Supercandy: Content Creator Paradise

Frank Karch President/Manager of Supercandy and Dirk Wissert Bullet Time-Specialist/Project Manager Event at 360ties GmbH.

What happens when you combine art and technology with a sprinkle of creativity? The answer Supercandy!

Supercandy Pop-Up Museum that empowers content creators to produce vibrant imagery that allows viewers an exciting escape from reality and opens up a world of fun.

Located in Cologne just a few minute’s walk from the Ehrenfeld train station awaits the imaginative creation of Frank Karch. Supercandy has had over 100,000 visitors… which means probably over million photos images/videos have been produced since its opening.

A Kid In a “Super” Candy Store

Upon entering, I felt like a kid in a candy store… a SUPER candy store. Once inside you are greeted by the friendly staff. There is a room with makeup stations and a changing area. As well as a place to prepare you gear (cameras, etc.).

Barbie and “Ken” could not ask for a better place to get ready for their CLOSE-UP!

Frank Karch(the managing director) and Dirk Wissert (360ties gmbh) were nice enough to invite me over for the day and gave me a tour of the museum. The 2000 square meter location is a world of fun that you can explore and let your imagination go wild.

Supercandy has around 30+ backdrops where you can take pictures and have fun. From colorful ball pits to a laundromat to an antique car to a pink airline… one has the freedom to express themselves.

This image was simply taken with my cell phone and then slightly edited in Adobe Photoshop.

When I asked Frank how he came up with the ideas for the various settings, he said that he finds his inspiration via social media. When he discovers a type of image that is trending he brings the idea to life in Supercandy with a dash of vibrance.

Tickets cost 29 Euros and I believe one has 120 minutes to take pictures. Naturally, I was a fortunate enough to get extra time. But if you want your visit to be effective… plan your shots and wardrobe in advance. Having worked in film, television and advertising for 13 years in NYC… I have to say planning is important to get the perfect shots, but leave some room for improv!

If you are 7 to 14, please note tickets are only 19 Euros. For a group of 4 it only costs 87 Euros! It is worth every penny.

Tech Meets Art

What makes Supercandy even more unique is that there are a few installations where tech meets art. Dirk and the team from 360ties gmbh have outdone themselves with innovative bullet time photo booths.

Here you can see Dirk standing in front of the Twister RX Stage. The tech setup is completely portable and they have additional systems that can be rented for events and conferences.

The way it works… pick up a card with your personalized QR code and visit any of the three setups.

At the TwisterRX Stage, you receive a card with your own personal QR Code that enables you to download your images easily on your phone or computer.

For the first setup, visit the Twister RX Stage. Here one of the Supercandy attendants will scan your card. And then the fun begins. Pose, Jump In The Air, Dance…. MOVE! The booth produces both an animated gif and a short movie using 19 Sony RX0 cameras. The photos are uploaded to a website where you can download the imagery. One can actually rent this booth for events and conferences. It has been used in over 250 Marketing Events.

You will receive an animated GIF (seen above) and a video (mp4) version that you can you download after scanning the QR Code on your card.

Next head over to the light painting room!!! Enter the darkroom with one of Supercandy’s attendants. Strike pose and the cameras go off! The attendant will move around you with various light wands, which creates the lighting effect. This room uses a series of DSLR cameras to capture your pose. The end effect is incredible with mystical light shining around you. Again, the animated gif and movie files are uploaded to your personal website.

This is the GIF version from the light painting booth.

There is one more tech-inspired area… a pink ball pit filled with inflatable pink flamingos. In this setup, the camera hangs from above. So once you are centered look up at the screen!!! The attendant will scan your card and you will see a timer above you. Let the countdown begin! This takes a total of three still images, so have fun and strike a pose!

The ball pit is not very deep so it is very easy to get in and out with ease. Now, I kind of wish I had posed with the inflatable pink flamingos!!! Next time.

Currently, Supercandy is setting up new installations… Dirk teased me by saying that there will be another tech-inspired backdrop when Supercandy reopens. So, you will have to find out for yourself what new innovation he and his team has created… I am sure it will be amazing.

Ready to go for a ride in this pink Cadillac or drape yourself over the hood for a photo for a pro fashionista photo shoot? Sadly, I do not have the legs for the second option… kidding.

How To Prepare For Supercandy

I think it is important to decide what you will wear when you visit Supercandy. You are not limited to the number of clothing options that you bring. Because I am an influencer for Adobe, I opted to wear my white and red Adobe hoodie! Since there are mirrors available, then you can opt to do various types of makeup if you wish…. luckily I look nice naturally and do not need makeup. But if I did, at least I have the option to get add a little sparkle dazzle.

I think the most important thing when going to Supercandy is to have fun… be silly… let yourself enjoy the moment and get creative.

You can come by yourself, with friends or a photographer. You decide! I think having a second person there to help you take pictures is always nice. Plus sometimes getting a shot with your bestie is also pretty nice.

Decide if you want to use a cell phone or iPad or camera to take your pictures. All options work out perfectly. Consider bringing a small or large tripod. I brought my Joby Guerrilla Pod with me along with a smaller Olympus and Samsung A52s cell phone.

As you can see I really enjoyed experimenting at Supercandy with all the backdrops. I highly recommend it to any person creating content for Instagram, Tiktok and other social media platforms.

Then get ready to have a blast… get creative. Get wild… have fun!!! Be bold.. be different… and of course rock your smile!

On your way out, the Super candy team will print up a photo of you using your personal QR Code. They place the picture in a nice Supercandy themed card!

Edit Your Photos, Produce A Video…

I think after your visit, it is nice to edit the content that you produced. Naturally, I jumped into Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Premiere Pro. In fact, I edited my photographs during my weekly live stream for the Adobe Education Leaders Program on Behance!

Editing the photos that you take at Supercandy in Adobe Photoshop can be fun. You can add a little extra magic to the images and really make them pop! View the video from the live stream HERE.

But theoretically you could even post the images that you take as is. You do not necessarily need to edit images. I do believe it is good practice to use professional editing tools such as Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Premiere Pro or Adobe Premiere Rush before uploading any content anywhere. It simply will make it look better!

Supercandy Update

Supercandy is getting an update. While visiting the Pop-Up Museum, I was told a little bit about what to expect. However, I am keeping that a secret for now! But I am sure you will see the new installations soon enough on social media. Content creators will have a lot of fun.

Wrap…

No matter if you are YouTuber, Instagrammer, Tiktoker or just want to produce cool imagery… Supercandy is the place to visit. If you are visiting Cologne, head over to Ehrenfeld trust me your friends and online followers will be amazed!

I definitely want to return to Supercandy this summer with a model. I think now that I have ideas on what I can shoot there then I will be ready to rock a photo shoot with those stylish backdrops.
But the first time, I did want to go by myself and really learn as much as I could.

And head over to the Düssel York City Studios on Instagram as I will be sharing the pictures from my experience soon!

Supercandy FAQs Page….

See you soon at Supercandy!

Düssel York City Studios is committed to creating content relating to trends in marketing, public relations, design, tech, software, creativity and games.

To learn more about Düssel York City Studios simply send a message to: dusselyorkcitystudios@gmail.com

FACEBOOK / INSTAGRAM / TWITTER / YOUTUBE /
LINKEDIN (7K+ Followers) / PATREON / Behance Live Streams Weekly