Entertainment Design Archives - 四虎影视 of Art and Design /news/category/entertainment-design/ Turning passion into profession. Mon, 13 Apr 2026 18:26:13 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.5 /wp-content/uploads/2021/01/RinglingCollegeFavicon_0.jpg Entertainment Design Archives - 四虎影视 of Art and Design /news/category/entertainment-design/ 32 32 Two Entertainment Design faculty win Thea Awards, once again /news/041326-theaawards/ Mon, 13 Apr 2026 18:26:10 +0000 /?p=57992 The Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) recently announced the winners of its annual Thea Awards, and two 四虎影视 Entertainment Design faculty were among the winning teams. Greg Randle and Kevin...

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The Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) recently announced the winners of its annual Thea Awards, and two 四虎影视 Entertainment Design faculty were among the winning teams. Greg Randle and Kevin Primm both added to their growing lists of Theas for their recent work at a variety of theme parks and attractions. The awards, handed out every year since 1994, recognize compelling educational, historical, and projects in the entertainment industry.

Randle contributed significantly to the design and execution of the new Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experience attraction at Universal鈥檚 Epic Universe, which garnered an award for Outstanding Achievement. Randle has received a number of Theas in the past for his work on theme parks and experiences like Disney鈥檚 Animal Kingdom in Orlando and Caesar鈥檚 Magical Empire in Las Vegas.

Primm worked on several projects that received Outstanding Achievement recognition at the 2026 Thea Awards, including the overall creation of the Epic Universe park, as well as two of the park鈥檚 attractions, Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry and How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk. Primm, too, has earned Thea Awards in the past, including for the theme park Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi and attractions like Hagrid鈥檚 Magical Creature Motorbike Adventure at Universal Islands of Adventure.

For the first time in the history of the Thea Awards, the TEA will celebrate the winners at a conference in Orlando from April 29 to May 2. 

Greg Randle Thea Awards
Caesar鈥檚 Magical Empire, 1997
Disney鈥檚 Animal Kingdom, 1999
EPCOT鈥檚 Millennium Village, 2001
Revenge of the Mummy, 2005
Shanghai Disneyland, 2017
Mickey & Minnie鈥檚 Runaway Railway, 2021
Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment, 2026

Kevin Primm Thea Awards
Hagrid’s Magical Creature Motorbike Adventure, 2020
Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi, 2020
How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk, 2026
Harry Potter & Batte at the Ministry, 2026
Epic Universe, 2026

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Entertainment Design grad launches career with Museum EXP /news/entertainment-design-grad-launches-career-with-museum-exp/ Fri, 24 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000 /?p=55165 Julia Nicolaus 鈥25, Entertainment Design, has been hired as an experience designer by Museum EXP, a museum consulting agency based in Minneapolis. Nicolaus previously worked for the company as a...

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Julia Nicolaus 鈥25, Entertainment Design, has been hired as an experience designer by Museum EXP, a museum consulting agency based in Minneapolis. Nicolaus previously worked for the company as a part-time exhibit designer and experience design contractor while completing her undergraduate degree at 四虎影视.

In her current role, Nicolaus designs educational exhibits in collaboration with curators, educators, and multidisciplinary teams from museums and traveling exhibits throughout the country.

Museum EXP鈥檚 clients and projects include the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum in Kansas, the St. Joseph鈥檚 Children鈥檚 Hospital Exhibition at the Glazer Children鈥檚 Museum, The Dig dinosaur experience at the Philip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science in Miami, and the traveling Crayola IDEAworks: The Creativity Exhibition.

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Entertainment Design students explore Disney from the inside out /news/091525-disneyfieldtrip/ Mon, 15 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000 /?p=54634 Students from 四虎影视 of Art and Design鈥檚 Entertainment Design program got an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at the magic of Walt Disney World鈥攏ot as guests, but as future industry professionals....

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Students from 四虎影视 of Art and Design鈥檚 Entertainment Design program got an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at the magic of Walt Disney World鈥攏ot as guests, but as future industry professionals. Over the course of their immersive visit, students explored behind-the-scenes of attractions, attended insider presentations, and connected with Disney Imagineers, including Ringling alumni who now help bring the parks to life.

