I was apprehensive on the drive up to North Hollywood, and as I approached their NoHo suite, I realized what I expected of their office: cold, concrete, corporate. The treacherous stairs and winding hallways seemed to confirm my expectations. As my anticipation peaked, the gray, unassuming doors opened, and I fell through a rabbit’s hole of monstrous proportions.

The flat is a teenager’s paradise. Video arcade games line the wall, along with posters of all things fantastical like Disneyland’s the Haunted Mansion.

The floor in the center of the room is host to an image of buildings in a red cloud of destruction – a painting that looks oddly familiar. There are glass doors that lead to a patio, which showcases a giant mushroom and a life-size unicorn (if only unicorns were real).

But my favorite thing about the place is that I recognize these strange and unusual items that make the loft feel like home. The floor artwork is a replica of the one in Isaac’s apartment from the show “Heroes.” The giant mushroom is from the recent film Journey to the Center of the Earth. The unicorn: Harold & Kumar, anyone?

So set the scene for a most fascinating interview with Maximillian Castillo of Ultra Productions and his project director Sandy Bliss.

“It’s peace and balance,” explains a very warm Castillo. “Things can get so crazy. Environment is very important to me. That’s why we have a lot of things that help balance us out and give us creativity. We try not to take it too seriously, because at the end of the day, it’s just movies.”

And lots of movies it is for the dynamic duo that runs Ultra Productions, a company that specializes in publicity stunts, promotional events and conventions within the entertainment industry.

They were the guys behind the actual White Castle that sold burgers on Sunset a few years ago. They developed the massive pirate’s ship that toured the country with the premiere of Pirates of the Caribbean. They even coordinated a skydiving stunt for Fantastic Four. Chances are, if it’s an over-the-top publicity gimmick, the Ultra crew is probably behind it.

“We’re producers,” says Castillo who grew up in the entertainment industry as an actor. “Studios come to us to help them celebrate the releases. We share ideas, come to a conclusion and come up with a way to make it happen. We don’t physically get a hammer in our hands and nail it together. That’s one of the great things about what we do. We bring all the elements together to pull if off.”

If you think these guys sit around all day, shooting games of pool (yes, they have a pool table in their office) and admiring the memorabilia, you are sorely mistaken. They work the typical nine to five workday, making phone calls to ensure that their clients are happy with the final product.

“Our events are not about us,” Bliss modestly explains. “We always like to get a pat on the back or confirmation. We want to do well and continue to grow within our industry. But in terms of the public, I think when we’re doing our events, it’s about the studio and their film.”

As much pressure as they feel to produce a popular and well-received exhibition, the Ultra guys make sure they don’t take life too seriously.

“One of the things we do is we’ll go to Disneyland to brainstorm,” says Castillo, who lights up as he talks about the Happiest Place on Earth. “We’ll go on a couple rides just to clear our heads. It’s Disneyland – what more creative environment is there? We have to think like children but market like adults. We straddle the line of this fun environment – being fun and goofy – to getting things done.”