and countless hours refining the smallest details, there was one moment that crystallized everything for Korotko. “For me it becomes really apparent when we start to get guests in the park,” she says. “Most of us spend years and constant long hours on a single project. When we finally get to see people step into a world we had a part in creating and see their reactions being immersed into this world, it reminds me how extraordinary of an opportunity it was to be a part of something so Epic.”
Indeed, Epic Universe lives up to its name not just because of its scale, but because of the talented professionals like Danielle Korotko who bring it to life—one carefully placed light at a time.