The visit began with a deep dive into Disney’s creative philosophy, led by Walt Disney Imagineering Art Director Katie Gibbs 鈥12, Illustration, who has spent over a decade designing experiences for Disney parks. Gibbs started her career with Disney as an intern during her senior year at 四虎影视. Her presentation walked students through Disney’s storied history and the “Ten Commandments of Imagineering”鈥攃ore principles that guide every creative decision, from ride design to guest experience.

Luke Jordan 鈥26, Entertainment Design, was excited to see how passionate the people who work in the industry are about getting students on board and giving them industry experience.

From there, the group was treated to an in-depth look at the making of Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, with Creative Director Alex Wright pulling back the curtain on the ride鈥檚 visual storytelling, large-scale operational design, and cutting-edge technology. Students also toured Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana, a vibrant and interactive educational walkthrough designed to teach guests about the water cycle鈥攚ithout ever feeling like a lesson. That presentation was led by recent Wren Wilson 鈥23, Entertainment Design, who shared how interdisciplinary collaboration helped bring the attraction to life. There were talks from many other Ringling alumni, including Senior Concept Designer and Animator Todd Bright 鈥92, Illustration.

Tia Kassim 鈥26, Entertainment Design, who attended the field trip, shared a highlight of the day.

She said, 鈥淲e had a really unique experience today when we got to not only ride the ride, but then after we got to sit with the creative director and hear his take on it, exactly as we went through it. It鈥檚 just so rare.鈥 

Another trip highlight was an exclusive look at Nassal, a company who designs and builds themed experiences across industries. Students had the chance to learn more about the creative and technical work they do at both Nassal and nFusion鈩, from concept to fabrication. The Nassal team said, 鈥淥ur team enjoyed sharing insights into how immersive environments are built and showing what it takes to bring stories to life at scale. Thank you to Ringling for visiting us. It鈥檚 inspiring to connect with future industry leaders and share the passion and craft that drive our work.鈥

Throughout the experience, students saw firsthand how their studies translate into real-world application鈥攁nd how collaboration, storytelling, and attention to detail are essential in crafting unforgettable experiences.

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四虎影视 opens Theme Park Design Competition for high school students /news/090225-themeparkcomp/ Tue, 02 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000 /?p=54548 四虎影视 of Art and Design has officially opened submissions for its 2025 Theme Park Design Competition, inviting high school juniors and seniors from across the United States to showcase...

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四虎影视 of Art and Design has officially opened submissions for its 2025 Theme Park Design Competition, inviting high school juniors and seniors from across the United States to showcase their creativity and design talent in the field of Entertainment Design.

The competition challenges students to solve a fictional design problem: to conceptualize a mobile, all-weather merchandise cart that delivers a unique, immersive retail experience to theme park guests. For many young entertainment design professionals working in the themed entertainment industry, designing a Themed Cart is a typical first design opportunity. Entrants are encouraged to think beyond traditional retail, infusing their designs with innovation, storytelling, and an understanding of how guests engage with physical spaces in entertainment environments.

Submissions opened September 1 and will be accepted until November 30, 2025. The winners will be announced in January 2026.

Get Inspired


Prestigious Prizes and Opportunities

Up to three top winners will receive a VIP behind-the-scenes experience with Universal Studios, including travel and accommodations, plus:

  • A $20,000 tuition scholarship to an undergraduate program at 四虎影视 (non-transferable; dependent on admission for Fall 2026 or Fall 2027)
  • Full tuition scholarship to Ringling鈥檚 PreCollege program in Summer 2026 or 2027
  • Half tuition scholarship to Ringling鈥檚 PreCollege program in Summer 2026 or 2027

Select finalists will also receive a Ringling/Universal Studios merchandise prize package and have their work included in a special exhibition at Universal Creative or another Universal Studios-owned facility.

Who Can Enter?

The competition is open to U.S. high school students currently enrolled in grades 11 and 12 during the 2025鈥26 academic year. 

