FIDM Magazine

FIDM Alumna Worked on Oscar-Nominated Film The Artist

FIDM Alumna Kaitlynn Wood, a Graduate of the Entertainment Set Design& Decoration Program, worked in the Set Decoration Depart of The Artist, which has been nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Art Direction in Production Design and Set Decoration

Kaitlynn worked under the direction of  Production Designer Laurence Bennett and Set Decorator Robert Gould. She is the first Graduate from Entertainment Set Design & Decoration to receive an on screen credit for an Oscar nominated film in Art Direction.

FIDM Students Tour Italian Theatre Costume Exhibit

FIDM Advanced Study Students from Fashion Design, Film & TV Costume Design, Theatre Costume Design, Entertainment Set Design & Decoration, and International Manufacturing & Product Development programs took a special tour of the new exhibition “Il Teatro alla Moda” on Friday, October 14th. The exhibit, at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, celebrates Italy’s haute couture designers and their impact on opera, dance and theater design.

Valeria Mangani, Vice President, Alta Roma and Counselor for External Relations and Fashion for the Mayor of Rome, led the small group of 20 FIDM Students on the special tour, answering questions and pointing out the rich details of the amazing costumes.

The exhibit of 80 costumes, sketches, and drawings from Giorgio Armani, Roberto Capucci, Enrico Coveri, Fendi, Alberta Ferretti, Romeo Gigli, Antonio Marras, Missoni, Emanuel Ungaro, Valentino, and Gianni Versace is on display until November 13.

FIDM Student Wins Best Production Design for Short Film

Congratulations to 2011 FIDM grad Amber Bailey! She won Best Production Design award at this year’s Action on Film Festival for the short film The Price—a spaghetti western with an apocalyptic edge.

When the New Mexico native first came to FIDM two years ago, she majored in Visual Communications. “I always thought it would be cool to work in entertainment, but I didn’t know the jobs,” she reports. After moving to LA and working on friends' films, she is now focused on a career in production design. Next semester, she’ll build on her skill set with the Advanced Study program in Entertainment Set Design & Decoration.

Amber jumped into production design for The Price feet first when the first designer dropped out. As set designer, she helped choose locations, built sets from the ground up, and was responsible for all decorating.

“I like doing set design because it is so much more than just decorating,” says Amber. In movies, “the sets and decoration are an extension of character. You can explore characteristics not expressed in plot or dialogue.” Amber loves making all those creative choices.

“I’m looking forward to the networking and internship opportunities that FIDM offers. Now I can learn the foundations from industry professionals so I really know what I’m doing,” says the already award-winning set designer.

 

Entertainment Set Design & Decoration Alumna Lands New Job

Entertainment Set Design & Decoration and Visual Communications Grad Justine Toothaker just landed a job as a Prop PA on ABC's new show, Good Christian Belles. Justine will be working under the Production Designer, Denny Dugally and working with fellow FIDM Alumna Sarah Stimpson, who recommended her for the position.

FIDM Alumna Working on ABC Hit "Brothers & Sisters"

Entertainment Set Design & Decoration Alumna Sarah Stimpson, who just graduated this year, has been hired as the Art Department Production Assistant on ABC's successful drama Brothers & Sisters. Sarah also has a prior degree from FIDM in Visual Communications.

FIDM Students Visit the Set of "Glee"

On November 6, 2010, close to 100 FIDM Visual Communications and Interior Design Students participated in the "Day with a Set Decorator" tour on the set of  Fox Television hit series Glee, sponsored by the SDSA/Set Decorators Society of America. The tour was led by the show's Set Decorator, Barbara Munch, and students learned how sets are decorated and dressed, propping, lighting, and furniture layout.  

"They also received behind the scenes design and decorating secrets from, Art Director, Michael Rizzo and Set Buyer, Elizabeth Morris at Paramount Studios," explained Cynthia Patino, Director of Visual Communications & Entertainment Studies. The tour ended with a panel discussion by the Set Decorator, Art Director, Set Buyer, and Costume Designer, Lou Eyrich. Students then went on a prop house tour at Prop Services West and Hollywood Studio Gallery.

FIDM Grad Ali Matilla Loves Her Job As Set Decorator on Disney TV Show "Zeke and Luther"

Ali Matilla graduated with an Entertainment Set Design & Decoration degree from FIDM in 2008 and is already hugely successful, working as a set decorator on Disney TV show "Zeke and Luther." Her days are long—she's on set with her team at 5:30 A.M. (an hour and a half before the 7:00 A.M. call time) and works a 12-hour day. When she's not picking out cool props from prop houses and antique, thrift, and fabric stores to make the set, she's busy meeting with her assistant, TV show directors and producers, production designers, and the rest of the crew to finalize details. She's also responsible for a budget and must submit everything to the producers for approval. 

"I had always been a visual thinker when reading books and very imaginative, so once I actually tapped into the film world, I really found out what I loved to do. It was to find those pieces of a character in their environments—an extension of them from their quirks and nuances to impeccable style or taste. It really is a blast and as a decorator you get to get out in the world and away from drawing and actually find those pieces for them!"

Read the entire interview with Ali Matilla on FIDM's FashionClub.com Daily.

FIDM Students Are Finalists for ATAS Art Direction Summer Internship

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences offers a summer internship in Art Direction and students from across the country apply for this prestigious experience. Only four finalists were selected, two of whom were FIDM Students from the Entertainment Set Design & Decoration Program. Congratulations to Sarah Stimpson and Maggie Allen, the only two California students chosen as finalists!

Internships for Entertainment Set Design & Decoration

Students in FIDM's Entertainment Set Design & Decoration program learn to coordinate everything on a film or television set or stage to bring the characters and plot to life. 

Currently, FIDM Students are working as interns on the following TV shows:

• The Mentalist - CBS
• Cougar Town - ABC
• Scrubs - ABC
• Melrose Place - FOX
• Chuck - NBC
• Gigantic - Nickelodeon
• Castle - ABC

And they are interning at these prop houses:

• Lennie Marvin Prop House

• PSW/Prop Services West

Find out more about the Entertainment Set Design & Decoration Major.

FIDM Alumna Alison Matilla Gets "Lost" with Her Latest Gig

Set Decorator Alison Matilla, who received a Visual Communications Professional Designation Degree and then completed the Advanced Study Program of Entertainment Set Design and Decoration, recently transformed a Subway into a broken down, overgrown building with dinosaurs and props from the film, Land of the Lost. "This job was great because it combined both design and marketing avenues together with Subway and the film," says Alison, who had the chance to see the creators of Land of the Lost, Sid and Marty Kroft. "Working in the film industry for the last two years I have had the opportunity of meeting loads of talented people."

Learn about Fashion Design and Fashion Merchandising at FIDM.