Susan Bonds
President and CEO, 42 Entertainment (Pasadena)
Susan Bonds is a pioneer of transmedia storytelling and driving force behind 42 Entertainment’s critically acclaimed interactive experiences: genre-defining participatory and cross-platform entertainment often described as “alternative reality” games (ARGs).
These rich worlds extend beyond film screens, game consoles, television shows, book pages, and music albums, allowing audiences to “live” the story in unforgettable ways that intersect when, where, and how they live. More than any other form of interactive media, these ARGs create strong, passionate global communities and galvanize them into a powerful hive mind of collective intelligence. As President and CEO, Susan builds and directs the teams that design, create, and execute 42’s diverse and innovative projects.
In 2008, 42 Entertainment created the groundbreaking ARG, Why So Serious?, for Warner Bros.’ The Dark Knight, the third-highest grossing movie of all time. More than 10-million people around the world participated in this 3600 immersive experience as citizens of Gotham City came to life through a variety of mediums and platforms. Why So Serious? won the Cyber Grand Prix at the 2009 Cannes Lions, the Art Director’s Club Hybrid Award; and the Webby Integrated Campaign Award. In 2007, 42 Entertainment took the music world by storm, working with Nine Inch Nails to produce Year Zero, a first-of-its-kind concept album that combined music with multi-platform, transmedia storytelling. This ARG also won the Cyber Grand Prix in 2008. Past 42 Entertainment campaigns include: ilovebees, the 2004 ARG used to launch Microsoft’s wildly popular X-Box game Halo 2; Project Abraham, for the 2008 launch of Sony Playstation’s Resistance 2; and, The Vanishing Point, a 2007 global puzzle experience to promote Windows Vista. 42 Entertainment is currently working with Disney on an “alternate reality” adventure for the upcoming 2010 film Tron Legacy.
Before founding 42 Entertainment, Susan was Chief Design and Production Officer for Cyan Worlds, a company best known for creating the worlds of Myst and Riven, two of the best-selling PC games of all time, where she produced a Massively Multiplayer Online game, URU: Ages Beyond Myst, and realMyst, the popular PC game in real time 3D.
For ten years, Susan was Creative Director and Senior Show Producer for Walt Disney Imagineering, where she directed the design, development, and construction of major attractions, themed architecture, internet entertainment projects, and proprietary new ride systems. Her portfolio included such blockbuster “E-Ticket” attractions as the Indiana Jones Adventure,Alien Encounters, and Mission: SPACE. Susan produced the signature exterior design of the ABC Times Square Studios in New York, seen every day on Good Morning America, and led the Disney Concept Studio charged with creating innovative ideas for the company.
Susan has an Engineering degree from Georgia Institute of Technology, an MBA from Georgia State University, and is a member of the Producer’s Guild of America.
