For our final event of the semester TEA@USC is excited to welcome an incredible panel of speakers from Thinkwell. Join us for a discussion on the ways themed entertainment reaches far beyond the gates of a theme park and how it can continue to expand into other industries through working with non-traditional players.

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Join us on Saturday 2/13 at 1pm for our second industry chat of the semester with Brandi Creason and Jamie Bartkowicz. These meetings are a great opportunity to talk to industry professionals and get advice in a casual, intimate setting. Jamie has spent the last 5 years working at Universal Studios Hollywood as part of the Entertainment Production Department. During her time there, she has worked on the Art & Design team for various projects, from seasonal events to park decor. However, Halloween was an everyday affair since her primary role was working on creating Halloween Horror Nights year round. Brandi has been in the film, television, and themed entertainment industries for over 27 years, including being a Production Designer for Universal Studios Hollywood’s Entertainment Department, with her lead focus working on the very popular, Halloween Horror Nights. Together they recently started and began teaching at The Essential Art Department.

Join us this Saturday 2/6 at 1pm for our first industry chat of the semester! These meetings are a great opportunity to talk to industry professionals and get advice in a casual, intimate setting. This week we'll be meeting with Show Writer and Experience Designer Stacy Barton. For the past twenty years she's specialized in story development for themed experiences, including major projects for Disney, SeaWorld, Ringling Bros. and others around the world. In addition to themed entertainment, she's also the published author of four books of fiction and poetry, five children's picture books, and 30+ magazine publications. Link will be sent on Slack.

Join us as we welcome Walt Disney Imagineering’s Scott Trowbridge, Margaret Kerrison, and John Larena for a special behind the scenes panel diving into the creation of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and its revolutionary attraction Star Wars:Rise of the Resistance.

When: January 28th, 6:30pm

Register to virtually attend here

Hear from USC Architecture alumni Phil Bloom, the Ride Guru himself, on how architecture and themed entertainment mix to design the amazing rides you see at parks such as Disney and Universal. As a designer on some of the world’s great themed rides - The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Transformers, Ratatouille Rise of the Resistance, and so many more, Bloom has extensive experience and knowledge of the industry to share. Join us in this interactive panel on Thursday, November 5th at 7pm PST and come prepared with questions as this panel will feature a strong Q+A session.

November 5th 7:00pm

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What’s the best way to organize a creative team? How did they do things back in Walt’s day, and how are today’s creative companies different? On 10/29, The Bezark Company will present “The Creative Tree,” a fast-paced exploration of the roles and structures of creative projects. We’ll present individual stories from our team members, as well as advice for students about how to build a career within this ever-changing industry.

Join TEA@USC and Universal Studios Hollywood’s Halloween Horror Nights Creative Director and Executive Producer John Murdy for a conversation celebrating the haunt industry, as we dive into his process of creating terrifying Halloween attractions.

*Open to public, but registration required*

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