Interested students can download the official project brief鈥攚hich outlines all the submission guidelines and creative parameters鈥攆rom 四虎影视鈥檚 website. This document serves as a roadmap to help students craft their entries and better understand the expectations of themed entertainment design.

Encouraging the Next Generation of Designers

The competition underscores 四虎影视鈥檚 commitment to fostering innovation in the arts and entertainment industries, particularly through its Entertainment Design major鈥攐ne of the few programs of its kind in the country. By collaborating with Universal Studios, the college offers high school students a rare opportunity to gain exposure to professional design challenges and receive feedback from industry leaders.

Students and educators are encouraged to visit 四虎影视鈥檚 official website or follow the college on social media for updates. For more information, competition guidelines, and access to the project brief, visit 四虎影视’s official website.

Learn more about the competition.

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四虎影视 of Art and Design announces High School Student Theme Park Design Competition /news/053025-themeparkcontest/ Fri, 30 May 2025 10:00:00 +0000 /?p=53511 From the thrill rides and performances to the shops and restaurants, every element of a theme park experience is crafted with intention. Now, an all-new design competition hopes to find...

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From the thrill rides and performances to the shops and restaurants, every element of a theme park experience is crafted with intention. Now, an all-new design competition hopes to find the experience designers of the future鈥攁nd winners will earn a college scholarship and a trip to Universal Orlando Resort.

The first-ever Theme Park Design Competition presented by 四虎影视 of Art and Design will be open to all U.S. high school juniors and seniors from September 1 to November 30, 2025.

This year, the competition requires all entrants to conceptualize a mobile merchandise cart that could be used in outdoor theme parks. Each student entry will be evaluated by a prestigious panel of judges, including professors from 四虎影视 of Art and Design, Universal Creative, and other experienced professionals in the entertainment design industry.

The top prize winners of the Theme Park Design Competition will win a $20,000 tuition scholarship to 四虎影视 of Art and Design and an exclusive VIP 鈥渂ehind the scenes鈥 experience at Universal Studios Florida with complimentary travel and accommodations. Selected second and third-place competition finalists can also earn a scholarship to the 2025 四虎影视 of Art and Design PreCollege Summer Program. Entries will be judged in December 2025, with winners announced in January 2026.

鈥淓ntertainment Design impacts everything from theme parks, museums, and concerts to hotels, retail stores, and sporting events,鈥 said Jamie DeRuyter, Entertainment Design Department Head at 四虎影视 of Art and Design.

鈥淭hrough this competition, we hope to inspire today鈥檚 high school students to see themselves as tomorrow鈥檚 immersive experience designers and raise their awareness of this exciting, versatile, and fast-growing career field.鈥

鈥淲e are proud to collaborate with 四虎影视 of Art and Design in creating this first-of-its-kind entertainment design competition,鈥 said Eliza Lee of Universal Creative. 鈥淭his competition is intended to get high school juniors and seniors thinking practically about how to solve creative problems, design memorable experiences, and bring their unique ideas to life.鈥滷or more information about the Theme Park Design Competition presented by 四虎影视 of Art and Design, visit .

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Business of Art and Design students host cross-major collaborative fashion show /news/121324-genesisfashionshow/ Fri, 13 Dec 2024 14:18:51 +0000 /?p=51419 The post Business of Art and Design students host cross-major collaborative fashion show appeared first on 四虎影视 of Art and Design.

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Last weekend Business of Art and Design students Mo Mobtagha 鈥26 and Sam Balikowa 鈥26 hosted a night of fashion designs and immersive experiences at Genesis Fashion Show. Genesis is a student-led fashion show that aims to foster cross-disciplinary collaboration among students. The event and its organizers seek to redefine fashion by empowering artists, celebrating diversity, and advocating for a sustainable future. Genesis aims to create opportunities for every major to contribute their unique skills.

Genesis 2024 creative co-directors Mo Mobtagha and Sam Balikowa.
All photos: Riley Moore 鈥26, Film

The annual event took those ambitions further than ever before with immersive displays created by Motion Design students and designs for the space by an Entertainment Design student Amanda Caldera 鈥25. In Bejaoui鈥檚 second year as creative director and Balikowa鈥檚 first as vice president and head of designers, the duo enlisted the collaboration of Julieta Bukin 鈥25, Motion Design, and Abigail Atwell 鈥26, Motion Design, who created motion graphics for the Film department鈥檚 new LED video wall in Film鈥檚 Sound Stage A. For the conceptual design, story, and floor plan, they collaborated with Caldera, who was the lead set designer and part of the core Genesis team.

Genesis grew out of another iteration of the fashion show called Fresco, that was managed by Linda Liao 鈥23, Business of Art and Design. This year鈥檚 co-directors took place in that event as a model and a designer. Liao handed the project over to Bejaoui and Fresco was rebranded into Genesis. Balikowa explains the history, 鈥淚 was then brought onto the team as vice-president by Mo, as we both are fashion enthusiasts. Genesis was similar to Fresco in the sense that we still wanted to promote sustainability and advocate for issues in the fashion industry, however as Genesis grew, we also aimed to create a multidisciplinary collaborative event and we wanted to work with all of the majors on campus. With Mo as Creative director, me as logistics manager, and Amanda Caldera as set designer this year, we wanted to see how we could expand the idea of a fashion show and deliver a unique and refreshing experience for the audience.鈥

The stage hosted looks by 13 designers:

  • Araceli Aguirre 鈥27, Film
  • alum Curtis Anderson
  • Sam Balikowa
  • Lily Bean 鈥26, Visual Studies
  • Mobtagha Bejaoui
  • Romina Bonomi 鈥26, Fine Arts
  • Sarah Davis 鈥26, Business of Art and Design
  • Blue Dunsworth 鈥25, Fine Arts
  • Ava Franzen 鈥27, Fine Arts
  • Emma Myers 鈥28, Entertainment Design
  • Natasha Patel 鈥27, Virtual Reality Development,
  • Mikayla Queery 鈥27, Computer Animation
  • Penelope Strauss 鈥27, Illustration
  • Cat Vo 鈥25, Illustration
  • Seoeun (Sunny) Yu 鈥25, Illustration

The theme for this year鈥檚 show was Fluidity, as a celebration of concept in all its forms鈥攅mbracing movement, nature, gender, life, and everything beyond traditional binaries. From that theme, a story was developed centering around a storm. This story unfolded as a four act show: the calm before the storm, the storm, and stages of renewal after the storm. The metallic floored stage and blue lighting gave the event its dark and watery effect, setting the tone for designs that ranged from the haunting unknown under the sea to the surreal whimsy of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Bejaoui expressed gratitude to the community that helped to make the event possible, 鈥淎 special thank you to Kathleen Sobr, Jaime DeRuyter, and Dr. Tiffany Holmes for your faith and unwavering support for this project. Thank you to all of the Genesis team, you made it happen! My sincere gratitudes!!鈥

Likewise from Balikowa who shared, 鈥淪pecial thanks to Business of Art and Design Department, Entertainment Design Department, and Dr. Holmes, the VP of Academic Affairs.鈥

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Entertainment Design students land internships and jobs at Mattel, Universal, and BaseMint Creative /news/081624-edesinternships/ Fri, 16 Aug 2024 10:00:00 +0000 https://staging-ringlingmainsite.kinsta.cloud/?p=44313 四虎影视 of Art and Design鈥檚 Entertainment Design students spent their summers surrounded by Barbie and monsters and planning for themed environments. Get a look behind the scenes at dream...

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四虎影视 of Art and Design鈥檚 Entertainment Design students spent their summers surrounded by Barbie and monsters and planning for themed environments. Get a look behind the scenes at dream jobs that will make your inner child swoon. 

Tia Kassim 鈥26, Entertainment Design 
Epic Resorts and Destination鈥擬attel Adventure Park project

鈥淭his summer, I had the absolute pleasure of working at Epic Resorts and Destinations as they design and build the first-ever Mattel Adventure Park with Mattel as our brand partner. As a rising Entertainment Design junior, it has been such a dream project to be a part of, and I feel so fortunate to have had such a hands-on creative opportunity as my first internship.

I worked directly with the Creative Development team, and because the company itself is so tight-knit, I was also able to look at the project management, operations, business management, vendors, and technicians as they moved through and turned over different parts of the process. The park itself was being developed just adjacent to the offices, so I was really fortunate to see the design process truly run from start to finish in so many aspects of the project.

During my work week, I would typically sit in on a few different vendor meetings to discuss how designs are being fabricated and the different specifications that need to be made. There would also be plenty of small projects with short turn-around times like play park padding designs, gazebo theming, rendering edits, or paint color specifications that I would tackle in my spare time. Alongside the Creative Director, I would also sit in on calls with the Mattel branding teams to discuss and review designs we produce, which was a great insight into the marketing and IP management side of the field. 

This experience truly was a dive into the deep end of the Entertainment Design industry, and I could not be more thankful for the opportunity.鈥

Winders spent the summer in Universal Studios鈥 prop house working with spooky props and festive Christmas decor. 

Ryan Winders 鈥26, Entertainment Design
Universal Studios Hollywood鈥攋ob

鈥淚t has been a dream come true working in the prop house at Universal Studios Hollywood for their seasonal events. Although my work will be seen in the park, the vast majority of the props I fabricated were in an offsite warehouse in Glendale, California. My days vary depending on whether I am in the park or at the warehouse. There are good days and bad days, but it is an incredible experience all around. 

Universal prepares its events well in advance, and my summer has primarily consisted of holiday decor for the park鈥檚 Christmas event festivities. Many of the garlands that will be seen throughout the park I had a big part in refurbishing. The set pieces come in large crates where I then strip, fluff, put on new lights, decorate, and then repack the garlands into the crate. In addition to tons of garland, there are a few set pieces that I had the opportunity to work on that will be seen by guests in specific areas of the park. While much of my work is under NDA, I can鈥檛 wait for everyone to see it! My focal area of interest ever since I was seven years old is Halloween Horror Nights. Despite being put on Christmas for most of my time at Universal, I still gave the work I did 110%. Halloween is much more chaotic, and there is a lot more variety in the work with high expectations from management and designers/directors inspecting everything down to the smallest screw. 

I had a hand in creating sets for multiple scare zones and mazes that guests will be horrified by this September. In-park installs are where I learn the most. It is hot and sweaty in those maze tents but it is an absolute blast being inside them. Everything has to be secured so that guests can鈥檛 walk away with them which has been my focus during installs whether I am using wire, screws, or glue to carefully secure the props. My biggest takeaway from this internship has been improving upon skills I have learned working at other theme parks/haunted attractions. Despite my goal being on the design side of Halloween Horror Nights, it is valuable to know how your designs affect other teams as it has to be tangible and able to be fabricated in a set amount of time.鈥 

Bonillo Ruiz in the office at BaseMint Creative in Orlando, FL.  

Juan Bonillo Ruiz 鈥26, Entertainment Design with a minor in Business of Art and Design and Graphic Design
BaseMint Creative

鈥淭his summer I have been working as a design intern for BaseMint Creative. They are a master planning, concept development, and schematic design vendor, serving the themed entertainment and hospitality industries. I learned about them when they visited campus to talk to us about their work and how they did it. 

I developed concept design work for different projects that the company is working on. This design work mainly focuses on creating artwork that communicates the intent early in the design process. My colleagues and bosses have helped me learn how to develop a style that allows me to communicate the most information effectively, as well as a wide range of other skills. For example, I have gained great insight into the structure behind companies and projects in the industry. I have also received mentorship in master planning for area development and the connection between landscape architecture and themed entertainment. One of my bosses is an expert in these areas and shares pieces of that knowledge with me during our reviews and daily conversations.

