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Theme Parks Concept Artist Chris Bradley On Building A Dream Career :: ArtCast #112

By Chris Oatley

How would you prepare for a career in a mysterious industry like Theme Park Design where information about job requirements and current projects are almost impossible to find?

…and what would you do if you were stuck in a desert (literal and creative) with little more than a stack of comics, a Disney Imagineering book and a school trip to Disneyland to guide you?

Concept Artist Chris Bradley is here to share how he went from working construction to designing Theme Park attractions for Disney Imagineering, 20th Century Fox and Hasbro!

You’ll also get to hear how Chris thinks when he visits a Theme Park and learn about his favorite attractions.

…and at the end of the interview, he shares some challenging advice for aspiring Theme Park Concept Artists…

Listen To The Episode:

[ download the mp3 ] [ subscribe in iTunes ]

Links Mentioned:

Chris Bradley

Painting Drama

Walt Disney: An American Experience

Walt Disney Imagineering: A Behind the Dreams Look at Making More Magic Real

One Little Spark by Marty Sklar

The Hettema Group

What’s Your Favorite Theme Park Attraction?

…and why?

Please tell me about it in the comments below!

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Disney Visual Development Artist/ Illustrator Chris Oatley helps Artists and Writers find healthy, fulfilling careers in Animation, Games, Comics, Film and Illustration.

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Comments

  1. Jaison says

    September 19, 2018 at 8:33 am

    This was a great interview. What really stood out to me was how he needed three things to get his career going in the direction. Skill, focused portfolio and the ability to sell himself by using the right words. It seems like lacking any one of these three things would of not brought him the results at the event he went to. He reminded me it is so important to have story to tell and to love the medium you are using to tell the story because at the end of the day, it is a job that need you at your best.

    • Chris Oatley says

      September 19, 2018 at 9:30 am

      Those things resonated with me too, Jaison.

      Of course, Chris is an expert on “Serious Fun” and I loved his advice and insights about the relationship between practicality with passion.

      Thanks for writing!

  2. Heidi Hoffer says

    September 19, 2018 at 8:44 am

    Very encouraging interview. It contained the best description of the magic formula. The design work that goes into getting someone through various thresholds as they travel to the magic environment is not unlike a prologue to a good story. I enjoyed the reminder that the theme park space is more than just the rides. Hearing about Bradley’s prep work for his storytelling portfolio and elevator speech was the most encouraging. Knowing someone like him has folks he can turn to when help on a tough aspect is needed was also encouraging. It is collaboration. It is all about the people, both behind and in front of the curtain

    • Chris Oatley says

      September 19, 2018 at 9:32 am

      Well put, Heidi! Bradley was blowing my mind with his behind the scenes observations! Thank you for the comment!

  3. Laurel V says

    September 19, 2018 at 10:20 am

    Great interview, so many wise words!

    My favorite theme park attraction (and probably no one else’s) is Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride because of its hilarious morbidness. It’s also intimate, charming, and has been around since the beginning.

    • Chris Oatley says

      September 19, 2018 at 10:39 am

      Though it isn’t my personal favorite ride, I can totally relate, Laurel! With all of the changes and upgrades over time (and especially in recent years), links to Disneyland 1.0 are becoming more and more scarce – and therefore precious.

      Thank you for sharing!

  4. John says

    September 19, 2018 at 11:27 am

    Loved this episode. Thanks and Bradley for a very unique and enjoyable episode. Like Jaison said above, I thought the portfolio advice was really useful (not just for portfolios or getting a job but for any pitch). I also liked the theme, that I’ve heard in other Oatley podcasts that you have to contribute something to the team, have a skill and a level of effort that fills a need within the team and make yourself indespensible somehow.

    I sadly don’t have a theme park story although LegoLand California last year was fun, but mostly because my kids were so entertaining to watch there. Theme parks were something I mostly missed out on but i enjoyed hearing about theme parks from your perspectives.

    Thanks again Oatley Podcast team!

    • John says

      September 19, 2018 at 11:31 am

      I meant to say the LegoLand Starwars exhibits

    • Chris Oatley says

      September 19, 2018 at 12:39 pm

      Thanks for the comment, John. I’ve never been to Legoland but I hear it’s awesome! So glad you liked the episode!

