Win It Big!

Vivaan designed and built the show's centerpiece reveal: a taxi that physically transforms into a limousine on stage. What started as a basic expansion mechanism evolved into a fully automated color-changing vehicle through multiple ambitious upgrades.

Core Build (Regional/State)

• Scissor stretch mechanism for smooth expansion from taxi to limo length
• Rack and pinion system to hold the stretch securely
• Structural integration of slats and expansion components

Global Finals Upgrades

• Blind mechanism: Automated color change from yellow to black
• Fabric belt system: Rotating fabric on PVC pipes to change front/back colors
• Full automation: Eliminated all manual operation for the color change
• Lead screw repair: Fixed broken mechanical components
• Smoothed expansion: Refined the limousine stretch mechanism

The Journey

Vivaan proposed ambitious upgrades after State and put in the work to deliver - spending full Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays designing, testing, and building in the final weeks before Global Finals. He turned every idea into action, from concept sketches to functional mechanisms, finishing the fabric belt system just before the team packed for competition.

Rishaan took on one of the most ambitious projects: a life-sized music conductor figure with autonomous moving parts. For Global Finals, he completely redesigned the entire structure from scratch.

Core Build (Regional/State)

• Frame that moves in all necessary directions
• Conducting arms with automatic movement
• Spinning head mechanism
• Remote/autonomous operation capability

Global Finals Redesign

• Complete structural overhaul: Redesigned the entire gimmick from scratch
• Tall PVC structure: Massive conductor with moving arms
• Chest movement: Up-and-down motion mechanism
• Accomplished ~80% of his ambitious plan despite falling ill
• Built most of the redesign in his garage independently

The Journey

Rishaan planned and designed his ambitious redesign independently, working in his garage between school and illness. When time got tight, he powered through two to three days of intensive building to deliver a conductor that was bigger, more dynamic, and more impressive than the original. His resilience and ambition pushed the team's technical score higher.

Also: Costume Design (TCE 1)

Contributed to the Mozart and Saxophone character costumes, integrating quick-change elements for the performance.

Shivansh took full ownership of one of the season's most challenging projects: a motorized 100-foot scrolling scene that shows a moving taxi traveling through painted landscapes during the performance.

The Build

• Scale: ~100 feet of duck canvas wrapped around thick PVC pipe structures
• Mechanism: Single-gear motor driving the scroll rotation
• Function: Scene changes during performance showing moving backdrop
• Framework: Structural mount to hold and display the rolling canvas

Global Finals Goals

• Add second motor to fix canvas sagging
• Add decorative paneling around the roll for improved aesthetics
• Improve overall visual appeal and creativity score

The Journey

Rohan engineered the show's interactive dance element: a DDR-style dance pad that detects footsteps and synchronizes with lights and sound effects during the "Razzle Dazzle" number.

The Build

• Frame: Sturdy enough to be stood and danced on during performance
• Step detection: Registers dance steps accurately in real time
• Light synchronization: Visual effects triggered by dance moves
• Sound coordination: Audio elements linked to pad activation
• Integration: All elements work synchronously with other team projects (Gimmick, Taxi reveal)

Supporting the Team

Nicole designed the creative heart of the game show: the rules, gameplay mechanics, character interactions, and the dramatic "Raising the Stakes" reveal moment.

The Build

• Game design: Creative, novel rules and gameplay structure
• Character development: Dramatic portrayal of the contestant and host
• Scoreboard reveal: Mechanism that unfolds effortlessly on stage
• Raising the Stakes: Dramatic impact of the escalation moment

Creative Direction

Nicole's work bridged the technical and creative elements of the challenge, ensuring the game show format was engaging, original, and effectively told through the performance narrative.

Sowmith designed and built the TCE2 scoreboard - the second team choice element that displayed and tracked the game show scores during the performance.

Contributions

• Designed and built the TCE2 scoreboard
• Integrated scoreboard into the game show reveal sequence
• Contributed to team technical coordination

Ayushi was the team's visual creative force - illustrating all scenes for the 100-foot scroll, designing character costumes, and managing the aesthetic direction of the entire performance.

Scroll Art

• Sketches: Complete drawings for the full 100ft moving scroll
• Scene design: All necessary scenes illustrated and painted
• Moving vehicle emulation: Art mounted and designed to create motion illusion

Costume Design (TCE 1)

• Mozart: Navy blue and black/gold outfits with period-inspired elements
• Piano: Black skirt with musical note details and piano belt
• Saxophone: Gold sparkly vest with gold headband
• Kazoo: Red cardboard kazoo character elements
Multiple quick-change costume transitions integrated into choreography