What to study???

[terp79]

The first stages of designing most anything at WDI happens in Blue Sky. That's the department/phase in which all the initial ideas are brought to the table. It's the huge brainstorming session where all ideas are tossed around, sorted and plussed.

Most of the Blue Sky sessions happen out in Glendale and I will tell you as I have told a many imagineers in training. Blue Sky is what everyone wants to do, this is the department everyone wants to be in and it's not easy to achieve.

Not to worry you can be in all sorts of departments and pulled in for a blue sky session where you basically throw your ideas around and help out the project leader/show producer for an afternoon.

 

[Figment571]

I think I am going to take a stage tech class next year, working lights and ect. Is that good to know? I think it would be because of staging and what not.

Also I just worry a lot about what ifs. What if I don't make it to Imagineering, then what? If I have worked up all my time working for this goal and I don't attain it, what do I do then? I just am a little bit of a worrier.

 

[mkt]

Right now I'm going for an MFA in Illustration and Graphic Design. I am going to pick a second masters degree afterwards, either an MBA (international business/marketing) or another MFA (industrial design)

After speaking with a few friends in WDI, they all suggested the same thing... MFA industrial design.

Not that I'd go to WDI, but that's as I was told

 

[terp79]

it's all about the experience. . .

Words of wisdom, I spoke with an Imagineer in Glendale (one that worked with Tony Baxter developing Disneyland Paris, she helped design the castle among many other things) and she told me that higher education or design experience in the entertainment industry is key.

She stressed the "professional work experience" over high education but also mentioned that a masters degree is always good. She said that just because one has a masters degree won't automatically get them in WDI but the portfolio of professional work experience will. They really want to see how one applies their talents/degree(s) outside of the classroom and how it will relate and translate to WDI. She said that it's all about how one applies them self in the real world.

I was going to go straight into grad school after college but I didn't want to stay in school forever and not try to put my bachelors degree to work. I did what the Imagineers suggested and I'm currently working at a company that works with Disney so I am getting some design experience that relates. I really enjoy it but on the same note I haven't lost track of the higher education factor. I'm planning on going and getting my MFA within the next 2 years. I have been shopping around looking at various schools that have relations with Disney/WDI and one's that will let me tailor my own master's degree to benefit what I want to do in the future.

I understand what Figment571 means with all the "what ifs" because getting into WDI isn't easy. I've been trying for four years, now granted I did enter the ImagiNations design contest that opened a lot of doors and I have been freelancing for the Show Production Department in Glendale for the last 2 years on various blue sky projects and I'm still not there. It's tough and the journey is long and hard so be prepared for a lot of rejection. I will stress that one should always have at least 2 back up plans to fall on. Don't put all your eggs into one basket.

There are many ways into WDI and none are laid out for any of us. You make your own path....so good luck to all on the wild and crazy journey that is wanting to become an Imagineer.

 

[mkt]

terp, what MFA are you going for/what institution?

 

[GhostHostMatt]

..........wrong thread..sorry

 

[terp79]

mkt, there are 2 universities I am currently looking at, the 3rd is somewhere I would consider after getting my masters. Right now I'm looking at CalArts (problem is they really don't allow students to tailor their masters, they'll work with you in arranging certain elements/classes I may need but their more strict with the courses for a predetermined/officially titled degree.

The second University I'm looking at is the University of Central Florida. Granted it's not as glamorous as CalArts but it still has heavy connections with Walt Disney World and WDI, Orlando.

After getting my masters I then plan to move forward for 4 years in trying to get into the company by working and applying my masters. If I still can't get into WDI by then it's time to consider even higher education and try to get into the Art Center.

It'll take a long time to get where I want to be, but who knows fait may step in and I could get something sooner, I doubt it. Not enough professional
experience.

I want to get my masters in fine art with an emphasis on thematic and atmospheric design aka Environmental Design. I want it to be more art/graphic/illustration based than architecture and engineering. That's the catch 22.

 

[mkt]

Gotcha... I'm currently going for an MFA in Graphic Arts, and want to follow it up with one in Industrial Design. So far I'm looking at Academy of Art in San Francisco, CCS in Detroit, Art Center in Pasadena CA, Arizona State in Tempe, and the Univeristy of Kansas in Lawrence KS.

Each one has their pros and cons, San Francisco and Pasadena are the most appealing ones to me right now, followed by ASU and Detroit.

 

[terp79]

mkt, quick question are you located in PR or studying in San Juan? Are you a US Citizen? Just curious. . .

 

[mkt]

mkt, quick question are you located in PR or studying in San Juan? Are you a US Citizen? Just curious. . .

yes to all 3

 

[terp79]

mkt, that's great that you're a US citizen, WDI has a problem with bringing in non US citizens on work visas.

So you're studying fine art....do you have a website or online portfolio?
Just curious.

 

[mkt]

well, PR is a US possession We automatically get US citizenship at birth. But to cover my , I was born in Boston, and I also have an EU citizenship, should I opt to send a CV to the WDI Europe people that I've met.

