Media Arts/Set Design Questions!!

College Majors Theater/Drama Majors
1

Hey guys
I’m an upcoming junior in NJ and I recently chose what I want to be in the future.
I was always interested in set/production design and musicals/ films/ TV shows. (Currently, I’m a set designer/stage manager for the school musical.) I found out few weeks ago that there’s a major for set designing in colleges…so I have a lot of questions for any college students majoring in this area!
Questions:

  1. Do I have to take any SAT 2s for this major? What kind of AP classes should i take in senior year? (I’m taking AP chem in junior year)
  2. When should i start preparing for the portfolios? (I’ve been doing competitions and taking art classes out of school)
  3. Which colleges have this major? Do art colleges have this major?
  4. Are there any volunteers related to this major? Any high school internships or summer camps?
  5. Are there any art jobs relating to theatre? What does an art director do?
2

Hey @jenjenbanana98, I hope someone with more direct experience replies – there were a ton of tech moms on here a few months ago – but I believe that CMU, UNSCA, DePaul, SUNY Purchase and perhaps a few others have highly regarded set design programs. You might want to look through the old threads and PM people directly. They’re probably getting their kids ready to move in now and not checking the board. Good luck to you.

3

CalArts has this major. It is an arts school, and you don’t need SAT2s. A high score on the AP lit test can get you out of the intro writing class. You may want to connect with your local theatre (rep, community, shakespeare) and see if they offer summer internships or internships during the school year. Having hands on experience will really help you to understand the job and what it takes. Good luck!

4

@Jkellynh17 Thank you!
@astute12 Thank you!

5

@jenjenbanana98 The thread entitled “Technical Theater” below has a ton of information about schools, their programs, the application process etc. It’s long, but very worthwhile if you are just getting a feel for all of this. Also, most technical theater programs do not require SAT2’s, however you should double check with each school that interests you. CMU has a 6-week intensive (and expensive) summer program in Drama Design and Production.

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/theater-drama-majors/623794-technical-theater-p1.html

6

@craspedia Thank you!! :slight_smile: