[Urbatect]

Hello, I just visited the Art Center's(the one in Pasadena) homepage looking for info on the application process as my current education will end this this summer. To my horror I discovered that the entertainment design program seems to be discontinued. This totally messes up my career plan Does anyone know anything about what happened? is there any alternatives to that program anywhere?

[ambelamba]

I think they canned the ED program because there are too many cheaper competitions around the area:Gnomon, LA Academy of Figurative Art, Associates in Art(good teachers, poor management), Shawn Zents Studio and Watts Atelier in San Diego(even people in LA take classes over there).

Second, ACCD has pursued more fine-art intensive approach. Moreover, Illustration and Transportation Design already have all the necessary classes for entertainment design. Having a separate one can be rather redundant.
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[Urbatect]

Great, I'll check the alternatives. thanks for the info!

[Jimmyjimjim]

They discontinued the ED program, but they still have pretty much all the same classes.

The way it works at ACCD if you want an ED program is that you start as Product, Trans or Illustration and after 3rd term start focusing on entertainment. Pretty much the same as before, but it's no longer a major.

Neville Page and Scott Robertson were both product, BTW.

[mikewilson]

Well, that's not really the case. They changed Entertainment to a consintration. So, now you can be trans/entertainment or product/entertainment or illustration/entertainment. It's actually pretty good this way because you aren't stuck with a minor and you get to pick and choose your electives, unlike having say an illustration degree with a fine art minor. However, if you plan on being a concept designer I'd make sure your figure drawing skills are high enough before you get in, then I would apply for the product design department. You'll need a portfollio of perspective drawings ala Feng Zhu. Drawing is more important to the product design department than great design, and truthfully as long as you have good credit you'll get in.

The other thing is that you'll want to make sure to apply for schollarship as you enter the program. They're really stingy about giving a schollarship to anyone after they've entered and enrollment isn't high enough lately so for recruitment's sake, if for no other reason, you'll be guaranteed at least $1,500 a term. Also, the scholarships, once attained, will stay with you untill graduation without you having to re-submit. The only other advice I would give is to make sure you take illustration ellectives while you're there, like Bob Kato's sketching for illustration class and landscape painting with Mike Hernandez or Rob Ruple. These two classes are very important for story telling and composistion.

I'm at the end of my 4th term at Art Center and these are all the things I wish I had done before I entered the program. I would have taken a year or two and studied with Keven Chen at Gnomon School of Vis Effects or Charles Hu at LA Fig Art . Both studied with Steve Huston and are tremendous teachers in their own right. While your there, if your there , you might want to look up Scott Robertson too, he's one of the best ID draftsman at the school (vis comm 2).

Sorry for all the info, but Art Center is just out to take your money. The administration is pretty callus there, so if you don't have a plan before you go you can get royally screwed. $12,500 a term now too!

[trurl]

many of the big names in entertainment design are product or trans [some illustration] guys from Art Center [craig mullins, ryan church, feng zhu, nick pugh, syd mead, james clyne, herald belker, etc]. there hasn't been a formal entertainment program there ever as far as i know but there is a generous offering of entertainment classes and a general understanding that half of the people there are trying to get into the industry. they have an entertainment 'track', which roughly equates to a minor in university terms, but no formal entertainment program. fine art is a bit of a footnote at AC although the contemporary west coast fine art scene influences the illustration work there. and yes, tuition is outrageous.

[Urbatect]

Thanks again for the info! It will take a while to decide what to do now. Actually I'm finishing a three year product design program(at Ume� in Sweden), so the goal would be to enter with the entertainment courses right away, skipping the first 1,5 years or so. Alternatively going to gnomon school or take courses at the other places mentioned. What would carry more weight in the business? I take it your portfolio is the important thing, but its hard to know where I would get the best chance to improve it. Which place would be best for making contacts or "getting noticed" by people in the business?