Regarding the company鈥檚 culture, I feel incredibly fortunate to have felt so welcomed and included as another member of the amazing BaseMint Team. The leadership of the company does a great job of being approachable, encouraging, transparent, and incredibly inspiring. This experience has been an essential complement to my academic education, helping me transition from student to professional.鈥

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Entertainment Design student has been racking up the awards /news/entertainment-design-student-has-been-racking-up-the-awards/ Thu, 06 Jun 2024 12:30:00 +0000 https://staging-ringlingmainsite.kinsta.cloud/?p=43411 Less than halfway through 2024, Capri Easterday 鈥25, Entertainment Design, has already had an illustrious year. The junior at 四虎影视 of Art and Design was awarded first place and...

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Less than halfway through 2024, Capri Easterday 鈥25, Entertainment Design, has already had an illustrious year. The junior at 四虎影视 of Art and Design was awarded first place and honorable mention, respectively, in two prestigious national design competitions. She was also chosen as 四虎影视鈥檚 2024-25 Trustee Scholar for Student Life.

Most notably, Easterday won first place in the, which this year challenged entrants to design a comfortable, engaging light fixture for pediatric clinic waiting rooms. Easterday鈥檚 Wave design was chosen out of more than 180 national submissions, the most ever received in the competition鈥檚 21-year history.

Wave, a ceiling-mounted light fixture that curves 90 degrees to sit flush against the upper wall, creates a sense of fluidity and playfulness that extends beyond the fixture itself via LED beams. The piece is built from recycled plastic and aluminum.

Capri Easterday 鈥25, Entertainment Design, took home two prizes for her designs.

鈥淭he quality of light, energy use, maintenance, personality, and installation of the fixture all had to be considered,鈥 said Easterday, adding that her Wave form was designed 鈥渢o fluidly flow from the ceiling to the wall like a waterfall.鈥

Additionally, Easterday received an honorable mention in the 2024 Formica FORM Competition, which tasked students with creating a piece of furniture that demonstrated a retro-modern 鈥淣ewstalgia鈥 aesthetic, while using Formica Brand products. This year鈥檚 competition garnered 190 submissions, with Easterday placing in the top 10.

And now, Easterday will head into her senior year as Ringling Trustee Scholar for Student Life, the College鈥檚 highest scholarship honor, in recognition of her exceptional creative talent, communication skills, leadership, citizenship, and mentorship.

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Entertainment Design senior rises from Bulgarian orphanage to Universal鈥檚 Epic Universe /news/032524-amandaharrisuniversalinternships/ Mon, 25 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000 /?p=41954 Amanda Harris 鈥24, Entertainment Design, has overcome many challenges to find a home, both academically and literally. Now, in the midst of her second internship at Universal Studios Orlando, Harris...

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Amanda Harris 鈥24, Entertainment Design, has overcome many challenges to find a home, both academically and literally. Now, in the midst of her second internship at Universal Studios Orlando, Harris believes she鈥檚 found her career as well.

Harris spent the first two years of her life at an orphanage in Bulgaria before finally being adopted by 鈥渁n amazing family,鈥 she says, who brought her to Kentucky. She struggled early on at school, especially with reading, and teachers suspected both the language barrier and a learning disability were affecting her skills.

鈥淕rowing up I hated how I couldn’t do things that 鈥榥ormal kids鈥 could do like reading Harry Potter,鈥 she says. 鈥淚 became frustrated with myself, and something that brought me joy during this hard time was art. I was able to express myself without words.鈥

Soon, art wasn鈥檛 just an escape; it was her essential skill. 鈥淢y art skills just kept developing, and my creative mind just kept growing. Once I started to do art, I didn’t care that I couldn’t do those other things because I could do things that other kids weren’t as strong at.鈥

In 2019, just before her senior year of high school, Harris visited Universal Studios Orlando with her parents. Waiting in line for the Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts ride, she was 鈥渋n shock鈥 at the detailed, authentic-looking rocks and fantastic architecture all around her. 鈥淚 remember saying, 鈥楳an, I wish I could design something like this,鈥欌 she says. 鈥淢y mom then informed me that there were probably programs that had a focus in designing theme parks. That鈥檚 when I found 四虎影视.鈥

Four years later, in the summer of 2023, Harris returned to Universal鈥攖his time as an intern in Facility Design. The experience went so well for her, and the Universal team was so impressed with her skills, that she returned again in the spring of 2024, now working on Show Set Design for the new, immersive park. This second internship has been focused on problem-solving design issues for a particular attraction in the park鈥檚 Dark Universe, as well as using AutoCAD for specific scenes inside the attraction. 鈥淚 have officially decided that Show Set is where I would love to end up getting a career,鈥 says Harris.

鈥淚t’s taken me a long time to realize that if it weren’t for all these hard things that I went through as a child, I wouldn’t have focused so much on my creative mind and developing my love for art. I am who I am today because of all these things that happened on my journey through life. I wouldn’t change a single thing. I am really grateful for the life I have now.鈥

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First-annual Women of Industry panel celebrates women鈥檚 leadership in entertainment design /news/032024-womenofindustry/ Wed, 20 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000 /?p=42072 On March 22, 2024 at 7 pm, 四虎影视 of Art and Design and their Center for Diversity and Inclusion will host the first-annual Women of Industry event. The panel,...

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On March 22, 2024 at 7 pm, 四虎影视 of Art and Design and their Center for Diversity and Inclusion will host the first-annual Women of Industry event. The panel, initially inspired by Women鈥檚 History Month, will feature a number of women working in the themed entertainment industry. Each year, the panel will focus on a different creative industry. 

This women-focused discussion will touch on the unique opportunities and challenges for women in the Themed Entertainment Industry. Eight panelists will share their professional and

personal experiences about working in a male-dominated profession and talk about the evolution of women leadership. 

鈥淎 while back, Ringling鈥檚 Associate Dean of Students for Diversity and Inclusion, Dr. El莽in Haskollar, asked me about the current issues surrounding DEI right now in Entertainment Design,鈥 said Jamie DeRuyter, Entertainment Design department head at 四虎影视. 

鈥淚 immediately thought of the lack of equality for women in the industry. With roughly 80 percent of Entertainment Design students currently identifying as women, we need to prepare these young and aspiring professionals to take on this male-dominated industry. Hopefully, with this many women entering the field, they can tip the scales and make a real difference in the work culture.鈥

Debra Wren of Wrenhouse Design has enjoyed a 30-plus-year career working in themed entertainment. 鈥淎lthough there has been a big shift in how women are perceived in this industry during my career, there is still work to be done,鈥 she said. 

鈥淭his is especially true when working 鈥榠n the field鈥欌攐n construction sites, in fabrication shops, etc.鈥攚here it still tends to be very male-dominated. It鈥檚 important to also recognize that location plays a big part in this level of acceptance of women also. There are significant cultural factors that play into women鈥檚 roles across the industry.鈥

The Women of Industry panel will take place in the Roskamp Exhibition Hall on 四虎影视鈥檚 Main Campus. It is open to students, faculty, staff, and the general public are encouraged to attend. Admission is free. 

Meet the Women of Industry 2024 Panelists聽
Jayne Alcorn
Walt Disney Imagineering聽
Jayne Alcorn started at Walt Disney World and Walt Disney Imagineering from 1971 to 2006鈥攁 35-year career. Upon retirement, she started up Atelier Alcorn LLC and contracted back to Walt Disney Imagineering for another 10 years. Alcorn was a designer, manufacturer, and installer, supervisor of sets, and worked on interior and exterior props and dressings, artificial foliage, and furnishings of themed environments. In addition to her design experience, she also holds a bachelor鈥檚 degree in Studio Art from the University of Central Florida.

Arielle Rassel
Thinkwell
Arielle Rassel has loved telling stories for longer than she can remember鈥攁nd for over a decade, she鈥檚 been doing that through the creation of compelling location-based experiences all over the world. With experience in management, creative design, and production, her projects to-date include theme parks, zoos, brand centers, aquariums, museums, retail, dining, and other attractions. Rassel has participated with, and overseen design and production teams from blue sky through opening day, managing projects with the most minimal of budgets up to those with multi-million dollar capital expenditures. Among her most notable employers and clients are Walt Disney Imagineering, Google, Universal Creative, Scenario, and currently Thinkwell Group in Orlando, FL.

