Written by Eve Katz, Graphic by Tyler Lowe, Photos courtesy of Sydney Bacenas
Production design professor Sydney Bacenas has had years of experience with many different companies both in the themed entertainment industry and outside of it. From Halloween Horror Nights to the Reduced Shakespeare Company, Bacenas has had a hand in a wide variety of projects and is now sharing her expertise with students here at SCAD.
With so many different disciplines within the themed entertainment industry, it can be difficult for students to figure out where to start. SCAD offers a themed entertainment concentration within the production design undergraduate program, but there are many other positions within the industry for those who specialize in writing, painting and more. “I think going into themed entertainment, it’s such a vast industry that requires so many different skill sets that the first thing is to know yourself really well and what your strengths are and what your top three skills are that could get you the job,” Bacenas said. “Once you’re in the business, keep your eyes open and be a sponge.”
Besides just knowing what your strongest skills are, Bacenas also recommends being flexible and knowing how to work with different kinds of people. “Working with a lot of variety, a lot of different companies and a lot of different teams, I think that really seasons you to be able to handle just about anything,” Bacenas said. “[You can work with] any personality, and different languages and cultural perspectives, which is so key in themed entertainment.”
Bacenas also credited her opportunity to work abroad as an important learning opportunity for her as a creative. Themed entertainment is about creating experiences that provide a sense of magic for guests. No matter who they are or where they’re from, you want to immerse them in the world that has been created. Understanding different perspectives is a huge part of being in the industry, and a great way to learn that is by working, or even just experiencing time abroad. “I think working abroad and working with different teams taught me a lot,” Bacenas said. “The Japanese team, they’re unbelievable operators. I learned a lot from them, they were so organized in how they operated a show. We could take a lot of their practices and put them here and our theme parks would run better.”
On many projects, coordination between departments is crucial. Bacenas said that building communication skills helps when you find yourself needing to step into different roles that you’re not necessarily used to being in. “You have to maintain [a certain] level of aesthetic [on a project], so the compromise has to be somewhere in the middle to meet practical, functional and aesthetic design purposes,” Bacenas said. “I found myself in that role a lot of the time, I think that’s why I had so many opportunities. I could take this hat off, put this one on. Bridging the gap was a great need for certain projects, so I got kinda good at it, and I think I got good at it because I worked abroad with the teams that taught me a lot.”
Of all of Bacenas’ anecdotes about her time in the themed entertainment industry, one stuck out as the perfect example of her advice to know yourself in order to break into the industry. Being familiar with your skillset and confident in your work helps build comfortability with reaching out to your superiors. This could help you move up in the industry, and is exactly what Bacenas did. “I remember when I was at Disney and the person who hired me was leaving. She was making a new choice to take on another job which she wanted to do,” Bacenas said. “I walked into our VP’s office and I said, ‘I know she’s leaving, I’m gonna really miss her because she hired me I wouldn’t be here without her, but if there’s an opportunity for me to step into a new role or to take on more responsibility,’ I said, ‘my foot is in the door and it’s shaking really hard.’ And that’s what I said to her, I don’t know where it came from.”
About a week later, Bacenas was offered the opportunity to lead the production of costumes on a project with Michael Curry Design. Curry is well-known in and out of the Disney community for his work on the puppets for “The Lion King” on Broadway, the “Rivers of Light” nighttime show in Disney’s Animal Kingdom and many other notable achievements. Bacenas was not aware that she could have the opportunity to work with him, but she was able to because she had the confidence to reach out. “So I got to guide the making of those costumes with Michael Curry Design and his team, and I was leading it,” Bacenas said. “Just because I went in and asked for it and she gave it to me. She trusted me enough to give it to me, but I asked for it. I didn’t know I was asking for that, but don’t be afraid of that even though you don’t know what you’re asking for.”
If you’re wondering how to take on new opportunities as you enter the professional world, make sure to take Professor Bacenas’ advice. Get your foot in the door, and shake it real hard.