  5. Chris Oatley says

    September 19, 2018 at 4:06 pm

    Okay, friends! For those who want to know, I promised I’d share my own favorite Theme Park attraction here in the comments…

    It’s certainly Peter Pan’s Flight in Disneyland Anaheim. Though the ride wasn’t there when the park opened in 1955, it still has that quaint, “Disneyland 1.0” feel to it. I try to ride it every time I visit the park. …and I often ride it twice. (Long wait, short ride, but totally worth it, in my opinion.)

    Apart from the movie, I love the Peter Pan story in general – that balance of fantasy, humor and melancholy – none of which is in the movie, really. I get why the movie is an animation classic and I admire it for the same reasons my industry peers do. I find the racist and sexist elements impossible to look past so I don’t watch it very often.

    Of course, I have a meaningful connection to the character of Tinker Bell because her movie was one of the first projects I worked on when I broke in at Disney. So I think that connection has strengthened my connection to the original movie (aforementioned details notwithstanding).

    …but the ride is a different story.

    The creativity, design and music combine to create a delightful, charming, and timeless experience every time.

    • Ben says

      September 21, 2018 at 9:06 pm

      You know, there’s a lot of those original rides that don’t get enough credit. They are much more about the experience and leaving the world behind. Those rides are proof that you don’t need a thrilling roller coaster to have fun. You might even get a little inspired along the way.

  6. Kristina says

    September 20, 2018 at 5:53 pm

    This was fantastic to listen to… growing up in Southern California Disneyland was always a ‘treat’, but honestly I didn’t really appreciate it until I was older and could really see what goes into building the theme park experience. I agree with him on Pirates and The Blue Bayou! About 6 years ago I surprised my daughter with a trip to Disneyland (she was 10 at the time) and I had pre-booked a table at the Blue Bayou – we ended up at a table that was right on the water! It was SO much fun experiencing the magic of how neat that ride and restaurant is through her. We were right across from the old guy in the shack (he need to learn a few new songs though HAHA)… (Haunted Mansion is a close second, mostly for nostalgic reasons though!)

    On another note – this interview really helped to spark my focus on ‘what I want to be when I grow up’, as I think I’ve finally figured out my own Purple Cow, and his mention of his elevator pitch about what he has to bring to the table with his experience in different fields really resonated with me!

    • Chris Oatley says

      September 20, 2018 at 6:13 pm

      Awesome, Kristina! What a fun story! I love that you got to share that experience with your daughter. And that’s great that you’re having Purple Cow epiphanies!

  7. Ben says

    September 21, 2018 at 9:01 pm

    I finally got around to hearing this episode and… GGAAAAHHHHHH!!! IT’S SO GOOD! He has a way of explaining his thoughts that really got to me. About 4 years ago I actually had an Imagineer come give a couple workshops while I was in school so I have a small understanding of what Chris was talking about and it really resonated!

    My favorite experience at a theme park is probably Tower of Terror. I love the whole hotel experience and the spooky vibe that is always present. I loved the way it brought you through the line and it always feels like there’s a purpose to the whole thing. It isn’t my favorite “ride” but it’s my favorite experience. Which makes it better really.

    I love the Pirates ride too but it’s been closed the past few times I’ve been to the park. 🙁

    On a side note, I’m super stoked for Painting Drama but when will you be opening up enrollment again for Magic Box?

  8. Melissa Peterson says

    September 28, 2018 at 5:15 pm

    I remember laughing so hard on the Mad Tea Party Ride at Disney. I am fortunate to live 20 minutes from Sea World in one direction and Six Flags 20 minutes the other direction. Honestly, my favorite thing to do is hang out with the penguins. When Six Flags was Fiesta Texas, I got to design some of their signs and do some illustration work for their advertising department. Chris’ job sounds much more interesting. All of his hard work has paid off. Everyone that I know of that has been through Painting Drama has beautiful work. Gorgeous website by the way! Thank you for a great podcast, Chris Bradley and Chris Oatley!

  9. Tanya Hales says

    October 13, 2018 at 9:14 pm

    It was so fun getting a peek at this career which I had never thought much about!
    The ride I appreciate the most is It’s a Small World. It might not be my absolute favorite, and it’s not the most exhilarating, but since having children, I’ve really begun to see the magic in it. I love all the moving parts. You can go through that ride repeatedly and see new things each time. Not to mention, the ambiance is pure Disney magic. It makes me happy just thinking about it.

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