Sophie Ruiz 鈥23, Entertainment Design
Stardust Entertainment, LLC
Sophie Ruiz graduated from 四虎影视 as part of the first graduating class of Entertainment Design in 2023. After working on a variety of projects for different companies in the themed entertainment industry, Ruiz launched her own design company, Stardust Entertainment. The company was founded based on Ruiz鈥檚 thesis project (an FEC project named Stardust Arcade & Diner) and works primarily with independently owned family entertainment centers, bringing their visions to life by various methods of concept visualization. stardustentertainment.co聽

Denise Hatcher聽
AOA
Denise Hatcher is managing director of AOA with over 25 years of experience in the themed entertainment industry. A multi-faceted leader and executive, Hatcher oversees business administration and works closely with the executive team to support client relations and advance AOA into new industries and heights. During her career with The Walt Disney Company, Hatcher led sales and marketing strategy for Disney Vacation Club and Disney Parks. She developed marketing campaigns, integrated communications plans, and managed special events, dedications, and openings including New Fantasyland at Disney鈥檚 Magic Kingdom, and special events such as Star Wars Weekends, Epcot鈥檚 Food and Wine Festival, and exclusive charter events onboard Disney Cruise Line.

Shelby Honea聽
Universal Creative聽
Shelby Honea is an executive producer, creative management for Universal Creative. She was the producer responsible for developing and delivering Jurassic World VelociCoaster, an award-winning attraction, notably delivered in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.聽Honea is a graduate of the University of Nevada Las Vegas, Entertainment Engineering and Design Program. She was a part of the NextGen pilot group and currently sits on the TEA Eastern Board. Outside of work, Honea has yet to find the odd roadside attraction she didn鈥檛 like, but she is still looking.

Sarah Schmidt 鈥17, Computer Animation聽
Disney Live Entertainment聽
Sarah Schmidt is a themed entertainment concept artist and illustrator, currently working with Disney Live Entertainment and Walt Disney Imagineering in Orlando, FL. Schmidt is originally from Michigan and graduated from 四虎影视 in 2017 with a degree in Computer Animation. She started her career as an art intern with Disney Live Entertainment and has stuck around ever since.聽

Janelle Picard
MDSX
Janelle Picard has over 20 years experience as a producer and creative director for large-scale attractions, mobile apps, and interactive installations. She is also skilled in graphic design, documentation, project management, and communication. Picard is responsible for overseeing and communicating the design evolution, budgets, and schedules of projects in the themed entertainment industry.聽

Debra Wren聽
Wrenhouse Design聽
Debra Wren has a 30-plus-year career in the themed entertainment industry, including over 17 years as a Walt Disney Imagineer. She specializes in thematic design and implementation of signage and graphics, art direction, fabrication oversight, and project management. Currently, Wren is working on Universal鈥檚 new park, Epic Universe. She is the co-owner of Wrenhouse Design, LLC with her husband, Scott Wren, who is also a former Imagineer and Ringling alum.聽

Entertainment Design is the art of creating compelling and engaging experiences that translate a narrative, concept, or theme into a real-world experience that resonates with guests. 四虎影视鈥檚 Entertainment Design major teaches students to collaborate with artists, designers, and other creatives to bring their visions to life, and develop the visual communication skills of an artist and the problem solving skills of a designer. With a focus on the built environment, artistic and technical skills are applied to project designs for theme parks, museums and exhibitions, concerts, sporting events, expos, hotels and restaurants, retail spaces, and more for an industry expanding worldwide. In this program, students learn how to be effective designers and collaborators within teams that work on creative projects across all kinds of entertainment experiences. 

This woman-focused discussion will touch on the unique opportunities and challenges for women in the Themed Entertainment Industry.

The post First-annual Women of Industry panel celebrates women鈥檚 leadership in entertainment design appeared first on 四虎影视 of Art and Design.

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