I had an online portfolio, which I'm presently redoing with some newer works of mine, namely now that I'm getting better at 3D modeling (drastically better) and have been doing higher caliber work overall. For now, my site:

http://www.mkt3000.com/

Nothing special, I am in the process of redoing it based on the splash site, but it's functional.

 

[mousermerf]

Quick note - if you've worked for Disney at all you can't enter the ImagiNations contest. Just a word of advice if you're ever considering a summer job or anything and entering later.

And a degree does not measure talent - i certainly hope WDI understands that.

 

[mkt]

Quick note - if you've worked for Disney at all you can't enter the ImagiNations contest. Just a word of advice if you're ever considering a summer job or anything and entering later.

I'm well aware Rob

And a degree does not measure talent - i certainly hope WDI understands that.

You're right, it doesn't. It's still requisite, and as long as I keep winning awards and get freelance work from people within the company, someone is bound to notice

 

[terp79]

mkt,

yup seems like you're covered. just wanted to make sure...I have a friend in Canada and their trying to work with WDI on visas, etc.

Cool website, is the deviantART section your only online work?

It sounds like you've freelanced for the company? Have you freelance for any LOB with Disney? I know when I was working freelance last yr for WDI, careerbuilder was hosting the dreamjob contest and I couldn't enter because I was working for the company.

 

[mkt]

mkt,

yup seems like you're covered. just wanted to make sure...I have a friend in Canada and their trying to work with WDI on visas, etc.

Cool website, is the deviantART section your only online work?

It sounds like you've freelanced for the company? Have you freelance for any LOB with Disney? I know when I was working freelance last yr for WDI, careerbuilder was hosting the dreamjob contest and I couldn't enter because I was working for the company.

Yeah, the deviantart is presently just some sketches I do and some old photos... nothing on there takes me more than 20 minutes to throw together (save for the milk packaging)

I have some other online work which I'll PM you if you're interested

I worked for WDW full time about 5 years ago, but since ny freelance work has been with WDPR/WDW and TWDC Latin America, but I have never been on payroll, but rather paid as a contractor.

 

[HandyAndy]

Two quick questions:

1) If you do the College Program, can you enter the ImagiNations contest afterwards?

2) How hard is it for a UK citizen to become an Imagineer?

 

[mousermerf]

I'm well aware Rob



You're right, it doesn't. It's still requisite, and as long as I keep winning awards and get freelance work from people within the company, someone is bound to notice

By requisite, are you referring to just having "a degree" or specifically a masters in some engineering or creative field?

Lately i've been doing some grad school research and trying to decide what to do for the next few years (work or grad school) and the people I know keep suggesting working instead of going to grad school.

Of course being able to actually get a job in a related field (theater design) is always one of those "who knows?" type things.

 

[mkt]

By requisite, are you referring to just having "a degree" or specifically a masters in some engineering or creative field?

Lately i've been doing some grad school research and trying to decide what to do for the next few years (work or grad school) and the people I know keep suggesting working instead of going to grad school.

Of course being able to actually get a job in a related field (theater design) is always one of those "who knows?" type things.

Going to grad school might make you overqualified for some jobs within Disney and in the real world, but not for the ones I consider to be the most fun. That being said, I've never met an imagineer with less than a masters degree, in some cases multiple masters degrees or a doctorate.

 

[makonyy15]

I'm a sophomore in college now studying Mechanical Engineering. I've had a lot of people tell me that the thing they see in me in terms of getting to Imagineering is drive. That I'm the kid that will somehow make it work. I've decided that I'll do whatever possible to become an imagineer, but I know in the long run that it's out of my hands. By no means do I let that stop me or get me down. I'm a mechanical engineering major because I love engineering, not because I want to be an Imagineer. Therefore, I'll be happy doing any type of mechanical engineering, Imagineering would just be the best of the best.

I just sort of fell into Mechanical Engineering, I did a lot of creative engineering design projects through high school, and it wasn't until senior year of High school that I realized that I was engineering. I designed and built my own home snowmaking machine and I failed many times trying to get it to work, but I had a goal in mind, so I was able to make it work in the long run. I obtained an engineering internship for the summer after freshman year of college, and I impressed them with my work such that I was invited back for my january interim as well as another internship for the summer of 2008 both on the last day of first internship. I've made them well aware of my Imagineering dreams and they're trying to help me get there, but just last week they said I have a job waiting for me should it not work out immediately. I was shocked to receive a somewhat official job offer as a sophomore in college. It taught me that being passionate and working hard really does pay off. After this summer though I'm going to try to get into an area closer to the mechanical engineering done by WDI because I want to get into the Ride System Design area. The internship I have is in Architectural Mechanical Engineering/HVAC Design which I enjoy, but not the type of engineering I necessarily want to do for the rest of my life.

I'm hoping to enter the Imaginations contest my senior year as my capstone project at school, but I'm not sure if that will work according to plan. I am unable to do the college program because my cirriculum for engineering is extremely rigorous, and missing a semester would prevent me from graduating on time. Therefore, I may have to participate right after I graduate. We'll see how everything works out in the long run. The only I advice I have is to do what you love and don't force yourself into something just because you want to be an Imagineer. You'll regret it in the long run.